Welcome. I’m Paul Duke, an online writing instructor, tutor, coach, and content creator in Canada. My dream is to help dedicated English learners develop their English skills, in particular, their writing skills, to an advanced and elite level. These skills may be for high school, university or graduate academic levels, or they may be required for a learner’s professional life. Whichever the case, if you need help developing your skills to a high level, I can help you.

In my 15 years of teaching, I have worked with English-as-Another-Language students (EAL/ESL), high school and university students, professors, and professionals. All of them have greatly enriched their skills through our work together, and I am honoured to have been a part of their development.

Before becoming a teacher, I worked as a Private Investigator. In that profession, I learned a lot about analyzing information, inductive reasoning, critical thinking, and communication, and I apply some of these lessons to my English instruction. I believe students are capable of dramatic improvement when they can learn to analyze their own work and improve on their own without my help.

My education was multidisciplinary, reflecting my broad range of interests. These include Language, Grammatology, Literature, Drama & Cinema, Political Science, Philosophy, and Psychology. I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies/Cognitive Linguistics from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. As well, I studied at the Ritsumeikan University Graduate School of Language Education and Information Science in Kyoto, Japan. I also completed a TESOL Certification at Greystone College in Vancouver. In addition, I am a TESL Canada-certified instructor.

In addition to my work tutoring & coaching private students one-to-one online, I also write, produce and market digital content. My Youtube channel, The Grammar Detective, hosts a web series I made with my students called ENGLISH WEIRDNESS, in which we explore strange and confusing aspects of English grammar. The series uses dramatizations and animations to investigate these language oddities.

I also host a weekly live stream called Hard-Boiled English Live. On this show, which streams on Friday evenings at 4pm Pacific Time (PST/PDT), I answer grammar questions posed to me by the live viewers. It’s a fun and interactive way to help learners from all around the globe better understand English grammar. I periodically invite guest to the show as well, including international students and educators.

A more recent project is my collection of Online Writing Courses. These are still under construction, but if you’d like to get started, you can enroll in the first course for a low price. The courses include a series of video lectures, interactive quizzes, and downloadable reference materials.

When I’m not working with my students, I enjoy writing. I write both non-fiction essays and op-ed pieces, and creative fiction. Some of these writings can be found on the BLOG page here on the website. I hope that soon you’ll also find my novels in a book store near you. Stay tuned for details about that!

I live in the Vancouver, BC area, known for its mountains, forests, and ocean. In my spare time, I enjoy exercising, hiking, cycling, and dining on some of Canada’s amazingly diverse cuisine. Travel is another of my hobbies, and I have a special relationship with Japan, having studied there and been married there.

Well, that’s enough about me. I would like to hear from you. Do you need help with your English writing? If so, please contact me and we can make a plan to meet and discuss how I can help you enrich and elevate your English skills.