Learning another language is not something that can be done overnight. There are many things that you can do to speed up the process though. These things I can teach you. Remember, if you start any course: DON’T GIVE UP, NÃO DESISTA, NO TE RINDAS, NE PAS ABANDONNER, ΜΗΝGIVE UP, NE ADJA FEL, NÁ THABHAIRT SUAS, NON RINUNCIARE, あきらめてはいけない, NOLITE, IKKE GI OPP, Не сдавайтесь, GE INTE UPP, PEIDIWCH Â RHOI UP
While English has become the most widely used language in the world, the definition of “Standard English” is not always so clear.
This video is one of my favorites for helping English students see the variations between accents and dialects in spoken English. Surprisingly, English accents vary greatly; and if a student has learned American English in school, for example, he/she could have a very hard time understanding someone speaking Australian English.
Because listening to various English accents is “easier said than done,” I recommend learning the fun way- with movies! Here is a great website that can help you learn all kinds of English accents by watching movie trailers and clips. Watch and re-watch until you can understand, and don’t hesitate to ask questions or look up some of the phrases being said. Also, I would advise taking on one accent at a time until you can better understand it, then moving on to the next one. Good luck, and don’t give up!
http://kelseysensei.wordpress.com/2013/12/23/its-only-english-how-many-accents-could-there-be/
One of the biggest problems many language learners have is remembering and retaining new vocabulary. Students often talk to me about keeping notebooks and lists of new vocabulary they come across and yet finding it very difficult to remember or to use these new words or expressions. If this is a problem you’re having then this link may be very helpful for you. As always, with language acquisition, the more you can personalise it, make it relevant to you, the more you can relate things to your life and your interests the easier it will be to remember and to use them. http://www.strategiesinlanguagelearning.com/improve-your-language-learning/
Knowing English and having the vocabulary learned from a textbook is very important at some work places. But what about the things that the textbooks don’t teach you? Have you heard a phrase that totally confuses you and then you lose your train of thought and all of the sudden are totally lost? Usually when this happens when the person that you are speaking with uses an idiom that you are not familiar with. Native speakers can even be confused by idioms! Especially when speaking with people from a different area.
someone’s TRAIN OF THOUGHT
Fig. someone’s pattern of thinking or sequence of ideas; what one was just thinking about.
If native speakers can be confused by these, how can an English learner even start to take on idioms?
TAKE ON
Phrasal verb a: to begin to perform or deal with b: to contend with as an opponent
You MUST surround yourself with everyday English as much as possible. (click on this link, you won’t regret it)
You can follow the steps found in the link above and focus on your industry. That is the best way to improve your business English and let’s not forget the power of Google! If you work in a hotel, google ‘hotel idioms’.
Try this quiz and see how you do >
I am always available to answer any questions you have about idioms 🙂 Comment on this blog post and I will reply!
You MUST surround yourself with everyday English as much as possible. The first time that you hear or read a word/idiom/phrase that you don’t know, write it down and look it up or better yet, ask someone (sometimes the dictionary can confuse you with idioms or phrasal verbs). When you take the time to do a little research, the word/idiom/phrase is more likely to stick in your mind. Then the next time you come across it, it will become reinforced and more of a part of your active vocabulary. The more you hear or see something the more likely you are to remember it, right? And that, my friends, is why you need to listen and read English whenever you can!
The next step is to be able to actively use the word/idiom/phrase in your daily interactions. This is where difficulties can arise. Anyone can LEARN a word/idiom/phrase by using a book or the internet, but it is much more difficult to get that word/idiom/phrase into your active vocabulary and be able to easily use it yourself. This is where PRACTICE comes in. PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! (another catchphrase of mine). Once you learn the word, you need to use it!
Speaking with a native speaker is an excellent way to practice, but that may not be possible for everyone. I am always posting on facebook, twitter, pinterest and tumblr to help students surround themselves with English as much as possible. I hope that you will take advantage of it and spend a little time everyday to improve your English.
catchphrase (noun) a word or expression that is used repeatedly and conveniently to represent or characterize a person, group, idea, or point of view
come across (phrasal verb) to find or encounter, especially by chance
“Much” and “many” are used so many times in English! It takes much effort to learn the difference between them. Students should spend a lot of time studying if they want to speak fluent English.
There are many great websites that help with this subject. Here are some resources that you can use to learn more:
http://englishlanguagehelp.info/esl/much-vs-many/
http://stickyball.net/esl-grammar.html?id=394
And here is a quiz for practice.
Do you feel confident with using “much” and “many?” Try to describe the following words using either “much” or “many” for practice:
_______ cars
_______ books
_______ rain
_______ snow
_______ love
_______ coffee
_______ people
_______ groups
_______ time
_______ English!
How did you do? If you are still having trouble, try the websites to learn more. I wish you much luck and many good answers!
We all know that asking questions is important when you learn a new language, but how important?
As an ESL teacher, I am always looking for new ways to help my students learn. One of the best ways I can do that is by knowing my student’s interests and any QUESTIONS they may have.
When a student asks a question, it not only gives them good practice and new information, but it allows the teacher to understand what the student needs to learn! So, I encourage you, students, to ask ask ask! It is so important to always be asking questions, no matter how small or silly they may seem.
Here is a link to some good information on how to ask questions in English. I hope it helps, and don’t forget: ASK QUESTIONS!
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-questions_types.htm
Student: Why is the first one correct and not the second?
The kids work well at school.
The kids work at school well.
Here’s another example…
The dog barked loudly at the postman.
If you move ‘loudly’ to the end of the sentence, you are actually putting the most emphasis on the fact that the dog barked at the postman. By putting ‘loudly’ at the end…it is almost as if you were saying something as an ‘afterthought.’ When in fact, what you really want to say, is that the dog BARKED LOUDLY…not just barked…so the location of the adverb gives more emphasis.
How difficult was that sentence to say? If you are like most ESL learners, it wasn’t so easy. Below are some of my favorite resources on how to pronounce the English *L*.
Start with this lesson from pronuncian.com. It will explain in detail the mechanics, or step-by-step movements, of how to move your mouth in the sound of an L.
Next- I have a really fun video to watch. This is Amy Walker, who is not an English teacher but a professional actress who has excellent accent skills. In this video she clearly explains how to practice the L sound, and also does a warm-up for the first minute or two. It may seem silly, but warm-ups and practice are the key to mastering English!
Here is a really excellent blog on language acquisition. This post makes some very useful suggestions about how to remember new vocabulary…..it’s all about context!!!! Have a look at this: http://www.lingholic.com/how-to-remember-words-when-learning-a-language/