Learn to pronounce English words

by Ranjana S

Guessing can damage your pronunciation

How speaking and writing with mistakes can damage your English. Here’s how it works in the case of pronunciation:

Suppose you want to say the word determine. Only, you don’t know how to pronounce it, so you take a guess — DEE-tur-mine, to rhyme with mine. That is a mistake (the correct pronunciation is/dɪˈtɜːʳmɪn/), but you don’t know that, so you say it again and again, until it becomes natural for you. Whoops — you’ve developed a “bad habit”!

Because English pronunciation is unpredictable, guessing is a terrible strategy. It often leads to errors, which lead to bad habits. If you guess, you can teach yourself the wrong pronunciation of hundreds of words. Even if you learn the correct pronunciation later, the wrong pronunciation can be difficult to eliminate, because you’ve repeated it so many times.

You may think that when you make a mistake, somebody will correct you, so you won’t form a bad habit. But in reality, you can’t count on that. Correcting someone’s mistakes takes not only great English skills, but also time and effort. It’s really hard to find someone who would be willing to correct all your written and spoken sentences.

How to learn to pronounce English words

Learn to recognize all the English sounds 

In order to remember the pronunciation correctly, you need to realize that you just heard /dɒk/ and not /dʌk/. You can’t do this if you can’t tell the difference between /ɒ/ and /ʌ/. You can’t learn English pronunciation if you can’t tell the difference between English sounds, just like you can’t learn spelling if you can’t tell the difference between letters.

Make it a habit of checking the pronunciation of English wordsin a dictionary.

While you’re reading in English, keep asking yourself: “Do I know how this word is pronounced? Can I transcribe it with phonetic symbols?”. If you’re not sure, look it up in a dictionary. This should happen very frequently when you’re a pronunciation beginner.

Listen and notice. 

Get some spoken input: TV, podcasts, movies, audiobooks, recordings in dictionaries, etc. When listening, pay attention to how sounds and words are pronounced. Think about what sounds you hear.

Practice pronouncing English words 

Practice can take many forms. You can practice in a systematic way (e.g. a 15-minute session with a dictionary or online pronunciation exercises), or you can just repeat a couple words while you’re doing something else (e.g. watching a movie or taking a shower). The important thing is to do it regularly — that way, you will make steady progress.

It is certainly important to pronounce English sounds clearly. If you don’t, people will have difficulty understanding you. But it is far more important to “get it right in your head”.

What do I mean by “getting it right in your head”? When you say an English word, you should know how it should be pronounced, i.e. what sounds you aretrying to pronounce, even if you can’t actually pronounce them very well. For example, when you say full, you should know you are trying to say the same/ʊ/ sound that is used in put or could

So your first goal in learning English pronunciation should be to “get it right in your head”. First, learn to recognize all the English sounds. Second, learn which sounds occur in which words, even if you can’t pronounce them very well yourself. If your knowledge is right, your physical skills will surely follow.

Good Luck!!

http://www.eezeeenglishzone.com

Mozart in the making

By ranjana S

Singing has been my passion since ages. I quite unabashedly pick up the slightest opportunity to sing. My heart puffs up to think that I am the quintessential Mozart in the making. However, my family and friends hold an altogether different opinion about my singing. They feel I have a baritone voice instead of a feminine one and my renditions are considered to be a boon for the newbie mothers in my kin as my soulful renditions are mistaken to be lullabies….so what their little ones doze off the moment I strike a note…I am sure it’s got to be the soothing effect my notes create on their psyche…the other day a score of donkeys scurried along to be at our doorstep while my singing was at its endearing best…am positive, my compositions hypnotize all and sundry. All nincompoops in the family…can’t appreciate a world class singer…I often smell of incorrigible envy on their part…

Last Sunday I was elated to know that my husband’s boss and his wife were to throw their wedding anniversary bash…I knew the time approached when at the party my hidden innate talent of singing will be discovered and lauded…hubby dear gave a curt glance at me and pronounced his caveat…Ranju, Beware…open your mouth only to gulp food and drinks…and for nothing else…How mean, my better half sometimes make me feel to be an expat in my own home…got to be the infamous incorrigible envy…hubbies can’t gulp down the fact that they have overtly talented wives…ha…!!!

The D-day approached…I donned my red shimmering attire which would compliment my red pout while I sing paeans…which I so passionately penned down…after the initial greetings, the hosts invited me to sing…look hubby dear, all are enamored already by the high quality singing I demonstrate….

I convinced hubby dear, that I will display my best and he can set his racing pulses to rest…can’t once he trust his wife’s singing acumen….I initiated my singing….my signature notes…which formed a crescendo gradually…and passion, panache all consumed me….I was at my best…..

BOOM….BOOM…..MY HEART SAYS…BOOM..BOOM….

After the culmination of the initial stanza…. I witnessed a catastrophe….all guests ran hither and thither and the pandemonium took …a toll on my vocal chords and ….my notes seemed to be extorted….Gracious Lord!!...soon I gathered senses and came to know that my soulful rendition of the paean…BOOM…BOMB…..BOMB (why on earth did I sing with an accent???) was utterly mistaken…..the hosts…the guests….all hurried and scurried out of the room fearing that a bomb was planted in the hall in all probability…and Ranju madam with her shrieks….made everyone abreast with the impending danger that could have befallen on all of us….

Soon the bomb diffusing squad carried out the search…and found no bomb…leaving hubby dear and me cold…my petrified and sullied face said it all…hubby dear pronounced this time not a caveat but a declaration….Ranju, you will never ever open your mouth….

We ambled back to home….and my dream of being the Mozart of the world was nipped in the bud….

Taking Control of the English Language

by Steven David Bloomberg

How can I speak English better? How can I communicate better in English? How can I express myself better in English? How can I listen to and understand English better? How can I improve?

You speak English at an advanced level. You speak it fluently and you use it every day, yet you aren’t satisfied with your ability. You feel like you can’t express yourself the way you want to. When you can’t say what you want to say or need to say in the manner that you would like to, it might not leave you with the best feeling you could possibly have. There is only one thing to do about it. You must take control of the English language. What does taking control of the English language mean? It does not mean taking control of the entire language. It means taking control of the English language that is yours; the English language that you have. It means using the English that you already have to get more. It means taking responsibility for your own learning.

You might tell yourself that you want to have private instruction with an English language tutor. That’s a good idea. However, there is something you should know and be well aware of. What happens during the time that you meet with an English language tutor is very important, but what happens during the time between your meetings with an English language tutor is even more important. The proactive steps that you take in order to improve have a direct effect on what it is you get out of the time and money that you spend with an English language tutor. In order to receive the maximum benefit possible for the money you spend on a tutor, you must dedicate a sufficient amount of time to studying between each lesson. Of course, the amount of time that anyone is able to dedicate to studying will vary, but nevertheless, it must be done. Furthermore, there are a number of things you should do leading up to the time that you decide to pick up the phone and make that call. So you ask, what is it that I need to do? What can I do on my own?

You need to increase your vocabulary. You need to build your lexicon. You need to learn more idiomatic expressions. Does this mean studying vocabulary lists? No. Does that mean buying books that list idiomatic expressions in English and their meanings? That may or may not be helpful. Does it mean going to the Internet and studying idiomatic expressions that are listed at websites? Perhaps, but that wouldn't be all. Does it mean learning the word of the day that is given by online dictionaries? No! You need to build a personal lexicon. You need to maintain a lexical notebook. You need to learn words and expressions that are interesting to you and will be useful to you. You need to learn words and expressions that are part of your environment. Where can you find these words and expressions? You can find them by listening to the radio, by listening to those that you speak with on a daily basis, and by even listening to those that you don’t speak with. You don’t have to converse with someone in order to listen to someone. Of course, you can find new words and expressions by choosing challenging reading material that is interesting to you: newspaper and magazine articles, books, short stories. In order to start building your new lexicon, I suggest starting by finding something to read.

Now that you have chosen something interesting to read, here is what you need to do. You need to write down the words and expressions that you don’t understand. Take note of the page number and paragraph that the words or expressions are on as you read. After you are done reading, go back to the words and expressions that you didn't understand and write them in your lexical notebook. Leave space to write an explanation or a definition. From the context, see if you can figure out what the words or expressions mean. After you have done this, go to a dictionary. For idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs that you are unfamiliar with, I strongly recommend taking advantage of Cambridge Dictionaries Online. It is important that you practice these new words and expressions by writing your own sentences. This is helpful in incorporating them into your daily conversations and speaking habits. Don’t be overwhelmed by thinking you have to read a lot. Read what is good for you. If you come across too many words and expressions that you don’t recognize, it might be a good idea to find some less challenging reading material. What you read should be challenging, but it should not be so challenging that it might be discouraging.

Listen to the news on the radio. Listen to talk shows. Generally speaking, radio announcers that report the news speak clearly, use good vocabulary, and also use idiomatic expressions. If you have a computer, you can listen to news reports from National Public Radio and the British Broadcasting Corporation (NPR and the BBC). You can usually find a Real Player link to listen to news stories from both of these resources. However, listening to the radio will suffice as well. If you can, it would be a good idea to record a ten to fifteen minute segment of a news show or any broadcast that might interest you. Take note of any words or expressions that sound unfamiliar to you. Write them down in your lexical notebook. If you were able to record what you listened to, listen to it again to see if you can figure out what the new words and expressions mean through the context that they are used in. If you are unable to figure out what something means, then by all means go to a dictionary. Once again, I suggest using Cambridge Dictionaries Online for a comprehensive overview of any single word. Cambridge Dictionaries Online is a very good resource in that it demonstrates how words are used in idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs. Cambridge Dictionaries also point out any important secondary definitions that a word might have.

Pay attention to what you hear wherever you go. If you are on a bus or a train, listen to what people say and how they say it. If you are in a supermarket, a shopping mall or any other public place where you can hear others speak, open your ears and try to listen. Take note of what you hear. Jot it down in a small pocket size notebook. Later, you can add it to your lexical notebook. If you pay attention, you are eventually bound to hear at least one word or one expression that is new to you. When you hear it, write it down. Find out what it means later. Learn it. Use it.

When learning new words and expressions, it is important to take note of whether these words and expressions are used in an informal context or a formal context. Many words and expressions are used both formally and informally. If you aren't sure of exactly how to use a new word or expression, you can try them out with work colleagues and friends. Find people to converse with. They may not be instructive in any way, but you can try out new ways to express yourself. You should also listen as closely as possible when you converse. Listen for anything that sounds different, new, or unfamiliar. If the circumstance permits, don’t be afraid to take out your pocket notebook and write it down. If you say something that isn't quite right, the person you are speaking with might take note of it and let you know. If you aren't sure of something you said or would like to say, then ask about it. If you hear something and you don’t know what it means, ask about that as well. Most native speakers of English should be able to assist you in this manner. I believe most people would be glad to help. It is of the utmost importance to not be afraid to ask questions. That’s part of taking control of the English language. That’s part of making the English language your language. English is not your first language, but there is no reason why it cannot be your language. Get a notebook. Get something to read. Find something to listen to on the radio. Take control of the English language now.

An English Language Article by David Bloomberg 

Interesting Facts About English

1. The most common letter in English is "e".
2. The most common vowel in English is "e", followed by "a".
3. The most common consonant in English is "r", followed by "t".
4. Every syllable in English must have a vowel (sound). Not all syllables have consonants.
5. Only two English words in current use end in "-gry". They are "angry" and "hungry".
6. The word "bookkeeper" (along with its associate "bookkeeping") is the only unhyphenated English word with three consecutive double letters. Other such words, like "sweet-toothed", require a hyphen to be readily readable.
7. The word "triskaidekaphobia" means "extreme fear of the number 13". This superstition is related to "paraskevidekatriaphobia", which means "fear of Friday the 13th".
8. More English words begin with the letter "s" than with any other letter.
9. A preposition is always followed by a noun (ie noun, proper noun, pronoun, noun group, and gerund).
10. The word "uncopyrightable" is the longest English word in normal use that contains no letter more than once.
11. A sentence that contains all 26 letters of the alphabet is called a "pangram".
12. The following sentence contains all 26 letters of the alphabet: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." This sentence is often used to test typewriters or keyboards.
13. The only word in English that ends with the letters "-mt" is "dreamt" (which is a variant spelling of "dreamed") - as well of course as "undreamt" :)
14. A word formed by joining together parts of existing words is called a "blend" (or, less commonly, a "portmanteau word"). Many new words enter the English language in this way. Examples are "brunch" (breakfast + lunch); "motel" (motorcar + hotel); and "guesstimate" (guess + estimate). Note that blends are not the same as compounds or compound nouns, which form when two whole words join together, for example: website, blackboard, and darkroom.
15. The word "alphabet" comes from the first two letters of the Greek alphabet: alpha, bēta.
16. The dot over the letter "i" and the letter "j" is called a "superscript dot".
17. In normal usage, the # symbol has several names, for example: hash, pound sign, and number sign.
18. In English, the @ symbol is usually called "the at sign" or "the at symbol".
19. If we place a comma before the word "and" at the end of a list, this is known as an "Oxford comma" or a "serial comma". For example: "I drink coffee, tea, and wine."
20. Some words exist only in plural form, for example: glasses (spectacles), binoculars, scissors, shears, tongs, gallows, trousers, jeans, pants, pyjamas (but note that clothing words often become singular when we use them as modifiers, as in "trouser pocket").
21. The shortest complete sentence in English is the following. "I am."
22. The word "Checkmate" in chess comes from the Persian phrase "Shah Mat" meaning "the king is helpless".
23. The longest English word without a true vowel (a, e, i, o or u) is "rhythm".
24. The only planet not named after a god is our own, Earth. The others are, in order from the Sun, Mercury, Venus, [Earth,] Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
25. There are only 4 English words in common use ending in "-dous": hazardous, horrendous, stupendous, and tremendous.
26. We can find 10 words in the 7-letter word "therein" without rearranging any of its letters: the, there, he, in, rein, her, here, ere, therein, herein.

http://www.englishclub.com/interesting-facts/

Where do I start?

Why do you want to learn English?

Before you begin (or go back to) studying English, ask yourself one question. 

Why do I want to study English? Is it because you want to, or because someone else wants you to? Like every decision in life, studying English must be something you want to do.

Set goals
If you know why you want to study, setting goals is easy. For example, maybe you want to travel to an English-speaking country. Great!! Your goal might be to learn "Survival English". Perhaps you already know many useful phrases, but you want to improve your listening skills and pronunciation. Whatever your goals are, write them down.

Make an agenda

How long do you need to study to achieve your goals? This answer is different for every student. The important thing is to be realistic. If you work 60 hours per week, don't plan on spending another 40 hours a week studying English. Start off slow, but study regularly. Use material that is challenging, but not too difficult. Find out what works for you. After you have studied for a few weeks, adjust your study schedule accordingly. Do you study best at night or on the bus on your way to work? Do you like to study alone in a quiet place, or with friends and background music?

Make a commitment

Learning English requires a lot of motivation. Nobody is going to take your attendance when you aren't in class. If you are sure you are ready to begin studying, make a commitment. Click here to sign a contract with yourself.

Have fun learning English!

The things we do best in life are the things we enjoy doing. If you aren't having fun learning English, you're not studying the right way! You can be a serious student who has fun at the same time. Make up your own rewards program to give yourself incentives to stay on task.