Pronunciation There is/There are

HAVE FUN While Learning English

One of the exercises I had to do while taking a voice class at Temple University was to stand up and secure one bent leg with one hand behind me while extending the other hand in front of me.  Why?  That's what I was wondering at the time too.  The point is not only to help you "center" and "direct" your voice, but to distract you while trying to do it.  And it helped!  Letting go of inhibitions can really help when it comes to anything to do with vocalizing whether it be learning to sing, or learning a new language.
I've always been told I'm a serious person.  Having integrity is important to me, but a sense of humor can be important too.  After establishing what a student's goals are, and targeting their problem areas, I like to help them "become distracted" and have fun while making improvements.
Using clips from sit-coms (comedy programs) for exercises is one way students can have fun while learning English.  A short vocabulary list is given for the student to learn before watching the brief video clip, and then some questions are provided for the student to answer.  So along with building vocabulary, the ability to utilize context for comprehension is also being developed.  Having a laugh about something funny we've read is also a great way to find ourselves distracted while making improvements during a lesson.

Lastly, alcohol is a natural muscle relaxer.  As the tongue is a muscular organ, why not have a glass of wine before practicing your English.  I'm not recommending making a habit of it, but once in a while might be ok!

British English vs. American English- which do you fancy?

Fancy or Fancy? 

The word fancy in British English is commonly used as a verb meaning "like."
Would you "fancy" a donut?  (Would you like a donut?)

The word fancy in American English normally means "decorative" or "pretty" (used as an adjective).
That's a "fancy" dress.  (That's a pretty dress.)

ESL Students Learn New Gender Pronouns | We the Internet TV

House MD: Bilingual Backfire

IDIOMS

(0:16) "You can pick up where he left off."

-You can continue doing whatever it was he was doing before he stopped.

Communication Tips

Tips for speaking to an American   

                           Eye contact

Making eye contact with someone is important in America.  Holding eye contact with someone during a conversation demonstrates confidence and tends to generate a feeling of trust.

Personal space

This may be more important in America than a lot of other countries, as most Americans don’t feel comfortable if someone is standing too close to them while speaking with them.  It is important to maintain a distance of about four feet or more between yourself and the person you are talking to. 

       Exhibit good listening skills and don’t interrupt

In some cultures it is ok to interrupt, but not in America.  Making sure you show the person you are talking to that you place value on what they are saying is important, and not interrupting them is one way you can do this.  Another way you can demonstrate your good listening skills is to look interested in what they are saying and once in a while repeat something important they have said back to them.  Click on the link for more information about this. 

Different settings call for different and more specific etiquette.  For example, if you are conversing with a standardized patient for the Step 2 CS test to get your U.S. medical license, you need to exhibit a lot of empathy during the conversation.  For a business meeting, empathy may not be appropriate, but attentive listening would be. 

Along with good speaking skills, communication skills, which include body language and cultural norms, are important.

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Step 2CS

Your Pronunciation Sucks!

Idioms and Phrases- Cold Case

(0:24) Cold Case- an unsolved mystery

Chinese culture and traditions documentary

Idioms

(1:18) "He comes on the king tide."

King tide is a colloquial term for an especially high spring tide, such as a perigean spring tide. "King tide" is not a scientific term, nor is it used in a scientific context.

• A perigean spring tide is a tide that occurs three or four times a year when the Moon's perigee (its closest point to Earth during its 28-day elliptical orbit) coincides with a spring tide (when the Earth, Sun and Moon are nearly aligned every two weeks).

I love Lucy- English exercise

Using context, figure out the meaning of the following phrases:

• 'at a girl
• sunk in
• stay in their place
• you've got the vote

Idioms- "Dead men tell no tales." 0:27

"Dead men tell no tales." 0:27- The dead don't speak, so they died with any secrets they might have known in life. Or, they can't speak or tell others how they have died.

English Pronunciation

ANSWERS- The Big Bang Theory- Did You Hate My Short Hair

1.     What did Sheldon head-butt?

The water fountain

2.     What did Sheldon mean to do?

Punch the water fountain.

3.     The girl says she can’t imagine Sheldon being violent.  His friend says to just picture what?

The three stooges

4.     What does Sheldon say is completely illogical?

Jealousy

5.     What is Roger jealous of?

Two of the couples having happy relationships.

6.     What does Roger’s family have that people are jealous of?

Money

7.     Sheldon’s girlfriend has been envious of what since she met Penny?

Penny’s looks

8.     She was happy when Penny did what?

Cut her hair off.

9.     Penny asks if they liked her hair cut, and one girl says she thought it was what?

Brave

10. Penny asks why no one is talking about Howard’s what?

Dopey haircut

The Big Bang Theory-Penny- Did You All Hate My Short Hair

 Vocabulary (idioms and phrases included)

Head butt- hit something on purpose with your head

The Three Stooges- a television show from the 1940’s featuring three silly men

Hot girl- a girl who is considered very beautiful

Dopey- dumb

Nerds- people who are exceptionally smart, and lacking social skills

 Questions

1.     What did Sheldon head-butt?

2.     What did Sheldon mean go to do?

3.     The girl says she can’t imagine Sheldon being violent.  His friend says to just picture what?

4.     What does Sheldon say is completely illogical?

5.     What is Roger jealous of?

6.     What does Roger’s family have that people are jealous of?

7.     Sheldon’s girlfriend has been envious of what since she met Penny?

8.     She was happy when Penny did what?

9.     Penny asks if they liked her hair cut, and one girl says she thought it was what?

10. Penny asks why no one is talking about Howard’s what?