Quick Tips for Better Pronunciation in English!
Silent Letters
Remember – when you are speaking all of these words are pronounced without the red letters but when you are writing you must include the red letters :
know knee knife knit
psychology psychic psychiatric pneumonia
listen castle fasten whistle
write wrote written wrap
bomb dumb comb lamb
guitar guest biscuit build
As always - Keep Your Ears Open to native pronunciation :-)
Vivienne
Friday, February 4, 2011
Friday, September 3, 2010
Tips for English Pronunciation
For me, pronunciation is the 5th skill when learning a language. One of the problems learners have is that they don’t realise that you have to practise pronunciation with just as much importance as you practise grammar points. This means opening your mouth and speaking because pronunciation can’t be practised in your head.
Try these helpful tips and see if you notice a difference:
1. Do not pronounce everything you read. English pronunciation needs to be learned and remembered. This is the same for both native and non-native speakers.
2. Listen carefully to the way native speakers pronounce words and copy them!
3. Watch TV, listen to the radio, listen to other people’s conversation on the bus, train, luas etc and pay particular attention to the way they pronounce certain words. You’re not listening to them for their conversation and for their ‘expert’ pronunciation. Basically....keep your ears open :-)
4. A lot of people think that they can speak English with the same mouth they speak Spanish, Italian, Portuguese etc with and this is not true. You need to use your mouth, tongue and lips in a different way when you’re speaking a different language. Go into your bathroom, look in the mirror and practise the new pronunciation of words you have just learnt by opening your mouth and forming the different sounds. Your eyes will see your mouth forming this new shape, your ears will hear the new pronunciation and your brain will (hopefully :-( ) put all this new information together and remember the correct pronunciation for the next time.
Good luck with your ears :-)
Vivienne
Director of Studies
Try these helpful tips and see if you notice a difference:
1. Do not pronounce everything you read. English pronunciation needs to be learned and remembered. This is the same for both native and non-native speakers.
2. Listen carefully to the way native speakers pronounce words and copy them!
3. Watch TV, listen to the radio, listen to other people’s conversation on the bus, train, luas etc and pay particular attention to the way they pronounce certain words. You’re not listening to them for their conversation and for their ‘expert’ pronunciation. Basically....keep your ears open :-)
4. A lot of people think that they can speak English with the same mouth they speak Spanish, Italian, Portuguese etc with and this is not true. You need to use your mouth, tongue and lips in a different way when you’re speaking a different language. Go into your bathroom, look in the mirror and practise the new pronunciation of words you have just learnt by opening your mouth and forming the different sounds. Your eyes will see your mouth forming this new shape, your ears will hear the new pronunciation and your brain will (hopefully :-( ) put all this new information together and remember the correct pronunciation for the next time.
Good luck with your ears :-)
Vivienne
Director of Studies
Monday, August 30, 2010
‘Read an essay about Delfin and his experience in Dublin by one of our Italian students....’
One month ago Francesco was in Italy. While he was sleeping, he heard a melody, opened his eyes and on the window there was a nice little man with a red beard and green clothes.
Francesco asked him: Who are you?
He replied: My name’s Shamrock, I’m a leprechaun from Dublin!
Francesco: Nice to meet you!
Shamrock: I have just come here to invite you to my city in the summer. But there is one condition….you must speak only English all the time. It will be better for you!!
Francesco: That’s a good idea!
Shamrock: with my magic flute, arriving in Ireland will be a piece of cake!
Francesco: Okay, come on, come on!
…After ten minutes
Francesco: oooh, where are we?
Shamrock: In Phoenix Park, I live here. We can go to find the end of the rainbow and you’ll find a pot of gold at the end, so you’ll return to Italy richer. It’s a promise! But before that, you are welcome in my tree house. I’ll prepare a typical Irish breakfast for you.
…After
Francesco: fantastic breakfast, I’m full of beans!
Francesco and Shamrock went on to discover Dublin.
…One month later
Francesco: Oh, my leprechaun friend, I have spent a good time in Dublin but it is always sunny, how can I find the rainbow without the rain?!
The day after Shamrock accompanied Francesco to Howth, while they were walking along the cliff it started to rain. When they arrived to the edge of the cliffs they could see a fantastic rainbow. Many leprechauns arrived and all together they played typical Irish music on their harps, violins and flutes.
The seals from Howth showed them the way and Francesco started to run over the rainbow. He arrived to the end and fell into a deep sleep.
When he got up he could see a pot in his room. He opened it and inside there was every experience, every good friend and teacher that he had known in Dublin.
They are his pot of gold!
FRANCESCO COSENTINI
Francesco asked him: Who are you?
He replied: My name’s Shamrock, I’m a leprechaun from Dublin!
Francesco: Nice to meet you!
Shamrock: I have just come here to invite you to my city in the summer. But there is one condition….you must speak only English all the time. It will be better for you!!
Francesco: That’s a good idea!
Shamrock: with my magic flute, arriving in Ireland will be a piece of cake!
Francesco: Okay, come on, come on!
…After ten minutes
Francesco: oooh, where are we?
Shamrock: In Phoenix Park, I live here. We can go to find the end of the rainbow and you’ll find a pot of gold at the end, so you’ll return to Italy richer. It’s a promise! But before that, you are welcome in my tree house. I’ll prepare a typical Irish breakfast for you.
…After
Francesco: fantastic breakfast, I’m full of beans!
Francesco and Shamrock went on to discover Dublin.
…One month later
Francesco: Oh, my leprechaun friend, I have spent a good time in Dublin but it is always sunny, how can I find the rainbow without the rain?!
The day after Shamrock accompanied Francesco to Howth, while they were walking along the cliff it started to rain. When they arrived to the edge of the cliffs they could see a fantastic rainbow. Many leprechauns arrived and all together they played typical Irish music on their harps, violins and flutes.
The seals from Howth showed them the way and Francesco started to run over the rainbow. He arrived to the end and fell into a deep sleep.
When he got up he could see a pot in his room. He opened it and inside there was every experience, every good friend and teacher that he had known in Dublin.
They are his pot of gold!
FRANCESCO COSENTINI
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