Asking For and Giving Street Directions English Exercise | Blair English Introduction: Anybody who has travelled to another country or city has got lost. Sometimes maps don't help, so you have to ask somebody for directions. In this online exercise, we will look at the essential vocabulary used to both ask for and to give directions in English. Exercise: Receiving directions A visitor to the city of York in the North of England asks a person in the street for directions to the Silk Cottage restaurant. Using both the directions and the map, try to guess what the meaning of the words/phrases in bold are. Visitor:'Excuse me, could you tell me the way to the Silk Cottage restaurant please?' York Resident:'Eh, the Silk Cottage restaurant. You'll then come to a bridge, go over the bridge. Then take the first street on your left, then go up the road until the first street on your right and the Silk Cottage restaurant is there. Quiz: Street directions in English vocabulary Click on the "Check Answers" button at the bottom of the quiz to check your answers. ". ". Practice
English diphthongs Practice materials : click on diphthongs | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | TEACHING INDEX | COMMON MISTAKES in PRONUNCIATION | NEXT When I used to teach, I grouped the diphthongs as they appear above and below. I did not teach them all at once. See the vowel quadrilateral on the previous page for tongue positions . I would strongly recommend that they are taught (or self-taught!) Why do most learners find diphthongs difficult at first? There are eight English diphthongs altogether. Learners find diphthongs difficult because producing them is a motor skill (like body building!) Understanding is also important. Presenting diphthongs - similarities and differences The English language has twenty vowel sounds. Sounds 13 to 20, the next eight English vowel sounds, are DIPHTHONGS. THE FIRST THREE DIPHTHONGS have the vowel sound in "pit" or "if" as the FINISHING POSITION . as in day, pay, say, lay. with tongue in mid position at front of mouth as in "egg", "bed" or "Ted".
Free ESL (English as a Second Language) Lesson Plans to Download • Teaching ESL/EFL This page was originally designed to share my materials with other English teaching assistants in France, especially those who have no experience in teaching ESL yet. I've also included worksheets that I used for private English lessons in France as well as some of the materials I used in my ESL classes in the United States. Feel free to use them as you'd like. Some of the lessons listed under the Assistant section can also be used for private lessons and vice versa. There is a page of English grammar if you need a review. Buy English as a Second Language Lesson Plans! Buy ESL Lesson Plans Book Recommendations If you are new to teaching English to non-native speakers, I recommend trying some Teaching English courses at Udemy and the following books: English Assistant in France Lessons Refer to the Teaching section of the Assistants Guide if you'd like a more detailed account of how I used these lessons in my classes, as well as links to other plans that I found online. Pronunciation
Vowel Classification Vowels are characterized by: - Tongue Height - Tongue Advancement - Lip Rounding - Tense/ Lax Vowel It is important to note that a vowel is produced with no constriction or blockage of the vocal tract. Tongue Height The tongue is the main articulator for vowels. Tongue Advancement The tongue is also characterized by being either front, central, or back. Lip Rounding The lips are characterized by being either retracted or rounded. Tense/ Lax Vowel The vowels can also be characterized by being either a tense vowel or a lax vowel.
PET Speaking: Home There are four parts in the PET speaking test: Part 1: general introductions;Part 2: discussion about a situation;Part 3: photographs; andPart 4: discussion about a topic. You can find up-to-date information about the PET exam at the Cambridge ESOL website. Part 1 In Part 1 the examiner will ask you questions. These could be about home, work, where you live, what you do, your family, etc. The examiner will ask you in turn. Part 2 In Part 2 you have to listen while the teacher explains a situation. You have to use words like “Why don’t we?” Back to top Part 3 In Part 3, you have to talk for one minute about a picture. Click on each picture to open it. Part 4 In Part 4, you have to talk with your partner about a topic. For example, if the two photos were about games, then you will have to talk together about games you play or like, or games you used to play. Back to top
Uh, What’s a Schwa? On Language By Philologos Published January 23, 2008, issue of January 25, 2008 . In a discussion several days ago of the deletion in spoken American English of the word “of” in the expression “a couple of,” so that “a couple of friends” becomes “a couple friends,” New York Times language columnist William Safire wrote: “The couple of… merges into couple a (which I would spell coupluh). A schwa? Look it up in a dictionary, and you’ll find something like this: “ Schwa : an unstressed vowel, e.g., ‘a’ in ‘above’ or ‘e’ in ‘sicken.’ That should ring a bell for some of you. Indeed it is. And what vowel sound does a Hebrew shva stand for? Given these complications, you might ask, why would anyone want to turn a shva into a schwa and use the term to describe a kind of vowel in English or any other language other than Hebrew? Take English, which is full of schwas, even if most English speakers aren’t aware of it. This is equally true of many other languages.
How to Come Up with Good Conversation Topics (with Sample Topics) This article was co-authored by Lynda Jean. Lynda Jean is an Image Consultant and the Owner of Lynda Jean Image Consulting. With over 15 years of experience, Lynda specializes in color and body/style analysis, wardrobe audits, personal shopping, social and professional etiquette, and personal and business branding. She works with clients to enhance their image, self-esteem, behavior, and communication to facilitate their social and career goals. Lynda holds Bachelor degrees in Sociology and Social Work, a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work, and a Certified Image Consultant (CIC) certification. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback.
What's the difference between Schwa (/ə/) and Wedge (/ʌ/)? - Notes from a Linguistic Mystic Today, I’d like to discuss a question which troubles many people when they’re first learning to use the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA): What is the difference between the Schwa (/ə/) and Wedge/Carat/Caret (/ʌ/) symbols, and how can you tell which is which in transcription? The basic idea of the IPA is that every sound used contrastively in language should have one symbol associated with it. This makes sense and is quite true until we come upon a phonetics textbook which has something like the following for descriptions of the different English vowels: /ʌ/: Used in words like “cut”, “mutt”, “butter”, “nun” or “luck” /ə/: Used in words like “sofa”, “photograph”, or “adore” For every other English vowel, we choose the proper symbol based on how the vowel sounds. The very first step is to stop trying to hear a difference between /ə/ and /ʌ/. In fact, /ə/ is a vowel unlike any other in the English vowel inventory. Vocalic Identity Crises Vowel Reduction 101 Compare this to /ʌ/. Conclusion