Here for the first time, you can see what it’s like to be a student in my class! Get a coffee, make yourself comfortable, and join the class!
The lesson today is Pronunciation, and in just 20 minutes you will learn the 20 English Vowel Sounds. If you enjoy this video, let me know, and I’ll do some more.
Are you ready? In just 20 minutes you will learn the 20 English Vowel Sounds.
For a clear picture of the English File Phonetic Chart, click here and for practice exercises, click here.
Pronouns.jpg
I’ve noticed that it’s not only English students who have problems with pronouns. Native speakers don’t always know when to use Me, Myself, and I. Even people in the media, including radio presenters and politicians, make constant mistakes. So, let’s have a look at pronouns and when to use them.
Well, we need to start with sentences. Every sentence must have a subject and a verb. We can replace the subjects with pronouns, which are called ‘subject pronouns’.
| Babies cry. | (Subject = Babies) | They cry. |
| This shark kills. | (Subject = This shark) | It kills. |
| Dogs bite. | (Subject = Dogs) | They bite. |
| John is singing. | (Subject = John) | He is singing. |
Some sentences have objects. We can replace the objects with pronouns, which are called ‘object pronouns’.
| This shark killed a girl yesterday. | It killed her yesterday. |
| John is singing that song too slowly. | He is singing it too slowly. |
| Rena likes cats. | She likes them. |
| That dog bit Pablo. | It bit him. |
Not all verbs show action but it is useful to think of it in this way: that the subject does the action, and the object receives the action. The dog did the action. Poor Pablo received the action of the dog.
THE DOG BIT ITSELF http://wickedkate.com/organized/running-in-circles/
THE DOG BIT PABLO http://confusedofcalcutta.com
Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and object are the same. They ‘reflect’ back on the subject. You cannot use reflexive pronouns if you have not used the subject they are referring to.
| Subject pronouns: | I | you | he | she | it | we | they |
| Object pronouns: | me | you | him | her | it | us | them |
| Reflexive pronouns: | myself | yourself yourselves | himself | herself | itself | ourselves | themselves |
LADY GAGA thatgrapejuice.net
Look at the following conversation:
DIANA: Are you going to the Lady Gaga concert in Brisbane next month Sally?
SALLY: I‘d like to, but I don’t want to go by myself.
DIANA: That’s why I‘m asking you. Why don’t you go with me?
SALLY: Great idea! Thanks. We could check with Emma too. She loves Lady Gaga and she wouldn’t want to go to the concert by herself. She could go with us. How are you getting there?
DIANA: We could drive or get a lift with Harry. He drives to Brisbane every weekend.
SALLY: I think that we should drive ourselves and not depend on him. It will be more convenient.
**********************
Typical mistakes:
* Sally and me are going to the Lady Gaga concert.
Correction: Sally and I are going to the Lady Gaga concert. (Subject = Sally and I)
* Sally bought the ticket for myself.
Correction: Sally bought the ticket for me. (Object = me)
* The football game was very exciting for John and I.
Correction: The football game was very exciting for John and me. (Object = John and me)
* The children and myself are going to the next game.
Correction: The children and I are going to the next game. (Subject = The children and I)
* A: Who are these books for? B: Myself.
Correction: A: Who are these books for? B: Me. (Object = Me)
For more information on Pronouns, click here. For practice exercises, click here and here.
http//esl.about.com Getty Images
Last week I taught Reported Speech to my Pre-Intermediate class. (Reported Speech is also called Indirect Speech. However, not all Indirect Speech is Reported Speech.)
For example, if you want to ask about the price of something in a shop, you could say, “Excuse me, could you tell me how much this costs?” This is Indirect Speech, because you are asking, “Could you tell me …?” (Direct Speech is, “How much does this cost?”) You are not reporting what someone said, so it is not Reported Speech.
Some of my students asked me for some practice exercises, so I have had a good look at what’s on the Internet. As usual, esl.about.com has a lot of helpful information as well as exercises:
Esl.about.com provides several links to English Grammar explanations and exercises. The above links which I’ve provided are just to get you started with Reported Speech. Why not explore some links which I have not provided? Go on! You might have some fun with English! If you have any comments or questions, leave a reply below.
I have had many requests for more information about, and an explanation of, English pronunciation. Well, I will soon be making a video teaching all the vowel sounds!
In English we have five vowels: A E I O U. However, we have twenty vowel sounds! I will explain how you can make these sounds. There are seven short sounds and thirteen long sounds.
If you would like me to email you when I post this Pronunciation Video, click on the FOLLOW button on the right, or above on the left.
Meanwhile, you can watch two of my pronunciation videos. Click here to watch how to say the difference between Won’t & Want and click here to watch how to pronounce Work & Walk.
SHAKIRA 2014
SHAKIRA sings a song called “You’re the One” which contains several Relative Clauses. They are highlighted in bold in the lyrics below.
A Relative Clause is a part of a sentence which contains (at least one) Independent Clause and (at least one) Dependent Clause. An Independent Clause is okay by itself – it doesn’t
need help; just like an independent person. A Dependent Clause is not okay by itself – it needs help because it is not finished. Let’s look at one of the sentences in the song:
You’re the one I need.
This sentence contains an Independent Clause – “You’re the one.” This is a complete sentence because it has a subject and a verb and meaning.
This sentence also contains a Dependent Clause – “I need.” This is not a complete sentence. It has a subject and a verb, but no clear…
View original post 733 more words
For Grammar Rules about Defining Relative Clauses see my post September 22, 2013.
Chorus
1. I’m friends with the monster that’s under my bed.
2. (I) Get along with the voices inside of my head.
3. You’re trying to save me.
4. Stop holding your breath.
5. And you think I’m crazy.
6. Yeah, you think I’m crazy (crazy).
The Relative clauses in Lines 1 & 2 are clearly Defining Relative Clauses because they are obviously necessary in the sentence. You know they are necessary because if you take them out, the sentences have no meaning:
I’m friends with the monster. 
I get along with the voices.
If a friend said to you, “I’m friends with the monster”, you would ask, “which monster??”
The Defining Relative Clause tells us which monster.
If a friend said to you, “I get along with the voices”, you would ask, “which voices??”
The Defining Relative Clause tells us which voices.
Also note that Rihanna sings about “THE monster”, “THE voices”. “THE” is the Definite (defining!) Article. We use THE when it is clear which noun we are talking about, but if we just say, “I’m friends with the monster”, it is NOT clear which monster. If we just say, “I get along with the voices”, it is NOT clear which voices. We need to define which monster and which voices. We need Defining Relative Clauses.
*** Defining Relative Clauses do not use commas because commas (like these brackets) separate the Relative Clause from the Independent Clause and we don’t want to separate the Relative Clause because the information is important for meaning.
*** Non-Defining Relative Clauses use commas because the Relative Clause provides extra, separate information (like extra information we sometimes put in brackets).
The song ‘Monster’, which I like, is sung by Rihanna and Eminem.
‘which I like’ is a Non-Defining Relative Clause. It doesn’t tell us which song. It’s extra information.
Rihanna and Eminem, who are very successful, sing a song called ‘Monster’.
‘who are very successful’ is a Non-Defining Relative Clause. It doesn’t tell us who Rihanna and Eminem are. It’s extra information about them.
Take out the Non-Defining Relative Clauses and the sentences have meaning:
The song ‘Monster’ is sung by Rihanna and Eminem.
Rihanna and Eminem sing a song called ‘Monster’.
I highly recommend that you sing the chorus of ‘Monster’ (video below) a few times until you know it well. Then, whenever you need an example of a Defining Relative Clause, one will be easy to recall.
***************************************************************
http://popcrush.com/maroon-5-today-show-toyota-concert-series/ Stephen Lovekin, Getty Images1. I was so high I did not recognize
2. The fire (which/that was) burning in her eyes,
3. The chaos that controlled my mind.
Here you can see that the Relative Clauses are vital for meaning. Take them out and the song has no clear meaning:
I was so high I did not recognize the fire, the chaos .. Which fire?? Which chaos??
*Note again the use of the Definite Article: THE fire, THE chaos.
I highly recommend that you sing the chorus of ‘Monster’ (click here for the video) and the lines from ‘This Love’ (lyrics video) a few times until you know them well. Then, whenever you need an example of a Defining Relative Clause, you will be able to recall one or more easily.
You could also check other examples in songs by clicking here.
If you have any questions or would like more examples, just leave a comment below.
On Facebook, you can find Australia Plus Learn English (part of the Australia Network Website) where you can join their community for conversational English tips. You can also access several other learning programs on the Australia Network Website.
There is something for everyone from Beginners to Advanced students.
For English students wanting to study for the IELTS Speaking Test, there are some wonderful resources online.
I can highly recommend the Australia Network Website. In the Passport to English section, you will find videos, transcripts, notes, and commentary to help you. You can watch videos of English students sitting for the IELTS Speaking Test. There is information about what is expected in all parts of the test.
Photo courtesy of http://legacy.australianetwork.com/passport/Video podcasts of the Learning English programs can be downloaded onto your computer or portable media player and if you subscribe, you will automatically receive the latest program when it becomes available.
Today I’m continuing the post about Prepositions, which I started June 29, 2014. (The World Cup and Prepositions)
In that post, I explained the following:
Now, let’s look at another rule about prepositions:
Look at this sentence:
Sherry walked to the beach after lunch.
The answer to “Where?” is an adverb. (Sometimes called an adverbial, adverb clause, or an adverb phrase.)
Question: Where did Sherry go? Answer: To the beach.
Sherry walked to the beach after lunch.
to + the beach = adverb (preposition: to noun: the beach)
Sherry walked to the market near the beach after lunch.
to + the market = adverb near + the beach = adverb
This photo was taken AT Conrad Jupiters Casino IN Broadbeach, Qld. Australia. It was taken BEFORE the show started. Olivia is standing BETWEEN the two showgirls.
The answer to “When?” is an adverb.
Question: When did Sherry go? Answer: After lunch.
Sherry walked to the market near the beach after lunch.
after + lunch = adverb
There are three adverbs/adverbials in this sentence:
Sherry walked … Where? … to the market
Where? … near the beach
When? … after lunch.
Sherry walked to the market near the beach after lunch.
* * * * *
There are more rules about prepositions and adverbs, but the above rules are a good start. If you would like to learn more about Adverbs, the following Website provides helpful definitions and practice exercises:
If you would like to learn about Adverb Clauses, the following Websites provide helpful rules and examples:
The four posts which I wrote about Relative Clauses are my most popular. As well as my examination of the rules, I included links to excellent websites which provide further explanations and examples of Relative Clauses, and exercises for practice.
To make it easier for you to find these websites with the additional information, I’ve listed them again here and I’m adding some new ones I’ve recently discovered:
EXPLANATIONS & EXAMPLES:
EXERCISES for PRACTICE:
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My book, which is a visual explanation of the 12 tenses, is available at www.amazon.com Check it out!
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