Common Mispronounced Words

I know that English pronunciation is difficult and if you're one of my students you already know how much I like phonetics and how I insist on you pronouncing English in a correct way.

We already discussed how mispronounced words lead to misunderstandings when speaking in English and therefore it's necessary for you to pronounce well if you want to communicate with other speakers.

I strongly recommend you to watch the following video since I'm sure you've mispronounced some (if not all) of the words that appear in it.

Podcast: Africa's Economic Progress

Despite the eurozone crisis, Africa shows a future of economic prosperity. Find out why listening to the following podcast. Have a look at the vocabulary and the transcript after listening.

Africa's Economic Progress

Moreover, I found some interesting articles on the financial crisis I would like to share with you.

Europe's Financial Crisis, in Plain English

Three Myths that Sustain the Economic Crisis

Although this topic may not be very appealing, it's quite recurrent in exams. So I recommend you to study some vocabulary on this and be updated with the latest news. 

Bon Jovi

I still remember being a teenager and listening to Bon Jovi's songs for hours, especially in summer. I remember singing them and translating them because I wanted to know what he meant. And yes, he was one of the reasons why I studied English. I've always loved music, it's my passion, and I wanted to understand every single word he was singing. So today here I am, earning my living teaching English thanks to singers such as Bon Jovi. Funny, huh?

There are so many songs I like, for example It's my life, Bed of roses, I'll be there for you, but my favourite is and will always be Always.

Do you like Bon Jovi?

French Words Used in English

When speaking English we use some French words such as avant-garde, au pair, chic or cuisine, in the same way in Spanish we use words from English, such as hot dog or sandwich. These are frequently called loan translations or loanwords.

When using these words it's necessary to pay attention to their pronunciation, since they may differ from the typical English pronunciation.

In the following video you can find some common words from French with their pronunciation. Enjoy the learning!

Do you know that English speakers also use words from Spanish?
Can you think of any? Write them in a comment!

Word of the week: To meddle

This week's word is the verb

to meddle in / with sth

which means to become involved in sth that doesn't concern you or to touch sth in a careless way, especially sth which isn't yours or when you don't know how to use it correctly. 

Example: He had no right to meddle in her affairs.

Somebody has been meddling with his computer.

Besides, you can use the noun meddler (for a person who tries to get involved in sth which doesn't concern them, also called busybody). 

Phrasal Verbs related to Childhood

I know you like learning phrasal verbs and I know they're difficult and you need all the practice you can get on this. That's why here I give you a link where you can listen and learn some phrasal verbs related to childhood. Remember to do the quiz to test what you learnt.

Funky Phrasals: Childhood

When you learn new vocabulary you must learn it in its context, because that way you'll know how to use it in the future. So, if you usually create lists of new vocabulary to learn, it's a good idea to write not only the new word but also an example sentence.

Enjoy the practice!

Word of the week: On the same page

This week's expression is

on the same page

which means agreeing on something or sharing a common general understanding or knowledge; i.e. to look at a situation in the same way or agree on a course of action.

Example: The boss arranged a meeting to see if we were all on the same page. 

Podcast: Random acts of kindness

We started the school year talking about making a difference and now I want to start 2013 with a podcast related to acts of kindness which can be a good idea for our New Year's resolutions. So, how do you feel about performing kind acts? Listen to an experiment carried out in America with a group of school children and see if the same can be applied to you.

Random acts of kindness

Check the transcript to make sure you understood everything and have a look at the new vocabulary. 

There's even an organization related to kindness. 

So, what do you think? Perhaps you can do something nice for the 'strangers' we were talking about in class the other day...

Happy 2013!

Happy New Year to all my students! We're about to finish the Christmas holidays, so it's time to think about going back to work and all the things we want for this 2013. 

Here are my new year resolutions in a very visual way. 

I'm sure you'll say they're the typical ones; they are indeed. 

However, I believe simple things are those that matter!