proverbs

HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH MORE FLUENTLY

In order to imprint words on your memory and also to feel comfortable about pronouncing them at a moment's notice, it is necessary to practise vocabulary a number of  times.   1.  Decide which constructions and vocabulary are ideal for you to learn.   (Be discerning, because you cannot learn everything.)   Choose about ten new words per day to practise.  2.  Practise them until you are word-perfect.  Then use them in real situations by incorporating them into conversations with as many people as possible (at least six times each word or construction, but more if possible).     The more you manage to use them in conversation, the more readily you will be able to say them fluently in the future.   REMEMBER:  Fluency in English is accuracy with good pronunciation - not speed.

HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH MORE ACCURATELY

From a learner's point of view, the problem with English is that it is too rich in constructions and vocabulary, ie:  There are numerous words and constructions which have similar meanings.  Mistakes occur when students remember half of one construction and half of another;  they end up with a hotch-potch which is at best "incorrect but understandable" and at worst "nonsense". 1.Choosing English for Use or Recognition Purposes only English people do not use every phrase and word in the English language.  They have favourite phrases which they use time and time again.  I recommend that when you are taught more than one way of saying the same thing,  choose only one version to learn accurately for future use.  Then store the other one(s) vaguely in your mind for future recognition purposes only. 2. Pitfalls to Avoid Native English speakers modify their language according to their situation, just as you would do in your own language.  Unless you have constant exposure to English over many years, you cannot expect to do this.  The trick therefore is to choose the best English for universal speaking purposes and to recognise other versions of  English, so you are not at a disadvantage.  By doing so, you will avoid misunderstandings and you will be able to judge the quality of another person's English.    Although a knowledge of the following is essential for understanding English (and possibly for some exams), I recommend you avoid them as much as possible when speaking in normal situations:- Idioms, Phrasal Verbs, Slang (which can sound insolent when used at the wrong time) 3.Avoiding grammatical errors when speaking Many students experience difficulties with the use of the present perfect, because the use of it does not correspond with a similar-looking tense in their own language.  If it helps you, it is possible to avoid the present perfect altogether by using:-  SIMPLE PAST + SPECIFIC TIME eg:  I have been to Tunisia.  (Time unknown) I went to Tunisia some time ago.  (Exact time unknown) I have just finished my homework. (Recent, but time unknown) I finished my homework a short while ago (Recent, but exact time unknown) English is such a rich and versatile language, it is possible to say what you want to say in more than one way.

IMPORTANT REGIONAL DIFFERENCES In spoken American English, the use of the Simple Past and Present Perfect are often used contrary to the rules of grammar, particularly where the words 'yet' and 'yesterday' are concerned. In South West England, the following regional errors can be heard:  I be, he be, we be, they be, etc. In Yorkshire, the definite article is often omitted in speech.

PRONUNCIATION

GENERAL Non-native speakers of English experience different pronunciation problems according to their native language.  This is due to: 1.  Different pronunciation of some letters 2.  No equivalent sound in their own language If students cannot hear whether they are pronouncing a sound correctly, then the only alternative is to "feel" and "see" whether they are pronouncing it properly. English is a language which depends upon:- AIRFLOW, LIP SHAPE, TONGUE POSITION, TEETH POSITION, JAW MOVEMENT

COMMON DIFFICULT SOUNDS  (See also spelling & pronunciation rules) TH:  (long, soft, as in TEETH) Put the tip of your tongue between your teeth and blow gently..  It is a long sound and should last about 5 seconds. To test whether you are making this sound properly, place your hand approximately 12 cm from your mouth.  If you can feel a good flow of cool air halfway down your arm and your teeth and lips are in the right position, your pronunciation of this sound will be OK.  Do not forget to check the length of time you are allowing for the sound. You must produce this amount of air whenever you say a word with a soft TH in it.  TH:  (short, hard, as in THE) Put the tip of your tongue between your teeth and make a voice sound from your throat.  It is a short sound with a sudden burst of air. To test whether you are making this sound properly, place your hand approximately 6 cm from your mouth.  If you can feel a sudden burst of air on your hand, you are making the sound from your throat and your teeth and lips are in the right position, your pronunciation of this sound will be OK.  You must produce this sound whenever you say a word with a hard TH in it.  V:  Put your top front teeth onto your bottom lip and make a voice sound in your throat.  Your lips should be more or less closed. If you are making this sound correctly, you will feel an uncomfortable vibration.  You must feel this vibration every time you say a word with V in it, otherwise you are not pronouncing it properly.   The listener must hear the vibration to be sure of what you are saying.  ST:  Make a long, soft 'S' sound like a snake, then suddenly add an abrupt 'T+schwa' sound by pushing your tongue against the back of your top front teeth, then suddenly taking it away.  (Practise the 's' sound first, then the 'schwa' sound alone before adding the abrupt 'T' sound.) PH:  Pronounce PH as F (not P) F:  Put your top front teeth onto your bottom lip and blow gently.  Your lips should be more or less closed. To test whether you are making this sound properly, place your hand approximately 12 cm from your mouth.  If you can feel a good flow of cool air onto your hand and your teeth and lips are in the right position, your pronunciation of this sound will be OK.  You must produce this amount of air whenever you say a word with F in it.  H:  To make this sound, you need a lot of air and your mouth should be open.   Stand or sit up straight and take a deep breath, open your mouth, then let out the air quickly as if you are disappointed about something.  Allow your body to slump at the same time. To test whether you are making this sound properly, place your hand approximately 12 cm from your mouth.  If you can feel a good flow of hot air onto your hand and your mouth and body are in the right positions, your pronunciation of this sound will be OK.  You must produce this amount of air whenever you say a word with H in it.  L:  When making the L sound, you tongue must temporarily go up to the roof of your mouth and come down again.  It must not touch your teeth unless the next sound is TH. To check your tongue is in the right position, use a mirror.  Practise saying La, La, La, so you can see what your tongue is doing. R:   When making the R sound, your tongue does very little;  it just stays at the bottom of your mouth.  However, your lower jaw quickly moves forward, down and back as you say the sound.  Use a mirror to check that your tongue is not moving up to the roof of your mouth and that your jaw is moving properly.   If you do not have this sound in your language, you will need to practise moving your jaw.  At first, it will be painful, because you will be flexing  unused muscles just as you would if you attempting a new sport.  If you persevere the discomfort will eventually subside. W:  When making the W sound, you must pucker your lips as if you are going to kiss your favourite filmstar.  Use a mirror to achieve the correct lip shape.  To make the sound, you must push a sound out through the lip 'funnel' as if you have hurt yourself a little BEFORE saying the word, then at the end of this strained sound you open your lips a little and make a different sound as if you are saying the number ONE (but stop before you stay the N sound)..  Only after all this can you say the rest of the word.   Therefore, for the word WAR, follow these instructions:-   decide which film star or singer you would enjoy kissing.  think of this filmstar or singer and pucker lips into a kissing shape (check in the mirror) make a strained sound through puckered lips for 1-2 seconds open your lips and begin to say the number ONE (without the N) then complete the word by adding an OR sound..  Make it a long sound (3-4 seconds).  Better to make the word too long than not long enough. by following these instructions, you should have completed the word WAR Read the above instructions for L and R, then practice saying:- WAR, LAW, RAW

CONSONANTS In order to speak English well you must make all your consonants (except silent ones) sound loud and clear.   Many English parents reprimand their children with "Sound the ends of your words!", because many children swallow the last consonant sound in their words, particularly if the last consonant is a 'T' (as in the word 'BUT').   When English children do this, it is poor quality pronunciation, but when non-native speakers do this, it is often impossible to understand what they are saying.

LONG SOUNDS v SHORT SOUNDS The long sounds in English are extremely important.  Throughout England, Australia, Canada, America, there are fluent native speakers of English.   The accents vary enormously, yet we are all capable of understanding each other.   This is because the consonant sounds change very little and there is a uniformity of long and short sounds. When studying English you may feel it is very strange to say long sounds, because they do not exist in your own language;  however, unless you do use long sounds, your English will be difficult to understand.  In fact, it is better to make your long sound too long, rather than not long enough.

INTONATION

Improve your intonation by listening to and singing along to songs.   Most songs in English maintain similar intonation to normal speech.  Rap songs are often close to normal intonation  . PLEASE NOTE:  The following pop songs do not use the same intonation as normal speech. BLUE by Eiffel 64 NEVER EVER by All Saints Most/all songs by Destiny's Child

 

--- On Wed, 8/20/08, Chandresh Kapadia <chandreshkapadia57@yahoo.in> wrote:

From: Chandresh Kapadia <chandreshkapadia57@yahoo.in>
Subject: Re: [The Powerup India Group] proverbs
To: powerupindiagroup@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, August 20, 2008, 11:53 PM

Hi Ahmed Iman,it's now 5:04 A.M.Indian S.T.   So good morning to you.I'm thankful to you that you make fine use of internet providing me such beautiful proverbs alongwith  their meaning  I just want to inform you that such lessions I ever time ready to notedown in my notes and as such I am very much crasy about ENGLISH LANGUAGE to know and to learn about english.I would also like to ask you what are the basic---fundamental points are there for FLUENCY IN ENGLISH-----SPOKEN ENGLISH.I hope you will be remain in cotact on my e-mail.Pl. make a note of my e-mail     niteen.chauhan@yahoo.com      Thanks.See you again here. o.k. --- On Wed, 20/8/08, Ahamed Imam <idealimam@yahoo.com> wrote: From: Ahamed Imam <idealimam@yahoo.com> Subject: [The Powerup India Group] proverbs To: Date: Wednesday, 20 August, 2008, 2:49 PM                                                                                                                                                                    The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Meaning: You use this proverb to say that the things other people have or their situations always look better than your own, even when they are not really so. It is often shortened to "The grass is greener on the other side," or even 'The grass is greener." Example: Don't compare your talents with others. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Just do your best. You might think you'd be happy if you were working in my company, but, well, the grass is greener on the other side. Home is where the heart is. Meaning: You use this proverb to say if you are with the person or at the place you love most, it becomes your true home. Example: Don't worry about where you're going to live next year. Home is where the heart is. It's no use crying over spilled (spilt) milk. There's no use crying over spilled (spilt) milk. Meaning: You use this proverb to say that you shouldn't worry about something that has already happened. It is no use being angry over or upset about something that has already happened and/or you cannot change. Example: I failed the exam, but it's no use crying over spilled milk. I'll try it again. You've broken the vase now! There's no use crying over spilt milk. We will buy a new one. A kite rises against the wind. Meaning: A person grows when he/she faces opposition and conquers it. People say this: Don't be afraid of opposition; remember a kite rises against, not with the wind. Example: Don't worry about opposition from those groups. You are doing the right thing. A kite rises against the wind. Opposites attract. Meaning: People use this proverb to say people tend to be attracted to those who are not like them. People feel those who have different talents, personality, appearance, etc. are attractive to them. This proverb expresses the idea opposite to the idea of "Birds of a feather flock together." Example: A: It looks your mom and dad don't have anything in common. Your mom is plump and outgoing, but your dad is skinny and shy, and loves being alone. He likes math and philosophy, but she likes music and sports. B: I know that, but they love each other and get along very well. Some people say, "Birds of a feather flock together," but others say, "Opposites attract." That's their case.. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Meaning: You use this proverb to say that it is much easier to do something to prevent a problem than to deal with it after it has happened. This proverb expresses a similar idea to that of A stitch in time saves nine. Example: I strongly recommend backing up your data at least once a day. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This vaccine costs $25, but it would cost you at least $1500 if you caught the disease and had to be treated in a hospital. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Procrastination is the thief of time. Meaning: You use this proverb to say that you are wasting your time if you keep delaying something that must be done instead of doing it today... Edward Young (1683–1765), a British poet, was the first one who said this. If someone says, "Procrastination is the thief of time," he/she advises you not to procrastinate (put off doing something that you must do) and use your precious time wisely. Example: Don't put off the things you must do today. Procrastination is the thief of time Safety lies in the middle course. Meaning: This proverb teaches us that it is best to act in a way between two opposite (especially extreme) ones to solve a problem or to deal with something. If you say "Safety lies in the middle course," you mean it is safe to act or do something in a moderate way. Example: I think those two parties need to take more time to negotiate. We cannot accept either of their proposals. One is extremely conservative, and the other is extremely radical. Safety lies in the middle course A stitch in time saves nine. Meaning: You use this proverb to say that it is better to spend a little time to deal with problems or act right now than wait. If you wait until late, things will get worse, and it will take much longer to deal with them. It is often shortened to "A stitch in time." This proverb expresses a similar idea to that of An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Example: I advise fixing the leak now. If not, you might need to replace the whole engine later. Fixing the leak costs $50, but you need to pay at least $1,000 to replace the engine. A stitch in time, you know. If you have an idea for your final research paper, start writing today. Don't wait until the end of the semester. A stitch in time saves nine. Variety is the spice of life. Meaning: You use this proverb to say that if you do a lot of different things and meet different people, etc., your life becomes more interesting. Having and experiencing a lot of different things is what makes your life interesting. Example: Variety is the spice of life, and there's a lot of it at the English Language Center . You can meet people from many different countries, and there are a lot of activities you can participate in You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. Meaning: You can give someone the opportunity to learn or to do something, but you can never force him to accept that opportunity. This proverb is often shortened to you can lead a horse to water. . . . Example: Hannah and Jack are married and have a twelve year old daughter named Nicole. Hannah is trying to help Nicole with her English homework.. Nicole doesn't care about school. She just wants to go play soccer with her friends. Hannah becomes angry and finally lets Nicole go. "Nicole just doesn't understand how important school is. She just wants to play," Hannah tells Jack. "She'll understand someday. But right now, you have to remember that you can lead a horse to water, but you can make it drink. When she wants to do better, she will ask for your help. You can't force her to learn." "I guess you're right, but I don't like it." You can't judge a book by its cover. Meaning: You use this proverb to say that you can't tell what something/someone is really like just by looking at it. It might be different from what it looks. If someone says, "You can't judge a book by its cover," he/she advises you not to judge someone or something only by its appearance. People also say, "You can't tell a book by its cover." Example: A: I want to buy this car. It looks great. B: Have a test drive with someone who knows cars well before you decide. You can't judge a book by its cover. I know you want to think he's honest and trust him, but be careful. You can't tell a book by its cover.