Archive for February, 2010
A Foolproof Plan to Improve Your English during Your Stay in the US
Whether you’ve enrolled in an ESL program for beginners, advanced ESl classes, or Business English courses, the key to improving your English lies in how seriously you take your English learning goals and how hard you’ll try to achieve them. Sounds too “serious”, right? And no fun? Although, improving your English does require a certain amount of hard work and concentration, it is possible to find the perfect balance between concentrated studying and spontaneous, fun learning. Follow this foolproof plan, and you’ll be speaking more confidently in English in no time.
Plunge into it head first!
No matter how great, how experienced, or how knowledgeable your teachers are, you will never absorb the teachings they impart through osmosis. Do not think you can just sit quietly in the back of the classroom, and just listen and watch what goes on. If you really want to improve your English, you have to dive into the experience; participate and be actively engaged in the lessons, right from the start, even if you’re a beginner and will only be able to say a few words. This is not the time to be shy or self-conscious about your English, after all, you’ll be surrounded by students just like you!
Do your homework
Throughout your life you’ve always heard teachers and parents tell you to study and do your homework, and let’s face it, they were a pain in the neck. But they were right. After school study is essential to strengthen everything you’ve seen in class. All of those new words, grammar tenses, and expressions must be reviewed, practiced, and chewed on, so to speak. This way you’ll increase your chances of remembering and effectively using everything you’ve learned. Besides the exercises assigned to you by your teacher, there are several fun things you could do for “homework”. You could read short news articles or blog posts. Watch videos on YouTube or CNN.com. Make a note of any new words or vocabulary and then look them up in your dictionary. The resources are endless!
Get out and mingle!
It is absolutely essential that you practice what you’re learning in class in real life settings. Engage the locals in conversation and ask them about their customs, history, sites of interest, and activities. Even if you’re a beginner there’s lots you could say and practice, from day-to-day phrases, to polite requests. No matter what your level is, you must make the effort to speak to people outside the classroom. You could join a club or organization, even sign up for extracurricular classes, like cooking, pottery, or skiing.
There is an amazing variety of ESL programs to choose from, but once you do make your choice, you have to commit to it for the duration. An English course in the US is an investment, and one you won’t want to waste. To really make it worth your time and money, you must do your part. If you do, you won’t be sorry. You’ll feel more confident speaking English and be ready to take on the world!
The ESL Student Guide to the Passive Voice
As you read about recent business trends and developments in newspapers and magazines, you will notice how often the passive form is used in sentences such as:
Grove Developments has been chosen to build the new sports center.
Most students will be able to understand this sentence; however, using the passive voice when you speak or write may not be as simple. It is important that you know, first, how it is formed, and secondly, you must know the past participle form of every verb you learn as this is essential to understand and make sentences in which the passive is used.
The passive voice is formed with an auxiliary verb, or several, and the past participle of the verb. Students should also be able to use the passive voice in the correct verb tense, so look through all the tenses and see how you pass verb forms from active to passive. Notice also how the subject changes.
Simple Present
They sell more than 6 million tins of beans every week. > More than 6 million tins of beans are sold every week
They say Kent Industries is thinking of expanding overseas. > Kent Industries is said to be thinking of expanding overseas.
The company employs 200 people. > Two hundred people are employed by the company.
Simple Past
An American company took them over last year. > They were taken over by an American company last year.
They made no attempts to explain the inconsistency in the figures. > No attempt was made to explain the inconsistency in the figures.
They won the contract in the face of strong competition. > The contract was won in the face of strong competition.
Present Perfect
We have lost 110 working days so far this year as a result of industrial unrest. > 110 working days have been lost so far this year as a result of industrial unrest.
We have put prices on the list for 2010. > Prices have been put on the list for 2010.
We have received new machines. > New machines have been received.
With Will
They will build their new factory on the outskirts of town. > Their new factory will be built on the outskirts of town.
They will send a prospectus to all potential investors. > A prospectus will be sent to all potential investors.
We will hold an extraordinary general meeting next Wednesday. > An extraordinary general meeting will be held next Wednesday.
With Can, May, or Might
People can know a product by different names in different countries. > A product can be known by different names in different countries.
A new client may buy one thousand units this week. > One thousand units may be bought this week by a new client.
Our company might build new facilities for the South American operation next year. > New facilities for the South American operation might be built next year.
The use of the Passive Voice is one of the essentials covered in any good ESL program. Together with the other basics, it will give you the solid foundation you need to communicate more fluently and effectively in English.
If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.englishlci.com as the original source).
The Most Common Mistakes Made by ESL Students
ELS students usually face common mistakes which tend to confuse them. Words in the English language sometimes are similar or the same but are different in meaning, use and pronunciation.
In the following examples, you’ll see the differences and the most common mistakes students tend to make in their ESL classes.
Good vs. well
*Good is an adjective which describes a noun.
*Well is an adverb which describes how you do the action.
She did well on the test.
He played well in the tennis match.
She sang well.
He’s a good tennis player.
She’s a good dancer.
I’m a good singer.
Bring vs. take
*We use bring if the speaker refers to something that is at his current location and when something moves from there to here.
*We use take if the speaker refers to something that is in a different location and when something moves from here to there.
I brought all my books to class.
He brought his pictures to show his friends.
I promise I will bring it next time.
Jon took his boy to the baseball game.
I’ll remember to take everything to the picnic.
She felt sick so he took her home.
It’s vs. its
*It’s is the contracted form of it is. This is a subject (it) with the verb to be.
*Its is the possessive case.
It’s a great idea! Let’s go to the concert.
It’s mine! What are you doing?
What wrong with Bill’s behavior? It’s something we should be concerned about.
That watch is nice. Its color is rare.
That’s your new shirt. Its style is nice.
It’s a great house and its price is reasonable.
Everyone vs. every one
*Use everyone as a pronoun to mean all the people in a group.
*Use every one as a noun to indicate each person.
Do you think everyone will go to the play?
Everyone contacts her to leave her comments on her blog.
Everyone is considering going to the party.
Every one of the experts has different points of view.
The teacher told every one of the students to behave.
Every one of the dancers was told to improve.
Since vs. for with present perfect
*We use since with the present perfect to indicate that something has happened since a point in time.
*We use for with the present perfect to express that something has happened for a period time.
I’ve worked here since 2001.
She’s been married since October of this year.
He’s been repairing the car since two this afternoon.
He’s worked on this project for 2 years.
Jon has been playing rugby for 1 hour.
I’ve worked on this report for 1 week.
Too, two, to
*Too is the same as also and is used at the end of a sentence. Too is also too much of a particular quality.
That house is too expensive for me!
I love eating pizza too!
This is too much for me! Help me solve it.
*Two is the written form of number 2.
I’ve always wanted two children.
She is so lucky; she has two houses.
I’ve corrected two tests so far.
*To is usually used as a preposition and also used as part of the infinitive form of verbs.
Tomorrow I’m going to my grandmother’s house.
I spoke to her about the inconvenience we had at tennis.
He returned the key to her when they broke up.
If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.englishlci.com as the original source).
Is Your ESL Class a Game?
Many ESL students, especially adults, complain about their ESL teachers spending too much time playing games instead of seriously teaching them the English language.
Most teachers disregard this criticism simply because serious teaching and playing games in class often go hand in hand, and many experts in teaching find that games are quite useful for the learning experience.
If you think playing games is not a professional way of teaching the English language, and you want to be heard by your ESL school and teacher, first confirm if they have a valid reason for making your ESL class a game:
1. To create a more instructive and controlled practice
You can only repeat the same grammar or sentence a certain amount of times before your brain shuts down. Through games, nevertheless, you can repeat the same sentence or practice a lot more times in appealing ways, and in this way, you will be able to function better next time you talk to someone in English.
2. To make the link between fun and memory
It is easier for you to memorize a language when you are having fun while hearing or using it.
3. To reinforce class spirit
When playing games, it is easier for classmates to get to know each other and to learn to work together. You will feel more motivated to go to class and pay attention because of the team spirit within the group.
4. To know how well you are doing
It is hard to know when you are speaking well, or not, when you learn a language, but through a game with points it is easy to know how well you’re doing.
5. To warm you up
Games are great to wake you up and get your brain going and ready to assimilate the language.
6. To train different parts of your brain
During ESL class, you use your memory skills a lot to learn vocabulary, and other logical skills to understand grammar rules; however, your learning experience becomes richer if you can involve other parts of your brain through drawing, hand-eye coordination, and music. All of these are elements that can be easily included through games.
7. To support the natural way of learning
We know that babies learn the language by copying people, but we tend to forget that they also use it a lot when playing; they use nonsense words, puns, and skipping rhymes to make up new words. This is the playful and inventive attitude that many adults lack when learning a language, and it can be stimulated through games.
8. To encourage competition and motivation
People have a competitive nature, thus, they learn faster when they race against others. When playing a game to learn the language, their competitive nature arises, making them work harder to learn it better than the others.
9. To please students
Most students like games, thus, teachers may be trying to please them and get them motivated to learn. When each game has a serious teaching objective, everyone gains something from the experience.
10. Students complain about games for the wrong reasons
Many students blame their teachers for their inability to learn and never blame their lack of interest, thus, games become an easy target.
11. To encourage variety
As every other thing you learn, in order to master a language you have to approach it from many different angles. If you exclude games, you are losing a lot of different opportunities to enhance your reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills.
12. To remember the language through the game
In many cases, the best way to recall a language is to remember the first time you heard or used it. In a classroom there is a limited amount of people, making it possible for the teacher to make each ESL class unforgettable for every student. This is easily achieved through playing different games each week.
If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.englishlci.com as the original source).
The Best Dictionary for ESL Students
The majority of ESL students begin ESL classes with a bilingual dictionary. This is probably, or better yet, absolutely necessary at a beginner’s level or even for some intermediate ESL or EFL students, especially when they have to do homework or study the English language by themselves. Nevertheless, advanced English students must change to an English-only dictionary in order to master the language.
The best dictionary for ESL students on an intermediate to advanced level is the Longman Advanced American Dictionary. Although it is not a dictionary that specifically mentions it is designed for ESL, it beats others like the Oxford ESL Dictionary for Students of American English, which is becoming hard to find.
Longman is the best dictionary out there to support students taking ESL classes because it gives definitions that are commonly used nowadays. Many dictionaries either give too many definitions, even some that are obsolete, making it difficult for the ESL student to find the accurate definition for a word, or are very small and don’t have all the necessary definitions. Longman keeps it simple and relevant.
Among the advantages that the Longman Advanced American Dictionary offers are:
-It has all the vocabulary students need for school, including terms related to Arts, Science, IT, and Computing.
-It has 19,000 example sentences that explain the meaning of the words.
-It encompasses thousands of synonyms shown in Thesaurus boxes.
-It offers an activities’ section that teaches dictionary-consulting skills to help students become proficient in its use.
-It has two separate sections on preparation for the TOEFL and TOEIC tests.
-It includes a full color picture dictionary.
-It tells students when a word is usually mistaken with another one.
-It gives a list of spoken phrases.
-It lists many phrasal verbs with definitions.
-It offers a lot of grammar usage notes to aid ESL students in selecting a word.
This dictionary has been highly praised by its users and is recommended by numerous ESL schools and teachers throughout the United States. Longman publishes many dictionaries, but look for this specific one; you won’t regret it. On the contrary, you will gain a new best friend in your English learning quest.
If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.englishlci.com as the original source).
The 3 Best Ways to Practice Your English
The secret to learning English, or any other language for the matter, fully and becoming fluent at it is to practice it during your everyday activities. ESL lessons are vital; however, the way English is spoken in the classroom is very different to the way the language is used in everyday life, thus, you must complement one with the other.
Outside the class, the speaking style is much more relaxed and informal, and in English, there are many idioms and slang terms to learn, so it is crucial that you look for opportunities outside the classroom to practice English in the way you will be using it the most.
Here we show you the 3 best ways to practice your English and to include the language in your daily life:
1. Find someone to talk with
This person should be someone from your school or community that is a native speaker and who is willing to spend some time regularly talking with you in English about anything and everything. Maybe in return for their help you can offer to teach him or her your language, or help them with other school topics you are good at.
Find someone you feel comfortable with and whom you trust, so as to enrich your experience, because then you will feel at ease asking questions about how to say something correctly, to avoid misinterpretation, and to learn to talk about topics that interest you.
2. Watch TV and go to the movies
Watch as many TV shows or movies as possible. In the beginning you will feel that the actors speak too fast; however, try to focus on understanding single words or phrases. Soon you will start understanding more and it will get easier to follow what they are saying.
Put your attention on identifying pronunciation patterns and on how the voices rise and fall when they ask questions and make statements.
If you want to review the basics, for example, the alphabet, counting, names of things, colors, etc., turn to children’s shows, and if you wish to learn more about the culture and lifestyle in the United States, pay attention to the advertisements and watch game shows.
3. Go out every day
If you are visiting or living in the United States or any other English speaking country, never miss a chance to go out and practice.
Every day, go out to places like shops, restaurants, and banks. No matter how brief the visit, try to order or ask questions in English, because as soon as you are able to buy something or get some information in English, you will feel more confident about your capacity to mingle among the locals.
Once you feel comfortable in these situations, try to talk to others casually, for example, commenting about the weather. These simple conversations and routine activities will make you feel more capable.
It may not excite you at all to go grocery shopping in your hometown, but doing so in a foreign place can be a fascinating experience. You can learn something new every step of the way!
These are ways in which you will become a highly active user of the English language. Through the effort that you make to speak, listen, and mingle with others, you will gain the practical knowledge and skills to become fluent in English.
If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.englishlci.com as the original source).
Search
Categories
Archives
