esl students
Useful Word Partnerships for ESL Students
Some pairs of words often occur together. If you meet one, you can expect the other. This makes it easier for ESL students to understand written and spoken language, and build their vocabulary as well. Word partnerships are seen in ESL classes which become useful and necessary for everyday language. Higher level ESL programs also present this type of vocabulary, but they add other more complex or specialized word combinations. ESL students have a chance to see them, practice them, and use them in everyday situations.
Below you will see different combinations of word partnerships:
Verb – noun combinations
1. Answer the phone
2. Appoint a new manager
3. Arrange a meeting
4. Export goods
5. Pay tax
6. Solve a problem
7. Type a letter
8. Welcome a visitor
9. Fill a vacancy
10. Interview an applicant
11. Offer a discount
12. Owe some money
13. Rent office space
14. Run a business
15. Send a fax
16. Sign a contract
17. Address a meeting
18. Arrange a demonstration
19. Consider a proposal
20. Fire an employee
21. Keep a record
22. Pay an invoice
23. Place an order
24. Phone a client
25. Build a factory
26. Cash a cheque
27. Dispatch goods
28. Express thanks
29. Postpone a meeting
30. Reach an agreement
31. Reduce costs
32. Settle disputes
EXAMPLES
1. They might offer you a discount if you pay within ten days.
2. Do you need a license to export goods to the Soviet Union?
3. Don’t forget we have to pay tax on the profit we made.
4. I’m trying to arrange a meeting with my bank manager next Tuesday.
5. They hope to reduce costs by employing fewer staff.
6. Could you arrange a demonstration so we can see exactly how it works?
7. It’s not always easy to settle disputes between management and staff.
8. They’re going to build a factory on some vacant land nearby.
Adjective – noun combinations
33. Annual conference
34. Early retirement
35. Extended credit
36. Limited liability
37. Natural resources
38. Occupational pension
39. Private offer
40. Unfair dismissal
41. Effective communication
42. Financial difficulties
43. High priority
44. Introductory offer
45. Skilled workers
46. Sound investment
47. Vacant property
48. Wide range
49. Continuous supply
50. Fundamental disagreement
51. Illustrated brochure
52. Multi-national company
53. Potential customer
54. Prompt reply
55. Strict control
56. Visual aid
57. Advanced technology
58 .Alternative arrangements
59. Close attention
60. Competitive quote
61. Considerable expense
62. Essential requirement
63. Manual labor
64. Raw materials
EXAMPLES
1. As a special introductory offer, they’re selling two for the price of one.
2. I’m going to the annual conference of our trade union.
3. He was only 50 but he decided to take early retirement.
4. There is a shortage of skilled workers for this kind of work.
5. We can’t use the hall so we’ll have to make alternative arrangements.
6. They were recently taken over by a multi-national company.
7. I’d like you to meet her. She could be a potential customer.
8. I want you to pay close attention to everything he does.
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Adjectives and Prepositions - A Study Guide for ESL Students
It is sometimes difficult to remember which preposition comes after each adjective. The only way to remember is through practice; the more we practice the easier it becomes for us to use them later on. We feel more confident we are choosing the right preposition because it “feels” right.
Correct usage of English grammar mainly involves lots of study and practice. For this reason, English schools or language institutes are constantly developing grammar booklets for practice as well as online exercises. Business travelers need a continuous practice and their needs become more demanding as they advance in their English studies and gain more and more self-confidence with the language. Every area of the language should be learned through repetition in diferent contexts. Through dynamic activities, students will feel motivated. Fluency and automatic responses start to come naturally.
One of the things ESL students need to study and practice are adjectives and prepositions as well as other combinations with prepositions. ESL programs include many practice exercises and practice tests so students will feel more confident when it comes to using the adjectives correctly.
Below you’ll see adjectives and the prepositions that follow them, as well as some examples used in business English:
- Familiar with: I’m sure they must be familiar with our products as they’re used all over the world.
- Eligible for: If you pay within seven days you will be eligible for a discount.
- Available for: I will be available for an interview at any time.
- Envious of: The other salespeople were all envious of her success and so they were pleased when she left.
- Contrary to: Contrary to expectations, our sales figures went down last month.
- Popular with: Our new range of toys has proved very popular with children who have watched the television program.
- Consistent with: Any decision made must be consistent with the company’s overall marketing strategy.
- Responsible for: The maintenance engineer is responsible for checking every machine at least once a week.
- Aware of: I’m not aware of any regulations that should prevent us from exporting to those countries.
- Capable of: We need somebody who is capable of understanding German.
- Relevant to: That’s an interesting point but it isn’t really relevant to our discussion.
- Accustomed to: It took me some time to become accustomed to using the new system.
- Acceptable to: They will only sign if the terms are fully acceptable to them.
- Dependant on: It’s risky to be dependant on only one supplier.
- Proud of: He was so proud of his firm’s achievements that he talked about them to everyone he met.
- Well known for: This company is well known for the high quality of its products.
Bear in mind that there are no easy to follow rules regarding which preposition goes with which adjective. Extended practice will make you more confident as to which to use. ESL programs usually provide the right resources and guide you in your practice.
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Seven Sure-fire Tips for Accent Reduction
If you are an ESL student and wish to communicate effectively in English for work, study, or travel, there are several things you need to improve, like listening, reading and writing. However, speaking is probably the hardest skill an ESL student will master. A lot of things go into effective spoken communication, one of which is your pronunciation.
Firstly, don’t confuse accent with pronunciation. There is always a correct pronunciation to be learned; this doesn’t vary from person to person. However, what does vary is the speaker’s accent, the distinctive way you express yourself orally, mainly composed of certain vowel or consonants sounds that you carry from your mother tongue. The goal is not to eliminate the accent, which is impossible, but rather reduce it. And the best way to reduce your accent is to practice correct pronunciation through exercises and activities that target this goal. Here are 7 tips that will help you reduce your accent:
1) Slow down
Probably the first thing you should focus on is speaking slowly. When you make a conscious effort to speak slowly, you not only speak more clearly to those who are listening, but also take the time to pronounce syllables, as well as vowel and consonants sounds as they should be pronounced.
2) Don’t forget the ending
Most foreign speakers of English don’t pronounce de “-ed” in past participles of regular verbs, and sometimes they neglect to pronounce the final “s” in plurals. Remember that the “-ed” in past participles may have three different pronunciations. Get yourself a good dictionary with phonetic symbols to know how each verb is pronounced.
3) Put yourself on tape
No matter how painful it may be for you to hear your own voice, it is essential that you record yourself and try to identify your pronunciation mistakes. Compare the way you pronounce a word to the way a native speaker says it.
4) Imitate
Listen to tapes, CDs, native speakers, TV and try to imitate the way they pronounce some words. Watch the way native speakers shape their mouths as they say some words. Look into a mirror if you have to.
5) Control the troublemakers
Keep a list of words you commonly have trouble with, for example, words that start with the “th” sound, like “three”, “thousand”, “thigh”; differentiate them from other sounds like “three” and “tree”; “thousand” and “those”.
6) Pick one sound to center your efforts on each week
One week, you may choose to practice the “r” sound. Pick a newspaper or magazine article, print a blog post or web page, and then circle all of the words you find with this sound. Say them out loud. Use a dictionary if you don’t know how to pronounce a word correctly.
7) Use online resources
There are lots of great online dictionaries where you can hear the word you search for. Try for example this great online dictionary at wordreference.com. You even have the option to hear the word pronounced in American or British English.
So you see, there are several things you can do to reduce your accent, speak more clearly, and make yourself better understood. Just remember, practice makes perfect, so you must be willing to commit to working on your pronunciation at least a little each day. This effort combined with what you learn from your ESL program will get you speaking like a local in no time!
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Surviving the Holidays - A Guide for ESL Students
So, you’re in the US to work or study English, and you’re not going home for the holidays. Although it is typically a time to be with your loved ones, don’t let this get you down. Take the opportunity to experience the holiday season the American way! You will have the chance to not only learn a great deal about American culture, traditions, and customs, but also practice what you’ve been learning in your ESL classes.
Take the time to enjoy the holiday season, but also focus on improving your speaking skills. Get yourself an invite to a Christmas or New Year’s Eve party and get ready to mingle. There are some essential points you should bear in mind:
1) Be patient
Most Americans have a hard time understanding foreign accents. You may be asked to repeat or clarify what you’ve said. Don’t let this discourage you. Remember you are learning, and you are not expected to speak perfectly. Just do the best you can. You may also have a hard time understanding their accent, especially if they happen to be southern. Don’t be afraid to ask them to repeat their question; request clarification if needed.
2) Chose the right topics
When engaging an American in conversation, it is best to steer clear from topics related to politics, race, religion, or any other controversial issue. “So, what do you think about the health care crisis in the U.S.?” is NOT a good way to start a conversation, least of all on a holiday! Americans like to talk about sports, for example. If you’re not at all familiar with how football (“American” football as opposed to soccer) is played ask someone about it. They’ll be glad to fill you in on the rules. Another great topic is work. Don’t be surprised if the first question you’re asked is, “What do you do?”. They also love to talk about travel, remote locations, and exotic countries. This is a great opportunity to tell them where you’re from and share a little of your culture.
3) Go for informal
Americans prefer first names and informal greetings in general, but especially so if you are at a social gathering or celebration. There is no need address someone as Mr., Mrs. or Ms.
4) Don’t get too “touchy”
It’s perfectly acceptable to shake hands, but hold off from other forms of physical contact. Americans don’t greet each other with kisses as people do in other countries. Also, refrain from holding hands or putting your arms around people.
5) Do your homework
It is recommended that you do some research into what the typical holiday celebration might entail. Most things are not so different from what people do in your own country, but food and drink might be completely different. Find out about the typical foods and drinks and be prepared to sample holiday favorites like roast turkey, egg nog, or mulled wine. If your beliefs prevent you from eating certain foods like red meat or drinking alcohol, try to let your host/hostess know beforehand, so as to avoid any embarrassing situations.
Remember these tips and enjoy your Christmas break. When your ESL classes resume, you’ll have lots to share with your classmates and teachers.
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Essentials for ESL Students - The Three Best Ways to Start a Conversation
ESL students all have one main frustration in common. Your teachers at your ESL school, family, everyone you know tell you that the best way to improve your English speaking skills is to practice, practice, and practice. Get out there and put everything you’re learning in your ESL class to good use. So, you go out, armed to the teeth with great vocabulary, useful expressions, and motivation to spare, but…you don’t know how to start a conversation. It can be awkward enough for those who are native speakers, imagine for those who are learning the language and perhaps are able to handle only the basics.
No matter what your level is, no matter how long you’ve been taking ESL classes, everyone has to practice. If you’re unsure as to the best way to start a conversation, here are some sure-fire hits:
1) Seize an opportunity to make a comment
If you happen to be a social event, like someone’s birthday party, Christmas dinner, or run-of-the-mill informal gathering, comment on the food, music, or décor. Chose someone to direct the comment to and say something like, “This is delicious! Do you know what this is?” or “I love this song! Do you like Gwen Stefani?” The conversation should flow from there on. Don’t forget to introduce yourself at an opportune moment.
2) Pick someone to introduce yourself to
At a social event, you may recognize someone from school, the gym, or any of your extracurricular activities. Just walk up to the individual in question and say, “Hi! You attend classes at …, don’t you? I’m …., by the way.” Maybe you know who someone is although you haven’t been properly introduced. Starting a conversation is as easy as saying, “Hi there! You’re John’s brother, aren’t you?”
3) Ask a question
Asking someone a question is an infallible way to start a conversation. You may use any excuse like, “Excuse me. Do you know what this is?” (about exotic food) or “Are you a friend of Sarah’s or Michael’s?” (at a wedding). Your options should be obvious depending on the situation. Other useful questions are:
- “Where are you from?” (to a foreign-looking person – another ESL learner, perhaps!)
- “Do you work/study with Josh?”
- “How do you know Jack?”
- “I’m not from here. Is this a typical/important tradition/custom in the US? (about Halloween/Thanksgiving or any American holiday).
Remember to say Hi or Hello first; smile and try to sound friendly and honestly interested in talking to the person. Wait and see what their answer is before going on with the next question. Don’t attack an unsuspecting individual with an arsenal of questions.
So, overcome your shyness; don’t worry about your accent or pronunciation. Try to do the best you can, after all, you’re not being tested here, like at your ESL school. The goal is to communicate! You should strive to be spontaneous and speak English in a real, informal setting. It may be difficult at first, but, as we say, “if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again”, and you’ll notice improvement in no time. You’ll be speaking like one of the locals. And making friends at the same time! What more could you ask for?
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).
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