TIPS TO HELP YOU LEARN ENGLISH (12)

VOCABULARY LEARNING IS IMPORTANT:

·        Vocabulary knowledge aids in activating and building background knowledge to make connections to text, and having vocabulary knowledge can increase reading comprehension and fluency while reading.

·        Vocabulary knowledge can improve writing skills and build knowledge of other word meanings through known root words, prefixes, suffixes, and word families.

VOCABULARY:CINEMA.

Films and cinema

Can you talk about a film which?

Ø Made you laugh a lot

Ø Made you cry

Ø Sent you to sleep

Ø Made you feel good

Ø You’ve seen several times

Ø Made you buy the soundtrack

Paramount Pictures wants you.

Paramount Pictures is an international film and television production studio. It is consistently ranked as one of the top-grossing film studios in the world and it is well-known for movie block-blusters such as Grease, Friday the 13th and Mission Impossible.

The studio has employed most of the best script writers in the world but it is sick to the back teeth of their whingeing behaviour and eccentric off set requirements. It has decided to put its foot down and open an academy to develop new talent.

·       If you want to apply for the academy, write a postcard to the talent manager answering the following questions.

·       If you had to write a script about a famous person, who would you write about and why?

VOCABULARY LEARNING

Learn vocabulary fast and for free!

https://vocapp.com/

TIPS TO HELP YOU REMEMBER NEW VOCABULARY.

Best 5 Ways for Remembering Words.

Below are 5 ways to enhance your memory for a specific word:

1. Use the words in a joke or make up a joke about the word and we have found that the more unusual the word is the easier it is to remember.

2. Turn the word into an acronym. Do this by assigning each letter to a word and try to put together a sentence like this.

3. Use the word in a rhyme. It is a known fact that us as humans remember songs and poems easier that’s why most of us will still remember songs from our childhood.

4. Associate the word with shapes or images for example a car, window or a stool even just anything that you can associate so when you think about that object you immediately think of the word as well.

5. Sing the word out loud! This has been proven to increase the chances of remembering the word.

taken from : http://www.wordsurfing.co.uk/best-5-ways-for-remembering-words/

Urban Dictionary is the dictionary you wrote. Define your world. 6,361,330 DEFINITIONS SINCE 1999.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/

provides:

•  word of the day
• dictionary: both definition and examples.
• thesaurus

+ 

other stuff.

Here is an interesting example which illustrates everyday events:

Blackberry roulette :

Driving a motor vehicle while talking or texting on a cell phone.
"Each time I see someone driving and talking on the phone I say to myself something's got to be done about these dangerous people; but nothing ever is. They just keep motoring along playing Blackberry roulette until one day their carelessness alters the life of an innocent."

Christmas in the United Kingdom

In the UK (or Great Britain), families often celebrate Christmas together, so they can watch each other open their presents!

Most families have a Christmas Tree (or maybe even two!) in their house for Christmas. The decorating of the tree is usually a family occasion, with everyone helping. Christmas Trees were first popularised the UK by Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. Prince Albert was German, and thought that it would be good to use one of his ways of celebrating Christmas in to England.

Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe are also sometimes used to decorate homes or other buildings.

Like a lot of countries, Nativity Plays and Carol Services are also very popular at Christmas time. The Church that I go to always has a Carols by Candlelight Service where the church is only lit up by candles. It is a very special service and always makes me feel very Christmassy! Lots of other British churches also have Carols by Candlelight and Christingleservices.

Children believe that Father Christmas, or Santa Claus, leaves presents in stockings or pillow-cases. These are normally hung up by the fire or by the children's beds on Christmas Eve. Children sometimes leave out mince pies and brandy for Father Christmas to eat and drink when he visits them. Now, some people say that a non-alcoholic drink should be left for Santa as he has to drive!

Children write letters to Father Christmas listing their requests, but sometimes instead of putting them in the post, the letters are tossed into the fireplace. The draught carries the letters up the chimney and Father Christmas reads the smoke.

There are some customs that only take place, or were started, in the UK. Wassailing is an old anglo-saxon custom that doesn't take place much today. Boxing Day is a very old custom that started in the UK and is now taken as a holiday in many countries around the world.

In Scotland, some people celebrate New Year's Eve (which is called Hogmanay) more than Christmas! The word Hogmanay comes from a kind of oat cake that was traditionally given to children on New Year's Eve.

Also in Scotland, the first person to set foot in a house in a New Year is thought to have a big effect on the fortunes of the people that live there! Generally strangers are thought to bring good luck. Depending on the area, it may be better to have a dark-haired or fair-haired stranger set foot in the house. This tradition is widely known as 'first footing'. In England it is sometimes said that a stranger coming through the door carrying a lump of coal will bring good luck.

In Scots (a Scottish dialect) Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Blithe Yule'; in Gaelic it's 'Nollaig Chridheil'; and in Welsh (which is spoken in some parts of Wales it's 'Nadolig Llawen'. Happy/Merry Christmas in lots more languages.

In the UK, the main Christmas Meal is usually eaten at lunchtime or early afternoon on Christmas Day. It was traditionally roast goose, although it's common to have turkey now, roast vegetables and 'all the trimmings' which means stuffing and sometimes bacon and sausages. (In Scotland, some people might even have Haggis instead of turkey!) Dessert is often Christmas Pudding. Mince pies and lots of chocolates are often eaten as well! The dinner table is decorated with a cracker for each person and sometimes flowers and candles.

from:http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/uk.shtml

Five Ways to Improve Your English Reading Comprehension

taken from: http://www.1-language.com/articles/five-ways-to-improve-your-english-reading-comprehension

Improving your ability to read English quickly and accurately takes a great deal of practice. However, you don’t have to read boring materials that or ones that contain words and concepts you aren’t interested in. Once you know the basic elements of the English language, you can select from a wide variety of reading materials, including different methods of presentation. Here are a few fun ways to improve your reading comprehension.
Play word games
Today, crossword puzzles and other types of word game puzzles entertain native and non-native English speakers of all ages. If you’re looking for a way to improve your vocabulary and have fun at the same time, these types of puzzles can be of immense help to you. If this is something that interests you, you might also consider Scrabble, word searches and other similar games.
Take a speed reading course
If you aren’t interested in word games, you might want to try taking a course in speed reading. These lessons will teach you how to pick key words out of a paragraph and understand the message without having to read each sentence word for word. That said, if you’re having difficulty isolating nouns and verbs, you may need to practice more before you try taking these courses.
Take notes on subjects that interest you
If you’re reading a book on a topic that you enjoy, take some notes. These can be verbatim samples from the text or you can try putting sections in your own words. As you write, you’ll also have an opportunity to think about the sentence structures and see how ideas are conveyed. This will help you learn to discuss these topics in a way that sounds more natural.
Select materials that will challenge you
Just like with physical exercise, you need to constantly set new goals for yourself so that you continue to progress and improve. For example, if you’re able to work your way through a 100 page children’s book, it’s time to start tackling a longer book or one on a more difficult topic. Regardless of which subjects interest you the most, you’ll be able to find some books that are harder to comprehend than others. By applying yourself to the ones that are more difficult, you’ll gain increased mastery over written English.
Read materials from many different authors
Considering the number of people that have websites, it’s easy to sample a wide range of English writing styles. This will help you to learn about the flexibility of the English language, as well as the means of expression that most people are comfortable with. If you already know a great deal about a certain topic in your native language, you can use that background to help you read websites in English that focus on similar concepts.
For the most part, once you know the basic elements of the English language, practice and time will be your most valuable teachers. It’s important to spend time reading materials that interest you in as many forms as possible – and to spice up your practice with things like word games and speed reading classes. Over time – and with hard work – you’ll see dramatic improvements in your comprehension of written English.

LEARN English Grammar, Vocabulary & Pronunciation

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/

HERE ARE SOME OF THE LINKS ON THIS BBC PAGE TO HELP YOU IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH:

Words in the News

Keep your English up to date

The Teacher

FREE ENGLISH TEST.

www.english4today.com/assessment/english4today_leveltest.cfm

It covers grammar, vocabulary, reading, and listening.
YOU NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOUR ENGLISH LEVEL IS!
WHY?
Good English is no longer just for the academics ... we all need it if we are going to get ahead in an increasingly competitive and information driven culture. The way you speak, read and write English - the way you communicate can mean the difference between success and failure.

TEST YOUR ENGLISH LEVEL,PLEASE.(FOR INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS)

CLICK ON THIS LINK:
http://www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish-central-test-test-your-level.htm

Test your vocabulary - Try this test to know how good you are at English vocabulary. This test will give you a general idea about your language skills. Enjoy it!

Test your grammar - Try this test to know how good you are at English grammar. This test will give you a general idea about your language skills. Enjoy it!

Test your listening - Try this test to know how good you are at listening in English. This test will give you a general idea about your language skills. Enjoy it!

Test your reading - Try this test to know how good you are at reading in English. This test will give you a general idea about your language skills. Enjoy it!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TEACHER'S NOTE:
YOU SHOULD TAKE THIS TEST SO THAT YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR LEVEL IS AND ,ACCORDING TO RESULTS,REVISE,STUDY THOSE ASPECTS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN LEARNT PROPERLY. YOU MUST BE AWARE OF YOUR OWN STRENGHTS AND WEAKNESSES FOR YOUR OWN BENEFIT. GOOD LUCK IN THIS ONLINE TEST. PLEASE,WRITE DOWN YOUR SCORE FOR THE DIFFERENT SKILLS.

TIPS FOR LEARNING LANGUAGES.

FROM: http://www.teach.bravehost.com/
Learning to communicate in another language may be challenging, but it is also a very rewarding and enriching experience. It is the best passport to discovering another culture. Here are a few tips we’ve put together to help you make the most of the experience.

Find out what kind of learner you are
Ask yourself, do I learn something better when I see it written down? Do I only need to hear something a few times before I know it? Do I like to learn grammar rules by heart? Are there other strategies that work well for me? If you recognize your strengths, you can use them to work more effectively.When learning a language, it is important to use a variety of strategies (using the book, listening to the recording, rehearsing dialogues, learning vocabulary, writing things down, listing verb forms, etc.) to practise the different skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Work out what your preferred learning style is and use it to your advantage.
Work at your own pace
Make the most of the time you have available to study. As a general rule, don’t try and do too much at once. You will often find you can learn more effectively if you study for half an hour or so at regular intervals, rather than try to do a whole unit in one sitting.With the best will in the world, there will be times when you don’t feel like studying. Try not to skip your session, though, and organize your work according to your mood. If you’re tired, choose less demanding tasks such as repeating activities; if you lack concentration, read a foreign magazine article about a subject which really interests you.
Why not learn with someone else?
It helps if you can learn with someone else. If you can persuade a friend or family member to study with you, it will give you extra impetus to keep working. Agree times to meet and set goals for the week, and test each other regularly.
Language learning is also about intuition
Guesswork is an important strategy in learning a new language and you will probably be pleasantly surprised at how often you’re right.When listening to recorded material, you aren’t expected to understand everything first time round. If you play the same piece several times, you will most probably understand something new each time. Learn to make maximum use of all the clues you can pick up. For example, what do the speakers sound like? Happy? Angry? Calm? etc.Also, in most European languages a lot of words have a common origin, which will help you build your knowledge more quickly. After a while you should also be able to identify common patterns between English and the language you’re learning, for example French equivalents of English words ending in –ly often end in –ment.
Speak, speak, speak!
Practise speaking as often as you can – even speaking to yourself is good practice.Try recording yourself whenever you can – especially when doing the pronunciation practice activities. When you listen to it afterwards, don’t worry if you sound hesitant or have made mistakes. It is important to evaluate your performance. Compare your pronunciation with the master version, see how you can do better and have another go. If you do this several times, you will find that each version is better than the last.Read aloud whenever possible: it will help you memorize vocabulary and structures. Going through the same dialogue several times is a good idea too.If possible, try and find someone who speaks the language you want to learn!
Build up your vocabulary
A wide vocabulary is the key to successful language learning but don’t try to learn too much at once. It’s best to study frequently, for short periods of time. Take a maximum of six or seven items of vocabulary and learn them. Put them into sentences to fix them in your mind, then come back to them later. Much of the vocabulary in the course is presented by topic. Learning vocabulary in this way is usually very effective.
Get the right tools
You may find you want a bilingual dictionary to help translate new words and expressions as you expand your vocabulary. When choosing a dictionary, make sure you pick one that gives you plenty of information on usage through illustrative examples, rather than one which only gives translations for each word with no guidance as to which ones to use in which contexts.Alternatively, you may find a vocabulary builder useful. These are usually arranged thematically and allow you to learn lists of words and expressions associated with a particular topic.
Get used to hearing everyday language at normal speed
Apart from listening to the course recordings, you could watch films with subtitles, listen to a foreign radio station (for example if you're learning English then your best choice is the BBC), or watch foreign language TV stations if you have satellite or cable TV. Even if you don’t understand much of what is being said, it is a good way of getting used to sounds and intonations. Choose programmes according to your own interests, you’ll learn much more effectively about subjects you’re keen on.International news is a good thing to listen to, particularly if you have already heard the news in English that day. Pictures will give you clues. You’ll find that you are picking up a lot of vocabulary by making use of the subtitles especially for expressions that occur regularly.
But most of all, have fun!

VOCABULARY LEARNING FOR ENGLISH STUDENTS.

from:http://www.englishgateway.com/

Words are the first priority in learning a second language. Make a grammar mistake – people may still understand you, choose a wrong word – the chances of misunderstandings are very high.

The tips listed below have proved useful in learning and retaining vocabulary better:

1. Be a good listener. Expose yourself to the places where you can hear the native speakers of English:

If you live in a country where English isn’t dominant – listen to the English TV and radio channels ( BBC IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED), podcasts and audio exercises on the Internet, you may even go to the most popular landmarks/attractions in your city that are often visited by English speaking tourists.

If you live in a country where English is spoken as an official language, there are more options. Sign-up for classes of your interest (fitness clubs, soccer teams, dance lessons), get involved in your child’s school (attend parent-council meetings or go to field trips) or volunteer in your community where you can be side-by-side with English speaking people.

The best thing for learning English though is making friends with the native speakers of English or people who have a good command of English. As you enjoy the friendship, there’ll be a multitude of situations in which you can hear and use English!

Absorb what you hear and try to imitate what you’ve heard. Take notes – you’re sure to encounter new information. Look up the new words and expressions when you get a chance. Try to remember the situations in which the new vocabulary appeared – it will help you to retain it better. Your visual memory will help to associate the words with the situations you came across with in the past.

2. Pay attention to the words surrounding one another. Some words go together well while others don’t. Good matches are called collocations and they often determine to what extent your speech sounds natural. (make a mistake/an effort but do homework/laundry)

3. Recognize groups of words that jointly create one meaning. These are phrasal verbs (verbs and particles), consisting of two or more words, that make sense only if considered together (call off=cancel, figure out=solve).

Remember, that the particle doesn’t always come immediately after the verb – it may appear a number of words apart from the verb, making it challenging to process the speech right away.

4. Idioms, expressions in which words cannot be understood literally, are a tough nut to crack (are difficult to deal with).

Some can be understood from the context, but some cannot – and therefore learners who truly want to communicate the way the native speakers of English do – should devote time to learning those ‘tricky phrases’.

After all, they are the ‘juice’ of the language – they’re descriptive (on the dot: exactly), humorous (when the pigs fly: never), cultural (average Joe: ordinary person) and colorful (pitch dark: very dark).

Create plenty of English learning opportunities (in addition to the English classes that you may be taking), and see yourself advance quickly in identifying, understanding and actually using the phrases in conversation yourself, naturally.