VOA special English - Educational Report Part 8


VOA special English - Educational Report Part 8
VOA special English - Educational Report Part 8

This is the 8th part of VOA special English education report.


VOA special English - Educational Report Part 8


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These are all the best English News From VOA that You can learning English with watching these video and so you will be able to speak and listen to foreigner very well. English is very important language for the people over the world nowadays that they always use English to communicate each other from one country to other and hence, please watch to improve your English language.

VOA special English - Educational Report Part 7


VOA special English - Educational Report Part 7
VOA special English - Educational Report Part 7

This is the 7th part of VOA special English education report.


These are all the best English News From VOA that You can learning English with watching these video and so you will be able to speak and listen to foreigner very well. English is very important language for the people over the world nowadays that they always use English to communicate each other from one country to other and hence, please watch to improve your English language.


VOA special English - Educational Report Part 7


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Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - Further vs. Farther


Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - Further vs. Farther
Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - Further vs. Farther

This is Merriam Webster Ask the Editor video series. In this video, Emily Brewster talked about the words Further vs. Farther and their usage. I hope you enjoy the video.



Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - Further vs. Farther


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Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - Further vs. Farther:

Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - Alright vs. All Right


Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - Alright vs. All Right
Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - Alright vs. All Right

This is Merriam Webster Ask the Editor video series. In this video Emily Brewster talked about the words Alright and All Right and their usage. I hope you enjoy the video.



Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - Alright vs. All Right


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Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - Alright vs. All Right:

Although the spelling alright has been in use for over 200 years, some critics have insisted alright is all wrong. Others maintain that alright and all right have distinct meanings and serve different purposes. Emily Brewster explains.

Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - That vs. Which


Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - That vs. Which
Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - That vs. Which
When to use That and when to use Which (and when not to get annoyed about their use).

This is Merriam Webster Ask the Editor video series. In this video, Kory Stamper talked about the words that and which and when to use them. I hope you enjoy the video.



Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - That vs. Which


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Mind Your Language - Verb to be


Mind Your Language - Verb to be
Mind Your Language - Verb to be
In this short video in Mind Your Language,  Mr. Brown taught his students how to use verb to be. Let's find out if he succeeded with this.




Mind Your Language - Verb to be


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Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - Defenestration


Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - Defenestration
Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - Defenestration

This is Merriam Webster Ask the Editor video series. In this video Kory Stamper talked about the word DEFENESTRATION. This includes the story behind the word. I hope you enjoy the video.



Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor - Defenestration


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Speak Global English - 22. Making Speech Awareness a Daily Habit for Success


Speak Global English - 22.  Making Speech Awareness a Daily Habit for Success
Speak Global English - 22. Making Speech Awareness a Daily Habit for Success

This is the 22nd and the final video of Speak Global English series. In this video, Hansen talks about another English spoken tips, making Speech Awareness a Daily Habit for Success. Let's see what she has to say in this video.



Speak Global English - 22. Making Speech Awareness a Daily Habit for Success


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Speak Global English Video Series Part 22: Making speech awareness a daily habit for success

In this series we've been talking about many different ways you can increase the clarity of your speech and get ahead in your business by speaking global English. I'm so happy that you've followed along with me and have made the commitment to improve the way you speak and focus on clear, global English.

Remember that changing your speech is a long-term process. It takes daily focus and awareness. Just because you know how to make the TH sound correctly, doesn't mean you are actually doing it in your every-day speech.

Be aware of how you and the people around you speak. Try to make clarity a daily habit. Choose one sound or concept (word stress, intonation) to focus on each day and try to practice that with every word you speak.

When you hear words or phrases that you aren't familiar with or pronunciations that are different from your own, write them down so you can check on them later. Then begin to integrate them into your own speech.

Successful leaders are ones who know how to communicate their vision in a way other people understand. Increase the clarity of your messages, and you will also increase your success.

I hope that you have enjoyed this 22-part video series on Speaking Global English. This is only the tip of the iceberg! I hope you'll contact me to learn more.

Speak Global English - 21. 3 Ways to Encourage your Children to Speak Clearly and Confidently


Speak Global English - 21.  3 Ways to Encourage your Children to Speak Clearly and Confidently
Speak Global English - 21. 3 Ways to Encourage your Children to Speak Clearly and Confidently

This is the 21st video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In this video, Hansen talks about another English spoken tips, 3 Ways to Encourage your Children to Speak Clearly and Confidently. Let's see what she has to say in this video.



Speak Global English - 21. 3 Ways to Encourage your Children to Speak Clearly and Confidently


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Speak Global English Video Series Part 21: 3 Ways to Encourage your Children to Speak Clearly and Confidently

If you're anything like me, you want your child to grow up to be a clear and confident communicator. Unfortunately, there are some bad habits many parents are passing onto their children without even knowing it.

Remember that children learn rhythm and pronunciation by listening to the language models around them. If you, parents, are not speaking clearly and confidently, chances are your children won't either.

Here are 3 things you can do as a parent to improve your child's speech

1. Be a good language model Pay attention to the way YOU speak. Improve your pronunciation and speech so your children can learn from you.

2. Know the correct way to correct your child When you correct your children, don't scold or lecture them. Simply repeat what they said incorrectly correctly. So if your child says, "Mommy, she don't like that." You can respond with, "Oh really? She doesn't like that?" When your child catches on to what you're doing, you'll notice that they will begin to repeat your correction after you, learning more every time.

3. Read to your child There is nothing better than reading to your children. Every evening in our house, both of my girls (ages 2 and 4) get to pick out one short story each and then we finish off with a third book -- whatever the crowd-pleasing favorite of the moment might be.

But remember, when you read to your child, really READ. Use emotion to emphasize important words, use funny voices. Ask your kids questions. Have them point out things in the pictures. You're not only helping them with their speech, but also encouraging a love of reading.

Speak Global English - 20. Fine tuning your speech with minimal pairs


Speak Global English - 20. Fine tuning your speech with minimal pairs
Speak Global English - 20. Fine tuning your speech with minimal pairs

This is the 20th video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In this video, Hansen talks about another English spoken tips, Fine tuning your speech with minimal pairs. Let's see what she has to say in this video.



Speak Global English - 20. Fine tuning your speech with minimal pairs


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Speak Global English Series with Heather Hansen Part 20: Fine tuning your speech with minimal pairs

Today I'd like to share with you another fun way to practice your pronunciation. Minimal pairs are words that are identical except for the one problem sound you are focused on practicing.

For example, if you have trouble with the sounds R and L you might practice reading a list of words like: read / lead
road / load
fry / fly
fright / flight
and so on.

Slowly say these words out loud and really focus on the sounds and the way you use your voice. Here are some helpful hints to practicing minimal pairs:

1. Say the words in a mirror. Exaggerate your facial expressions. Watch your tongue, lips and jaw, and note the differences when you make the sounds.

2. Record yourself saying the pairs. Listen to the recording and see if you can hear a difference between how you pronounce the words.

3. Choose one word from each pair and say them out loud to a friend. Have your friend write down the words he/she hears. See if your friend heard the words you were trying to say.

Don't push yourself too hard. You might notice that after 15 minutes or so your brain and tongue just can't seem to communicate. That's normal. Take a break and go back to it later!

Speak English Naturally: Silent Syllables


Speak English Naturally: Silent Syllables
Speak English Naturally: Silent Syllables

Do you know what a 'silent syllable' is? It's actually one of the topics you have to master in order to sound more like a native English speaker. In this video, you'll learn what syllables are, which words have silent ones, and how to correctly pronounce some common words with silent syllables. You'll also learn to count syllables, so you know how many syllables are in a word. Practice these words by taking our quiz at the end of the video, and start speaking English more naturally today.

Speak English Naturally: Silent Syllables


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TRANSCRIPT

Hello. My name is Emma, and in today's video, I am going to teach you about some pronunciation mistakes that you're probably making. So, if you look beside me, I have a bunch of words. These are some of the most commonly mispronounced words in English by English... By students who are learning English. So today, I'm going to teach you how we actually pronounce these words.

So, the title of this video is "Silent Syllables". All of these words have a silent syllable in them. Now, you may be wondering: "What is a syllable?" Well, a syllable is usually a vowel sound, sometimes it can also be a consonant-vowel sound. So, if that's a little bit confusing, let's look at some examples.

Here is the word "cat". It has one syllable. If I clap my hand, "cat". Okay? Now, compare this to the word "student", which has two syllables. Compare this to the word "beautiful", which has three, and we have here the word "incredible" which has four. Okay? So each of these has a different number of syllables. You'll also notice that the length of the word is different. "Incredible" is longer than "beautiful", "beautiful" is longer than "student", and "student" is longer than "cat". Okay?

So, a silent syllable is a syllable that people believe we're supposed to pronounce, but we don't actually pronounce it. Let's start with this one, because this is the most common mistake I hear in my classrooms. Many students pronounce this word as "com-for-ta-ble", they believe it has four syllables. This is not true. I want you to listen carefully to how I pronounce this word: "comfterble", "comfortable". How many syllables did you hear? "Comfortable". If you said three syllables, you are correct. So we do not pronounce "com-for-ta-ble", mm-mm, we say: "comfterble". Okay? So if I wrote this how it's almost pronounced, it almost looks like: "comfterble". Okay?

The next word that I hear a lot of students making a mistake with... This is one of my favourite types of food, I hear a lot of students say: "choc-o-late", where they pronounce this "o". In English, we don't pronounce that. We usually say... So we don't say "choc-o-late", which is three syllables; we actually say: "choclate", "chocolate", "chocolate". How many syllables does that have? If you said two, you are correct. It's almost like this "o" doesn't exist. So I want you to repeat after me: "chocolate", "comfortable". Okay, good.

Now, the next sound, or... The next word many students mispronounce is this one. First off, they often miss... Mispronounce the "v" sound, which is "veg", "vegetable". Many students say: "veg-e-ta-ble". Okay? So many students think it has four... Four syllables, but in fact, it doesn't. Tell me: How many sounds does this have: "vegetable", "vegetable"? It has three. Okay?

So I'm actually going to start writing this.
"Comfortable" has two, "chocolate" has two.
"Comfortable"... Sorry, "comfortable" has three. Okay? "Vegetable" has three.

The next word is another word a lot of students make a mistake with, similar to "chocolate", we have here an "o". We don't pronounce this "o". Okay? So many students say "brocc-o-li", but we don't say "broccoli", we say: "broccli". Okay? So, in this case, it only has two syllables: "brocc-li". Okay? And we will go over these one more time at the end of the video.

Okay, very common word here, how many syllables do you think it has? If you said: "in-trest-ing", you are correct, it has three syllables. Many students say: "in-ter-est-ing". "That is very interesting." We don't say it like that. We say: "in-trest-ing". Okay? "In-trest-ing", so this one has three syllables also.

Okay, another very common word... Okay, I've used the Canadian/British spelling. If you're an American or an... A speaker of American English, there will be no "u" here. How many syllables do you think this word has? Okay? Let's say it together: "Favourite", "favourite". How many did you hear? If you said: "fav-rite", and you heard two syllables, you are correct. We do not say: "fav-our-ite", mm-mm, we say: "fav-rite". Okay?

Okay, here's another one a lot of students make mistakes with, many students will say: "temp-er-a-ture", but we don't say it this way. I want you to listen carefully, and choose: How many syllables are there in this word? "Tem-pra-ture", "temperature". "Tem-pra-ture". Okay, so there are three syllables in this one.

How to ask questions - how long, how much


How to Ask Questions: HOW LONG, HOW MUCH...
How to Ask Questions: HOW LONG, HOW MUCH...

What is the difference between "how much time" and "how many times"? Do we say "how long" or "how long time"? In this essential English lesson, 

Emma will teach you how we use "how much time", "how long", and "how many times". She will also look at some of the most common mistakes students make with these question words and teach you how to correct them. At the end of this video, you will know exactly how to form questions using "how".


How to Ask Questions: HOW LONG, HOW MUCH...


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TRANSCRIPT

Hi there. My name is Emma, and in today's video I am going to teach you a very, very important grammar point. I'm going to teach you about a mistake many, many students make. So I don't want you to make this mistake, so let's get started. In this video I am going to teach you the difference between "How long", "How long time", "How much time" and "How many times". Students often confuse these four expressions. So let's look at some of the differences.

So I have here a question. I actually have three different sentences, here. One of them is right, two of them are wrong. Okay? So let's look at these together. The first one: "How long time have you been here?" The second one: "How long have you been here?" And the third one: "How many time have you been here?" So one of these is correct. Which one do you think is right? If you said: "How long time have you been here?" that's incorrect. This one, it's wrong. Number two: "How long have you been here?" If you said this one, you are correct. This is right. What about the last one? "How many time have you been here?" This one is also wrong, but we can make it right if we add an "s". So let's go over each of these so you can find out why some of these are wrong, and why some of them are right.

To get started, let's look at "How long". So when we ask somebody: "How long...?" we are asking them about time. Okay? We want to know the amount of time for something. So, for example: "How long have you been here?" I want to know, maybe, how many minutes. Or maybe I want to know how many hours you've been here. Okay? If I ask you: "How long have you lived in England?" an answer would be a number that has to do with time. You might say: "Five years.", "Four weeks.", "Two months." Okay? So when we ask: "How long...?" the answer and what we want to know is about time; minutes, hours, days, months, weeks, years. Okay?

So let's look at another example. "How long have you lived in Spain?" The answer is going to be something about time. "Three years." Okay? You'll notice not always, but many times we use: "How long" with the present perfect. It's possible to use it with the past tense, the simple past, and also the future, but you will often see it with the present perfect. "How long have you been married?", "How long have you worked here?", "How long have you studied English?" Okay? So a lot of the questions you probably want to ask somebody, you're probably going to use: "How long have you...?" Okay? Very common way we ask questions.

So, what about: "How long time"? Can I say that also? Can I say: "How long time have you lived in Spain?" or: "How long time did you sleep on the plane?" No. If you're asking how long, you don't need the word "time". Okay? We never say in English: "How long time". Many students say: "How long time", but this is not correct. The correct expression: "How long". Not: "How long time". All right, so now let's look at "How much time" and "How many times".

Okay, so we've talked about "How long", which is good, "How long time", which is bad. Now let's look at: "How much time...?" I think this is why many students get confused. I think they confuse: "How long" and "How much time", and they... As a result, they create: "How long time", which is incorrect.

So: "How much time" actually is pretty much the same as "How long". When you ask: "How much time...?" you want to know about the amount of time. You want to know about maybe it's minutes, days, weeks, months, years. It's the same as "How long". Okay? So, for example: "How much time does it take to get to work?" I could also say: "How long does it take to get to work?" They have the same meaning. Or: "How much time have you waited?", "How much time have you been in line for?" Okay? So, the answers to these questions are going to be about time. -"How much time does it take to get to work?" -"For me, it takes one hour." -"How much time have you waited in line?" -"I've waited in line five minutes." Okay? So, for both "How long" and "How much time", they're pretty much the same. In conversation, we usually use "How long". Okay? You can use both, but native speakers are more likely to use "How long". So if you're trying to decide: Do I use "How much time" or "How long"? "How long" is more natural and it's more common. Okay? But they mean the same thing.

Speak Global English - 19. Watch more TV to improve your speech


Speak Global English - 19. Watch more TV to improve your speech
Speak Global English - 19. Watch more TV to improve your speech

This is the 19th video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In this video, Hansen talks about another English spoken tips, Watch more TV to improve your speech. Let's see what she has to say in this video.



Speak Global English - 19. Watch more TV to improve your speech


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Speak Global English Video Series Part 19: How watching TV can help you improve your speech

What would you say if I told you that watching TV and listening to the radio could help you improve your speech?!

It's true!

The first step to improving your pronunciation is training your ear to hear the difference between different sounds. If you can't hear the difference it's much harder to produce the difference correctly on your own.

As you watch TV or listen to the radio, be sure that you pay very close attention to how words are pronounced, not only individually, but also when they are strung together in sentences.

Try watching and listening to shows from different countries and see if you can pick up on some of the pronunciation differences between different varieties of English.

As you become a better listener, you'll be surprised how quickly you also become a better speaker.

Speak Global English - 18. Idiotic Idioms


Speak Global English - 18. Idiotic Idioms
Speak Global English - 18. Idiotic Idioms

This is the 18th video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In this video, Hansen talks about another English spoken tips, Idiotic Idioms. Let's see what she has to say in this video.



Speak Global English - 18. Idiotic Idioms


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Speak Global English Video Series Part 18: Idiotic Idioms

Every language has idioms -- fixed expressions whose meaning is not immediately obvious from looking at the words used.

Idioms have become so common in business communication that we often don't even know that we're using them.

Some great examples are: Get the ball rolling a fish out of water take a rain check Bang for the buck and the home stretch

Some of these might be familiar to you -- others, maybe not.

Idioms rarely cross languages, and quite often don't even cross cultures. English is spoken in the US and the UK, but there are idioms on each side of the Atlantic that are not used on the other side, or the same idioms can mean very different things in each culture.

This is why I say that idioms are idiotic. If you want to communicate in international environments, try to eliminate idioms from your speech. It's harder than you think, but your listeners will thank you for it.

Speak Global English - 17. What's the perfect speaking rate?


Speak Global English - 17. What's the perfect speaking rate?
Speak Global English - 17. What's the perfect speaking rate?

This is the 17th video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In this video, Hansen talks about English spoken tips, the perfect speaking rate. Let's see what she has to say in this video.



Speak Global English - 17. What's the perfect speaking rate?


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Speak Global English Video Series Part 17: What's the perfect speaking rate?

I'm often asked whether how quickly we speak influences how well others understand us. If you speak clearly and chunk your messages well, speed shouldn't be the reason why people misunderstand.

But the problem is, as you speed up, it gets harder for you to speak clearly. If you drop your word endings and everything mumbles together, people might have a hard time understanding you. But, if you're able to maintain crisp enunciation despite your quick pace, your listeners shouldn't have a problem.

That said, I know you want a real answer, so here you go...

Try not to speak in public at a rate above 200 words per minute. Even 200 is a bit high. The best rate for me, is actually somewhere between 160 and 170 words per minute.

How can you test this? Easy! Copy part of an email into a word document. Use the Word Count tool to cut the passage down to 200 words. Set your timer to 1 minute and then see how far you read (out loud) during that minute. When the timer rings count how many words are left on your page, subtract them from 200 and voila, there's your speaking rate!

Speak Global English - 16. Linking Your Words for Better Flow


Speak Global English - 16. Linking Your Words for Better Flow
Speak Global English - 16. Linking Your Words for Better Flow

This is the 16th video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In this video, Hansen talks about English spoken tips, linking words for better flow. Let's see what she has to say in this video.



Speak Global English - 16. Linking Your Words for Better Flow


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Speak Global English Video Series Part 16: Linking your words for better flow

Listen to your favorite DJ or host, and you'll hear how smooth and fluent their speech is. They don't have that typical staccato rhythm we're used to hearing. Their speech sounds effortless. It just flows.

This is because they've learned to link their words together. Words normally don't stand alone. If -- you- say -- every- word -- by -- itself -- it -- sounds- very -- odd. But if you link your words together correctly, your speech flows.

Here are a couple ways you can link your speech: 1. If a word ends in a consonant and is followed by a word starting with a vowel, the consonant links onto the vowel.

For example: "I'd like-a glass-of water" The K in like links to A and the S in glass links to of. "I'd lik-a glass-of water"

2. If a word ends in a vowel and the next word starts with a vowel, you add a Y or W sound between the two words.

For example: "Why-yare you here? Not why // are, but whyyare.

Speak Global English - 15. A voice worth listening to


Speak Global English - 15. A voice worth listening to
Speak Global English - 15. A voice worth listening to

This is the 15th video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In this video, Hansen talks about English spoken tips, a voice that worth listening to. Let's see what she has to say in this video.



Speak Global English - 15. A voice worth listening to


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Speak Global English Video Series Part 15: A Voice Worth Listening To

Have you ever heard a speaker who was actually really interesting, but you just couldn't seem to hold your eyes open? Most likely they had a monotonous voice or they just didn't seem very interested in what they were saying.

Make sure you speak with a voice worth listening to. You need to have vocal variety -- those ups and downs in tone that make people want to hear more.

Here are some tips for vocal variety: 


1. Slow down and emphasize important words

The faster you speak, the harder it is to have any variety in your tone and everything will start to sound the same. Slow down and emphasize the important words in your sentences. You'll notice that your voice rises slightly on important words giving more dimension to your message.

2. Make sure your energy is up

If you sound like you are bored by what you're saying, everyone else will think you're boring too. Remember how closely your emotions and voice are linked. Manage your emotions and energy levels, and you'll be able to better manage your voice as well.

3. Project your voice

Sometimes the problem is just that the voice is too calm and quiet. Make sure that you speak from your diaphragm and project your voice out to your audience.

Try to add some energy and enthusiasm to your voice when you speak and people will be more interested in listening.

Speak Global English - 14. Getting rid of that questioning tone


Speak Global English - 14. Getting rid of that questioning tone?
Speak Global English - 14. Getting rid of that questioning tone?

This is the 14th video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In this video, Hansen talks about English spoken tips, getting rid of that question tone. Let's see what she has to say in this video.



Speak Global English - 14. Getting rid of that questioning tone?


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Speak Global English Series Part 14: Getting rid of that questioning tone...?

You may not realize how closely linked your voice is to your emotions. If you feel uncomfortable or nervous or think that you need approval for the things you say, these feelings will often make themselves known in the intonation of your statements.

Where many people run into trouble, is when they get nervous or feel insecure, and their statements begin to sound like... questions?

I find that people do this the most in the beginning of public presentations when they are still feeling a bit nervous and are trying to get the approval of the audience.

This unfortunately works against you, because you come across as insecure and like you don't really know what you're talking about.

If you know what you want to say, and you feel strongly about something, be sure that your voice doesn't send another signal.

Practice your introduction, paying specific attention to your tone until you can confidently deliver it without sounding like you're asking your audience for constant approval.

You know what you want to say. Have the confidence to speak up and say it. Don't let your own insecurities get in the way. Say it like you mean it, and you'll find that people will take you and your ideas more seriously.

Speak Global English - 13. Adding Emotion to your Message


Speak Global English - 13. Adding Emotion to your Message
Speak Global English - 13. Adding Emotion to your Message

This is the 13th video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In this video, Hansen talks about English spoken tips, adding emotion to your message. Let's see what she has to say in this video.



Speak Global English - 13. Adding Emotion to your Message


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Speak Global English Series Part 13: Putting Emotion into your Message

If you really want to make an impact on your listeners when you speak, then really mean what you say. That probably seems obvious, but it's so common to rattle off messages without giving any thought to how we feel about them.

When you speak, put emotion behind your words. When you're happy, you should sound happy! Smile when you speak, and maybe even add a little laugh to your voice.

When something is serious, use your voice as a tool to show how important that message is. Emphasize the words that you want people to remember. Slow down your speech and pause so that people have time to digest what you're saying.

By adding more emotion -- more of YOU -- to your speech, you will be better understood. Instead of just stringing words together, you will also make people feel what you feel.

And we all know, people don't remember what you say. They remember how you make them feel.

Speak Global English - 12. The Power of a Pause


Speak Global English - 12. The Power of a Pause
Speak Global English - 12. The Power of a Pause

This is the 12th video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In this video, Hansen talks about the power of a pause. Let's see what she has to say in this video.



Speak Global English - 12. The Power of a Pause


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Speak Global English Series Part 12: The Power of a Pause

One of the easiest ways to improve the clarity of your speech is to slow down and use pauses.

In our fast-paced world, many of us have come to feel uncomfortable with silence. It's like we're some kind of failures if we can't fill every moment with some kind of noise. So we develop bad habits, shoving in fillers at every opportunity... um... uh.. you know, right?

Try to become more comfortable with silence. When you do, you'll find that your speech will be much better received and your messages will be better understood.

Some appropriate places to use pauses are: 


  1. as spoken punctuation -- pause at commas, full stops and so on 
  2. when changing topics as a warning to listeners that you are now moving on 
  3. to get attention -- have you ever noticed how when a room suddenly goes silent, everyone looks up? 
  4. to build excitement -- nothing creates a better cliff-hanger moment than a long pause 


So next time you want to say um or uh, simply stop, collect your thoughts and then speak when you're ready. Your audience will be dying to hear your next words!

Speak Global English - 11. How to Chunk your Messages


Speak Global English - 11. How to Chunk your Messages
Speak Global English - 11. How to Chunk your Messages

This is the 11th video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In this video, Hansen talks about word stress and why it's important. Let's see what she has to say in this video.



Speak Global English - 11. How to Chunk your Messages


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Speak Global English Series Part 11: Chunking your messages

In addition to your consonant and vowel sounds, the final way you can ensure that your message is always understood is to group your words into smaller chunks of information, separated by pauses or a change in tone.

If you speak in one long, uninterrupted stream, it is harder for the listener to understand your meaning and figure out which parts of your message are the most important.

Let's take a look at an example sentence: Last year was a record-breaking year for our company.

First we'll break it into chunks: Last year//was a record-breaking year//for our company. 2 pauses, 3 chunks.

Now we need to find the most important word in each chunk and emphasize it more than the others: Last YEAR//was a RECORD-breaking year//for our COMPANY.

Now to say it naturally: Last year was a record-breaking year for our company.

By chunking your messages, you can create more rhythm and fluency in your speech -- and make people WANT to listen to you.

Speak Global English - 10. Word Stress - Why it's important


Speak Global English - 10. Word Stress - Why it's important.
Speak Global English - 10. Word Stress - Why it's important.

This is the 10th video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In this video, Hansen talks about word stress and why it's important. Let's see what she has to say in this video.



Speak Global English - 10. Word Stress - Why it's important.


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Speak Global English Series Part 10: Why word stress is Important

I know, we all have enough stress in our lives, right? But have you ever thought about word stress??

Word stress refers to how we choose to emphasize different parts of our words. Every word can be broken into syllables (or beats).

If we take the word computer, we can break it into 3 parts: com-pu-ter.

Then we need to decide which part takes the stress (the emphasis). Do we say 1. COM-pu-ter, 2. com-PU-ter or 3. com-pu-TER?

Hopefully number 2 sounded the most natural to you!

There are many words in Singapore English, for example, that are stressed differently than other varieties of English. It's important to be aware of these differences because if you're ever speaking to a native English speaker, this will be the number one reason why he/she doesn't understand.

For example, I often hear: PHOtograph, PHOtoGRAPHer, PHOtoGRAPHy instead of PHOtograph, phoTOGrapher and phoTOGraphy

I hear colLEAGUE instead of COLLeague and purCHASE instead of PURchase

And in the financial hub which is Singapore, I even hear eCONomy and eCONomic instead of eCONomy and ecoNOMic. You'd be surprised how many CFOs I've worked with who needed help with that one.

Remember, the word stress used in non-native varieties of English is fine as long as you're speaking with other people who use the same English variety, but the minute you have a native speaker on that conference call or in your audience, it makes sense to adjust your speech if you want to be understood.

Speak Global English - 9. Long and Short Vowel Sounds


Speak Global English - 9. Long and Short Vowel Sounds
Speak Global English - 9. Long and Short Vowel Sounds

This is the 9th video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In this video, Hansen talks about long and Short Vowel Sounds. Let's see what she has to say in this video.


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Speak Global English - 9. Long and Short Vowel Sounds


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Speak Global English Series Part 9: Differentiate Between Long and Short Vowels

Over the past couple segments we've been looking at consonant sounds. Now it's time to turn our attention to our vowels.

In English we have both short and long vowels.

When you make long vowel sounds, you might notice that your voice goes up and glides down over a longer period of time. Think of A -- E - I - O - U - OW and OY.

Short vowels, on the other hand, are short and sharp: a, e, i, o, uh, ou

And depending on your variety of English you might be able to add a few other vowel variations to the short and long list.

Vowels can get complicated, but the simplest tip I can offer is to try to differentiate between your long and short vowels. One pair of vowels that I often hear confused is the long /eeee/ with the short /i/.

Think of the flight attendant who asks you to sit in your sit, for example. There really does need to be a difference between sit and seat. By simply lengthening the long vowel, you can quickly begin speaking more clearly.

Speak Global English - 8. Improving your Pronunciation with Tongue Twisters


Speak Global English - 8. Improving your Pronunciation with Tongue Twisters
Speak Global English - 8. Improving your Pronunciation with Tongue Twisters

This is the 8th video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In the eighth video, Hansen talks about how to improve your pronunciation with tongue twisters. Let's see what she has to say in this video.



Speak Global English - 8. Improving your Pronunciation with Tongue Twisters


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Speak Global English Video Series Part 8: Improving your pronunciation with tongue twisters

One of the best (and most enjoyable) ways to improve your pronunciation is by practicing tongue twisters. Really! It may just seem like play, but many stage actors, speakers and voice-over artists will agree that tongue twisters are powerful tools for warming up the muscles used for speech.

If you know that there's a certain sound that causes you trouble, find a tongue twister that can help you practice it.

For example, if you don't like the TH sound, and really, who does, give this tongue twister a try:

I'm thinking of 3,333 things.

Then of course, speed it up, and keep on going: I'm thinking of 3,333 things, I'm thinking of 3,333 things, I'm thinking of 3,333 things....

If you want to work on R and L, try a common Singapore street name - a colleague of mine learned this one from her taxi driver! River Valley Road

And faster: River Valley Road, River Valley Road, River Valley Road!

If it sounds like Liver Very Load... we've got a problem!

You can find more tongue twisters on her website: http://www.hansencommlab.com or just do a google search. There are some great tongue twister databases out there!

Speak Global English - 7. Clarify Your Consonant Sounds


Clarify Your Consonant Sounds
Clarify Your Consonant Sounds

This is the 7th video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In the seventh video, Hansen talks about clarifying consonant sounds. Let's see what she has to say in this video.



Clarify Your Consonant Sounds


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Clarify Your Consonant Sounds:

Speak Global English Video Series Part 7: Clarifying Your Consonants

In order to be understood by everyone, everywhere, every time you speak, you need to make sure that your consonant sounds are clear.

What are consonants? Well, everything other than the vowels! And what are the vowels? A-E-I-O-U (and sometimes Y). So r

ight now we're talking about everything else. Every consonant sound needs to be unique. That means that Rs cannot sound like Ls, Vs cannot sound like Ws, Bs and Ps, Ds and Ts, Gs and Ks -- they all need to have their own sounds.

Many consonants sounds get confused because we use our voices incorrectly. It's true! Think about the sounds for P and B. We make them in almost identical ways. The only difference is that we use our voice to make the B sound, whereas we have no voice, but a lot of air, when we make the P sound: /p/ and /b/

There are many more pairs like this: T and D, K and G, S and Z, F and V, plus the sounds ZH and SH, J and CH, and the THs DH and TH.

So be careful when and how you use your voice, and keep your consonants clear and unique.

Speak Global English - 6. How native and non-native speakers hear English


How native and non-native speakers hear English
How native and non-native speakers hear English

This is the 6th video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In the sixth video, Hansen talks about how native and non-native speaker hear English. Let's find out what she has to say in this video.



How native and non-native speakers hear English


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Speak Global English Video Series Part 6: How native and non-native speakers hear English

A lot of my clients come to me quite confused saying that some people understand them perfectly while others don't seem to understand a word they say.

This divide is normally along the lines of native and non-native speakers. Jean-Paul Nerriere, a Frenchman living in Japan and working for IBM was one of the first people to recognize that non-native English speakers were actually able to understand each other better when they spoke to each other than when they spoke with native English speakers!

How could this be true when they were all speaking a foreign language? Well, most (not all, but most) native English speakers grow up hearing only one language -- their own variety of English. Non-native speakers hear many different kinds of English as they learn the language, and therefore have a "better ear" when it comes to understanding others.

Native speakers also listen for subtle nuances of the language that non-native speakers don't particularly care about. We listen for word stress and intonation patterns to give us more information. Non-native speakers ignore all of that to focus more on vocabulary.

So this is why we can end up having more miscommunication when native speakers are involved. We hear the English language differently.

This is why it's just as important for native speakers to pay attention to their speech in international settings and also make an honest effort to understand others. Non-native speakers, I'll also be sharing some tips with you in upcoming videos as to how you can speak in a way that native speakers can better understand.

Speak Global English - 5. Your accent isn't your problem

Your accent isn't your problem
Your accent isn't your problem

This is the 5th video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In the fifth video, Hansen talks about weather the accent is the problem with your English spoken. Let's find out what she has to say in this video.



Your accent isn't your problem


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Speak Global English Video Series Part 5 (of 22): Your accent isn't your problem.

When new clients come to me, one of the first things they say is, "I want to get rid of my accent." My answer is always the same: "Why on earth would you want to do that."

There is a common misperception that accents are what stand in the way of clear communication. I just don't agree.

Your accent is a HUGE part of who you are. Every time you open your mouth, you speak volumes about your culture, your heritage, your upbringing -- everything that is you. To change your accent is to change who you are.

Does this then mean that you don't need to pay attention to how you speak? Absolutely not.
We all need to speak as clearly as possible, regardless of our accents. There are plenty of Americans who can hardly be understood in international settings, and there are many Singaporeans, for example, who speak beautifully clear international English, and yet you will know immediately that they are Singaporean.

And what exactly is wrong with that?

Stop blaming miscommunications on your accent and start focusing on the clarity of your speech.

And don't worry, in the segments to come I'll be sharing with you exactly how you can add clarity to your speech so you can be understood by everyone, everywhere, every time.

Speak Global English - 4. Take Responsibility for Your Communication


Take Responsibility for Your Communication
Take Responsibility for Your Communication

This is the 4rd video of Speak Global English series. There are all together 22 video in the series. In the fourth video, Hansen talks about taking responsibility for your communication. Let's find out what she has to say in this fourth video.



Take Responsibility for Your Communication


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Speak Global English Video Series Part 4 (of 22): Take Responsibility for your Communication

One day on a social media platform, someone posted a picture that read, "I'm only responsible for what I SAY, not for what YOU UNDERSTAND."

Argh! I could have screamed! In fact, I might have screamed. This statement couldn't be farther from the truth, and this attitude is exactly why so much of our communication fails.

Communication is a two-way street. You are not only responsible for what you say, but also how what you say is understood. Plus you're responsible for making some effort in trying to understand other people.

If you're a native speaker and have the attitude that "This is my language and it's your responsibility to speak in a way that I can best understand." Guess what, you're not going to make it very far in international business.

And non-native speakers -- you're not off the hook -- if you don't have the confidence in your ability to speak and shy away from opportunities to make you ideas heard, you are equally guilty.

So why don't we all start taking some responsibility for our communication and make a bigger effort to understand and be understood.