Wednesday 10 October 2012

Phonetics for Professional Students


English Phonetics for Professional Students

In order to speak correct English, one should have some idea of English Phonetics. By being careful in one’s speech habits simple mistakes in speaking can be avoided.  English pronunciation has its own importance in our day-to-day life.

Why Pronunciation?

English is an international language which is the most widely spoken of all the languages. It is important for a foreign learner of English to learn the pronunciation of English because English is certain in its uncertainty.

What is correct pronunciation?

Interestingly, there is no such thing as a ‘correct pronunciation’ because there is no one right way of speaking. The pronunciation of English varies from one country to another and there are marked pronunciation features associated with English spoken in important English speaking countries like the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia. Even within the United Kingdom, there are variations between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Correct pronunciation is the pronunciation used by the great majority of the educated people throughout the world. 

Differences in Pronunciation:
No two people pronounce exactly alike. Do you know why?

  1. Because of their locality
  2. Early influence
  3. Social circumstances
  4. Individual peculiarity
  5. Influence of Mother Tongue
  6. Silent letters
  7. Lack of English speaking atmosphere
  8. Duality of English spelling and pronunciation

What is RP?

One particular accent, called Received Pronunciation (RP) has come to be accepted as the standard in the United Kingdom. It is the pronunciation used by the educated native speakers of South East England.  It is understood i8n almost all the countries of the world.

What is “Phonetics”?

Phonetics is a branch of linguistic science that deals with pronunciation.

What is ‘Phoneme’?

Vowels and consonants are called ‘phonemes’. ‘A phoneme is the smallest element in a language which is recognized by a native speaker as making a difference to meaning. It has no meaning by itself. It is a meaningless sound unit.

Classification of English Sounds:

As we all know there are twenty-six alphabets in English. However, the language has 44 speech sounds. This means that there is no ‘one to one correspondence’ between letters and sounds in English as it is in many Indian languages. This is the reason why many Indians find it difficult to learn English pronunciation.

Speech sound can be broadly classified into consonants and vowels. In English, 26 letters of Alphabet represent 44 sounds (phonemes). Of these 44 phonemes, 24 are consonant sounds and 20 are vowel sounds. Out of these 20 vowel sounds, 12 are pure vowels and the remaining 8 are dipthongs.

What is ‘IPA’?

International Phonetic Association coined special symbols for every sound. These are called phonetic alphabet, so 44 sounds have 44 phonetic symbols. A given symbol represents one and only one sound; and a given sound is always represented by the same symbol.

What is a Consonant?

A consonant sound may be defined as a speech sound that is produced with stoppage of air. For example, to say the word ‘paper’ our lips try to stop air from passing through while producing the sound ‘p’. Thus, the voice or breath in consonants is partially hindered by the tongue, teeth, lips, or other organs of articulation.

What is a Vowel?
Unlike a consonant sound, a vowel sound is unobstructed in articulation by the tongue, teeth, or lips. During the articulation of a vowel sound, the active articulators is raised towards the passive articulator in such a way that there is a sufficient gap between the two for air to escape through the mouth without friction. For example, when speaking the word ‘art’, air escaped freely and continuously without any friction while pronouncing the first sound ‘AH’.

What is a Diphthong?
A diphthong is a combination of two short vowels.

Tuesday 9 October 2012

Useful Points for Teachers in the Classrooms


  • Good morning everybody
  • It’s good to see you all after a long time
  • Have you understood?
  • What I am going to explain today is…..
  • Before starting the lesson, let me briefly recap yesterday’s lesson
  • Now, let’s start today’s lesson
  • Have you done the homework that was given in last class?
  • Today we will be discussing….
  • If that's clear, we will go on to the next point.
  • Now, let's approach the problem in a different way.
  • The second point I want to make is...
  • Let's get back to the idea of...
  • I'd like to finish talking about... before we move on.
  • Are you following? Or day dreaming?
  • Have you prepared well for the exams?
  • Will you please keep quiet?
  • Don’t make a noise
  • For the time being, let us discuss……
  • As we are running short of time, I will start that topic in next class
  • Are you ready?
  • Let me give you an example.
  • For instance….
  • Let us take_______ for example.
  • What’s the problem/ What’s wrong with you?
  • Excellent! You have don the work very well
  • What are you doing there?
  • Don’t be silly, be serious.
  • Speak a bit louder please so that I can hear you
  • If anybody requires some additional information, you can meet me in the staffroom.
  • Could you speak louder please? I can’t hear you
  • Now, let’s move on to…
  • That’s correct
  • Display your Id cards properly
  • Listen carefully
  • That’s right
  • Perfectly said Mr./Mrs.
  • What is another meaning of…………?
  • The study material is with the CR, you can get it Xeroxed, if you want.
  • Let me take the attendance
  • Why were you absent yesterday?
  • Have you had your lunch?
  • Please answer your attendance
  • Don’t forget to bring the records for next lab
  • It is easy to fall behind with your studies if you miss even just a few classes
  • I am sorry to say that if you keep on skipping the classes like this, you will be in the danger of detention.
  • Have you gone mad?
  • Don’t forget to bring English text books for next class
  • Your performance in the I Mid term examination is quite satisfactory.
  • Shut down your systems properly before leaving the lab
  • Finish writing records by tomorrow
  • Don’t shirk the classes unnecessarily
  • Leave your footwear outside
  • Have a look at the past papers, it will help you in getting an idea about the exam pattern
  • You do not need to be in panic about the exams
  • See you tomorrow/next week
  • As we have finished the first unit, let us start the next one immediately without wasting time
  • Please be silent
  • Can I have your attention for a while please?
  • Sit properly
  • Have you informed your parents about……?
  • Go and get the permission from the HOD
  • Please remind me where we stopped in last class
  • How can you forget……..?
NOTE: All the above sentences may be used in the Classrooms(by teachers)

Friday 5 October 2012

Tips for improving Spoken English


Tips to Improve Spoken English

  • Speak in English as much as possible daily
  • Speak confidently without hesitation
  • Use a pocket dictionary
  • Choose the right words in contexts
  • Don't be afraid to make mistakes
  • Talk to yourself in English
  • Make a sentence from any word you learn
  • Record your voice and listen again
  • Avoid using same words again and again
  • Involve the listener by asking questions in between
  • Be a good listener always
  • Pronounce the beginning and ending of words correctly
  • Think in English before you speak
  • Improve vocabulary regularly
  • Grammar is important
  • Watch English Movies
  • Read a lot of English material
  • Write a diary everyday
  • Watch English Programs on TV
  • Test yourself from time to time