I love tongue-twisters, and you?

Today's English
October 5th, 2017

A word, phrase or sentence that is very difficult to read fast and correctly is called a tongue-twister.  In order to improve your pronunciation, you need to twist your tongue by reading these tongue-twisters three to seven times as fast as possible.  They are, no doubt, good stuff to challenge your friends and feed their tongue for being phonetically alive. Shall we enjoy some tongue-twisters today?
(Don't forget to repeat 3 to 7 times quickly and correctly. And at least once without seeing the text)

1.Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

2.She sells seashells on the seashore.

3.I wish to wish the wish you wish to wish, but if you wish the wish the witch wishes, I won't wish the wish you wish to wish.

4.A butler bought some butter but the butter was so bitter, so the butler bought some better butter to make the bitter butter better butter. (Last letter r is silent in butler, butter, better and bitter)

5.First, it's a must for a host just to provide best nest to the guest for rest.

6.Come near and don't fear poor dear deer. I’ll fire or tear in a year the mere liar for your tears. (R is silent in all words.)

7.Mr.Bill from mill will pay no bill with will till the owner falls ill.

8.A life with a rough and tough wife is a type of life with a sharp knife.

9.Find a kind mind to wind and bind you with a kind mind like a wind.

10.The minute live programme shows in a minute how people live.

Note:
1.P sound along with different vowel sounds
2.Mastery over s and sh sounds
3.Wish used 12 times
4.Training on b and t sound
5.Practice on words ending with st sound
6.Drilling on diphthongs
7.Practice on L sound
8.To concentrate on the difference between f and p sound
9.Wind used with two different pronunciations
10.Live and minute used with two different pronunciations

(Boy: Miss, I miss you a lot when I wish and miss a missed call from you.

Miss: Sorry boy, I was selecting  Diwali saree with my boyfriend. Bye bye.

Boy: ………?!)

Who won’t like to play games and learn English?

Today’s English
October 4th, 2017

Do you have kids at your home? Are you looking for some games to make your students learn English in a Fun Way? Just by playing games, students can improve their vocabulary, learn English phrases, know sentence formation and avoid grammar mistakes.

www.gamestolearnenglish.com one of the remarkable sites meant for children, launched by Owen who works for a university in China introduces many games that your kids or students who find English difficult to learn will enjoy a lot for the following reasons:

1. For each game the score is awarded based on the time you take. It will really encourage the students a lot.

2. It recognises the efforts and talent of the students. Yes, a learner can save his name, score and Location as a challenge to other participants who would play online.

3. Most of the games are presented with relevant images to make you guess, find and learn.

4. The site has flash games and interactive whiteboard games as well.

5. Downloading the game at free of cost is also available.

The author says that the content is introductory and pre-elementary level but it is true that Indian rural students studying at high schools will also learn a lot regarding grammar and sentence formation. Owen has tried in a different way to make English learning an enjoyable one and each game is interesting and has a relevant title such as hangman, spelling bee, Fast Phrases, Animal Mystery, falling clouds and speak easy.  Hats off to Owen!

Why can't you try it just for fun or recommend this for your kids/students?

To know more about each game and play, www.gamestolearnenglish.com

“There's a difference between playing and playing games. The former is an act of joy, the latter — an act.”
- Vera Nazarian, “The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration”

Are you really capable of speaking ad lib?

Today’s English
October 3rd, 2017

Expect the unexpected and then nothing will threaten you being unexpected.  Our planning won't always go as we expected or planned. How to express your feelings on such contexts is our today's concern.
Have you seen people to think, decide or act on the spur of the moment? Yes, they act without any pre-planning.  They have such a readiness of mind.

1. How do you get these ideas? Just at the spur of the moment.
2. She always makes decisions on the spur of the moment depending upon the situation and need.

You may prepare what to speak in a meeting or a gathering. But if you forget, what will you do? You have to speak “ad lib” that means that you are doing it without preparation or practice.
1. Oh my god! I forgot all the points. Now I have to do it ad lib.
2. What about her practice? Will she speak well? No problem, she can even talk ad lib.

If you do anything without thinking about it, you do it "on autopilot" which needs no effort on your part.  The phrase “play something by ear" also means the same. (You decide what to do while things are going on, not with any pre-plan.)  You may finish eating when you watch TV. You may study for exam while you are coming by bus.  Anyhow you finish two activities at the same time.  The phrase “on the hoof” is used if you do anything while you are moving or doing something else.

1. Just I did it on autopilot.  Still I wonder how I did it.
2. What's your plan? Nothing. Just I will play it by ear.
3. We have just 10 minutes. How will you get ready for the programme? Don't worry. I can finish it on the hoof while eating.

“Most people want to be circled by safety, not by the unexpected. The unexpected can take you out. But the unexpected can also take you over and change your life. Put a heart in your body where a stone used to be.”
- Ron Hall

Can you catch the sun?

Today’s English
October 2nd, 2017

If you are happy with your job that gives you whatever you want, it is said in English – “you have earned a place in the sun.”  If you are enjoying a favourable or dominant position in your job, there too, people say that you have got a place in the sun.
1. What about your new job? I feel as if I earned a place in the sun.
2. Have you got settled in life? Yes, I got a place in the sun.

Can anyone catch the sun? It's not a small ball, even then it is possible that you can catch the sun. In English, the phrase, “catch the sun" means “to get sunburned.”
1. What a hot summer it is! Don't go out. You will catch the sun.
2. You are likely to catch the sun on your trip. Don’t forget to take the sunscreen.

Can you go to bed with the sun? Yes you can.  Our forefathers could do it and why can't you?  If you go to sleep early, especially at the sunset, you go to bed with the sun. 
1. In the modern touch screen world, who goes to bed with the sun?
2. Go to bed with the sun and you can say goodbye to medicines.

“When it was dark, you always carried the sun in your hand for me.”
- Seán O'Casey, “Three More Plays: The Silver Tassie, Purple Dust, Red Roses For Me”

Common Spelling Mistakes in English

Today’s English
October 1st, 2017

Spelling is important to writing as pronunciation is to speaking and reading.  Are you strong or weak in spelling? Here is a sample test. Do it and find it.

1.I never do anything for ______________
A.Complements   B. Compliments

2.He came late to college _____________
A.Every day    B. Everyday

3.Modern girls don't like to wear ____________ clothing.
A.Lose   B.  loose

4.Please refer to the _________ to confirm the government holiday.
A.Calandar.   B.  Calander   C. Calendar

5.He was a _____________ boy during his school days.
A.Mischevous. B. Mischievous. C. mischeivous

6.Your ________ is good.
A.Pronounciation   B.  Pronunciation

7.A working woman can be ____________ for ever.
A.Independant. B.  Independent.

8.Still we need some more money for buying the _______________ items.
A.Miscelaneous. B.  Miscellaneous  C. Miscellanious

9.I dislike having _____________ with others.
A.Argument.  B. Arguement

10.His age was _____________
A.Fourty.      B. Forty

Answers:
1.B         2. A    3.B   4. C    5. B
6.B        7. B.   8. B.  9.A     10.B

“I don't see any use in having a uniform and arbitrary way of spelling words. We might as well make all clothes alike and cook all dishes alike. Sameness is tiresome; variety is pleasing.”

- Mark Twain