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How to Speak English: Reported speech with conditionals

In this tutorial, we learn how to speak English with conditionals. Conditional statements need special attention and usually start with the word "if". An example of a conditional statement is "if you want, we'll go out to dinner". This has two parts, a condition, and a result. The condition is expressed by "if". To report them, don't change the verbs unless you're dealing with a real condition. Look and see if verb tenses can change depending on how the sentence is structured. Try to remember...

How To: Use "It's + adjective + infinitive" in English

In this video, we learn how to use "It's + adjective + infinitive" in English. To form these sentences, you will use the pattern that is stated above. This is very common in the English language, and you can put whatever you want into the sentence as the infinitive. You can change this from "it's hard to do" to It's not hard to do" to "it's easy to do". You can also make something negative, by giving it the prefix "im", which would change "possible" to "impossible". You can also ad in "un" to...

How To: Use reported speech with modals in English

In this video, we learn how to speak English: reported speech with modals. Modal verbs include: must, should, and could. The expressions include: have to and supposed to. By reading the sentences, you will see which words can or cannot be changed. If the word changes the meaning of the sentence, you cannot use it with the sentence. In reported speech, you do not change perfect modals, which are word that are in their past forms. Modal verbs that do change include "can" being switched to "coul...

How To: Practice saying the "t" sound in the middle of words

In words like bottle and mitten, the "t" really isn't a "t" sound; it is more of a "d" sound or a very fast "t" sound. Practice the "t" sound with the words button, carton, brighten, tighten, fatten, eaten, rotten, matter, butter, flutter, water, bottle, settle, and metal. In American English, the "t" sound is very difficult to hear in some words. An example of this is the word butter, where the "t" sounds more like a "d." Remember, the way people speak English in the United States is differe...

How To: Understand English phrasal verbs & compound words

The presenter, Ms. Jennifer explains how compound words are formed from phrasal verbs. With examples she explains how the meaning and pronunciation differs when compound words are formed from phrasal verbs. She explains the difference between 'show' and 'show off' by showing her collection of fans, and showing off with one of her beautiful fan from Japan. Then she explains the difference between 'show off' and 'show-off', giving examples and makes the listeners clear about compound nouns also...

How To: Speak with a Liverpudlian 'scouse' accent

Can you speak like the Beatles? Not bloody likely! Well, you CAN learn to speak with a Liverpudlian accent IF you check out this video and wrap your head and tongue around the words. This accent is a wonderful one and recognized around the world as the dialect spoken by the Fab 4. It almost sounds Scottish, but it's 100% working class England. John Lennon had the best example out of the Beatles of this accent, with George Harrison coming second. Paul and Ringo did not have particularly good L...

How To: Pronounce "y" in English

This is a video tutorial in the Language category where you are going to learn how to pronounce "y" in English. It is an accent reduction and English pronunciation video. This video will help English as Second Language speakers to pronounce the difficult sound "y" like in "university". What some of the people can do is to turn it in to "ya". What most of the people can do is the sound of "e" like in "me". You can practice "e". if you say "e" quickly, you can turn it in to "eya" sound. Practic...

How To: Use the verb "have" for eating and drinking

In this tutorial, we learn how to use the verb "have" for eating and drinking. When someone asks you what you are eating or what you did eat, you will have to use the word "have" to answer or even if you want to ask the question you have. An example of asking something a question like this would be, "what do you usually have for breakfast, lunch or dinner?" Any question with meals will have the word "have" mixed into it, because it's asking what you are going to or have eating in a different ...

How To: Pronounce phrasal verbs in English

This instructional video provides insight into the English language to teach people who are learning to speak English how to pronounce phrasal verbs. A phrasal verb is a verb + a particle, such as "drive up", "end up", and "drive back". The video shows viewers how these phrasal verbs are used in a sentence as well as what these phrases mean. In terms of pronunciation, there are three basic patterns which are discussed to show where the words are stressed in the context of a sentence which are...

How To: Use phrasal verbs when speaking English

In this video, we learn how to speak English: An introduction to phrasal verbs. Phrasal verbs are also called two-part and three-part verbs. This is a verb and one or two other short words. Together as a phrase these have a special meaning. The other words are called particles, which come together with the verb to make a different definition. Particles can change the word "figure" to "figure out" and the word "look" to "look through". These particles at the end of the verb change how the word...

How To: Use English separable verb phrases for the classroom

In this video, we learn how to use English separable verb phrases for the classroom. Some basic phrases that you will need to know are "hand in", which would be used in a sentence like "he needs to hand in the assignments" or "he needs to hand this assignments in on time". If you use a pronoun, you must separate the verb phrases or the sentence will not me grammatically correct. After you have this down, practice another sentence. For the sentence, "the teacher will hand out the tests", you w...

How To: Use the glottal stop in English

In this tutorial, we learn how to speak English: The glottal stop in place of the true T. When you are saying a word like "fountain" you are using a word that has a glottal stop. If you can say two common expressions "uh-oh" and "uh-uh", then you can make a glottal stop. You need to use your throat to make this sound, it's like holding your breath but using the back of your throat to do it. Try to break the word "fountain" into two different parts so you can hear the different in your voice a...

How To: Use reference words in reported speech in English

In this video, we learn how to speak English: Reported Speech/Reference Words. Reported speech is reporting another person's words or telling what someone else said. Indirect speech doesn't use the use the exact words that we use. Examples of reference words are: her, she, herself, him, and himself. Types of references can be pronouns or possessive adjectives. Listen to who the speaker is so you can change the reference words so that the statement is logical. Use this example as a reference: ...

How To: Use imperatives or reporting verbs in English speech

In this tutorial, we learn how to speak English: Imperatives or reporting verbs. Imperative sentences are sentences like "open it!", where you are asking someone to perform an action. You can also say this in a nice fashion, asking "please open it". There are many different forms of imperative sentences, which include: commands/orders, directions, instructions, requests, and warnings. All of these different types of sentences are asking someone to do something, just changing up the way they d...

How To: Use the true T and flap T when speaking English

In this tutorial, we learn how to speak English using the true "t" and the flap "t". You will notice as you say different words in English that have the letter "T" that it sounds differently depending on the word it is in. The words "batter" and "latter" have a different sound to them than "hearty" and "thirty". Look at two words with the letters in them and find which one has the flap T in it. Say these words out loud so you can better hear what the different in the pronunciation is. This le...

How To: Use the English proposition "at"

This video is in the Language category where you will understand how the proposition "at" is used in English language. "At" is used to indicate either location or time. A few examples of using "at" for indicating location are; "I am at school", "You are at home", "She is at the store" and "They are at the park". To indicate exact time, the preposition "at" is used. A few examples are; "The movie starts at 6:15", "You have to be there at 1:30" and "Let's meet at noon". You can watch the video ...

How To: Use the verb "be" in different tenses in English

In this video, we learn how to use the verb "be" in different tenses. This verb changes depending on the verb tense and subject in which it's used. In the present tense, "I am", "we are", "you are", etc can be used. In the past tense "I was", "you were", "he was", "we were", etc can be used. For future tense "I will be", "you will be", "he will be", "she will be", etc can be used. Depending on the tense you have, the verb "be" will change in all the sentences. Make sure to go over these and l...

How To: Use infinitives for questions in English

In this tutorial, we learn how to speak English using infinitives for questions. First, you need to be able to identify reported questions inside of a conversation. Infinitives include words like "to go", "to buy", "to find". They are formed by saying "to" + the verb. "Wh" infinitives are simply at the beginning of infinitives, like "where to go", "when to buy", and "how to find". Use infinitives to report questions that have modal verbs such as "should" and "can" depending on what the modal ...

How To: Change verb tenses when reporting in English

In this video, we learn how to speak English using verb tenses. Verb tenses will not change if you are reporting facts, general truth, or immediate reporting. In all other situations, you will change verb tenses. An example of this is "I will buy balloons" can change to "she said she would buy balloons". This shifts a sentence back to a different tense. When shifting verb tenses back future and present go to the past and past goes to past perfect. Practice changing verb tenses in different se...

How To: Use inseparable verb phrases in English

In this video, we learn how to use inseparable verb phrases. Inseparable verb phrases are verb phrases that can't be separated. An example of this includes: "Hiep's English wasn't very good because he dropped out of school early". In this sentence, "dropped out of" means to leave school early and cannot be separated from the rest of the sentence. Depending on the tense of the verb phrase, you will not be able to change just one word, you will have to change the entire sentence. After you find...

How To: Tag questions with indefinite pronouns in English

This is a video tutorial in the Language category where you are going to learn how to tag questions with indefinite pronouns in English. A tag question begins as a statement and ends as a question. Here's an example with a definite pronoun: He's a student, isn't he? Indefinite pronouns are exceptions to the rule. For example, everyone's here, can be made in to a tag question. But, the pronoun, everyone, is indefinite. Hence, when you make it in to a tag question, you can't use "it". The corre...

How To: Replace possessive nouns and adjectives with pronoun

In this video, we learn how to replace possessive nouns and adjectives with pronouns. Using pronouns to replace possessive nouns and adjectives is simple, an example includes: Joe's car is dirty, would change to, his car is dirty, or it is dirty. Another example of this is "Sara's shoes are outside" would be "her shoes are outside", or "they are outside". "The workers' lunches are in the refrigerator", would be "their lunches are in the refrigerator", or "they are in the refrigerator". Practi...

How To: Understand the sequence of tenses for English

This video tutorial in the Language category will show you how to understand the sequence of tenses for English. This is useful when you want to change direct speech to indirect speech and also for understanding conditional sentences. When the sentence is originally in the present tense, it can be changed to past tense. For example Paul said, "I am hungry". You can change this to indirect speech either in the present tense or in the past tense. So, the sentence can be said as Paul says he is ...

How To: Structure phrasal verbs in English

In this video, we learn how to speak English by changing the structure of phrasal verbs. Phrasal verbs can be transitive or intransitive, which means followed or not followed by an object. Transitive phrasal verbs can be separable or inseparable, which means the object can come between the verb and a particle. With a phrasal verb that is separable, pronouns as direct object must be placed between the verb and its particle. Examples of this include: children put on costumes, children put costu...

How To: Properly use the words "whether" and "weather" in English

In this video, we learn how to learn how "whether" is used while speaking English. The word "whether" is used when you are going to talk about different things, not the weather that is outside. If you can use the word "if" instead of "whether", you are using the word with the "th" instead of "ea". The "weather" is used when you are talking about what it's like outside. This includes if it's hot, cloudy, raining, snowing, and anything else. Any other time you are talking, the word "whether" ca...

How To: Read the poem "Hope is the thing with feathers"

This video tutorial belongs to the Language category which is going to show you how to read the poem "Hope is the thing with feathers". This video is a reading of the poem is by Emily Dickinson. Here is the poem. Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all and sweetest in the gale is heard. And sore must be the storm, that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm. I've heard it in the chilliest land, and on th...

How To: Use "there", "their", & "they're" properly

There, their and they're all sound the same. There is for location and information. Their is possessive adjective for they. They're is a contraction for they are. The bathroom is over there give the location of the bathroom. Their is used to show ownership. You can show possession through proper names or by use of the word their. Their house is over there shows the possessive "their" and location "there." They're=they are. They're over there. They're at their house. The words and the meanings...

How To: Express opportunity in English using "get to"

In this video, we learn how to express opportunity in English using "get to". "Get to" means opportunity, which is similar to "be able to". If you use this in the present tense, you can use either "gets to" or "is able to". It's an expression of opportunity, and it sounds like a good thing. Use this in several different sentences to show your student how this phrase can mean a number of different things. To make the negative in present tense you can use "don't" or "doesn't". Don't also means ...

How to Speak English: Pronounciation tips

In this tutorial, we learn pronunciation tips to Speak English. To help someone learn this, use an analogy, imagery, and vivid explanation so they understand what you are talking about in full detail. Use your hands to make the motions, then relate words to your base words. You will need to repeat yourself a lot, and also draw pictures so it can help them visually understand. Don't use difficult words, just start by doing simple words that are easy to understand. Once the easy letters are und...

How to Speak English: Reported speech/Indirect speech

In this Language video tutorial you will learn how to report another person's words. In other words how to restate what someone else said. This video focuses on two aspects. #1. What's the difference between quoted and reported speech? #2. When can we use say and tell? In quoted speech you quote the exact words spoken by a person within inverted commas or quotation marks. It is also called direct speech. Here is an example. Jennifer said, "I like birthdays." Whereas, reported speech does not ...

How To: Use separable verb phrases for the classroom

In this tutorial, we learn examples on how to use separable verb phrases for the classroom. The first one is, "Do over", this is the same thing as "to do something again". If you make a mistake on an assignment, your teach might ask you to "do it over". "Fill in", means to write in answers on a test or assignment, to fill in the blanks. "Turn in" means for the student to give something or hand it in to the teacher. "Hand out" is to give something to the students and this is what a teacher doe...

How To: Describe problems in English

This video tutorial is in the Language category which will show you how to describe problems in English. When describing problems in English, many people use the word trouble. When you frame a question, you can frame it in the present or the present continuous tense. For example; what do you have trouble with or what are you having trouble with? Similarly, when you answer the question you can use the present or the present continuous tense. Examples of this are; I have trouble with my car or ...

How To: Describe solutions in English

In this video, we practice describing solutions in English. For example, if the problem is that you have stomach problems, the solution is that you should go to the doctor. Should simply means a good idea or a recommendation. You could also say the solution is that you need to go to a doctor. For the next example, if your problem is that your car won't start, this means your car will not start. You could also say that your car does not start, which is a good way to describe the problem. For t...

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