GO PLACES ENGLISH

Where will English take you?

Author: Amy Estrada (Page 12 of 28)

mistletoe

December 22, 2016 / / 0 Comments

Write a sentence using the word mistletoe in the comments. Practicing new words in sentences will help you remember them, and it allows me to see if your usage and understanding of the word is correct. If you are not sure, guess! Guessing about how to use new vocabulary also helps make it stick.

It’s also important to practice the pronunciation of a new word. I’ve created a pronunciation loop so you can listen and repeat.

mistletoe /ˈmɪs əlˌtoʊ/

noun
  1. European plant, Viscum album, having yellowish flowers and white berries, growing parasitically on various trees, used in Christmas decorations.
  2. any of several other related, similar plants, as Phoradendron serotinum, of the U.S.: the state flower of Oklahoma.

Origin of mistletoe

Middle English / Old English 1000

Source: Dictionary.com

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Don’t Cut Off Your Nose To Spite Your Face

December 22, 2016 / / 0 Comments

Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face. 

Without googling or checking reference resources, what do you think this proverb means?

By guessing you are priming your brain for learning, which will help you remember the meaning more easily. It doesn’t matter if your guess is wrong, the key is to exercise your brain by guessing.

Write your guess in the comments below. After you post your guess, go ahead and look it up.

That’s right, I want you to find the answer. Because remember, my job as your teacher is to guide you to the answer. If I just gave you the answer without asking you to do the work, I’d be robbing you of your learning opportunity. No pain, no gain!

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diatribe

December 21, 2016 / / 2 Comments

Write a sentence using the word diatribe in the comments. Practicing new words in sentences will help you remember them, and it allows me to see if your usage and understanding of the word is correct. If you are not sure, guess! Guessing about how to use new vocabulary also helps make it stick. I will provide correction and feedback for your sentence.

It’s also important to practice the pronunciation of a new word. I’ve created a pronunciation loop so you can listen and repeat.

diatribe /ˈdaɪ əˌtraɪb/

noun

  1. a bitter, sharly abusive denunciation, attack or criticism: repeated diatribes against the senator. 

Origin of diatribe

Latin, Greek 1575-1585

Source: Dictionary.com

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Don’t Rock The Boat

December 21, 2016 / / 1 Comment

Don’t rock the boat. 

Without googling or checking reference resources, what do you think this proverb means?

By guessing you are priming your brain for learning, which will help you remember the meaning more easily. It doesn’t matter if your guess is wrong, the key is to exercise your brain by guessing.

Write your guess in the comments below. After you post your guess, go ahead and look it up.

That’s right, I want you to find the answer. Because remember, my job as your teacher is to guide you to the answer. If I just gave you the answer without asking you to do the work, I’d be robbing you of your learning opportunity. No pain, no gain!

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abject

December 20, 2016 / / 0 Comments

Write a sentence using the word abject in the comments. Practicing new words in sentences will help you remember them, and it allows me to see if your usage and understanding of the word is correct. If you are not sure, guess! Guessing about how to use new vocabulary also helps make it stick. I will provide correction and feedback for your sentence.

It’s also important to practice the pronunciation of a new word. I’ve created a pronunciation loop so you can listen and repeat.

abject /ˈæb dʒɛkt, æbˈdʒɛkt/ 

adjective

  1. utterly hopeless, miserable, humiliating, or wretched: abject poverty. 
  2. contemptible; dispicable; base-spirited: an abject coward.
  3.  shamelessly servile; slavish. 
  4.  Obsolete. cast aside.

Origin of abject

Middle English 1400-1450

Source: Dictionary.com

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Video | What do you want?

December 20, 2016 / / 0 Comments

Hi! Today I want to talk about the cadence, reduction and linking of the common phrase What do you want? in American English.

Cadence is the rhythm and pitch of spoken English. We stress certain words and syllables, and reduce and link others. In my opinion, the best way to learn cadence is by listening and practicing over and over, until it comes naturally to you.

So listen and practice these phrases aloud. Notice the reduction and linking, and how the words and sounds blend together.

What do you want?

What do you want?

What do you want?

What do you want?

What do you want?

What do you want?

Notice the linking and reduction. Whadduhya, Whadduhya

Keep practicing! Cadence is learned through lots of repetition.

What do you want?

What do you want?

What do you want?

What do you want?

What do you want?

What do you want?

When you master the cadence of American English you can speak with confidence and your listening skills will improve significantly.

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Ignorance Is Bliss

December 20, 2016 / / 1 Comment

Ignorance is bliss. 

Without googling or checking reference resources, what do you think this proverb means?

By guessing you are priming your brain for learning, which will help you remember the meaning more easily. It doesn’t matter if your guess is wrong, the key is to exercise your brain by guessing.

Write your guess in the comments below. After you post your guess, go ahead and look it up.

That’s right, I want you to find the answer. Because remember, my job as your teacher is to guide you to the answer. If I just gave you the answer without asking you to do the work, I’d be robbing you of your learning opportunity. No pain, no gain!

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poignant

December 19, 2016 / / 0 Comments

Write a sentence using the word poignant in the comments. Practicing new words in sentences will help you remember them, and it allows me to see if your usage and understanding of the word is correct. If you are not sure, guess! Guessing about how to use new vocabulary also helps make it stick. I will provide correction and feedback for your sentence.

It’s also important to practice the pronunciation of a new word. I’ve created a pronunciation loop so you can listen and repeat.

poignant /ˈpɔɪn yənt, ˈpɔɪ nənt/

adjective

  1. keenly distressing to the feelings: poignant regret. 
  2. keen or strong in mental appeal: a subject of poignant interest. 
  3. affecting or moving the emotions: a poignant scene. 
  4. pungent to the smell: poignant cooking odors. 

Origin of poignant

Middle English 1350-1400

Source: Dictionary.com

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If You Build It They Will Come

December 19, 2016 / / 2 Comments

If you build they will come.

Without googling or checking reference resources, what do you think this proverb means?

By guessing you are priming your brain for learning, which will help you remember the meaning more easily. It doesn’t matter if your guess is wrong, the key is to exercise your brain by guessing.

Write your guess in the comments below. After you post your guess, go ahead and look it up.

That’s right, I want you to find the answer. Because remember, my job as your teacher is to guide you to the answer. If I just gave you the answer without asking you to do the work, I’d be robbing you of your learning opportunity. No pain, no gain!

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transgression

December 18, 2016 / / 2 Comments

Write a sentence using the word transgression in the comments. Practicing new words in sentences will help you remember them, and it allows me to see if your usage and understanding of the word is correct. If you are not sure, guess! Guessing about how to use new vocabulary also helps make it stick. I will provide correction and feedback for your sentence.

It’s also important to practice the pronunciation of a new word. I’ve created a pronunciation loop so you can listen and repeat.

transgression /trænsˈgrɛʃ ən, trænz-/

noun

  1. an act of transgressing; violation of a law,command, etc.; sin.

Origin of transgression

Late Middle English 1400-1450

Source: Dictionary.com

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