Category: Videos (Page 3 of 6)

Hi! This is Amy, with Go Places English and today I want to talk about the short and long U sound in American English.

Sometimes these sounds can be confused, so I want to take a minute to review.

The short U sound is found in words like BOOK and PULL.

The long U sound is found in words like MOON and POOL.

Can you hear the difference? PULL. POOL. PULL. POOL.

Try repeating with me.

PULL. POOL.

FULL. FOOL.

Let’s practice more short U words. Listen and repeat with me.

Wood

Book

Good

Foot

Cook

Hood

Hook

Look

Good. Now let’s practice more long U words. Listen and repeat with me.

Pool

Food

School

Moon

Tool

Balloon

Bamboo

Cartoon

There are also some OO words that don’t have short or long U sounds. Let’s look at those words. Listen and repeat.

Door

Floor

Poor

Moor

Blood

Good! Now, take out a notebook and a pencil and get ready for a pop quiz!

Write the word you hear me say, and next to it write if it is a short U, long U, or if it is neither.

Ready?

1. Door
2. Bamboo
3. Cook
4. Blood
5. Cartoon
6. Food
7. Good
8. Poor

Good. Check your answers in the transcript, located in the description of this video. Let me know in the comments how many you got right.

If this video was helpful, please give it a thumbs up, share it with your friends on social media, and don’t forget to subscribe to get notified when new videos are posted.

If you have questions or feedback about this lesson, please let me know in the comments. Thanks!

Go Places English.

Where will English take you?

Hi! This is Amy, with Go Places English and today I want to talk about the linking and reduction of CAN & CAN’T in American English.

Many of my students have difficulty distinguishing between CAN & CAN’T in American English. Often listeners ask them for clarification, “Do you mean can or cannot?” Some students even develop a habit of saying CANNOT instead of CAN’T, just to be understood clearly.

However, if you want to sound natural when speaking, learn to reduce and link CAN & CAN’T. It’s really not that difficult once you understand the difference. You CAN do it!

In the case of CAN, we reduce it to sound like “KN”. KN, KN, KN.

We also link CAN. For example: I can swim. I can. I can. I can swim. Notice the difference. I CAN, I KN.

In the case of CAN’T, the final T sound is stopped. The “t” sounds is omitted. Sometimes this is called a Stop T sound. It’s like the T sound is stopped in your nose; it’s a slight nasal sound. Listen to the difference. CAN’T, CAN’T (Stop T).

The best way to learn this is through lots of repetition and practice. Repeat aloud with me.

I can fly.

I can’t fly.

I can go.

I can’t go.

I can see.

I can’t see.

I can work.

I can’t work.

I can drive.

I can’t drive.

I can speak.

I can’t speak.

I can think.

I can’t think.

I can learn.

I can’t learn.

I can stay.

I can’t stay.

I can call.

I can’t call.

I can study.

I can’t study.

I can improve.

I can’t improve.

I can write.

I can’t write.

I can dance.

I can’t dance.

I can sing.

I can’t sing.

Okay, good job!

Now get out your notebook and get ready for a pop quiz!

In your notebook, write what you hear me say.

1. She can fix it.
2. We can’t find it.
3. They can’t come.
4. You can try.
5. I can show you.

Check your answers in the transcript, located in the description of this video. In the comments, let me know how many you got right.

You may want to listen to this video again. Mastering pronunciation requires a lot of listening and repeating. You can do it! You can make progress by practicing everyday.

If this video was helpful, please give it a thumbs up, share it with your friends on social media, and don’t forget to subscribe to get notified when new videos are posted.

If you have questions or feedback about this lesson, please let me know in the comments. Thanks!

Go Places English.

Where will English take you?

Hi!

This is Amy, with Go Places English and today I want to talk about the pronunciation of the Silent B in American English.

Sometimes, the letter B in a word is silent. This is often the case with words that end in MB, but not always. Let’s look at words with a silent B, and practice saying these words together. Repeat aloud with me.

Climb

Comb

Debt

Dumb

Bomb

Lamb

Crumb

Numb

Thumb

Tomb

Plumber

Doubt

Catacomb

Limb

Subtle

Succumb

Womb

Good job!

Test your pronunciation skill and record yourself saying the SILENT B words. Play back your recording and compare your pronunciation to mine. You can find the list of SILENT B words in the description of this video.

Can you think of other words where the B is silent? Write them in the comments!

If you liked this video, please give it a thumbs up, share it with your friends, and subscribe to Go Places English.

Where will English take you?

Hi!

This is Amy, with Go Places English and today I want to talk about NEAR and NEXT in American English.

I hear a lot of students making a simple mistake with these two words, so I want to spend some time today looking at their differences.

Let’s start with the word NEAR. Near means to be close, within a short distance. For example: The binoculars are near the boots.

Near can be used when something is in front of, behind, above, below, or next to something else. Position of the object doesn’t matter. The binoculars are near the boots.

Notice the pattern is subject + NEAR + object.

On the other hand, when we use NEXT, it is always followed by the preposition TO. For example, The ball is NEXT TO the telephone.

Next to is used to describe a short distance between two objects, and it also means the position of those things is side by side.

Notice the pattern is subject + NEXT TO + object. The ball is NEXT TO the telephone.

NEXT TO is often linked and reduced to sound like NEXTA. It’s next to my house. NEXTA, Next to my house.

Let’s practice some example sentences.

The shoes are near the door.

The shoes are next to the door.

The books are near the pens.

The books are next to the pens.

The hotel is near the beach.

The hotel is next to the beach.

The rabbit is near the tree.

The rabbit in next to the tree.

Our house is near the park.

Our house is next to the park.

Your car is near mine.

Your car is next to mine.

The cat is near my backpack.

The cat is next to my backpack.

Good job!

Trying practicing by writing some sentences with NEXT TO and NEAR in the comments!

If you learned something from this video, please give it a thumbs up, share it with your friends on social media, and subscribe to get notified of new posts.

Go Places English.

Where will English take you?

Hi, this is Amy with Go Places English, and today I have some homework for you. This homework is intended to help you practice and perfect the pronunciation of your American English vocabulary and some of your linking and reductions. It is also intended to help you master American English cadence.

If you have not seen the linking and reduction videos, please watch those videos. You can find them in the playlist titled “Linking & Reduction.” This video will serve as additional practice to those lessons. I have also added vocabulary words that are often difficult to pronounce.

Also, listen and notice the cadence of the sentences. In American English, emphasis is given to certain words or syllables in a sentence. Try repeating and practicing the rhythm of spoken American English.

I encourage you to record yourself saying the practice sentences aloud. Play back your recording and compare it to my pronunciation. This will help you identify problem areas in your pronunciation.

Are you ready?

Repeat the following with me.

What do you want?

Would you like that for here or to go?

Do you want any coffee?

Don’t you like coffee?

There are many old, historical churches throughout Europe.

I feel more comfortable staying home.

I’m kind of uncomfortable.

The contestants were not prepared for the competition.

The most recent statistics are extraordinary.

It was a heart pounding adventure.

He started donating blood last year.

There are many fascinating places in the world.

I’m particularly interested in statistics.

Autumn is my favorite season.

I thought you liked the curtains.

California has been in a drought for several years.

Her daughter lived in the mountains.

You can hear the children’s laughter in the other room.

She is an inspiration to me.

We can meet later in the week if it’s more convenient.

Actually we can meet anytime.

They’ve lived here for 13 years.

It sounds like you have a bad cough.

These sentences are too easy.

My English gets better and better.

Good job! Keep practicing, record yourself so you can hear your improvement. Now try practicing your own sentences.

If this homework was helpful, please give this video a thumbs up and subscribe to Go Places English to get notified whenever I post a new video. Let me know what other words you’d like to see featured in a future homework video.

Go Places English.

Where will English take you?

Hi!

This is Amy, with Go Places English and today I want to talk about the pronunciation of the word MONTHS in American English.

When this word is singular, month, we pronounce the TH sound. MONTH. MONTH. The TH sound is made by placing your tongue between your front teeth and breathing out through your mouth. TH. Month.

The TH sound in English is difficult for most students. It is a sound that is not found in most other languages. But if you practice and create good speaking habits, you’ll be able to pronounce the TH sound like a native English speaker.

However, when we pluralize the word month, we change the pronunciation to MONTHS. Notice that we replace the TH sound with an S sound. Months. Months. Months.

Also notice that the O in MONTHS is pronounced UH. UH. Months. Months.

Let’s practice saying MONTH and MONTHS together. Repeat aloud with me.

Month. Months.

Month. Months.

Month. Months.

Month. Months.

Month. Months.

Month. Months.

Good job!

Now it’s time for a pop quiz! Take out your notebook and pencil. Listen to the following words, and write down whether the word is singular or plural. At the end of the video, check your answers in the video transcript, located in the description of this video.

1. months
2. month
3. month
4. months
5. months

Very good! Let me know in the comments how many you got right!

If this video was helpful, please give it a thumbs up, be sure to share it with your friends on social media, and don’t forget to subscribe to Go Places English.

Where will English take you?

Thanks!

Hi!

This is Amy, with Go Places English and today I want to talk about O /oʊ/ and A /ɔ/ sound pairs in American English.

I’ve had a number of questions about these two sounds, OH and AH. These two sounds can sometimes be confused.

I think the best way to learn the difference is through a lot of repetition and practice. This video will help you learn the proper pronunciation. Listen and repeat with me.

Whole

Hall

Bowl

Ball

Goal

Gall

Sold

Salt

Bold

Bald

Mole

Mall

Coal

Call

Cold

Called

Fold

Fall

Told

Tall

Holt

Halt

Home

Hall

Bone

Ball

Good! Now take out your notebook and write the words you hear. I’m not going to provide visual cues for the words. Just listen and write what you hear. At the end, check your answers in the transcript in the video’s description.

1. Fold

2. Hall

3. Bone

4. Home

5. Salt

6. Goal

7. Hall

8. Mole

9. Called

10. Whole

Did I surprise you with the quiz? Check your answers. Let me know how many you got correct in the comments.

Listen and practice again and again. With enough practice and repetition, these sounds will become easy!

If you learned something from this video, please give it a thumbs up, share it with your friends on social media, and subscribe to get notified of new posts.

If you have questions or feedback about this lesson, please let me know in the comments. Thanks!

Go Places English.

Where will English take you?

Hi

This is Amy with Go Places English and today I want to talk about the pronunciation of the letter combination TURE in American English.

The letters T U R E often occur at the end of English words, and is pronounced, /cher/ in American English. It’s important to pronounce this correctly because so many common words include this sound. /cher/ /cher/ CH ER /cher/

Let’s look at some example words and practice together.

Texture

Furniture

Puncture

Future

Nature

Picture

Moisture

Adventure

Temperature

Culture

Good. Nice work.

You can instantly improve your English and sound more like a native speaker by pronouncing words correctly.

If this lesson was helpful, please give it a thumbs up, share it with your friends, and subscribe to Go Places English.

Where will English take you?

Thanks!

Hi!

This is Amy, with Go Places English and today I want to talk about the pronunciation of LATER in American English.

Recently a student asked me to make a video about the pronunciation of the word LATER, so here it is!

In American English we pronounce the T in later more like a /d/ sound. /d/ /d/ /d/

Later.

I’ll call you later. I’ll call you later.

Can you hear the T sounds more like a D?

There are other words in American English that we pronounce with a /d/ sound.

Let’s look at some examples and practice together.

Started. Started. I thought the movie started later. Started. Started.

Water. Water. I need to drink more water. Water. Water.

Waiter. Waiter. He is a waiter in a popular restaurant. Waiter. Waiter.

Skater. Skater. She is a very good skater. Skater. Skater.

Greater. Greater. It was greater than you could imagine. Greater. Greater.

Cheater. Cheater. Nobody likes a cheater. Cheater. Cheater.

Better. Better. Your English is getting better. Better. Better.

Nice work.

Can you think of other words where the T is pronounced like a D? Write them in the comments!

If you liked this video, please give it a thumbs up, share it with your friends, and subscribe to Go Places English.

Where will English take you?

Thanks!

Hi!

This is Amy, with Go Places English and today I want to talk about the reduction of linking of KIND OF in American English.

You’ll notice when Americans speak, we often interject the words KIND OF in our sentences. We don’t do this nearly as much in writing. But it’s quite common in spoken English.

For example, The pizza was kind of good.

In many cases, adding KIND OF doesn’t necessarily add any additional meaning to the sentence. KIND OF means: to some extent; somewhat; rather.

KIND OF is often linked and reduced, to sound like KINDA, KINDA. And in some cases it is further reduced to omit the D sound, KINA, KINA.

Let’s look at some example sentences and practice together.

I’d kind of like to leave early.

I’d like to leave kind of early.

We are running kind of late.

We are kind of running late.

Are you kind of hungry?

I’m kind of hungry.

Nice work.

You can instantly improve your English and sound more like a native speaker by reducing and linking words correctly.

If you liked this video, please give it a thumbs up, share it with your friends, and subscribe to Go Places English.

Where will English take you?

Thanks!