Easy English Learning Tips

How to Improve Your English Grammar

2010-08-12T09:06:00.002-07:00

For many people, grammar is the hardest part of the English language to understand. In fact, many people find it easier to learn and retain a large vocabulary of English words rather than try to understand the sometimes complex rules of grammar. However, there are several ways to improve your English grammar, and it doesn’t take an exceptionally long time to do so.
The following are some tips and techniques that will help you achieve goals.

Buy a textbook – You can find new and used textbooks that are specifically geared towards grammar and the English language online and in your local bookstore. If you’re just getting started, you may want to choose a textbook that’s very basic, although if you have some experience with the language, you may want a book that’s a little bit harder. Since English grammar is rather complicated, these textbooks will often break the process down into simple steps. This can go a long ways to helping you improve your English grammar.

Get an English Learning Program – Most families today have a personal computer at home, and language learning companies cater to this with an amazing number of software programs designed to help you learn English grammar. Many of these programs offer DVDs and CDs that will help you learn pronunciation, as well as textbooks, activities, and self-tests. No matter which program you choose, the key is to have patience – you’ll need to set aside a specific time of day to study in order to see the best results.

Speak with others who speak English correctly – This is very important as you need to hear correctly-spoken grammar in order to learn it. Conversing with a native speaker will also help you to pick up English slang, although it’s still important to learn English grammar the right way before you attempt the slang.

Register for an English class – Attending an in-person English class is another great way to begin. In class, you’ll learn from a qualified teacher who can answer any questions you may have and correct your pronunciation. You’ll also learn from the other students in the class. While an English class can be time consuming and expensive, it does have many benefits over other learning systems and you’ll likely pick up the language much faster than with other programs.

Hire a tutor – If you have extra money to spend, you can quickly learn English by hiring a good tutor, who will be able to devote the extra time necessary to help you learn grammar rules. Since these rules can be somewhat complicated, many students find it easier to learn at their own paces with the help of a tutor than in a classroom setting.

Read – If you have access to English reading materials, read as often as you can. English grammar certainly isn’t something you can learn overnight, but you may be surprised by how quickly you’ll start to understand how grammar rules affect different words and phrases.

Free Online Tools for Practicing English Grammar

2010-08-12T09:06:00.000-07:00

For many people, learning to correctly use English grammar is very difficult. This is especially true if you’re learning English as a second language. While many people can easily grasp the concepts involved in spelling and vocabulary, grammar seems to be the most difficult topic to understand. If you’re having trouble learning English grammar, check out one of the following free online tools:

www.owl.english.purdue.edu: This is a terrific website that’s dedicated to students who want to improve their knowledge of the English language. This website offers tons of information, including a listing of related websites for those who are learning English as a second language.

www.learnenglish.de: This all-inclusive website has many different pages dedicated to specific aspects of the English language, such as grammar, spelling, dictation, and common mistakes. It’s easy to navigate and will quickly become a favorite for those who are learning English as a first or second language.

Chat rooms: Believe it or not, chat rooms are a terrific way to learn English grammar. When you’re reading and answering posts in English, it’s often easier to see where you’ve made grammatical mistakes if you have to read what you typed. Most of the chat rooms that are dedicated to helping people learn English offer generic conversations you can join that will give you the chance to practice your English grammar.

Interactive Web Games: There are several websites online that have designed interactive learning games for those who want to improve their English language skills. If you’re struggling to learn English grammar, look for games that focus specifically on that aspect of the language.

Grammar Tutorials: You can easily learn English grammar with online tutorials. These tutorials are specific lessons designed to help you understand the ins and outs of English grammar.

Self-tests: There are many self-tests that you can take online or even print off to see how much you know about English grammar. This is a terrific way to see how much you’ve learned so far and what areas of grammar you need to concentrate more on studying.

Online Audio Lessons: There are many different websites that can help you practice English grammar through the use of audio lessons. In most cases, you’ll listen to the computer pronounce a certain word or phrase, and then repeat it back to the computer. More advanced programs allow you to speak through a microphone and offer feedback on your pronunciation skills, while most free tools will allow you to play the computer pronunciation over and over until you get a feel for the words. If you learn best through repetitive behavior, these may be a great option for you.

Learning English grammar isn’t something that will happen overnight. You’ve got to be patient and plan to set aside a bit of time each day to practice. English grammar can be difficult, as there are many different variables to learn. Fortunately, free English grammar tools are available online if you take the time to do a little research and find the right program for you.

English Grammar – When to Use Commas

2010-08-12T09:05:00.000-07:00

The comma is perhaps the most over-used punctuation mark in the English language. Knowing when to use them in a sentence can be daunting. If you’re feeling confused, don’t worry – following these basic rules will make it easier for you to determine how and when to use commas appropriately.

When you have three or more elements in a series, you need to use commas to separate them. Make sure you use a comma after the “and” in the series so things will be clear when you have numerous things to mention in a sentence. An example of this would be “Tom, Mary, George, Ben, and Henry will all be going to the ballgame.” See how clear things are when you use commas after each name and before the “and” in the sentence? The comma before “and” is known as the Oxford or serial comma.

To make introductory elements less confusing in your sentences, you can use commas to separate them from the rest of the sentence. An example of this would be, “Skating toward home, Ryan realized he forgot his helmet at school.” If a sentence isn’t confusing without the comma, you can leave it out, but when in doubt use the comma.

“And,” “for,” “but,” and “so” are all conjunctions that can be used with a comma in a sentence to connect independent clauses. Use these combinations in sentences like, “Angel went to town for some bread, but when she got there she realized she forgot her money at home.” Both halves of the sentence could stand on their own as sentences, so it’s necessary to use the comma to combine them into one sentence.

You’ll also use commas to separate parenthetical elements. These are clauses in a sentence that, if removed, would not affect the sentence at all – they’re just additional information added to the sentence. A sentence such as, “The Eastbrook Library, which is on the east side of town, is a good place to do genealogy research.” In this case, the phrase, “which is on the east side of town,” is a parenthetical element.

A good way to decide whether or not a sentence contains a parenthetical element, and to decide whether it requires commas or not, is to read the sentence without the element in it. If the sentence still makes sense, you’re looking at a parenthetical element. In the previous example, the sentence would read like, “The Eastbrook Library is a good place to do genealogy research,” which does make sense without the element, “which is on the east side of town.”

In addition, commas are typically used to separate adjectives that coordinate. If you can use “and” or “but” in a sentence to separate adjectives, then you could also use a comma in place of them in a sentence. For example, you can see this in the sentence, “She is a very bright and educated woman.” In this case, you can leave out the “and” in this sentence and write the sentence as, “She is a very bright, educated woman.”

Clearly, there are many uses for commas in a sentence. You can even use them to create dramatic pauses in your sentences. Just be careful of overdoing it. If you aren’t sure if your sentence needs a comma or not, try writing it both ways and check to see if it follows any of the above rules.

for more details:

http://www.englishsubject.net

English Learning Tools

2010-08-12T09:03:00.000-07:00

The process of learning any modern language today can be improved and quickened by using certain modern technologies. Students of the English language likely have more modern tools available for language study than students of any other language. Here is an introduction to some useful technology for language students.

While there are many modern tools for language study, one of the most useful is an iPod Touch or an iPhone. They are not essential for language learning, but they can be truly useful for English language students to study with. One of the best reasons to use an iPod Touch or iPhone is the convenient use of digital flashcards for remembering and studying words. There are many words to learn in most modern languages, and there are certainly a lot of words in English. The words can be entered into a flashcard application on a personal computer and sent to the iPod or iPhone, or conveniently entered directly on the touch screen. There are also many flashcards already available for download in various applications for the iPod Touch and the iPhone. Flipping through a group of flashcards with a touch of a finger is a wonderful way to use modern technology to improve English learning.

There are also numerous English learning applications and dictionaries available from the Apple App Store. There are free dictionaries available that translate from English into many languages. There are also applications that translate entire sentences or even paragraphs. A word can be copied from such a dictionary or translator and pasted into a flashcard application for review. English language television shows and movies are another great language tool available for download. Additionally, spoken language training in the form of an mp3 or other digital format can be studied from an iPod Touch or iPhone. Add the capability to browse web pages and the benefits are likely even greater. It is like having an English language school in the palm of one’s hand.

There are also many tools available for studying English language that can be used on a personal computer. One popular and free flashcard application is called Anki. Anki is available on Mac OS, Windows, and Linux operating systems. The application also has a lot of community support from its many users. There are already numerous English language flashcard decks available for download within the application. Another great flashcard resource is a website known as Quizlet and it also has many community members. There are many decks of flashcards already available in many languages on the Quizlet website for studying English.

Another personal computer option is language training software, such as Rosetta Stone. The Rosetta Stone software is relatively high priced for a language learning application, but it can be useful. The software has many features and one of its study modes shows flashcards as a photo with voice and also text. This can be a good way to remember many words and also a quick way to study. An iPod Touch is much more cost effective, but both can be good for a serious English language student to use.

for more details:

http://www.englishsubject.net/

Difficulties with English language

2010-08-12T09:01:00.000-07:00

People may find English a challenge because

it is not their first language
they have a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia
their previous education developed only basic English skills
they are more used to speaking than writing in English
they learned a style of English writing that does not fit the UK’s usual academic style
they have a combination of these difficulties.

Types of language problem

Language problems often fall into two main categories.

Difficulties in understanding can cause particular problems when

reading the style of language used in a course
listening to others, either in group sessions or telephone tutorials
trying to respond to spoken or written questions
encountering colloquialisms, idioms and cultural references (for example from current television programmes) that are used in online forums or other discussions
making use of examples used in explanations.

Difficulties in writing for others to read may relate particularly to

punctuation or the use of paragraphs
making mistakes with verb tenses, or with subject and verb agreement
using the wrong word or putting words in the wrong order
errors in spelling
inability to write at length in order to construct essays or reports
using a style which does not suit UK academic work.

Level 1 OU study provides opportunities for students to use the English language to
show that you know and understand principles, concepts and terms central to your subject
use your knowledge and understanding to describe, analyse and interpret defined aspects of your subject
know about and begin to address issues and problems central to your subject
develop your skills in communicating information accurately and appropriately to your subject, purpose and audience
develop your skills in finding, selecting and using information or data in defined contexts
develop your use of ICT tools and your numerical skills as appropriate to support your studies
develop your understanding and use of the resources available to help you learn, and begin to develop as an independent learner
develop, as appropriate, practical and professional skills and awareness of relevant ethical issues
plan your study pathway to link your learning with your personal and/or your career goals.

If you are not sure whether you are ready to study at university level then consider these options.

You could work on improving your English on your own, preferably before you begin study with the OU - look at the Further links and resources for English section for suggestions.
You could take an Openings course with the OU in the subject that interests you. These short courses (which can be completed in up to 20 weeks’ work) provide telephone tuition from a tutor. You submit three pieces of written work, which will help you to get a better idea of whether you are ready for further university study at OU Level 1. However, these courses are designed to introduce students to a subject and to teach academic skills, and not to improve your English language. Openings courses are for UK resident students.
You could take a course to help you improve your English skills.

The LearnDirect site (or phone 0800 100 900) provides information on local courses in basic English for UK residents. These are up to Level 2 (roughly equivalent to GCSE A*-C), and the fees are partly subsidised through Skills for Life funding. There can be long waiting lists to start a course.

Note that completing a course in basic English is a helpful first step, but would not give you a strong enough foundation for university-level study, which makes demands equivalent to Level 4 and Level 5 in these courses.

English UK lets you search for English language courses at associated language schools and centres, which usually offer assessment tools to help you to diagnose your needs and offer tuition to suit your ability. They include Level 2 (GCSE A*-C) and beyond. The courses are usually studied full time for 5–10 weeks, and courses and examinations must be paid for. They are accredited by the British Council.

Students outside the UK may find that the OU has a country coordinator or representative who can advise on local sources of support. Go to Contact the OU and choose your country from the drop-down list to see contact details for your local coordinator.

You could find out what English courses are available at your local college or adult learning centre.

RELATED PAGES
Using English language for more visit:

http://www.open.ac.uk/

Online ESL Phonics

2010-08-12T08:55:00.000-07:00

Online ESL Phonics
An online collection of downloadable phonics worksheets.

CONTENTS
Consonant Sounds

_b : eg. cub, crab
b_ : eg. ball, bug
c_ : eg. car, cow
_d : eg. bed, head
d_ : eg. dog, doll
f_ : eg. fish, frog
_g : eg. egg, pig
g_ : eg. girl, game
h_ : eg. hat, house
k_ : eg. kite, kitten
_k : eg. cook, mask
l_ : eg. lion, lemon
_ll : eg. ball, tall
_m : eg. arm, plum
m_ : eg. map, milk
_n : eg. fan, pen
n_ : eg. net, nurse
_p : eg. cup, top
p_ : eg. pen, pig
_r : eg. rabbit, run
_s : eg. bus, dress
s_ : eg. seal, sun
_t : eg. hat, nut
t_ : eg. ten, Dad
w_ : eg. watch, web

Short Vowel Sounds

short a : eg. can, man
short e : eg. egg, pen
short i : eg. milk, pig
short o : eg. dog, top
short u : eg. cup, nut

2-letter Sounds

ar : eg. arm, car
aw : eg. fawn, saw
ck : eg. clock, duck
er : eg. her, teacher
ed : eg. red, teddy
ed (2): eg. jumped, camped
le : eg. apple, uncle
nk : eg. bank, trunk
ow : eg. owl, town
------

for more detail please visit:

	- One-stop resource site for learning English and other languages.
	- Relevant, localised information for International students and people.
	- Featured Schools, Language Directory, multi-lingual content and more.
Fostering global communication through a world auxiliary language. http://www.1-language.com/

John has a job interview for a Saturday job

2010-07-28T03:31:00.001-07:00

Interviewer:	So, you've applied for the Saturday position, right?
John:	Yes, I have.
Interviewer:	Can you tell me what made you reply to our advertisement?
John:	Well, I was looking for a part-time job to help me through college. And I think that I'd be really good at this kind of work.
Interviewer:	Do you know exactly what you would be doing as a shop assistant?
John:	Well I imagine I would be helping customers, keeping a check on the supplies in the store, and preparing the shop for business.
Interviewer:	That about covers it, you would also be responsible for keeping the front of the store tidy. What sort of student do you regard yourself as . . . did you enjoy studying while you were at school?
John:	I suppose I'm a reasonable student. I passed all my exams and I enjoy studying subjects that interest me.
Interviewer:	Have you any previous work experience?
John:	Yes. I worked part-time at a take-away in the summer holidays.
Interviewer:	Now, do you have any questions you'd like to ask me about the position?
John:	Yes. Could you tell me what hours I'd have to work?
Interviewer:	We open at 9.00, but you would be expected to arrive at 8.30 and we close at 6.00 pm. You would be able to leave then. I think I have asked you everything I wanted to. Thank you for coming along to the interview.
John:	Thank you. When will I know if I have been successful?
Interviewer:	We'll be making our decision next Monday, we'll give you a call

Work - What do they do? Where do they work?

2010-07-28T03:29:00.001-07:00

Job	What do they do?	Where do they work?
Accountants	Look after the finances in an organisastion.	They work in an office.
Bakers	Bake bread.	They work in a bakery.
Barbers	Shave men's beards and cut men's hair.	They work in a barbers.
Barmen/women	Serve drinks.	They work in a bar, pub or restaurant.
Butchers	Prepare and sell meat.	They work in a butchers.
Chambermaids	Clean and tidy rooms.	They work in a hotel.
Chefs	Prepare and cook food.	They work in a kitchen.
Dentists	Look after people's teeth.	They work in a dentists.
Doctors	Look after people's health.	They work in a hospital or surgery.
Fishmongers	Prepare and sell fish.	They work in a fishmongers.
Flight attendants	Look after passengers.	They work in an airplane.
Hair dressers	Cut and style people's hair.	They work in a hair salon.
Judges	Judge and sentence people.	They work in a law court.
Lawyers	Defend and prosecute people.	They work in a law court and in a lawyers office.
Nurses	Look after patients .	They work in a hospital or doctor's surgery.
Opticians	Look after people's eye sight.	They work in an opticians.
Porters	Carry other people's bags and luggage.	They work in a hotel or train station.
Receptionists	Meet and greet visitors.	They work in reception.
Sales Assistants	Sell goods and look after customers.	They work in a shop.
Secretaries	Arrange appointments, type letters and organise meetings.	They work in an office.
Surgeons	Operate on people who are sick.	They work in a hospital.
Vets	Look after people's animals.	They work in a veterinary surgery or vets.
Waiters/Waitresses	Serve people food and drink.	They work in a restaurant.

Useful Vocabulary

2010-07-28T03:28:00.001-07:00

Useful Vocabulary

accountant(s)	baker(s)	barber(s)


barman (barmen)	builder(s)	butcher(s)

carpenter(s)	cashier(s)	chambermaid(s)

chef(s)	cleaner(s)	dentist(s)

doctor(s)	electrician(s)	engineer(s)

fireman (firemen)	fishmonger(s)	flight attendant(s)

hairdresser(s)	judge(s)	lawyer(s)

nurse(s)	optician(s)	painter(s)

photographer(s)	plumber(s)	policeman (policemen)

porter(s)	postman (postmen)	receptionist(s)

reporter(s)	sales assistant(s)	sales representative(s)

scientist(s)	secretary (secretaries)	surgeon(s)

vet(s)	waiter(s)	welder(s)

Successful English learners

2010-07-25T10:58:00.001-07:00

Many people have learned English well with our method or other techniques. You can read about some of these people here. Each page tells you about the person and their English, how they learned English, and what English has given them.

Tomasz P. Szynalski
Tom is webmaster at Antimoon.com and an English-Polish translator.
Also read:
- How I learned English in the pre-Internet age and why you can do it faster
- Me and SuperMemo
Michal Ryszard Wojcik
Michal is a mathematician and one of the founders of Antimoon.com.
Krzysztof Cichy
Marta Wlodarczak

If you speak English very well, and you would like to have a page about you on Antimoon, please contact us. We will examine your English, and if you are good, we will interview you about your experience with learning English. Then we will publish the interview with your photo and information about you. If you have a website or blog, we will publish links to it.

Subscribe to get an e-mail when we publish a new update.

Check out our terrific pronunciation software.

Have questions or comments? Send them

Science Fiction: 'A Princess of Mars,' Part 3 by Edgar Rice Burroughs

2010-07-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

Last week we broadcast the second of our programs called “A Princess of Mars.” The story is from a series of books by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Last week we told how John Carter was captured by a group of warriors on the planet Mars. Later, he became one of them by defeating a huge warrior in a fight. He is still a captive, but he is treated with honor because he is a skilled fighter. We left John Carter at the beginning of a fierce battle between the green warriors and their main enemy. The enemy came close to the green Martians in huge air ships. The green Martians attacked. John Carter continutes to tell about what happens to him in Edgar Rice Burroughs’s story, “A Princess of Mars.”

(MUSIC)

JOHN CARTER: Another of the large air ships exploded high in the air. Members of the crew fell to the ground. The huge ship lost control and began turning again and again.

Soon it was close to the ground. The warriors climbed aboard the ship and began fighting the members of the crew who were still alive. Soon the fighting stopped. The warriors began taking everything from the ship.

At last, they brought a captive from deep within the ship. Two of the warriors had their captive by each arm. I wanted to see what new and strange form of life this creature would be.

As they came near, I saw that it was a woman. She looked like a woman from Earth. She was young. Her skin was a light red, almost a copper color.

I saw at once that she was extremely beautiful. She had a fine face with large dark eyes and long, black hair. As her guards led her away, she saw me for a moment. She seemed very surprised. Her face looked hopeful. But when I made no attempt to speak to her, her face grew sad and she looked very small and frightened. As I watched her disappear into a building, I realized that Sola was near me.

SOLA: John Carter, that woman will be saved for the great games that are held by our people. The games are long and cruel and end in death for those captured in battle. Her death will be slow and painful. She will die for the enjoyment of all.

JOHN CARTER: Sola’s face seemed sad when she said this. I could tell by the way she spoke that she did not like the games and did not want to see the young woman die. She was very different from the rest of her people.

Sola, do you not like the games?

SOLA: No, John Carter. My mother died in the games. That is a secret you must not tell anyone. The wall where Tars Tarkas found you held eggs that produce our young. All the children belong to the tribe. A mother never knows which child is hers when they come out of the egg.

My mother hid the egg that carried me. It was not placed within the walled area. She kept her secret until after I was born. But others discovered her secret and she was condemned to die in the games. She hid me among other children before she was captured. If this secret were learned, I too would die in the games.

Before she left me, my mother told me the name of my father. I alone keep that secret. It would mean death for him as well as me. My people are violent and cruel.

(MUSIC)

JOHN CARTER: The next day I entered the great room where the green Martians held meetings. The red woman prisoner was there too. Soon, the leader of the green Martians came into the room. His name was Lorquas Ptomel. He began speaking to the prisoner.

LORQUAS PTOMEL: Who are you and what is your name?

DEJAH THORIS: I am the Princess Dejah Thoris, daughter of Mors Kajak, the ruler of Helium. Our air ship was on a scientific flight. We were to study the air and atmosphere. Without our work the air on our planet would grow thin and we would all die. Why would you attack us?

JOHN CARTER: As she talked, a warrior ran to her and hit her in the face, knocking her to the ground. He placed a foot on her small body and began laughing.

(LAUGHTER)

I reached for the small sword I carried and rushed to attack the huge warrior.

(FIGHTING SOUNDS)

JOHN CARTER: He was a strong opponent. But again, because of the low gravity on Mars, my strength was far greater than his. In a few short minutes, the green warrior was dead. I helped the young woman to her feet.

DEJAH THORIS: Who are you? Why did you risk your life to help me? You look almost the same as my people, but you wear the weapons of a green warrior. Who… or what.. are you?

JOHN CARTER: My name is John Carter. I am from the planet Earth. How I got here is a long story. I attacked that warrior because, where I come from, men do not attack women. I will offer you my protection as long as I can. However, I must tell you that I, too, am a captive.

SOLA: Come, John Carter, and bring the red woman with you. Let us leave this room quickly before some warrior attempts to stops us.

JOHN CARTER: The three of us quickly returned to the building where I had spent the last several days. Sola then left to prepare food. Woola sat in the corner and looked at the both of us. The young woman was afraid of poor, ugly Woola.

I told her not to fear him. You must tell no one, but Woola is not only my guard. He is my friend. I have treated him with kindness that he has never known. As each day passes, he trusts me more. I now think he would follow any command I give.

Sola has told me that all captives are held until they can die in the great games held by the green Martians. Our only chance to survive is to escape. But we must have Sola’s help for our plan to succeed.

DEJAH THORIS: Yes. If we stay with the green warriors, we will both die. If we are to escape, we will need several of the animals to ride. It would be our only chance.

JOHN CARTER: I have several of the animals. They were given to me when I became a warrior.

Sola came back later with food for the two of us. Dejah Thoris and I asked for her help. The three of us talked long into the night. At last Sola gave us her answer.

SOLA: Your best chance for escape will be in the next two days. We will leave this city tomorrow and begin a long trip to the home of our tribe. I will help you escape. But I must come with you. I will be killed if you escape.

DEJAH THORIS: Sola, of course you must come with us! You are not cruel or violent as many of your people are. Help us and I can promise you a much better life. You will be treated with respect as an honored guest.

JOHN CARTER: The next morning we rode away from the city on our animals. More than a thousand animals were carrying the huge tribe of green Martians. Also in the group were one American, one Princess of the Royal House of Helium, our guard, Sola, and poor ugly Woola.

Late that night we left the camp. One animal carried me. Another Sola and Princess Dejah Thoris. Woola followed close behind.

We rode quickly through the Martian night. I looked into the sky and saw Earth across the great distance of space. Since I had met the Princess Dejah Thoris, I had not thought once of Earth or home. I knew then that I would never willingly leave her.

The next morning, I could see that we were being followed by several hundred of the green warriors. Our animals were very tired. I knew we must stop.

I told Sola and the Princess to take the stronger of the two animals and ride away. I will hold back the green warriors as long as I can. Woola! Go with them and guard them with your life.

DEJAH THORIS: We can’t leave you alone. It would be certain death if you are captured again. You must come with us!

JOHN CARTER: Sola took the princess by the arm and lifted her on top of the animal she had chosen. Quickly she began riding away. For a moment, Woola looked at me, then turned and ran after them.

I took out my rifle from its case. I began firing to slow the green warriors.

(SOUND)

I was able to slow them for more than an hour. But then I had no more ammunition. Soon I was surrounded. A green warrior got off his animal and came toward me. He pulled out his long, thin sword. I reached for mine. As we neared each other I saw it was Tars Tarkas. He stopped and spoke to me very slowly.

TARS TARKAS: You will die here… today… John Carter. It is I who must kill you. Know that I will take no pleasure in your death.

(MUSIC)

BOB DOUGHTY:You have been listening to the Special English program, American Stories. This has been the third program in our series “A Princess of Mars,” by Edgar Rice Burrows. This story was adapted for Special English by Paul Thompson. It was produced by Paul Thompson and Mario Ritter.

Shep O’Neal was the voice of John Carter. Steve Ember was Tars Tarkas. Barbara Klein was Sola. And Gwen Outen was the Princess Dejah Thoris. Join us again next week as we continue “A Princess of Mars,” in VOA Special English.

English learning made easy

2010-07-19T12:26:00.001-07:00

With BBC World Trust launching its most ambitious project 'English in Action’, Bangladeshis will soon be able to learn the global language through television and mobiles. This will help all sections of society acquire English language skills and increase their prospects in the job market.

BBC World Trust is launching its biggest and perhaps most ambitious project to date. ‘English in Action’ aims to makeEnglish-language learning accessible to millions of people in Bangladesh.

Drama and discussion programmes on television will capture attention, and the mobile phone will be turned into a powerfullearning device.

“People recognise that English is one of the skills that can help them in the workplace,” says Caroline Howie, Regional Director, Asia, BBC World Service Trust.

The aim of this multi-platform, multi-genre, multi-country initiative is to provide Bangladeshis with the English language skills necessary to participate fully in economic and social activity.

This will improve their employment prospects, enhance livelihoods and offer better access to the world economy. Providing opportunities for all sections of society, Bangladeshi youth especially are expected to benefit.

Desire to learn

"Surveys we've carried out suggest people recognise thatEnglish is one of the skills that can help them in the workplace. The BBC has a long tradition of making English language learningmore accessible, and we're delighted to be launching this project that will put English within reach of our millions of viewers and listeners in Bangladesh," said Caroline Howie.

Mobile usage

In 2001, just 200,000 people in Bangladesh used mobile phones. Today there are 37.5 million mobile phone users. Grameenphone, the country's biggest mobile phone operator, estimates that the number of mobile phone users will reach 50 million by 2009.

Working in partnership

The BBC World Service have teamed up with BBC LearningEnglish, a department of the BBC World Service.

Other parts of the project, including work in schools, will be delivered by the Open University and the Open Learning System Education Trust based in South Africa.

English in Action is supported by DFID.

Source : BBC World Service Trust

Free English Language Courses

2010-07-19T00:10:00.000-07:00

Why should you even learn English? If you are not based in an English speaking country, this question is a valid concern. If you are living in an English speaking country, you may still feel that the necessity for speaking proper English is overrated. But trust me, there are more reasons than simply improving a skill you already have and learning a second language.

With the arrival of the Internet and several advances in the fields of global communication, the world has become much smaller. The time of living in your small community is over. Even if you refuse to submit yourself to the global community the global community will come to you.

International travel has become an easier process. Several countries, like China, have opened their borders for trade and commerce. With easier travel and open borders, emigration and business with foreign investors has become a reality for today’s business communities. In this new global world, English plays a large part.

According to a study conducted by Pearson Education (2007), English is the second most widely spoken language in the world. English has around 514,000,000 speakers around the globe (Pearson Education 2007). The first on that list is actually Chinese. Though, one must take in account the population and size of China. They occupy a large space on the globe and there are a lot of them. The United States of America and England, on the other hand, are much smaller but still English remains a powerful force in language.

One must also note the difficulty associated in learning Chinese. There are several different types of Chinese, spoken in different areas. Some of the words in one dialect can mean an entirely different thing in another. Chinese also uses unique intonations for each word. Each word in their language has four intonations. So pronunciation is not the only thing to consider, you must also consider the intonation (if its steady, rising, falling, etc.) (Language for Travelers 2006). When saying one word with a falling intonation you can mean entirely different thing. These are just some of the difficulties one may encounter if learning Chinese.
It is not that I particularly discourage learning a new language like Chinese. Doing so would defeat the purpose of an article such as this one. Learning any language is difficult. It is just that, using a practical approach, English seems like the most viable language one should learn if concerned with business and dealing with an international audience.
For years, English has been used as a lingua franca. In other words, English has been used as a common language between two speakers who do not have the same native tongue. And depending on your background, seems much easier to learn than Chinese.

Aside from the above stated, English is the number one used language on the Internet. According to a survey conducted by Miniwatts Marketing Group (2007), it is the top used language with the usage of at least 31.2% of all Internet users. It is then followed by China. This is very important.

Whether you conduct business online or simply used online-based chatting systems, English can be a very useful tool. Though most companies nowadays try to cater to all languages, there may be cases when you will need to speak to an English speaking customer or an English speaking customer service agent and they do not know your native tongue. And even if you already speak a little English, depending on your skill, the language barrier can break down effective communication.

With all this taken into account, one must realize the importance of English is today’s modern age. This article hopes to give the reader an idea on what is available to them online and offline. The article will give several reviews of available courses on the topic of English learning and will also show cheaper alternatives to the expensive language courses that are seen more often. The article will give the reader several tips and tricks to guide the reader in the process of learning English. Whether you are learning English as a second language (ESL) or learning it to improve skills you already have, this article may serve as a useful tool, very much like the nature of English, to achieve your goals and endeavors.

GETTING STARTED (TEST YOURSELF)

You may want to begin your journey into the world of English by testing yourself. This way, you can have an idea on where you stand in the world of English. This also may give you an idea on what you need to improve on and what your objectives or goals are when learning English. These things could include: grammar, writing, creativity, business English, etc. It is good to know what you need to learn before you go learn it.

There are several available online tests that won’t cost you anything. These tests are not always 100 percent accurate but they can still give you and idea on what you need to improve on or what course you may need to take. It is good to know this especially when canvassing prices.

I have taken the liberty of providing the addresses of several online tests so that you can get started. I have taken some of these tests and have made reviews of them. Each review will contain information about the test and its possible grading system. Here are the reviews:

http://www.aei.dli.com/

This is the homepage of an English learning institute. They provide English courses for various levels at different fees. On this homepage you can find a link to their online placement test. It is free and can be found easily online. The page requires shockwave flash but you can easily obtain this program for free online. If you feel it is too much of a hassle than this site may not be the one for you. The test categorizes you into which of their courses is best for you. Their courses and their corresponding prices are as follows:

Executive English (6 months) US$ 425.00
Executive English Complete (8 months) US$ 1125.00
Executive English Platinum (8 months) US$ 499.00
General English - Level I (4 months) US$ 315.00
General English - Level II (4 months) US$ 315.00
General English - Level III (4 months) US$ 315.00
General English Level III (30-Day Trial) US$ 99.99
TOEFL Mastery (1 month) US$ 99.00
TOEFL Mastery Plus (2 months) US$ 125.00

As you may notice, these courses are a bit on the expeansive side. But if you browse through their site and are interested, they offer trial classes.

http://www.dse.ie/index.php?module=vquiz&func=run&quizid=5

This website contains a simple free grading test. It contains 50 items. The problem with this test is that it has no time limit. Time limits sometimes can also help with measuring one’s skill on a particular subject. The grading scale for this tests is as follows:

Score Class Level

0 - 8 Beginner
9 - 16 Elementary
17 - 25 Pre-Intermediate
26 - 35 Intermediate
36 - 44 Upper Intermediate
45 - 50 Advanced
http://www.test-my-english.com/

This test measures English proficiency. The actual concept of the test is very interesting but I also found it very time consuming (this is for a native English speaker). One of the advantages of this test is that it promotes listening and focus on the task at hand.

Unlike most other tests, this test is audio-based. The first four parts check your listening and comprehension. It is mostly structured as “Question” then choose “Proper Response”. The test also contains your ability to check errors and reading comprehension. The problem is to receive the results you must input your e-mail address at the end of the test. So, if you don’t want to register to anything or receive newsletters then this test is not the one for you.

http://www.english-test.net/

Finally we have English-test.com. This website is not actually a test per se. This website is a resource for several available tests. If you have the patience to look through it then this site may be good for you.

It has over 900 tests to choose from. These tests vary from beginner to intermediate to advanced. The tests include topics like verb usage and idioms. The site even has English-specific tests for health and economics. If you want a more secialized English test this site is for you.

LET’S GET TO THE LEARNING!

Next thing you need to do is look for a course, a school or a teacher that suits you, because each student has different needs. Most schools will have their own way of assessing you (through interviews or tests). When you tell them your skill is at an intermediate level and they still give you an assessment test don’t feel discouraged or feel that your English is not satisfactory. This test is common. They conduct tests similar to these to see how you fair using their standards of judgment (i.e. tests, interviews, etc.)

If you have not already done so, try looking through your community board for postings about learning English. Who knows? You might get lucky and find free classes! If not you may find free trial classes to see if you really want to continue learning the language.
Sometimes it is best to deal locally. The way most scams work is that they work in remote locations where the customer (you, the student) cannot get to them. So by the time you pay them for a course, they are long gone before even finishing any work. So try first to find a teacher or school near your community.

If you simply don’t have the time to travel, online learning can be an option. The problem with online learning is the limitations. Communication and interaction with other English speakers is a key tool to developing your skills in the language. Some online courses may not offer this opportunity. Another problem is finding the right school or course for you. There a lot of sites that claim that they can teach English but not all of them can provide you with excellent service. You should be careful before choosing anything. Later in this article, I will provide a list of Free Online Courses to choose from. Each course will have a corresponding review.

One way to check the credibility of a school or teacher is to check their credentials. If they have a good history then the school or teacher most probably can deliver on their promises. When picking a teacher you should check on whether or not s/he has completed relevant courses and has enough experience to teach you English. Many scams start with you believing the con artist without proof. Don’t be shy to ask for a reference or a certification.

There are several types of certification available for English teachers. The more common ones were mentioned briefly earlier in this article. Some of the more common certifications are TEFL and TESOL. TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language while TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of a Foreign Language. To acquire these certifications, a teacher must undergo a test that evaluates their skill in the English language. Having this type of certification is a good indicator for their ability to teach English.

But please note, not all good teachers have to have this certification. Do not dismiss a teacher simply because they do not have the certification. An English tutor or teacher with over 3 years of experience for example, may still not have the certification but still has the ability to teach you the language. Experience and credentials should also be taken into account.

FREE ONLINE COURSES

This section of the article contains several reviews and information on available free online courses. I do suggest that you look for a qualified teacher but if you don’t have the resources then I have suggested some free alternatives. Remember you usually get what you pay for.

http://www.livemocha.com/

This site seems like a very interesting way to learn the English language, any foreign language for that matter. It has a unique program that combines online lessons with practical communication through chat. It runs very much like an online social network (i.e. Friendster, Myspace, Facebook). It requires you to sign up and create a profile on their website. Your profile will contain your current skill level in the language you are learning and the your current skill level with the languages you already speak.

The website contains several online courses and shows you your progress (publicly) through your profile. After completing a few courses, you have the opportunity to chat with other learners or native speakers. Here you can practice what you have learned in previous lessons and gain feedback from those who are more experienced than you. Here, you can also do your part by chatting with people who are less experienced than you in any other language that you currently speak.

They are currently in their beta stages so all the services are, for a LIMITED TIME ONLY, free! After it moves to its alpha stages, only certain sections of the site will remain free. You check an overview of their services on their online help page.

http://www.english-online.org.uk/course.htm

This website contains several courses and tests (including a self-assessment test). The courses have visual aids and images to help you during the course. The courses are divided into beginner (11 parts), intermediate (6 parts) and advanced (6 parts).

Though the site is free, the website’s layout is quite difficult to follow. If you like things organized, this may not be the best thing for you.

Another thing I found difficult with this site is that the course does not provide a timeline. It does not tell you when to take what. This is particularly common with free online courses. This free online course though, rectifies the situation by providing a test to check your progress. By checking this often, you can tell which parts that you may need to repeat.

The homepage can also direct you to pronunciation and certification courses.

http://www.english-the-easy-way.com/

This website is not actually a set course but can still help as a guide for learning. The website is more of a guide for proper English usage. This site provides overviews of grammar and tenses. They also have tips on pronunciation and writing. The site also provide a list of common errors committed, by studying this, you can avoid these mistakes. The site all and all helps as a general overview.

http://www.englishonline.net/

This site requires you to sign up. With your registration, several courses including (but not limited to) writing essentials, business and resume writing, and technical writing, become available They also have free daily listening practices and quizzes.

http://www.free-ed.net/free-ed/Humanities/ModernLanguages/ESL/ESL01_VOD.asp

This course focuses on teaching English as a Second Language. It is an online video course that is now actually available on DVD. The instructional video series is called “Connect With English”. It touches on the life if an aspiring musician named Rebecca. It deals with various life issues. The series tries to use a practical approach by slowing down dialogues and explaining the use of certain words. In this way, the student is experiencing the situation as s/he would experience it in the real world but with a teacher to help guide them through the process. For more information on the series you can go to: http://www.learner.org/resources/series71.html#

http://www.free-ed.net/free-ed/Humanities/EnglishG&C/default.asp

This website contains to very text heavy English guides. One of them is on English grammar and mechanics.

This site also contains a similar DVD series as above. The courses are available through online video and best of all they are free!

The video series tries to introduce basic principles and strategies for communication in writing. It tries to improve on basic skills. It contains several professionals who are not only authors, journalists, and teachers, but also musicians, judges, nurses, engineers, scientists, and athletes.
They will discuss how they write with a specific audience in mind. You can find more information on the series at: http://www.learner.org/resources/series128.html#

http://esl.about.com/c/ec/2.htm

This is a link to an online e-mail course. By giving your e-mail address, you being receiving beginner’s courses like the following:

Unit 1 - Building Blocks: Basics, ABC's, Numbers
Unit 2 - Family, Time, Prices and the IPA
Unit 3 - Simple Present, Countable and Uncountable, This, That, These and Those, Some and Any
Unit 4 - Present Progressive, Adjectives, Prepositions Listening Exercises
Unit 5 - Past Forms, 'A' 'An' and 'The', Listening Comprehension
Unit 6 - Usage of 'in' / 'at' / 'on' , Adverbs
Unit 7 - Future with Will, The Weather, Listening Comprehension
Unit 8 - Review, Ordering Food in a Restaurant

http://esl.about.com/c/ec/1.htm

This is another e-mail course. It aims at improving vocabulary. So this site can help as a supplement to any other grammar lessons that are already in progress. It contains 8 lessons. They are:

1. Building Your Vocabulary: Tips and Strategies
2. Collocations: Words that Go Together
3. Vocabulary Groups: The Most Important Nouns Grouped by Theme
4. Idiomatic Language
5. Phrasal Verbs
6. Confusing Words: Common Problem Pairs
7. On-The-Job Vocabulary
8. British and American English: Vocabulary Differences

http://esl.about.com/c/ec/20.htm

This course is by e-mail as well. It is an intensive grammar workshop used to brush up or review on your grammar knowledge. They will send you studysheets and quizzes. The outline of the course is as follows:

1. Grammar Terminology, Basics, Present Tense
2. Preposition Use I
3. Adjectives and Adverbs
4. Past Simple / Present Perfect
5. Modals Forms I / Gerund or Infinitive
6. Preposition Use II
7. Prepositions II
8. Future Tenses / Question Forms Review
9. The Passive Voice / Reported Speech
10. Conditionals / Modal Verbs of Probability
11. Clauses
12. Review I
13. Review II

http://www.1-language.com/englishcourse/index.htm

This is a very comprehensive set of courses. Beginning at starter it moves to elementary, pre intermediate and upper intermediate. The course contains 70 units with audio. The courses also have exercises that contain a grading function. The home page contains various resources including English games and a chat room.

http://www.eslgo.com/classes.html

Like livemocha.com this site contains a practice chat room. You can sign up for 45 free online ESL classes. They are focused on the use of grammar and vocabulary. One of the good options is the chatting function which allows you to chat with other users.

According to their website, the free English classes are rated for difficulty:

High beginner/low intermediate lessons are level 1 and level 2 English classes.
Intermediate English lessons are level 3 classes.
Upper intermediate/advanced lessons are level 4 and level 5.

If you are more interested in the content of the courses rather than the level they have:

English for business classes
English for technology classes
English for travel classes
English listening classes
English writing classes

Learning any language is hard. This site admits that the course is hard but says that it is for your own progress.

WHAT ARE MY OTHER ALTERNATIVES?

Well if you don’t want something expensive and you want better quality than those of which that are available free online, you can try the more bargain finds. Online, there are several online stores that sell cheaper audio courses. Trying sites like e-bay or Amazon.com is a good idea. These sites can sometimes lead you to good finds.

You can also try englishmaze.com. The fee can go as low as 2.50 U.S. dollars a week and the courses are dynamic. They put you in real life situations and have exercises for online practice.

CONCLUSION AND TIPS

As mentioned earlier, learning a language can be hard. But don’t be discouraged. Just remember these few tips and you should be fine:

1. Don’t be shy. Don’t be shy to direct any questions to those who are more experienced. They can help you learn. Don’t be shy to consult references like dictionaries or thesauruses. These are helpful tools in any language learner’s arsenal. And don’t be shy to try new things.

2. Be open to criticism. If you are mistaken take it as a learning experience. Remember, Socrates once said, “All I know is I know nothing.” This man was known as the wisest person on earth. If he didn’t know anything, you still have something to learn.

3. Practice, practice and practice! Practice is the key to learning any new language. If you study all the courses and don’t put it to use, you will never learn.

I hope this page has assisted you in your journey towards better English.

Why does my teacher make me read silently?

2010-07-19T00:08:00.001-07:00

1. To make you read faster

Reading out loud slows down your reading speed. If you usually read out loud you will start reading out the words in your head even when you are reading silently and so reduce your reading speed all the time to the speed when you are reading out loud.

2. To improve understanding

Because half of your brain is concentrating on pronunciation when you read out loud, you comprehension is much less than when you are reading silently.The same is true when listening to other people reading out loud.

3. To really concentrate on pronunciation

In the same way as point 2 above, if half your brain is thinking about the meaning of a text then you won't be able to put your full effort into your pronunciation. Also, it is impossible to concentrate fully for the length of an entire text, so it is much better to concentrate on one or two sentences and practice them over and over in different ways.

4. To help you ignore words you don't need

When you are reading out loud you have to think about and pronounce every word in the text, but there are many words you don't need to be able to pronounce and/ or understand, such as people's names and place names. When you are reading silently, you can just skip past anything that you think is too difficult or not important, and then go back to it later if you need to.

5. To allow you to reread

If you are reading out loud, once you have read a word or sentence with the right pronunciation it is normal to move onto the next part. If it was an important and difficult to understand part, though, it can be worthwhile to read it once or twice more. This is much easier and quicker when you are reading silently.

6. To help you read whole words at once

When you are reading out loud it is normal to read each word from the first letter to the last in the way it is pronounced, but it is possible to read faster by looking at a whole word or even groups of words at the same time and then moving onto the next section.

7. To move quickly to the information you need

In the same way as point 6 above, reading out loud means reading each sentence in order. With most comprehension questions in exams and textbooks, it is much quicker and easier to read the question and then quickly skim and scan until you reach the part of the text where that information is. You can then read that part slowly and carefully, and as many times as you like.

8. To involve all the students

It is very difficult to concentrate when another person is reading out loud, and even if you are listening carefully it is not good listening comprehension practice as, unlike real life, you have the text in front of you to read too.

9. To give a good model

Other students are not usually a good model of pronunciation and speaking at natural speed, so listening to them read out loud is not likely to improve your pronunciation and listening skills.

10. To help with exam practice

You cannot read out loud in an English language exam like FCE or TOEFL, so you should stop all reading out loud if you want to take one of these exams.

11. To stop you moving your lips

Some people who have done most of their reading out loud move their lips as if they are speaking even when reading silently. This slows down your reading speed and can be embarrassing if people see you!

12. To allow choral drilling

It is impossible for a whole class to read a long text out together, so if the teacher wants the whole class to loudly practice their pronunciation it will have to be with something shorter such as a dialogue.

13. To help your confidence

Reading out loud well is a very difficult task that even some native speakers can not do in a way that people would want to listen to. Reading silently and doing pronunciation with shorter passages makes both skills easier and more enjoyable.

14. To help your listening comprehension

Texts and people you will need to listen to will be much faster than you reading a text out loud, so reading silently and quickly is actually better practice for real life listening comprehension than reading out loud is.

15. To give realistic pronunciation practice

Written language and spoken language are very different, so a sentence from a magazine is not good practise for the linking, weak forms etc that are found in natural speech.

16. To give effective pronunciation practice

Many students who can pronounce well when reading out loud find that their pronunciation is much worse when speaking freely, which suggests that reading out loud is not a good way of improving pronunciation. Activities like minimal pairs, shadow reading etc are much quicker ways of improving your pronunciation during normal communication.

17. To concentrate pronunciation on one thing at a time

A reading passage might have examples of every single sound in English and every example of how sounds change in fast speech. It is obviously not possible to learn all these in one lesson, so for pronunciation practice it is much better to use carefully selected words and sentences with lots of examples of the pronunciation point you are practicing that day.

18. To give a variety of reading tasks

Many fun and useful reading tasks like jigsaw readings (when different people read different texts and then compare their answers) and reading races are not possible if people read out loud.

19. To give a variety of pronunciation tasks

With the time your teacher saves by not using reading out loud, it is possible to do lots of fun and useful pronunciation tasks such as phonemic symbols, crosswords and identifying sentences when they are hummed without words.

Why does my teacher make me learn English grammar words?

2010-07-19T00:06:00.001-07:00

Many students find learning words like "noun", "Present Perfect", "prediction" and "indirect question" difficult and wonder if these kinds of words that are not part of day to day conversation are worth learning. The answer is -sometimes. There are good and bad reasons for introducing words like these into class, and it is possible for a teacher to use them too much, too little or just the right amount. If you think one of the "good reasons" below are true for your class and your school, then you should probably trust your teacher and learn the words whenever they come up. If more of the "bad reasons" below are true, however, you might want to ask your teacher some questions or think about changing classes.

Good reasons for making students learn English grammar words

1. To explain grammar just in English

Many teachers and students believe that doing a class just in English is a good way of increasing the amount of speaking and listening in class and of teaching students to think in English without translating. For grammar explanation, sometimes the easiest way of explaining something without using other languages is through grammar terminology like "adverb" or "passive voice"

2. To show connections between different grammar points

The quickest way of showing the similarities and differences between the "Present Continuous tense" and the "Past continuous tense" is through using their names, which clearly show that both are Continuous forms (= end with -ing) and that one uses the present of "to be" (am/ is/ are) and the other uses the past (was/ were).

3. To save time

Although it is possible to explain grammar without using words like "verb" and "adjective", it is usually quicker with these words.

4. To make the explanation more accurate

Although a teacher could explain the meaning of "will" with easy words like "future changes" or "tarot cards", the more general and true explanation needs the more difficult word "prediction".

5. So you can use English dictionaries and grammar books

If you learn words like "article" and "conjunction" in English, this will make it easier for you to understand grammar books and dictionaries that are written just in English, and to find the right word or grammar point to study. The reason for using books that don't have your own language in them include trying to stop translating in your head, using books that your teacher recommends, having a wider range of good quality books to choose from, and preparing to study in an English speaking country.

6. To prepare you for study elsewhere

If you are going to study outside your own country it is likely that someone will want to correct your English or ask you questions about your own language. These are much easier to talk about if you know grammar words in English.

7. To help you in tests

Although it is usually possible to answer a grammar test's questions by looking at examples, it is much quicker and easier if you can understand instructions like "fill each gap with the Present Perfect Simple or Continuous"

8. So you can explain the grammar to your classmates

One good way of teaching grammar is to ask the students what they think first, as this gives the students more speaking and checks what they already know. If you want to join in such discussions in English you will need to know grammar words.

9. So you can talk about grammar in English in pairs

This is another good way of students actively working out the grammar for themselves and practicing their speaking in which knowing grammar words will make using English easier.

10. So you know what you've been studying

If you know words like "adverbs of frequency" and "prepositions of position" in English, you will easily be able to understand from the contents page and unit headings of your textbook which language point you are studying and why.

11. So you can ask your teacher questions

It is much easier and clearer to ask "Why does that noun end with -tion?" than "Why does that word end with -tion?"

12. So you can tell your teacher what language you need

If you can tell your teacher "I need more practice of the Past Continuous" or "I always get the phrasal verb questions wrong in the test" in English, this will help the teacher plan a class that is more useful for you.

Bad reasons for making students learn English grammar words

1. Because the teacher doesn't know any other way to explain grammar

Using grammar words is usually the quickest and most accurate way of explaining grammar, but it is not the only one. A good teacher will explain the same grammar point in many different ways, some of which have simpler language. If you don't understand the grammar words your teacher is using and then the teacher uses more grammar words when they explain another way, you could try asking the school for a translation of all the grammar words you will hear in class or just ask your teacher "Can you explain that another way?"

2. Because they are secretly trying to teach you the grammar of your own language

In many school systems people learn more about grammar in their foreign language classes than they do when studying their own language, but English grammar should still be explained in the best way for that class rather than to help with another language. If your teacher or school system does this, the only solution is to study English in a different way elsewhere as well.

IELTS Academic Reading Tips for Students- Matching headings to paragraphs task

2010-07-19T00:04:00.001-07:00

Description of the task: In this task type, which often appears in the exam, you are given a text with 5 to 7 paragraph headings missing. You must select the right paragraph headings from a list.
Depending on the length and difficulty of the text and the number of paragraph headings, you will have between 5 and 8 minutes to do this task.
There are always more paragraph headings than paragraphs, so you won’t need to use all of the paragraph headings that are given. There will always also be some other different reading tasks for detailed understanding to do with the same text.

How to prepare for this task
As this task tests your ability to read a text quickly and get a general understanding of it, you will need to practice reading newspapers etc. quickly and naturally without a dictionary. Most native speakers do not read every newspaper article through to the end, as all the important and new information is usually given at the beginning of the article. Reading a newspaper or magazine this natural way can help with this IELTS task and save you time and effort too!
Every time you do this task in your textbook or as part of a real IELTS exam reading, make sure you time yourself and keep to the time limit. After you have finished all the tasks for the text you can then go back and read more slowly and use your dictionary if you like.
Planning all your writing in English (and even in your own language) carefully before you start writing and deciding a clear topic for each paragraph or section can also help you understand how texts are organised in this way.

How to do this task
1.    If you have several task to do including this one for the same reading text, it is usually best to do this one first (even if it is written after the other tasks) as it is fairly easy and will give you a good idea of where information is in the text so you can find things easily when you try the other tasks.
2.    Read through all the paragraph headings first. Don’t worry if there are words in the paragraphs headings you don’t understand- they might be in the paragraph headings you don’t need, or you might find exactly the same word in the text and so be able to match them without understanding the word
3.    Start reading the first paragraph quickly. Don’t stop for words and sentences you don’t understand- again, they might not be necessary to do the task.
4.    You might find it useful to underline the most important information in the paragraph as you are reading, especially things that seem to match one of the paragraph headings. However, if you are a slow reader you might find this slows you down more.
5.    As soon as you have an answer you are sure about, stop reading that paragraph and write your answer on the question sheet. As the topic sentence of a paragraph is usually near the beginning of the paragraph you should almost never need to read the whole paragraph to understand its topic.
6.    Be careful not to match paragraph headings just because they have the same word as is written several times in a particular paragraph, as some of the paragraph headings you do not need might also use the same words as the text. You need to match the meaning of the paragraph to the meaning of the whole paragraph heading.
7.    If you have read the whole paragraph and are still not sure which heading matches it, write down any you think it might be with a question mark next to them (e.g. A? G?) and any you are sure it is not with a cross through them (e.g. B X C X) and move onto the next paragraph.
8.    When you have read through the whole text in this way you will probably have some paragraphs you are sure about the headings for and some you still have some doubts about. Don’t spend more than a minute thinking about the ones you are not sure about now, as the more careful reading you do for the other tasks (e.g. True False questions) with this text might help you decide the answers for this task type too.
9.    After you have finished all the other tasks with this text, make a final decision for the heading of each paragraph and write it on your answer sheet. If there any you are still not sure about, you can write them with a question mark on your question sheet and circle it so you can come back and try again later if you have time.
10.    If you have time to come back and try this task again at the end of the test, check that the paragraph headings you haven’t used really don’t match any of the paragraphs. If you are absolutely sure that one of them actually does match better than the one you had decided before, change your answer on the answer sheet. If you have any doubts, it is usually best to leave your original answer as it is.

IELTS Academic Reading Tips for Teachers- Locating information task

2010-07-19T00:03:00.001-07:00

Description of the task

In this task type students have to find which of the paragraphs in the text has information meaning the same as a given sentence, e.g. if Question 1 says “Bullets are becoming more dangerous all the time” and paragraph C has a sentence that says “The deadliness of bullets is rising” then the first answer is 1. C.
This task is always combined with one or two different tasks that involve reading the same text in more detail, e.g. True/ False/ Not Given or gap filling tasks.

Teaching tips

Although there can be tricky questions, this is generally one of the easier tasks in the reading test and particularly good practice for skimming and scanning reading skills. Things that can catch students out include the information in the paragraph being split up in two or (very occasionally) more different sentences, and the vocabulary and grammatical structures being different in the question and in the text.

An easy start

Tell students which paragraph each question is in and just get them to underline the relevant part of the paragraph
Give the text out with the information that matches the exam questions already underlined and get the students to use that to match the questions to the paragraphs
Rather than questions, just give them words they have to find other forms of, e.g. “Find the noun of ‘decide’”
Start with questions that have answers that are particularly easy to find in the text, e.g. numbers, capital letters, long words, unusual punctuation (e.g. acute accents).
In a word-processing program, add the sentences that are the answers to the questions into an entirely different text, e.g. a letter home to your mother. Get the students to pick out the sentences that don’t match the text, then give them the exam task to match those sentences to the exam questions and so check their answers.

Fun practice

Students search through a whole book, newspaper or magazine for the answers. This is particularly fun if you give them several publications and they have to try and guess which one it will be in to speed up their search, e.g. Will a financial story be in The Economist or in The National Enquirer?
Students chose just one of the exam questions by how easy they think it will be to find the answer, then stick up their hands when they think they have finished. The teacher then times until the last team has finished and gives points based on the number of seconds difference between the first correct team and the last to finish.

The next step

The task which is most similar to this is the “Paragraph headings” task, so it might be worth doing that next with students who are still struggling with this task. The next step up is the True/ False/ Not Given tasks, as there students also try to find particular information in the text, and then check if it is exactly what is said in the question. Moving onto the T/ F/ NG task could be done as an extension of one of the games above, e.g. searching through newspapers.

Why does my teacher make me use an English-English Dictionary?

2010-07-19T00:02:00.001-07:00

Using a monolingual dictionary can be hard work, especially if you have to carry it all the way to class yourself! There are lots of good reasons why your teacher might want to train you in using an English-English dictionary, however, so if any of the reasons below are true for you or for your class it is probably worth listening to your teacher and putting in the extra effort. There are a few times, however, when a bilingual dictionary (e.g. a French-English dictionary or a Chinese-English dictionary) is better and you might want to insist that your teacher let you use it. These reasons are listed at the bottom.

Good reasons to use an English-English dictionary in class

1.   Stop translating

The most important reason to start using a dictionary that only has English in it is the same reason teachers insist you use only English in the classroom. If you can switch off the L1 part of your brain in class it will eventually become possible to think in English and so speed up your comprehension and production of the language. Using a monolingual dictionary not only means you are reading in English and avoiding your own language, but that you can also copy the definition down into your notebook and so increase your use of English outside class as well.

2.   Double practice

Many students are worried that when they look for one difficult English word in the dictionary they will just find it explained with another difficult word they also don't know. This will rarely happen with the right dictionary and if this happens all the time you should probably be using an easier one such as an Elementary Learners' Dictionary. If this still happens occasionally even when you have the right dictionary, that means that the word you don't know in the definition is also very useful and you are therefore getting double practice of English by learning that one too.

3.   Grading

As mentioned above, English-English dictionaries are available in many different levels. By using an Intermediate Learners' Dictionary, for example, you will know that any words which you read in a text that do not appear in the dictionary are not important enough to learn at this stage of your English studies and so can be ignored. If there are many words in the article you are reading that are not in the dictionary for your level, that is also a good sign that the text is too difficult and you should reading a graded text instead. Bilingual dictionaries are not often graded this way.

4.   Words that don't translate

Another problem students have if that they understand the English definition but still can't think what that word is in their own language, and so they go to a bilingual dictionary to check. Usually, though, this means that the translations given are not really the same thing as the English word. This is particularly true with personality words, where seemingly the same word in different languages might have very different positive and negative meanings. This is another case in which stopping translation helps- in this case to really learn what the English word means.

5.   Learn English grammar words

Students also sometimes complain that words like "noun" and "adverb" in the English-English dictionary make the definitions difficult to understand, but these are words you will also need in order to be able to study English without using your own language. A dictionary is a very good place to learn grammar words from because the same words are repeated many times. Copying these words down (or short versions like "n" or "adv") when you learn new vocabulary can help you learn the vocabulary better and learn the grammar words at the same time. Knowing these words in English will also help you discuss the language with people who do not speak your language, for example if you study abroad.

6.   More information

A good English-English dictionary for foreign language learners includes lots of extra information for study that most bilingual dictionaries leave out, such as the most used words in the English language, more definitions for each word, common confusions and mistakes, and the phonemic script for pronunciation

7. Checking with the teacherIf the teacher does not speak your language very well, the only way they can check if you have the right meaning of the word you are looking up is if the definition is in English.

8. Tying in with the textbook

Some textbooks have exercises that need monolingual dictionaries.

9. Learn to explain language in English

The way that a dictionary explains a word in simple language is very similar to what you will need to do if you can't think of a word in English and have to explain what you mean in other ways. Reading those kinds of explanations will make it easier for you to make explanations yourself such as "I can't think of the word, but it is a kind of...".

10. Cut down on dictionary use

Because using an English-English dictionary takes more time than using a bilingual one, especially an electronic one, this can stop students using dictionaries too often when they should be listening to the teacher or guessing words from context.

11. Quality control

By using a good English-English dictionary for learners recommended by your teacher, you can avoid the problems that some bilingual dictionaries (especially electronic ones) have such as lots of useless or out of date words no one uses and a lack definitions for each word.

Good reasons to use a bilingual dictionary in class

There are a few times when monolingual dictionaries are better, such as when you are looking for something that you know the name of in your language but can't explain or draw. Words that are almost impossible to explain just in English include vegetables and other plants, and fish and other animals. If your teacher has seen that you have make a good effort to use English only as often as possible, they will trust you when you sometimes say that the only way for you to find this word is to use a bilingual dictionary.

Why does my teacher make us work in pairs?

2010-07-19T00:01:00.001-07:00

The two biggest disagreements between teachers and students all over the world on how it is best to study English in class are about the amount of error correction and the amount of pairwork. Although there are exceptions, students usually want more correction and less pairwork- and teachers want to opposite. There are arguments on both sides, but most teaching experts agree that pairwork is a good thing if used at the right time in the right way. Some of the good reasons for using pairwork in class are given below. Not all teachers use pairwork in the right way all the time, though, and it might be that your doubts about pairwork were prompted by a teacher who was not using pairwork in the right way and for the right reasons. Bad reasons for using pairwork that could make you doubt its usefulness are given at the bottom of this article.

Good reasons for using pairwork in an English class

More speaking time

If 15 students speak in turn in a 30 minute class, that equals 2 minutes of speaking each- and for shy students it might work out as just one minute of speaking or less. If students work in pairs for the whole class, they could theoretically speak for as much as 15 minutes each, and certainly no one could speak as little as 1 minute.

Speaking skills

There are certain speaking skills that happen much more naturally and more often in pairs than in large groups, such as interrupting each other, using tag questions etc. to invite the other person to speak, and asking people for confirmation and clarification of what they said. In general, if you are going to be speaking English one to one in real life the best practice for it is one to one speaking in class, which usually means pairwork.

Cutting down on embarrassment

In a whole class speaking activity, not only do you have the stress of everyone listening to you but there is also usually silence while you are thinking of what you are going to say. In pairwork, the background noise of other pairs speaking to each other can make you much less embarrassed about speaking out.

Fun

Working in pairs allows the teacher to use more games, and therefore increases the students' motivation and concentration.

Individual attention

Although some students think that being asked to work in pairs is a sign of the teacher being lazy or of avoiding talking to the students, in fact the teacher can sometimes ask the whole class to work in pairs so he or she can talk to or listen to one student at a time without everyone else noticing.

Error correction

If one person is talking in front of the whole class and the teacher writes something in a notebook, everyone will know that the person speaking has made a mistake and will know whose mistake it is in the following error correction stage. People working in pairs means that the teacher can more easily hear people's mistakes and correct them later without embarrassing anyone.

Fluency

According to research, students who speak out in front of the class improve their accuracy but lose fluency, and the opposite is true of speaking in pairs. If you need to improve your fluency, this is usually best done with pairwork speaking activities.

Exam practice

Some speaking exams, such as the FCE and CAE, include speaking in pairs. The most efficient way to practice exams that are just one to one speaking with the examiner is also usually to do it in pairs. This is usually done with one student pretending to be the examiner.

Classroom dynamics

Speaking to your classmates individually will help you to get to know them better- and so make the atmosphere in class nicer and the communication between you in all classroom activities more natural.

Bad reasons for using pairwork in an English class

1. A break

Although teachers are human and need a break from speaking sometimes, a good teacher will actually be busy all the time when you are doing pairwork- listening for errors, cleaning the board, rewinding the tape etc. If you see your teacher just standing around during pairwork, it is usually okay to call them over to your pair to ask for help or to join in the conversation.

2. Habit

Most English teachers are taught that they must use pairwork in class, and like anyone in their jobs they sometimes get into a routine and don't think too carefully about whether it is the best response to every situation. In small classes, for example, pairwork might not lead to much more speaking time and so might not be needed so often. If you usually happily accept pairwork, the teacher will be more likely to listen if you occasionally ask if you can work as a whole class instead.

Crazy English and English Mania in China require a new method of learning English

2010-07-18T23:55:00.000-07:00

250 millions of Chinese learn English to improve their quality of life.

There are hundreds of “ESL for Chinese speakers” resources on the market; some of them are well established on the foreign languages market. However, the above-mentioned learning solutions have not met the actual needs of the customers because of their one-way interaction, relative inflexibility, time-constraints, and most importantly, inability to resolve the cross-translation problem that for most adult Chinese speakers acts as the main barrier in acquiring fluency in English.

The implementation of Language Bridge Technology (www.language-bridge.com) will harmonize and integrate the traditional and modern English learning. LB will be also matched with modern Internet-based marketing with extremely low overhead costs. Language Bridge ensures fluency and improved pronunciation in one quarter of the time, due to a different method of learning.

The teachers united in the ESL LB Association will become market leaders by applying cutting edge technology and an innovative way of teaching English. China is the world's fastest growing economy. In this environment, the demand for English teachers is always on the rise." In China more people than ever want to learn English. English learners are increasing in number and decreasing in age. The future of English has become more closely tied to the future of globalization itself. There is no way that this demand in learning English could be met without a new type of Technology-based learning. This is especially true since the Digital Learner appeared on the Global arena as a result of Internet revolution.

It took only 10,000 days to win the world and to change the definition of WWW to Whatever Whenever Wherever.

This is where entrepreneurial English teacher extraordinaire Li Yang comes in, when he introduced "Crazy English" in Beijing. He started promoting his method on a large scale in 1994. Since then, his method has become very popular; it currently has approximately 20 million practitioners. You may understand the essence of this crazy method watching this YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AjRkWm1jAU

In the following video Jay Walker explains why two billion people around the world are trying to learn English. He shares photos and spine-tingling audio of Chinese students rehearsing English "the world's second language" -- by the thousands. http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jay_walker_on_the_world_s_english_mania.html

Here is the problem: ESL teachers naturally teach their students by the same method they have used to acquire English skills, although English Mania and Digital Learners require a new approach to teaching ESL. The ESL teachers should change their teaching habits to ensure fast blended learning using the modern computer technology. Learners can't change their English learning habits, but teachers can and should change their teaching habits.

Language Bridge Technology offers a very efficient alternative to "Crazy English". It could be implemented for blended learning as combination of self-study software and public online or offline classes. Combined efforts of the Association members directed towards implementation in China promise unprecedented rewards due to the extremely large and incompletely covered market in China.

The strategy should focus on an introductory stage of offering LB software for free for ESL teachers in China and all other countries of the world. To raise public awareness of LB Technology we offer support in free retraining and licensing of ESL LB teachers. We can beat the competition by introducing really cutting edge technology that adapts and expands together with the Digital Learners of the world.

The relationship between English and globalization was a complex one: economic globalization encouraged the spread of English but the spread of English also encouraged globalization. According to a report titled, “English Next” by language researcher David Graddol, “... two billion people [will] be speaking or learning English within a decade.”

One billion of potential customers in the next 10 years will require a completely new approach in learning English fast to meet this gigantic demand. In this global economy, especially in countries such as China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Mexico – to name but a few – knowledge of English can be the deciding factor in finding a better job or getting a promotion. The majority of adult learners encounter great difficulties in acquiring English, due to cross-translation problems. We need a new approach to learning English that will help adults in overcoming cross-translation.

50 Weight Loss Tips

2010-07-18T02:16:00.000-07:00

I lost 30 pounds in three months. If you wanted to know how I did it, and how I intend on maintaining my current weight, then these 50 weight loss tips are for you. I’m not an expert, but I do speak from experience. If it helps you attain your own weight loss goals, then I’m happy to have helped (if only to serve as a reinforcement of knowledge you already possess). Most of this, I learned on my own or through close friends and family members. Feel free to add your own tips to this list, too!

If you want even more help, I now have an PDF eBook series available (with an affiliate program): get my diet weight loss ebookbefore you scoot away!

Dietary control and exercise. It’s true what they say – all you need to do is watch what you eat, and expend more energy than you consume. It’s really that simple. You can quit reading this list now, you now know everything you need to know and didn’t need to fork over $500 for the privilege of me telling you the secret of losing weight. You don’t need to read a 4,000 page book, you don’t have to buy a tape series, you don’t need to stay up late at night to watch infomercials to understand this basic premise. It’s 100% true.
Change your lifestyle. If you’re calling this a “diet,” then you’re going to gain all the weight back (and more) within a few months of losing it. Diets do not work. Diets are temporary. When you change your dietary lifestyle, however, you’re changing your habits – and you’re putting yourself on track for long-term / continued success and weight maintenance. Don’t ever tell anybody you’re on a diet – ever. I’m speaking from experience, here – a reformed low-carber. Worked out well for a while, but ultimately failed because my entire lifestyle didn’t change (permanently).
Join an online support group. In my case, I created my own – FatBlasters. It’s essential that you not feel alone, and reaching out to friends (new or old) is typically a smart move. I just heard about PeetTrainer, but didn’t know about it when I began down the road to weight loss. You have to know that others are out there for moral support – they know things that you couldn’t possibly know, and they’ve probably been “in your shoes” at some point in the past (or present). Share stories, laughter, tears, successes, and failures – share them. There are thousands of communities out there, so keep looking until you find the one that fits you.
Take before and after photos. I know it sucks to see yourself as a chunky monkey (sorry, that’s what I called myself – if only to get myself motivated to meet my weight loss goal). However, there’s no easier way to illustrate your progress. The “after” photos are far more fun to capture and share, admittedly. Find yourself on Flickr! It’s good to see yourself how others see you. Do you like how you look? In many ways, Flickr helped me lose weight.
Hire a substitute teacher. Don’t reach for the brands you know and love immediately – or without thinking first. Eggs are “good” for you, but consider using egg substitutes instead (in fact, many restaurants will let you order lower calorie foods). There are countless “lower” alternatives for you to try. If something different doesn’t taste good, by all means – find a better substitute, or eat less of the original. In some cases, the substitute may be worse for you than the regular version of the product. The good news is, healthier choices are silently replacing their “normal” counterparts – and they taste just as nice.
Start reading labels. I know it sucks, but you have to do it – and there’s no way to avoid this tip. If you don’t know what you’re putting in your mouth, you’re flying blind. Don’t assume, either – triple-check the ingredients list and serving sizes. You must rely on yourself for this; nobody else is going to be able to lose the weight or do the math for you. It’s not that complicated a task, but it will require effort. If nothing else, just pay attention to the calorie count.
What’s so funny about bovines? If you like cheese, you must buy the Laughing Cowbrand, and keep several of the suckers in stock at all times. The individually-wrapped wedges make for excellent snacks, and are wonderful when melted over just about anything edible. I’d be careful about straight-up American cheese, though – it’s oil, but not necessarily as good for you as (say) a slice of cheddar would be. I have yet to find something as calorie-light and filling as Laughing Cow (I don’t know how they do it).
Tell your family. You’re not going to lose the weight alone, even if you ARE alone in losing the weight. If you’ve got a family at home, talk to them about it – initially, not incessantly. Let them know what you’re going to do, and that you want (and need) their support. If you don’t let them know, you’re running the risk of them inadvertently sabotaging your efforts. You want them to help you get to your goal(s). You want them to share in your happiness when you’ve made it past a certain mark. Who knows? Maybe some of your new habits will rub off on them and they’ll become healthier people, too?
Go public. I didn’t want to admit that I had screwed up, but admitting the problem in public was the first step on the path to eventual success. I was now accountable for my actions, and all my friends knew what I was doing. There was no turning back, otherwise I’d be risk damaging my integrity. I didn’t want to disappoint the people who read me on a regular (or semi-regular) basis. Plus, it’s an easy way to find out which of your friends have gone through the process before – and glean tips from their own experiences. Then, other friends might become inspired to do the same thing you’re doing once they see that you’ve taken the first step.
Identify your exercise. No exercise was created equal. You might like running, so run. You might like jogging, so jog. You might like stationary bikes, so bike stationarily. Find the one that works best for you – that isn’t too much of a chore for you to do regularly throughout the week. Don’t pick a routine that you don’t like – or you won’t want to do it, and you certainly won’t stick with it for long. I also wouldn’t recommend buying into that whole “no pain, no gain” mantra. I’ve lost weight without hurting myself, and you probably can, too.
Become a Gazelle. You’ve probably seen Tony Little on TV, selling his Gazelle glider – a low impact exercise machine. I can tell you: it works. It’s easy on my legs, and really gives me a workout when I apply myself on it. Some people say it’s awkward to use, but I love mine – and would consider recommending no other home exercise equipment at this point. Then again, I’m a wimpy geek who only wants to burn calories.
Zone out. There’s a reason why people exercise to their favorite music – listening to external stimulus takes your mind off of the physical activity. That’s the secret to making “exercise time” fly. If you’re concentrating on what your body is doing, the session is going to drag on for what will seem like days. Buy a portable music player, or situate yourself in front of a television.

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Never count on live programming. It’s important to stimulate your mind while your body is exerting itself in other ways. However, never rely on “what’s on TV or the radio” at the time. Instead of zoning out, you’ll find yourself flipping between channels – and that’s going to make the time drag as much as it would if you weren’t keeping your mind busy in the first place. “Live” is a very bad idea. Go with pre-recorded programming or go without.
Video games helped me lose weight. I can keep my balance on the Gazelle (which some might find difficult to do). As such, I plugged an Xbox 360 into the TV and started to play it while I was working out. Immediately, I found that I was sweating more than I was when I was only watching TV passively! The reason boils down to a single word: adrenalin. Now, the only way I’m able to work up a sweat is when I play a fast-paced game on the game console. Yes, even game genre is important; avoid any diversions that require long pauses between tasks. Racing games (like Burnout) have worked very well for me. The more mindless the game, the better your burn, the faster the exercise session will go.
Set realistic goals. You can lose 50 pounds in a week if you work out 12 hours a day and eat nothing but celery – but not if you’re human. Slow and steady wins the race. Don’t bite off more than you can chew – literally. Make small goals on your way to the bigger goal(s). In the end, you’ll have achieved more (and more frequently, might I add).
Avoid trans fats and high fructose corn syrup. I offer this suggestion for a few reasons. First, they’re not good for you anyway. Second, you’ll eliminate a lot of the “bad foods” outright – no questions asked. You’ll have to become more selective in what you eat by avoiding these two nasty ingredients – which are in more foods than you probably care to know.
Don’t always listen to your mate. I’ve already suggested that you tell your family – but sometimes members of your family will try to dissuade you from trying to lose weight. It’s simple: they might not want you to succeed where they may have already failed, whether consciously or inadvertently. Your loss is not always their gain. Watch out for statements like: “You’ve lost enough weight.” or “I like you just the way you are.” Fact of the matter is, if YOU don’t like the way that YOU are – then YOU are going to have to do something about it, no matter what anybody says. They still love you, though (in theory).
Don’t compare yourself to others. Every body is different. It stands to reason that everybody will lose weight differently. Even if you do the exact same things that I do, you won’t lose weight at the same rate. The key is in finding your triggers. Keep your goal in sight, and do whatever you have to do to meet that goal. When you start looking at someone else’s habits, you’re only going to become discouraged and quit without even realizing that it’s physically impossible to be anybody but yourself.
Women aren’t men. It’s been proven that men can lose weight more rapidly than women can, which is likely due to our physiological makeup (women are supposed to have more fat than men, because they’re the birthing gender). This isn’t a sexist statement to make – it’s pretty much the truth. As such, females should expect to set separate goals than males – especially if you’re working on losing weight together, side by side.
Take a magic pill. Nonsense! There is no such thing as a magic pill. Don’t fall victim to the hype of the latest fat-burning drug commercial. If you listen or read closely, you’ll see that every single one of these things is effective when combined with proper diet and exercise (which they even state in their advertisements). The side-effects for these drugs are usually worse than your additional weight, anyway.
Vitamins are good for you. If you’re going to take any pills, let them be natural supplements (like Essential Fatty Acids or multivitamins). Be careful about overdoing it, though – especially with herbal remedies. Too much of anything is a bad thing. You can consult a nutritionist, but always buy on your own – and keep these supplements to a minimum. Remember, too, that specific vitamins are no good without specific minerals.
Deck your desktop. In the beginning, some of my friends sent me complicated spreadsheets to help chart progress. Uh, no – not for me; I’m the kind of guy who likes taking the easy route. As such, I scoured the Web for the best desktop tool and remembered CalorieKing. You won’t find anything easier to use. Trust me, this is the one; I can keep track of everything I eat and expend (without hassle). While the statistic-addicts will love CalorieKing for its thoroughness, the utility was truly designed with non-geeks in mind. The CalorieKing Web site and service are fine on their own, but the downloadable client is what you really want to get. Pay the registration fee, man – how much is your health worth to you?
Identify your ideal weight. If you’re 5′5″ with a certain build, there’s an ideal weight that matches your body type. Find it – and make that your goal. And if you don’t know what that might be, try searching the Web for a calculator (though results and calculations will vary by a small margin). Now you have a weight goal to shoot for.
Consider the source. I’m going to make a gross generalization here, but… why would I trust an overweight doctor or nutritionist to give me proper advice on weight loss? “Do as I say and not as I do” is not a maxim I’m willing to accept from anybody who would be qualified to tell me how to do something. Talk to people who are doing it, or who have done it and been successful. You don’t have to mirror their regimen, but at least you’re getting help from someone who’s really been there. Or, as they said in the Christmas episode of “Two and a Half Men,” people who live in fat asses shouldn’t throw waffles.
Ignore Ronald McDonald. You don’t have to eliminate fast food completely, but you should avoid it at all costs. Most of it is nasty, bad stuff anyway – if you’d even go as far as to call it food. If you’re looking for convenience, find a more convenient meal source. Besides, most of what they serve would be considered “food product,” not food. There’s a gigantic difference as far as your body is concerned. Your bloodstream does not have taste buds, need I remind you?
Scale up. If your measurement tool sucks, upgrade it. If it’s analog, dump it. I’ve talked to many geeks about their choice in scales, and most of them (myself included) recommend something in the Tanita family. They’re high-quality, rugged, accurate devices. Make sure you set your scale on a hard surface, too (as carpet foundations do not make for accurate weight measurements).
Watch your weight. Some people say that you shouldn’t weigh yourself more than once a week. I’ve been much happier charting my progress every day. No matter what, you need to weigh in at the same time, every time. For me, that’s 10am every morning (or somewhere thereabout). If you decide to weigh yourself every single day, understand that your weight will fluctuate by one or two pounds – and that you should only keep a serious eye on the lengthier trends.
One pound a week. If you’re not losing at least one pound a week on your chosen weight loss regimen, you’re (a) stalled, or (b) finished. You might need to push yourself even harder, or (in some cases) let up a little bit while your body plays catch-up. If you lose more than one pound a week, then you’re doing better than average. Expecting to lose five pounds a week just isn’t realistic, though.
Maintain your priorities. Sure, your sandwich would taste amazing with an extra tablespoon of mayonnaise… but do you really need it? Rather, is it more important for you to reach your weight loss goal quicker – or have this sandwich taste marginally better? What’ll happen the next time you’re faced with this decision – will you cave again? It’s a slippery slope; don’t lose sight of what’s most important to you.
All weight is not equal. Muscle weighs more than fat, but the last thing you want to lose is muscle! For this reason alone, it’s important to have a regular exercise routine somewhere in your schedule. Without exercise, your body is going to burn through muscle first – and you’ll wind up more imbalanced than you were to begin with. You want your body to burn fat, not muscle. You want to lose weight, but you want to lose “fat” weight – not muscle mass.
Counteract the “Rainy Day” principle. If you decrease your calorie count without necessarily increasing your physical activity level, your body is going to crash. It’s going to say to itself: “Holy sh*t! I better store these calories as fat, because I’m not getting enough of them – and I don’t want to die.” When you exercise, you set your body’s process to “burn” instead of “save.”
Don’t overdo it. If you change something in your lifestyle, you’re probably going to see results – but there’s a law of diminishing returns at play. You can exercise for an extra hour a day for a week and still lose the same amount as you had when you were only exercising half as much. Give your body time to adjust – don’t push yourself too hard or you’re just going to spend your energy on something that’s not necessarily going to give you immediate and direct benefit. This, of course, only applies to those of you wanting to lose fat – not for those who are training for a triathlon.
Patterns are good. Once you’ve found your workout groove, do your best to stick with it. Exercise no less than three times a week for 40 – 60 minutes each time, but don’t feel the “need” to do it more than five times over a seven day period. Your body will likely appreciate a burn-off in the morning more, but if you need to relieve stress in the evening – don’t be afraid to adjust your workout schedule accordingly. Schedule making and keeping are important for other areas of your life as well.
Sleep it off. To be an efficient fat-burning machine, your body requires at least eight hours of sleep a night. If you think that you’re doing yourself a favor by sleeping less, you’re mistaken. Give your body time to rest itself, both mentally and physically. Sleep is very, very important (if only for mental alertness for the following day). If you feel tired, that’s likely your body’s way of saying: “Shut your eyes, stupid!”
Remember that the fork is not a shovel. I eat fast (I swear I can’t help it). Even if I’m not hungry, I want to shovel everything into my mouth in less than a minute. But my brain doesn’t know that my stomach is full until twenty minutes after it actually is. As such, I could stuff myself silly before realizing I didn’t need to consume as much as I did. Try eating half of what’s on your plate, wait ten minutes, then continue to eat if you’re still hungry. You never want to feel full – ever. That’s when you know you’ve eaten too much. If you want a real hunger-stopper, try an Omega 3 and Omega 6 supplement (EFAs) twenty minutes before a meal.
Become your own snack fairy. It’s okay to snack between meals, really. Small meals throughout the day are enough to keep you satisfied, as (much like the sensation of being full) you never want to feel hungry. Let your body know it’s going to get a regular regimen of calories. Plus, if you starve yourself for the regular meals, you’re probably going to eat more before your brain tells your mouth to stop. Think about it: breakfast, lunch, and dinner are social constructs at their very core.
Love the oil companies. Just like your car needs high-quality oil, so too does your body. Not all oils were created equal, though it’s hotly contested which ones are better for you than others. Personally, I love a good olive oil – it’s 100% natural and is rich with Omega 9 fatty acids. Enova is another one that we’ve found to work quite well in our lifestyle at home. Choose your oil wisely, though – your weight loss goal should be more than simply cosmetic. It’s a good rule of thumb when it comes to food: the more natural something is, the better it is for you.
Fat is where it’s at. If you think you can lose weight and keep it off by avoiding all fats, you’re sadly mistaken. In fact, if you think that low fat eating is the only way to go, you might as well just quit now. Your body (and your brain) needs fat to survive! This is why the scientists call “them” essential fatty acids – Omegas 3, 6, and 9. These fats have been stripped from many supermarket shelf items, and it’s your responsibility to put fat back into your dietary plan. Don’t avoid eating fat, embrace it – equally.
Bring balance to the force. If you eat the same foods over and over again, you’re going to get bored – unless they’re foods you really, really like. Feel free to change it up – keep your tongue happy. Balance carbs with proteins with fats, though. If you have more of one nutrient for one meal, try more of another nutrient for the next. And for heaven’s sake, don’t just shop in the “diet” section of the store. You can still (likely) eat the same things you’ve always eaten, just not so much of them at any one time.
Know your daily calorie limit. When I was in the process of losing weight, it was suggested that I stay under 1700 calories a day. Knowing that number was half the battle. I could eat anything I wanted throughout the day, so long as I would stay at or beneath that number. While I couldn’t track 100% of the items I ate, I was able to make intake estimates – and adjust my schedule and ration my remaining calories accordingly. In this sense, you’re given extreme freedom – so long as you stay at or beneath that suggested calorie level for your plan. If you don’t know how much you’re supposed to take in, how are you supposed to know how much you’re supposed to take in?! Sounds redundant, but it’s a situation that many “dieters” are in (which is why they fail)!
Fiber good. When you start to lose fat, you’re probably going to get constipated. Yeah, it happens more frequently than we care to admit (or share). You should have a good amount of fiber every day, anyway. Fiber is very important to your health (and your weight loss goals). Try the Metamucil snack wafers for a quick fiber infusion. Then, magnesium citrate for those… “stuck” moments, in which you’ll find yourself from time to time. Stick a bottle or two of that in your fridge for safe keeping, and don’t plan on going anywhere for 24 hours after taking a dose (trust me, trust me, trust me).
Walk the walk. You burn calories when you walk, did you know that? Certainly, you don’t expend as much energy as you do when you run, but you burn it nonetheless. Consider picking up a good pedometer, if only to gauge how many steps you take in the average day. According to others, the Omron HJ112 Premium Pedometer is the one to beat. If nothing else, knowing how many steps you take on the average day will give you a better idea as to your regular activity level – around the home and/or the office. Plus, you can count those steps as calorie deficits in certain programs (like CalorieKing).
Train wrecks will happen. One of these nights, you’re going to go out with friends and eat your weight in steak (likely blowing any kind of progress you had made for that day). Instead of repeating the overindulgence, just put yourself back on track the next day. You’re allowed to “mess up” every now and again, so long as you don’t make a habit out of consuming an excessive amount of food. Right the dining injustice immediately. You’ll be okay. You’ll be fine. Just don’t do it again. And again. And again. And again.
Satisfy cravings with extreme prejudice. If you’re hungry for something, eat it. Don’t deny yourself the simple pleasures. If it’s possible, eat only half of what you want. Is your craving satisfied, or are you addicted to the flavor? Losing weight shouldn’t be torture for anybody. You have to ask yourself: Is it more important for me to eat this entire case of fudgesicles, or to look good for my brother’s wedding? Only you have the answer to that question, and if you ignore logic, you’re going to hurt yourself in the long-run. Just take a nibble or two – I won’t tell a soul.
Water you waiting for? If you’re not drinking enough water, your body will let you know. Thirst is an amazing sensation – quench it. If you’re not hydrated, your body won’t be working at peak levels. Most of your body happens to be water, by the way. If you’re worried about “water weight,” remember that you’re likely to retain more water when you’re not giving your body enough of it in the first place. Besides, that’s what those workout sessions are supposed to help with every other morning. I’m not going to dictate how many glasses you should drink, though – as that’s going to vary from person to person.
Join the soda club. Like most people, I love carbonated beverages. However, unlike most people, I love unflavored carbonated beverages – and if your tongue is attune to sugary-sweet drinks, you’re also the kind of person who believes that club soda tastes salty (even when it contains no sodium). Make the move to an unflavored drink sooner rather than later. If you need help along the way, lemons and limes can be your best friends. If you’re going to drink something more than water, at least make sure it’s not going to hinder your progress. If you’re a sugary-soda drinker, dropping it from your daily routine altogether will help you drop ~5 or more pounds in a single week (WITHOUT doing anything else).
Sugar is evil that tastes good. You probably don’t want to hear this, but sugar is a bad thing. The more refined it comes, the more your body is going to react negatively to it. Sugar, sugar, sugar is in everything, everything, everything. If it’s sweet, it’s got sugar in it. There are all sorts of sugars out there, and all of them are ultimately metabolized by the body. It’s a good bet that the sugars in an apple are better for you than the sugars in a candy bar, though. If you’re addicted to sugar, this is going to be a horrible hurdle to overcome.
Sugar substitutes are just as evil as sugar itself. Do you really think your body knows how to handle something that was man-made? Seriously. These chemically-adjusted products do not occur in the wild; there are no Splenda trees in warmer climates, nor are there NutraSweet plants in the Arctic. In some instances, taking in sugar substitutes may actually increase your levels of hunger! Let’s not forget about all the health issues that might arise from these unnatural substances. If you’re given a choice, it’s almost better to go with something your body knows how to deal with (real, unprocessed sugar). No, it’s much safer (and healthier) to stay away from blue, pink, and yellow packets entirely. Do a Web search for “Artificial Sweeteners May Damage Diet Efforts.” Then sit there and tell me they’re okay? No way.
White bread can’t jump. Did you know that white bread isn’t good for you? Oh, it’s true – just ask any diabetic. Research has shown that people who eat more refined products (like white bread) are more likely to have belly fat. Why? It’s simple: your body isn’t getting what it needs. The food industry isn’t the health industry, okay? You can’t trust that they’ve got your best interests at heart (despite all their marketing efforts). If you want the flavor of white bread, please eat the whole grain white bread instead? Sara lee makes a wonderful loaf, as I can personally attest (even though I like rye more than white or wheat). Repeat after me: whole grain white bread, whole grain white bread.
Hasta la pasta, baby. Much like its cousin, white bread, refined pasta can damage your health and pinch your weight loss plans. I’m not saying you should quit pasta altogether, but I will suggest that you change your pasta pusher to Barilla. They have a new wheat pasta that’s a dead ringer for the ol’ crappy white stuff you used to eat. “Barilla PLUS” is absolutely fantastic, as well as a good source of fiber and protein. You’re usually going to be better off with a “wheat” option, although traditional wheat pasta has a texture that you might not like (even though I find it perfectly acceptable to my palate).

Now, once you’ve achieved your weight loss goals, what are you going to do to keep the fat at bay? The worst thing you can do is something I’ve done countless times over: get lazy. I’ve conveniently forgotten about all of the aforementioned rules a few times, and it’s put me back in the same situation I don’t want to be in – ever again. While I don’t have to be as careful as I was during the weight loss period, I’m still measuring myself and recording my daily activities. This may turn into a weekly weigh-in soon enough, as it’s easier to correct yourself at 5lbs than it is at 50lbs. Good luck!

Last Words Quotes

2010-07-13T11:40:00.001-07:00

Quotes
Et tu, Brute?
Shakespeare
Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.
Bible
Great God! this is an awful place...
Robert Falcon Scott
I am about to - or I am going to - die: either expression is used.
Dominique Bouhours
I am just going outside and may be some time.
Captain Lawrence Oates
I desire to go to Hell and not to Heaven.
Niccolo Machiavelli
I know you are here to kill me. Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man.
Che Guevara
Let us now relieve the Romans of their fears by the death of a feeble old man.
Hannibal
Yes, I'd like a bulletproof vest.
James Rodges

Death Quotes

2010-07-13T11:38:00.002-07:00

Women Quotes

2010-07-13T11:38:00.001-07:00

Marriage Quotes

2010-07-13T11:37:00.001-07:00

Quotes
As to marriage or celibacy, let a man take which course he will, he will be sure to repent.
Socrates
Bachelors know more about women than married men; if they didn't they'd be married too.
H L Mencken
Bigamy is having one husband or wife too many. Monogamy is the same.
Oscar Wilde
Divorce: the past tense of marriage.
Anon.
English Law prohibits a man from marrying his mother-in-law. This is our idea of useless legislation.
Anon.
If you want to sacrifice the admiration of many men for the criticism of one, go ahead, get married.
Katharine Hepburn
It destroys one's nerves to be amiable every day to the same human being.
Benjamin Disraeli
Marriage is a chain so heavy that it takes two people to carry it - sometimes three.
Alexandre Dumas
Marriage is the triumph of hope over experience.
Samuel Johnson
Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence.
Oscar Wilde
Mistress: something between a mister and a mattress.
Anon.
Some people claim that marriage interferes with romance...
Groucho Marx
Spouse: someone who'll stand by you through all the trouble you wouldn't have had if you'd stayed single.
Anon.
There are three rings involved with marriage...
Woody Allen