http://www.eltcafe.net/ Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:01:35 +0300 MyBB http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=5613 Wed, 26 May 2010 08:25:27 +0300 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=5613
• sh: - ş olarak okunur.
she (şi): o, dish (diş): tabak, shape (şeyp): şekil

• ch: genel olarak ç olarak okunur.
chair (çeyı): sandalye, achieve (eçiv): başarmak, chip (çip)

• au: genelde o olarak okunur.
auto (oto), daughter ( dotı): kız evlat, moan ( mon): yakınmak

• kn: yanyana geldiğinde k harfi okunmaz.
know (nou): bilmek, knee (ni): diz, knit (nit): örmek

Bu kelimelerin söylenişlerine dikkat ediniz :
ability / yetenek / ıbılıt i/ ebiliti diye okunmaz.
calm / sakin / ca:m / İçinde geçen l harfi okunmaz.
heir / mirasçı / eı: / Başındaki h harfi okunmaz.
climb/ tırmanmak/ claym / Sonundaki b harfi okunmaz.
climber/ dağcı / claymır / İçinde geçen b harfi okunmaz.
cough / öksürmek / kaf
debt / borc / det / İçinde geçen b harfi okunmaz.
folk / halk / fouk / İçinde geçen l harfi okunmaz.
half / yarım / ha:f / İçinde geçen l harfi okunmaz.
height / yükseklik / hayt / heyt diye okunmaz.
knowledge / bilgi / nalıc / novlıc diye okunmaz.
opportunity / fırsat / apı:tyuniti / opporçunity diye okunmaz.
performance / verim gücü / pıfo:mıns / performans diye okunmaz.
resume / özgeçmiş / rezyumei / rizu:m diye okunmaz.
steadily / muntazaman / stedili / stidili diye okunmaz.
subtle / ince, kurnaz / satl / sabtıl diye okunmaz.
talk / konuşmak / to:k / içinde geçen l harfi okunmaz.
tortoise / kaplumbağa / to:tıs / tortoys diye okunmaz.
tough / sağlam / taf
walk / yürümek / wo:k / içinde geçen l harfi okunmaz.
wear / giymek / weı / wiır diye okunmaz.

':' işareti önündeki harfi uzun okunmanız gerektiği anlamına gelir.

Alıntı]]>
• sh: - ş olarak okunur.
she (şi): o, dish (diş): tabak, shape (şeyp): şekil

• ch: genel olarak ç olarak okunur.
chair (çeyı): sandalye, achieve (eçiv): başarmak, chip (çip)

• au: genelde o olarak okunur.
auto (oto), daughter ( dotı): kız evlat, moan ( mon): yakınmak

• kn: yanyana geldiğinde k harfi okunmaz.
know (nou): bilmek, knee (ni): diz, knit (nit): örmek

Bu kelimelerin söylenişlerine dikkat ediniz :
ability / yetenek / ıbılıt i/ ebiliti diye okunmaz.
calm / sakin / ca:m / İçinde geçen l harfi okunmaz.
heir / mirasçı / eı: / Başındaki h harfi okunmaz.
climb/ tırmanmak/ claym / Sonundaki b harfi okunmaz.
climber/ dağcı / claymır / İçinde geçen b harfi okunmaz.
cough / öksürmek / kaf
debt / borc / det / İçinde geçen b harfi okunmaz.
folk / halk / fouk / İçinde geçen l harfi okunmaz.
half / yarım / ha:f / İçinde geçen l harfi okunmaz.
height / yükseklik / hayt / heyt diye okunmaz.
knowledge / bilgi / nalıc / novlıc diye okunmaz.
opportunity / fırsat / apı:tyuniti / opporçunity diye okunmaz.
performance / verim gücü / pıfo:mıns / performans diye okunmaz.
resume / özgeçmiş / rezyumei / rizu:m diye okunmaz.
steadily / muntazaman / stedili / stidili diye okunmaz.
subtle / ince, kurnaz / satl / sabtıl diye okunmaz.
talk / konuşmak / to:k / içinde geçen l harfi okunmaz.
tortoise / kaplumbağa / to:tıs / tortoys diye okunmaz.
tough / sağlam / taf
walk / yürümek / wo:k / içinde geçen l harfi okunmaz.
wear / giymek / weı / wiır diye okunmaz.

':' işareti önündeki harfi uzun okunmanız gerektiği anlamına gelir.

Alıntı]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=5609 Sat, 15 May 2010 16:25:48 +0300 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=5609
Lisan konusunu 4 ayri bolumde ele almamiz gerektigini hepimiz biliyoruz.

Okuma - Yazma - Anlama/Dinleme - Konusma ..

Bunlardan hangisinde eksik isek, agirligi ona vermemiz gerekir.
Okuma ve yazma bireysel calismalarla gelistirelebilir. Konusmaya gelince, kulak duymazsa dil acilmaz derler. Eger birileriyle canli pratik yapma imkanimiz yoksa, peki neler yapabiliriz?

- Audio ve video lisan materyallerini kullanalim derim, cok faydasini gorecegimiz kesin. (Ornek ; Bunun icin hergun birkac saatinizi ayirmak yeterli. ingilizceforum.net/Learning Videos cok faydali bir kaynak, cok emek verilerek olusturulmus..)
- Basta yanlis dahi olsa, firsat buldukca ingilizce konusmaya calismaliyiz.. (Ozellikle, kulagin duyabilecegi tonda kelime ve cumle tekrari cok onemli)
- Kendi aramizda da konusmayi ihmal etmeyelim. (Yazdigimiz ve okudugumuz bir kisa olayi, gunluk yasami ingilizce ifade edebiliriz.)
- Ingilizce konusmaya baslamadan once, kafamizda kelime karsiligi, cumle arayisi ve cevap kaliplari olusturmaktan kacinmaliyiz. Konustukca bir muddet sonra zaten kendiliginden hafizaya yerlesicektir. Ama bunun olabilmesi icin de okuma ve yazma calismalarini ihmal etmemeliyiz.

Yuzlerce saat dinleme yapilmadan, bu isin sadece gramer kaliplarini ve kelimeleri ogrenme suretiyle olamayacagi kesin ..
Gune, dinlemeyle baslamanizi tavsiye ederim faydasini muhakkak goreceksiniz.]]>
Lisan konusunu 4 ayri bolumde ele almamiz gerektigini hepimiz biliyoruz.

Okuma - Yazma - Anlama/Dinleme - Konusma ..

Bunlardan hangisinde eksik isek, agirligi ona vermemiz gerekir.
Okuma ve yazma bireysel calismalarla gelistirelebilir. Konusmaya gelince, kulak duymazsa dil acilmaz derler. Eger birileriyle canli pratik yapma imkanimiz yoksa, peki neler yapabiliriz?

- Audio ve video lisan materyallerini kullanalim derim, cok faydasini gorecegimiz kesin. (Ornek ; Bunun icin hergun birkac saatinizi ayirmak yeterli. ingilizceforum.net/Learning Videos cok faydali bir kaynak, cok emek verilerek olusturulmus..)
- Basta yanlis dahi olsa, firsat buldukca ingilizce konusmaya calismaliyiz.. (Ozellikle, kulagin duyabilecegi tonda kelime ve cumle tekrari cok onemli)
- Kendi aramizda da konusmayi ihmal etmeyelim. (Yazdigimiz ve okudugumuz bir kisa olayi, gunluk yasami ingilizce ifade edebiliriz.)
- Ingilizce konusmaya baslamadan once, kafamizda kelime karsiligi, cumle arayisi ve cevap kaliplari olusturmaktan kacinmaliyiz. Konustukca bir muddet sonra zaten kendiliginden hafizaya yerlesicektir. Ama bunun olabilmesi icin de okuma ve yazma calismalarini ihmal etmemeliyiz.

Yuzlerce saat dinleme yapilmadan, bu isin sadece gramer kaliplarini ve kelimeleri ogrenme suretiyle olamayacagi kesin ..
Gune, dinlemeyle baslamanizi tavsiye ederim faydasini muhakkak goreceksiniz.]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=5608 Sat, 15 May 2010 16:21:07 +0300 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=5608
Peki İngilizce’de konuşma ve yazma becerilerinin gelişiminin diğer iki dil becerisi olan okuma ve dinleme ile doğrudan bağlantısı olduğunu biliyor muydunuz?

Aklınızda bulundurmanız gereken en önemli şey okuma ve dinlemenin alınan bilgilerden oluştuğu, konuşma ve yazmanın ise alınmış olan bilgilerin çıkışı, yani üretim olduğudur. Başka bir deyişle eğer İngilizce konuşma ve yazma becerilerinizi geliştirmek istiyorsanız, okuma ve dinleme becerilerinize iyice hakim olmanız gerekiyor. Bunu gerçekleştirebilmeniz için bazı yöntemler var:

1) Okuma

Okuyabildiğiniz kadar okuyun. Ancak okumanızın aktif olması gerekiyor. Bu okuduğunuz yazının kuruluşu ve size yabancı gelen kelimeler üzerinde düşünerek okumanız anlamına geliyor. Karmaşık gramer yapılarına takılmanıza ya da karşılaştığınız her yabancı kelimeyi anlamaya çalışmanıza gerek yok. Önemli olan bu kelimeleri bir defa gördükten sonra bir kitapta veya bir metinde tekrar karşılaştığınızda tanıyabilmenizdir. Bir not defteri edinmeniz çok daha iyi olacaktır, böylece önemli kelimeler veya yapılarla karşılaştığınızda bunları defterinize not edebilirsiniz. Okumaya başlarken Penguin Readers’ın zorluk derecesine göre sınıflandırılmış kitaplarını okumanızı önerebiliriz.

2) Dinleme

İngilizce duyuşunuzu geliştirebilmeniz için iki seçenek mümkün:

• Okumanın haricinde günde yarım saatinizi İngilizce dinlemeye ayırabilirsiniz.
• Sadece okumaya konsantre olabilir ve okumada ustalaşabilirsiniz, ardından duyuş açığınızı kapatabilirsiniz.

Ben ikincisini tercih ederim, çünkü okumada anadilinizmişcesine ustalaştıkça dinleme becerileriniz otomatik olarak artar. Zihninizde birikmiş ve depolanmış birçok bilgi olduğundan dolayı karşınızdaki konuşmacının ne demek istediğini kolayca tahmin edebilir hale gelirsiniz. Ancak bu asla dinleme egzersizi yapmamanız gerektiği anlamına gelmiyor.

İngilizce duyuşunuzu geliştirmek için çocuklar için yapılmış çizgi film ya da filmleri de tercih edin. Bu filmlerde kullanılan dil basit, ve karmaşık ifadeler ya da argo terimler içermiyor.Ya da eğer duyuşunuz zaten gelişmiş durumdaysa her gün Voice Of America veya BBC radyo programlarını dinleyebilirsiniz. Bu aktiviteleri yaparken aktif dinleme halinde olmanız ve dinlerken de not almanız gerektiğini hatırlatmakta fayda var.

Bu önerilere kulak verdiğiniz taktirde İngilizce konuşmanız ve yazmanız kendiliğinden gelişecek ve biraz çabayla da mükemmel hale gelecek.

Alıntı]]>
Peki İngilizce’de konuşma ve yazma becerilerinin gelişiminin diğer iki dil becerisi olan okuma ve dinleme ile doğrudan bağlantısı olduğunu biliyor muydunuz?

Aklınızda bulundurmanız gereken en önemli şey okuma ve dinlemenin alınan bilgilerden oluştuğu, konuşma ve yazmanın ise alınmış olan bilgilerin çıkışı, yani üretim olduğudur. Başka bir deyişle eğer İngilizce konuşma ve yazma becerilerinizi geliştirmek istiyorsanız, okuma ve dinleme becerilerinize iyice hakim olmanız gerekiyor. Bunu gerçekleştirebilmeniz için bazı yöntemler var:

1) Okuma

Okuyabildiğiniz kadar okuyun. Ancak okumanızın aktif olması gerekiyor. Bu okuduğunuz yazının kuruluşu ve size yabancı gelen kelimeler üzerinde düşünerek okumanız anlamına geliyor. Karmaşık gramer yapılarına takılmanıza ya da karşılaştığınız her yabancı kelimeyi anlamaya çalışmanıza gerek yok. Önemli olan bu kelimeleri bir defa gördükten sonra bir kitapta veya bir metinde tekrar karşılaştığınızda tanıyabilmenizdir. Bir not defteri edinmeniz çok daha iyi olacaktır, böylece önemli kelimeler veya yapılarla karşılaştığınızda bunları defterinize not edebilirsiniz. Okumaya başlarken Penguin Readers’ın zorluk derecesine göre sınıflandırılmış kitaplarını okumanızı önerebiliriz.

2) Dinleme

İngilizce duyuşunuzu geliştirebilmeniz için iki seçenek mümkün:

• Okumanın haricinde günde yarım saatinizi İngilizce dinlemeye ayırabilirsiniz.
• Sadece okumaya konsantre olabilir ve okumada ustalaşabilirsiniz, ardından duyuş açığınızı kapatabilirsiniz.

Ben ikincisini tercih ederim, çünkü okumada anadilinizmişcesine ustalaştıkça dinleme becerileriniz otomatik olarak artar. Zihninizde birikmiş ve depolanmış birçok bilgi olduğundan dolayı karşınızdaki konuşmacının ne demek istediğini kolayca tahmin edebilir hale gelirsiniz. Ancak bu asla dinleme egzersizi yapmamanız gerektiği anlamına gelmiyor.

İngilizce duyuşunuzu geliştirmek için çocuklar için yapılmış çizgi film ya da filmleri de tercih edin. Bu filmlerde kullanılan dil basit, ve karmaşık ifadeler ya da argo terimler içermiyor.Ya da eğer duyuşunuz zaten gelişmiş durumdaysa her gün Voice Of America veya BBC radyo programlarını dinleyebilirsiniz. Bu aktiviteleri yaparken aktif dinleme halinde olmanız ve dinlerken de not almanız gerektiğini hatırlatmakta fayda var.

Bu önerilere kulak verdiğiniz taktirde İngilizce konuşmanız ve yazmanız kendiliğinden gelişecek ve biraz çabayla da mükemmel hale gelecek.

Alıntı]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=5607 Sat, 15 May 2010 16:19:56 +0300 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=5607 Kayıt Ol! -
Giriş Yap...

1. Dinlemek,
2. Anlamak,
3. Kelimeleri Söyleyerek Alıştırma Yapmak
Bu 3 kuralın her biri İngilizce öğrenmekte etkili ama daha iyi İngilizce konuşmanın esas anahtarı HEPSİNİ birarada kullanmak..

Çok dinlerseniz çok kelime bilirsiniz, ama kelimeleri söyleyerek alıştırma yapmazsanız, kötü bir telaffuzunuz olur ve konuşamazsınız.

Eğer dinleme ve konuşma alıştırmasını çok yaparsanız, ancak kelime çalışmazsanız, düşük bir kelime hazneniz olur ve söylemek istediğiniz şeyi ifade edemezsiniz.

Eğer sadece kelimeleri çalışır ve söyleyerek alıştırma yaparsanız, biraz daha iyi bir durumda olabilirsiniz, ancak yine de ‘İngilizce’nin Sesi’ne kulak alışkanlığı geliştirmemiş ve yeni dilinizde hala ‘düşünmekte’ zorlanacaksınız.

Hepsi bir arada kullanıldığında, kendiniz için çok güçlü bir İngilizce öğrenme programı yaratabilirsiniz. Sonuçlarını çabuk görebileceğiniz ve ilerlemenizden memnuniyet duyacağınız bir program.

(Alıntı)]]> Kayıt Ol! -
Giriş Yap...

1. Dinlemek,
2. Anlamak,
3. Kelimeleri Söyleyerek Alıştırma Yapmak
Bu 3 kuralın her biri İngilizce öğrenmekte etkili ama daha iyi İngilizce konuşmanın esas anahtarı HEPSİNİ birarada kullanmak..

Çok dinlerseniz çok kelime bilirsiniz, ama kelimeleri söyleyerek alıştırma yapmazsanız, kötü bir telaffuzunuz olur ve konuşamazsınız.

Eğer dinleme ve konuşma alıştırmasını çok yaparsanız, ancak kelime çalışmazsanız, düşük bir kelime hazneniz olur ve söylemek istediğiniz şeyi ifade edemezsiniz.

Eğer sadece kelimeleri çalışır ve söyleyerek alıştırma yaparsanız, biraz daha iyi bir durumda olabilirsiniz, ancak yine de ‘İngilizce’nin Sesi’ne kulak alışkanlığı geliştirmemiş ve yeni dilinizde hala ‘düşünmekte’ zorlanacaksınız.

Hepsi bir arada kullanıldığında, kendiniz için çok güçlü bir İngilizce öğrenme programı yaratabilirsiniz. Sonuçlarını çabuk görebileceğiniz ve ilerlemenizden memnuniyet duyacağınız bir program.

(Alıntı)]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=5425 Sun, 04 Apr 2010 02:16:24 +0300 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=5425
[attachment=1037]

1. This is my friend, Jack. (Bu benim arkadaşım, Jack.)

Hi Jack. I'm Linda (Merhaba Jack. Ben Linda.)

my brother, Bob. (Erkek kardeşim, Bob.)

my sister, Cindy. (Kız kardeşim, Cindy.)

my father, Mr. Harris. (Babam, Mr Harris.)

my mother, Mrs. Harris. (Annem, Mrs. Harris.)

my teacher, Ms. Watson. (Öğretmenim, Ms. Watson.)

my student, Carrie. (Öğrencim, Carrie.)

my friend, Mary Jones. (Arkadaşım, Mary Jones.)

my boss, Mr. Ritter. (Patronum, Mr. Ritter.)

my co-worker, Penny Pitcher. (İş arkadaşım, Penny Pitcher.)


2. Nice to meet you. (Tanıştığıma memnun oldum.)

Nice to meet you too. (Ben de.)]]>
[attachment=1037]

1. This is my friend, Jack. (Bu benim arkadaşım, Jack.)

Hi Jack. I'm Linda (Merhaba Jack. Ben Linda.)

my brother, Bob. (Erkek kardeşim, Bob.)

my sister, Cindy. (Kız kardeşim, Cindy.)

my father, Mr. Harris. (Babam, Mr Harris.)

my mother, Mrs. Harris. (Annem, Mrs. Harris.)

my teacher, Ms. Watson. (Öğretmenim, Ms. Watson.)

my student, Carrie. (Öğrencim, Carrie.)

my friend, Mary Jones. (Arkadaşım, Mary Jones.)

my boss, Mr. Ritter. (Patronum, Mr. Ritter.)

my co-worker, Penny Pitcher. (İş arkadaşım, Penny Pitcher.)


2. Nice to meet you. (Tanıştığıma memnun oldum.)

Nice to meet you too. (Ben de.)]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=5424 Sun, 04 Apr 2010 02:09:10 +0300 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=5424
[attachment=1036]

1. I'm John. (Ben John.)

I'm Jackie. (Gayri resmi konuşmalarda soyadınızı söylemenize gerek yok.)


2. I'm John Kennedy.

I'm Jackie O'Neill. (Resmi konuşmalarda hem adınızı hem soyadınızı belirtin.)


3. (It's) nice to meet you. (Tanıştığıma memnun oldum.)

(It's) nice meeting you.

(It's) good to meet you.


4. Nice to meet you too. (Ben de tanıştığıma memnun oldum.)]]>
[attachment=1036]

1. I'm John. (Ben John.)

I'm Jackie. (Gayri resmi konuşmalarda soyadınızı söylemenize gerek yok.)


2. I'm John Kennedy.

I'm Jackie O'Neill. (Resmi konuşmalarda hem adınızı hem soyadınızı belirtin.)


3. (It's) nice to meet you. (Tanıştığıma memnun oldum.)

(It's) nice meeting you.

(It's) good to meet you.


4. Nice to meet you too. (Ben de tanıştığıma memnun oldum.)]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=5423 Sun, 04 Apr 2010 02:00:28 +0300 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=5423
[attachment=1035]

1. Hi. (Merhaba)

Hello.

2. Good morning. (Günaydın)

Good afternoon. (Tünaydın)

Good evening. (İyi akşamlar)

3. How are you? (Nasılsınız?)

How are you doing?

How ya doing? (Gayri resmi bir ifadedir)

4. Fine. How about you? (İyi. Siz nasılsınız?)

5. Okay. Thanks. (Tamam. Teşekkürler.)]]>
[attachment=1035]

1. Hi. (Merhaba)

Hello.

2. Good morning. (Günaydın)

Good afternoon. (Tünaydın)

Good evening. (İyi akşamlar)

3. How are you? (Nasılsınız?)

How are you doing?

How ya doing? (Gayri resmi bir ifadedir)

4. Fine. How about you? (İyi. Siz nasılsınız?)

5. Okay. Thanks. (Tamam. Teşekkürler.)]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=4816 Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:06:34 +0300 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=4816
Good morning/night/evening/afternoon Gesty Ltd. How can I help you?
Günaydın…Gesty şirketi.Size nasıl yardımcı olabilirim?


Arayanı başka telefona bağlama

One second, please
Bir saniye lütfen


Bir problem olduğunu anlatma

I am sorry but the boss is not available at his office.
Üzgünüm patron ofisinde değil.


Yardım önerisi

What else can I do for you?
Sizin için başka ne yapabilirim?
Would you like to hold?
Hatta kalabilirmisiniz?


Bilgiyi kontrol etme

Could you spell your name please?
Could you repeat the phone number?

İş yapmak amacıyla telefonda nasıl İngilizce konuşmalıyız

Birini telefona isteme


Good evening/morning/night/afternoon. Could I speak to Mr. Albert, please?
Günaydın,Albert beyle konuşabiliriyim,lütfen?


Telefonda birisine mesaj bırakma


Could you tell Mr.Albert I sent the cargo an hour ago?
Albert beye kargoyu bir saat önce gönderdiğimi söylermisiniz?


Telefon numarınızı bırakın

This is speaking ,Mr.Allisonton.My telephone number is 1537867.
Telefondaki Bay Allisonton.Telefon numaram 1537867.]]>
Good morning/night/evening/afternoon Gesty Ltd. How can I help you?
Günaydın…Gesty şirketi.Size nasıl yardımcı olabilirim?


Arayanı başka telefona bağlama

One second, please
Bir saniye lütfen


Bir problem olduğunu anlatma

I am sorry but the boss is not available at his office.
Üzgünüm patron ofisinde değil.


Yardım önerisi

What else can I do for you?
Sizin için başka ne yapabilirim?
Would you like to hold?
Hatta kalabilirmisiniz?


Bilgiyi kontrol etme

Could you spell your name please?
Could you repeat the phone number?

İş yapmak amacıyla telefonda nasıl İngilizce konuşmalıyız

Birini telefona isteme


Good evening/morning/night/afternoon. Could I speak to Mr. Albert, please?
Günaydın,Albert beyle konuşabiliriyim,lütfen?


Telefonda birisine mesaj bırakma


Could you tell Mr.Albert I sent the cargo an hour ago?
Albert beye kargoyu bir saat önce gönderdiğimi söylermisiniz?


Telefon numarınızı bırakın

This is speaking ,Mr.Allisonton.My telephone number is 1537867.
Telefondaki Bay Allisonton.Telefon numaram 1537867.]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=3839 Tue, 05 May 2009 10:08:47 +0300 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=3839 [attachment=591]]]> [attachment=591]]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=3613 Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:18:57 +0300 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=3613
How to start

Traditional stories often start with the phrase "Once upon a time". However, if you are going to tell your story after someone else has already spoken, you can say something like:

That reminds me!
Funny you should say that. Did I ever tell you about…
Hearing your story reminds me of when…
Something similar happened to me….

How to tell your story

First of all, your story should be quite short. Try to keep it grammatically simple as well, so that it is easy to follow.

Make it easy for the listener to understand by using sequencing and linking words:

Sequencing words

These words show the chronological sequence of events.

First of all, I (packed my suitcase)
Secondly, I …. (made sure I had all my documents)
Previously (before that) ….. I changed some money.
Then… I (called a taxi for the airport)
Later (on)… (when we were stuck in traffic, I realised…)
But before all that… (I had double checked my reservation)
Finally… (I arrived at the wrong check-in desk at the wrong airport for a flight that didn't go until the next day)

Linking words

Use these words to link your ideas for the listener. Linking words can be used to show reason, result, contrasting information, additional information, and to summarise.

I booked a flight because….
As a result, I was late…
Although I had a reservation, I hadn't checked the airport name.
I made sure I had an up-to-date passport and I also took along my driving licence.
In short, I had made a complete mess of the holiday.

Tenses

We can use a variety of tenses to tell stories and anecdotes. Jokes are often in the present tense:

A man walks into a bar and orders a beer.

We also use the present tense to give a dramatic narrative effect:

The year is 1066. In medieval England people are worried that the king, Harold, is not strong enough to fight off a Norman invasion.

However, we generally use past forms to talk about past events. If you tell your story in chronological order, you can use the past simple:

I double checked my reservation. I packed my suitcase, and then I called a taxi.

Use the past continuous to describe activities in progress at the time of your story, or to describe the background.

The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. We were driving along the motorway quite steadily until we suddenly saw in front of us the warning lights to slow down. We were heading towards a huge tailback.

Sometimes, you might want to avoid telling your story as one chronological event after the other. You can use the past perfect (simple and continuous) to add more interest to your story by talking about events that happened before the events in your story:

I double checked my reservation, which I had made three days previously.

I wanted to visit some friends who had been living in France for the last five years.

Vocabulary

Try to use a wide range of words to make your story more interesting. Remember that you can "exaggerate" when you tell a story, so instead of using words like "nice" or "bad", experiment with more interesting words, such as "beautiful", "fabulous", "wonderful", "horrible", "awful" or "terrible".

Finally - remember that you are telling a story - not giving a lecture. Look at the people listening, and try to "involve" them in the story or anecdote. Keep eye contact, use the right intonation and try to make your face expressive. You might also want to try practising a few anecdotes in the mirror before "going live". Have fun!]]>
How to start

Traditional stories often start with the phrase "Once upon a time". However, if you are going to tell your story after someone else has already spoken, you can say something like:

That reminds me!
Funny you should say that. Did I ever tell you about…
Hearing your story reminds me of when…
Something similar happened to me….

How to tell your story

First of all, your story should be quite short. Try to keep it grammatically simple as well, so that it is easy to follow.

Make it easy for the listener to understand by using sequencing and linking words:

Sequencing words

These words show the chronological sequence of events.

First of all, I (packed my suitcase)
Secondly, I …. (made sure I had all my documents)
Previously (before that) ….. I changed some money.
Then… I (called a taxi for the airport)
Later (on)… (when we were stuck in traffic, I realised…)
But before all that… (I had double checked my reservation)
Finally… (I arrived at the wrong check-in desk at the wrong airport for a flight that didn't go until the next day)

Linking words

Use these words to link your ideas for the listener. Linking words can be used to show reason, result, contrasting information, additional information, and to summarise.

I booked a flight because….
As a result, I was late…
Although I had a reservation, I hadn't checked the airport name.
I made sure I had an up-to-date passport and I also took along my driving licence.
In short, I had made a complete mess of the holiday.

Tenses

We can use a variety of tenses to tell stories and anecdotes. Jokes are often in the present tense:

A man walks into a bar and orders a beer.

We also use the present tense to give a dramatic narrative effect:

The year is 1066. In medieval England people are worried that the king, Harold, is not strong enough to fight off a Norman invasion.

However, we generally use past forms to talk about past events. If you tell your story in chronological order, you can use the past simple:

I double checked my reservation. I packed my suitcase, and then I called a taxi.

Use the past continuous to describe activities in progress at the time of your story, or to describe the background.

The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. We were driving along the motorway quite steadily until we suddenly saw in front of us the warning lights to slow down. We were heading towards a huge tailback.

Sometimes, you might want to avoid telling your story as one chronological event after the other. You can use the past perfect (simple and continuous) to add more interest to your story by talking about events that happened before the events in your story:

I double checked my reservation, which I had made three days previously.

I wanted to visit some friends who had been living in France for the last five years.

Vocabulary

Try to use a wide range of words to make your story more interesting. Remember that you can "exaggerate" when you tell a story, so instead of using words like "nice" or "bad", experiment with more interesting words, such as "beautiful", "fabulous", "wonderful", "horrible", "awful" or "terrible".

Finally - remember that you are telling a story - not giving a lecture. Look at the people listening, and try to "involve" them in the story or anecdote. Keep eye contact, use the right intonation and try to make your face expressive. You might also want to try practising a few anecdotes in the mirror before "going live". Have fun!]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=3612 Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:06:45 +0300 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=3612
They say things like:

Can I… ?
Shall I… ?
Would you like me to… ?

Using these common English phrases - and being able to accept and reject offers - will make you sound polite and helpful.

"Can I help you?"

"Shall I open the window for you?"

"Would you like another coffee?"

"Would you like me to answer the phone?"

"I'll do the photocopying, if you like."

Shall, can and will are followed by the verb without to.

Shall is more formal than can. Would you like… is followed either by a noun, or by the verb with to.

Responding to offers

These English dialogues show you ways to accept or reject offers made to you.

"Can I help you?"
"Yes please. I'd like to know what time the train leaves."

"Can I help you?"
"No thanks, I'm just looking." (In a shop.)

"Shall I open the window for you?"
"Yes please. That would be very kind of you."

"Would you like another coffee?"
"No thanks." Or, "No thank you."

"Would you like another coffee?"
"Yes please, that would be lovely." Or, "Yes please, I'd love one."

"Would you like me to answer the phone?"
"If you wouldn't mind." Or, "If you could."
(Don't answer "Yes, I would", as this sounds like you expect someone to do it for you.)

"I'll do the photocopying, if you like."
"It's OK, I can do it." Or, "Don't worry, I'll do it.

"Or, "Thank you, that would be great."

English speaking tip

With a little practice, you'll find it easy to use these English expressions. They'll help you sound both natural and confident.]]>
They say things like:

Can I… ?
Shall I… ?
Would you like me to… ?

Using these common English phrases - and being able to accept and reject offers - will make you sound polite and helpful.

"Can I help you?"

"Shall I open the window for you?"

"Would you like another coffee?"

"Would you like me to answer the phone?"

"I'll do the photocopying, if you like."

Shall, can and will are followed by the verb without to.

Shall is more formal than can. Would you like… is followed either by a noun, or by the verb with to.

Responding to offers

These English dialogues show you ways to accept or reject offers made to you.

"Can I help you?"
"Yes please. I'd like to know what time the train leaves."

"Can I help you?"
"No thanks, I'm just looking." (In a shop.)

"Shall I open the window for you?"
"Yes please. That would be very kind of you."

"Would you like another coffee?"
"No thanks." Or, "No thank you."

"Would you like another coffee?"
"Yes please, that would be lovely." Or, "Yes please, I'd love one."

"Would you like me to answer the phone?"
"If you wouldn't mind." Or, "If you could."
(Don't answer "Yes, I would", as this sounds like you expect someone to do it for you.)

"I'll do the photocopying, if you like."
"It's OK, I can do it." Or, "Don't worry, I'll do it.

"Or, "Thank you, that would be great."

English speaking tip

With a little practice, you'll find it easy to use these English expressions. They'll help you sound both natural and confident.]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1721 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:11:39 +0200 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1721
Hopes

I'm hoping for (noun) ("I'm hoping for a new cell phone.")

I'm hoping to get… ("I'm hoping to get a new phone.")

I would like…

I really want… (Using "want" can be impolite unless you are talking to a close friend or family member.)

Something I've always wanted is…

I'd be delighted / over the moon if… ("I'd be delighted if you gave me a new watch.")

What I'd like more than anything else is…

On my Christmas wish list is…

Preferences

I'd rather have (noun) ("I'd rather have tickets to the opera.")

I'd rather you (simple past) ("I'd rather you saved your money.")

I'd prefer (noun) ("I'd prefer some money for the new house.")

I'd prefer it if you (simple past) ("I'd prefer it if you gave some money to charity.")

….. would be more suitable / would be better

If I had a choice, I would go for…

If it's all the same to you, …. ("If it's all the same to you, I'd like some book tokens.")]]>
Hopes

I'm hoping for (noun) ("I'm hoping for a new cell phone.")

I'm hoping to get… ("I'm hoping to get a new phone.")

I would like…

I really want… (Using "want" can be impolite unless you are talking to a close friend or family member.)

Something I've always wanted is…

I'd be delighted / over the moon if… ("I'd be delighted if you gave me a new watch.")

What I'd like more than anything else is…

On my Christmas wish list is…

Preferences

I'd rather have (noun) ("I'd rather have tickets to the opera.")

I'd rather you (simple past) ("I'd rather you saved your money.")

I'd prefer (noun) ("I'd prefer some money for the new house.")

I'd prefer it if you (simple past) ("I'd prefer it if you gave some money to charity.")

….. would be more suitable / would be better

If I had a choice, I would go for…

If it's all the same to you, …. ("If it's all the same to you, I'd like some book tokens.")]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1719 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:08:15 +0200 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1719
Try making a comment or asking a question - it shows the other person you're interested in what they are saying.

Here are some examples of what you can say:

Making comments

"No!" - to show surprise.

"I don't believe it!" - to show surprise.

"Wow!" - to show admiration or surprise.

"That's incredible / amazing / unbelievable" - to show great interest in the subject of conversation.

"How awful / terrible" - to show sympathy with someone else's bad news.

Asking questions

"Really?" - to show surprise.

"And you?" - when someone asks you how you are.

"Did you?" - can be used to encourage someone to tell their story.

For example, "I saw her last night", "Did you?" "Yes, she was with one of her friends, and she…."]]>
Try making a comment or asking a question - it shows the other person you're interested in what they are saying.

Here are some examples of what you can say:

Making comments

"No!" - to show surprise.

"I don't believe it!" - to show surprise.

"Wow!" - to show admiration or surprise.

"That's incredible / amazing / unbelievable" - to show great interest in the subject of conversation.

"How awful / terrible" - to show sympathy with someone else's bad news.

Asking questions

"Really?" - to show surprise.

"And you?" - when someone asks you how you are.

"Did you?" - can be used to encourage someone to tell their story.

For example, "I saw her last night", "Did you?" "Yes, she was with one of her friends, and she…."]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1710 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:54:05 +0200 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1710
First of all, don't worry about not having a native-English accent. It's important to be able to speak clearly, so that people can understand you. However, it's almost impossible to sound exactly like a native English speaker if you are learning English as an adult in a non-English speaking country.

However, there are many things that you can do to improve your pronunciation and your speaking skills.

1. Listen to spoken English as often as possible.

Listen to how speakers pronounce various words and phrases and "model" your pronunciation on what you hear.

2. Learn the phonetic alphabet.

Use the phonetic alphabet page (at the beginning of most good dictionaries) as a guide to pronouncing new words.

3. Don't forget to learn the word stress of a new word.

Every English word has its own stress, or intonation. For example, the word "believe" has two syllables (be and lieve), but only the second syllable is stressed. We say be'lieve and not 'be lieve. Your dictionary will show the syllable stress by an apostrophe (') before the syllable to be stressed.

Word stress is important. In fact, it is more likely that someone misunderstands you because of wrong word stress than because of the wrong pronunciation of a sound.

4. Work out which sounds cause you most problems in English.

Depending on what your first language is, you may have problems with certain sounds. For example, French speakers have difficulties with "th"; speakers of Mandarin have difficulties with "r" or "l", and Arabic speakers have difficulties with "p" and "b".

5. Practise the sounds you find difficult.

A useful exercise is a "minimal pair" exercise. For example, if you have difficulty distinguishing between "p" and "b", try practising pairs of words which are the same except for the sound "p" and "b":

For example, "pair" and "bear"; "pond" and "bond"; "pie" and "buy" etc.

6. Be aware of intonation and sentence stress.

Not all words in a sentence have equal stress, and generally only the "information" words (nouns and verbs) are stressed.

'Where's the 'pen I 'gave you?

'Where's the 'red 'pen I 'gave you?

Where's the 'red and 'blue 'pen I 'gave you 'yesterday?

The unstressed words (such as "the", "I", "you" and "and") don't carry as much "weight" as the stressed words. They become much smaller in length, and are almost abbreviated. For example, "and" becomes "un".

Changing stress

Sentence stress isn't "fixed" like word stress. In fact, you can stress words that are normally unstressed in order to highlight different meanings.

For example:

I 'love you. (Love, rather than just like.)
'I love you. (With the stress on I to highlight that it's me rather than another person who loves you.)
I love 'you. (And nobody else.)

Intonation

There are a couple of easy to remember rules about intonation. Usually our voices go up at the end of the sentence to show a question, and down at the end to show a statement.

Intonation is also important in "tag questions":

You know him, don't you? (With rising intonation on "don't you?" to show it's a question)
You know him, don't you. (With falling intonation on "don't you" to show it's a statement you expect the other person to agree with.)

7. Learn to recognise spelling patterns.

For example, "tion" on the end of a word is pronounced "shun", while "sion" can be pronounced "zhun". There are often many ways to pronounce a particular spelling pattern, but it certainly helps to know what the variations are. For example, the pattern "ough" can be pronounced "uff" as in "enough" and "tough", or "or" as in "ought" and "bought" or "oh" as in "although" and "dough".

8. Don't rush.

If you speak too fast, the danger is that you could skip over some words, fail to pronounce them completely, or mix them up. If you speak too slowly, you might end up sounding unnatural. But it's better to speak slowly and clearly than too quickly.]]>
First of all, don't worry about not having a native-English accent. It's important to be able to speak clearly, so that people can understand you. However, it's almost impossible to sound exactly like a native English speaker if you are learning English as an adult in a non-English speaking country.

However, there are many things that you can do to improve your pronunciation and your speaking skills.

1. Listen to spoken English as often as possible.

Listen to how speakers pronounce various words and phrases and "model" your pronunciation on what you hear.

2. Learn the phonetic alphabet.

Use the phonetic alphabet page (at the beginning of most good dictionaries) as a guide to pronouncing new words.

3. Don't forget to learn the word stress of a new word.

Every English word has its own stress, or intonation. For example, the word "believe" has two syllables (be and lieve), but only the second syllable is stressed. We say be'lieve and not 'be lieve. Your dictionary will show the syllable stress by an apostrophe (') before the syllable to be stressed.

Word stress is important. In fact, it is more likely that someone misunderstands you because of wrong word stress than because of the wrong pronunciation of a sound.

4. Work out which sounds cause you most problems in English.

Depending on what your first language is, you may have problems with certain sounds. For example, French speakers have difficulties with "th"; speakers of Mandarin have difficulties with "r" or "l", and Arabic speakers have difficulties with "p" and "b".

5. Practise the sounds you find difficult.

A useful exercise is a "minimal pair" exercise. For example, if you have difficulty distinguishing between "p" and "b", try practising pairs of words which are the same except for the sound "p" and "b":

For example, "pair" and "bear"; "pond" and "bond"; "pie" and "buy" etc.

6. Be aware of intonation and sentence stress.

Not all words in a sentence have equal stress, and generally only the "information" words (nouns and verbs) are stressed.

'Where's the 'pen I 'gave you?

'Where's the 'red 'pen I 'gave you?

Where's the 'red and 'blue 'pen I 'gave you 'yesterday?

The unstressed words (such as "the", "I", "you" and "and") don't carry as much "weight" as the stressed words. They become much smaller in length, and are almost abbreviated. For example, "and" becomes "un".

Changing stress

Sentence stress isn't "fixed" like word stress. In fact, you can stress words that are normally unstressed in order to highlight different meanings.

For example:

I 'love you. (Love, rather than just like.)
'I love you. (With the stress on I to highlight that it's me rather than another person who loves you.)
I love 'you. (And nobody else.)

Intonation

There are a couple of easy to remember rules about intonation. Usually our voices go up at the end of the sentence to show a question, and down at the end to show a statement.

Intonation is also important in "tag questions":

You know him, don't you? (With rising intonation on "don't you?" to show it's a question)
You know him, don't you. (With falling intonation on "don't you" to show it's a statement you expect the other person to agree with.)

7. Learn to recognise spelling patterns.

For example, "tion" on the end of a word is pronounced "shun", while "sion" can be pronounced "zhun". There are often many ways to pronounce a particular spelling pattern, but it certainly helps to know what the variations are. For example, the pattern "ough" can be pronounced "uff" as in "enough" and "tough", or "or" as in "ought" and "bought" or "oh" as in "although" and "dough".

8. Don't rush.

If you speak too fast, the danger is that you could skip over some words, fail to pronounce them completely, or mix them up. If you speak too slowly, you might end up sounding unnatural. But it's better to speak slowly and clearly than too quickly.]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1591 Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:47:43 +0200 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1591
Shock

I was shocked to hear…
The news came as a complete shock.
We're all in complete shock.
Everyone's reeling from the shock of…
It happened out of the blue.
Who could have predicted it?
I (just) can't get over ….
We were completely taken aback by…
I was just stunned by…

Disbelief

I just can't believe…
It's unbelievable.
I / You just can't imagine…
Words can't describe… (how I feel about / the terrible devastation etc)
There's no way it could have happened.

Saying how bad something is

It's so awful.
It's terrible / What terrible news.
It's a tragedy.
It's a catastrophe (pronounced "ca - tas - tra - fee" with the stress on "-tas")
This is the worst thing that could have happened.]]>
Shock

I was shocked to hear…
The news came as a complete shock.
We're all in complete shock.
Everyone's reeling from the shock of…
It happened out of the blue.
Who could have predicted it?
I (just) can't get over ….
We were completely taken aback by…
I was just stunned by…

Disbelief

I just can't believe…
It's unbelievable.
I / You just can't imagine…
Words can't describe… (how I feel about / the terrible devastation etc)
There's no way it could have happened.

Saying how bad something is

It's so awful.
It's terrible / What terrible news.
It's a tragedy.
It's a catastrophe (pronounced "ca - tas - tra - fee" with the stress on "-tas")
This is the worst thing that could have happened.]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1590 Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:44:00 +0200 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1590
"Are you available on the 17th?"

"Can we meet on the 16th?"

"How does the 3rd sound to you?"

"Are you free next week?"

"Would Friday suit you?"

"Is next Tuesday convenient for you?"

"What about sometime next week?"

Agreeing on a date

"Yes, Thursday is fine."

"Thursday suits me."

"Thursday would be perfect."

Suggesting a different date

"I'm afraid I can't on the 3rd. What about the 6th?"

"I'm sorry, I won't be able to make it on Monday. Could we meet on Tuesday instead?"

"Ah, Wednesday is going to be a little difficult. I'd much prefer Friday, if that's alright with you."

"I really don't think I can on the 17th. Can we meet up on the 19th?"

Setting a time

"What sort of time would suit you?"

"Is 3pm a good time for you?"

"If possible, I'd like to meet in the morning."

"How does 2pm sound to you?"

Changing the arrangement

"You know we were going to meet next Friday? Well, I'm very sorry, but something urgent has come up."

"I'm afraid that I'm not going to be able to meet you after all. Can we fix another time?"

"Something has just cropped up and I won't be able to meet you this afternoon. Can we make another time?"]]>
"Are you available on the 17th?"

"Can we meet on the 16th?"

"How does the 3rd sound to you?"

"Are you free next week?"

"Would Friday suit you?"

"Is next Tuesday convenient for you?"

"What about sometime next week?"

Agreeing on a date

"Yes, Thursday is fine."

"Thursday suits me."

"Thursday would be perfect."

Suggesting a different date

"I'm afraid I can't on the 3rd. What about the 6th?"

"I'm sorry, I won't be able to make it on Monday. Could we meet on Tuesday instead?"

"Ah, Wednesday is going to be a little difficult. I'd much prefer Friday, if that's alright with you."

"I really don't think I can on the 17th. Can we meet up on the 19th?"

Setting a time

"What sort of time would suit you?"

"Is 3pm a good time for you?"

"If possible, I'd like to meet in the morning."

"How does 2pm sound to you?"

Changing the arrangement

"You know we were going to meet next Friday? Well, I'm very sorry, but something urgent has come up."

"I'm afraid that I'm not going to be able to meet you after all. Can we fix another time?"

"Something has just cropped up and I won't be able to meet you this afternoon. Can we make another time?"]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1589 Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:07:02 +0200 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1589
"I love eating ice-cream."

"I adore sun-bathing."

If you like something a lot

"She's fond of chocolate."

"I like swimming very much."

If you like something

"He quite likes going to the cinema."

"I like cooking."

If you neither like nor dislike something

"I don't mind doing the housework."

If you don't like something

"She doesn't like cooking very much."

"He's not very fond of doing the gardening."

"I dislike wasting time."

If you really dislike something

"I don't like sport at all."

"He can't stand his boss."

"She can't bear cooking in a dirty kitchen."

"I hate crowded supermarkets."

"He detests being late."

"She loathes celery."

Things to remember…

Dislike is quite formal.

Fond of is normally used to talk about food or people.

The 'oa' in loathe rhymes with the 'oa' in boat.

Grammar Note

To talk about your general likes or dislikes, follow this pattern: like something or like doing something.

Common mistake

Be careful where you put very much or a lot. These words should go after the thing that you like.

For example, "I like reading very much." NOT "I like very much reading."]]>
"I love eating ice-cream."

"I adore sun-bathing."

If you like something a lot

"She's fond of chocolate."

"I like swimming very much."

If you like something

"He quite likes going to the cinema."

"I like cooking."

If you neither like nor dislike something

"I don't mind doing the housework."

If you don't like something

"She doesn't like cooking very much."

"He's not very fond of doing the gardening."

"I dislike wasting time."

If you really dislike something

"I don't like sport at all."

"He can't stand his boss."

"She can't bear cooking in a dirty kitchen."

"I hate crowded supermarkets."

"He detests being late."

"She loathes celery."

Things to remember…

Dislike is quite formal.

Fond of is normally used to talk about food or people.

The 'oa' in loathe rhymes with the 'oa' in boat.

Grammar Note

To talk about your general likes or dislikes, follow this pattern: like something or like doing something.

Common mistake

Be careful where you put very much or a lot. These words should go after the thing that you like.

For example, "I like reading very much." NOT "I like very much reading."]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1588 Sat, 21 Mar 2009 23:39:45 +0200 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1588
General aches and pains

* "I feel a bit under the weather."

* "I'm not feeling very well."

* "I think I'm going down with a cold. I've got a sore throat."

* "I've got a slight headache." (Or toothache / stomach ache / backache) Pronounced "ake" as in "cake".

* "I'm not sleeping very well at the moment."

* "I feel a little faint."

* "I've got a nagging pain in my shoulder." (nagging = a pain that won't go away)

* "I've got a splitting headache - I hope it's not a migraine."

Sympathetic responses

* "I'm sorry to hear that."

* "You don't look very well."

* "You look a little pale."

* "Maybe you're going down with something. There's a bug going around."

* "Maybe you should go home and get some rest."

* "Why don't you go home and have a lie-down."

Mild illness

* "I have a bit of a stomach bug."

* "I think I've got a bit of a temperature."

* "I have a touch of flu." (Flu = influenza)

* "I've got a nasty cough." (pronounced "coff")]]>
General aches and pains

* "I feel a bit under the weather."

* "I'm not feeling very well."

* "I think I'm going down with a cold. I've got a sore throat."

* "I've got a slight headache." (Or toothache / stomach ache / backache) Pronounced "ake" as in "cake".

* "I'm not sleeping very well at the moment."

* "I feel a little faint."

* "I've got a nagging pain in my shoulder." (nagging = a pain that won't go away)

* "I've got a splitting headache - I hope it's not a migraine."

Sympathetic responses

* "I'm sorry to hear that."

* "You don't look very well."

* "You look a little pale."

* "Maybe you're going down with something. There's a bug going around."

* "Maybe you should go home and get some rest."

* "Why don't you go home and have a lie-down."

Mild illness

* "I have a bit of a stomach bug."

* "I think I've got a bit of a temperature."

* "I have a touch of flu." (Flu = influenza)

* "I've got a nasty cough." (pronounced "coff")]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1587 Sat, 21 Mar 2009 23:34:26 +0200 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1587
Some examples of conversation starters

* "Lovely day, isn't it!"

* "Bit nippy today."

* "What strange weather we're having!"

* "It doesn't look like it's going to stop raining today."

Attitude to weather

Although British people like to complain about bad weather, they generally put a brave face on it.

If someone complains about too much rain, you might hear:

* "Never mind - it's good for the garden."

If someone complains that it's too hot, you could hear:

* "At least my tomatoes will be happy."

If the conversation has been about general bad weather, perhaps someone will say:

* "Well, I've heard it's worse in the west. They've had terrible flooding."

Predicting the weather

We can make predictions about the weather, using a range of forms - not just the "will" or "going to" form:

* "I think it'll clear up later."

* "It's going to rain by the looks of it."

* "We're in for frost tonight."

* "They're expecting snow in the north."

* "I hear that showers are coming our way."

Human attributes

We also attribute human features to the weather, almost as if the weather can decide what to do:

* "The sun's trying to come out."

* "It's been trying to rain all morning."

* "It's finally decided to rain."]]>
Some examples of conversation starters

* "Lovely day, isn't it!"

* "Bit nippy today."

* "What strange weather we're having!"

* "It doesn't look like it's going to stop raining today."

Attitude to weather

Although British people like to complain about bad weather, they generally put a brave face on it.

If someone complains about too much rain, you might hear:

* "Never mind - it's good for the garden."

If someone complains that it's too hot, you could hear:

* "At least my tomatoes will be happy."

If the conversation has been about general bad weather, perhaps someone will say:

* "Well, I've heard it's worse in the west. They've had terrible flooding."

Predicting the weather

We can make predictions about the weather, using a range of forms - not just the "will" or "going to" form:

* "I think it'll clear up later."

* "It's going to rain by the looks of it."

* "We're in for frost tonight."

* "They're expecting snow in the north."

* "I hear that showers are coming our way."

Human attributes

We also attribute human features to the weather, almost as if the weather can decide what to do:

* "The sun's trying to come out."

* "It's been trying to rain all morning."

* "It's finally decided to rain."]]> http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1451 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 21:25:17 +0200 http://www.eltcafe.net/showthread.php?tid=1451
This is an example conversation where one person says something that the other person thinks is strange.


LUIZ: "English is a very easy language to learn."

IRENE: "What do you mean?"

LUIZ: "Well, what I meant to say was that it is easy if you practise every day."

IRENE: "Oh, right."

Rephrasing expressions

"What I meant to say was…"

"Let me rephrase that…"

"Let me put this another way…"

"Perhaps I'm not making myself clear…"

Back to the beginning

If you're explaining something, and you realise that the other person doesn't understand, you can use the following phrases:

"If we go back to the beginning…"

"The basic idea is…"

"One way of looking at it is…"

"Another way of looking at it is…"

If you forget the English word

If you forget the word you want to use, you can say:

"I can't find the word I'm looking for…"

"I'm not sure that this is the right word, but…"

"What I want to say is…"]]>
This is an example conversation where one person says something that the other person thinks is strange.


LUIZ: "English is a very easy language to learn."

IRENE: "What do you mean?"

LUIZ: "Well, what I meant to say was that it is easy if you practise every day."

IRENE: "Oh, right."

Rephrasing expressions

"What I meant to say was…"

"Let me rephrase that…"

"Let me put this another way…"

"Perhaps I'm not making myself clear…"

Back to the beginning

If you're explaining something, and you realise that the other person doesn't understand, you can use the following phrases:

"If we go back to the beginning…"

"The basic idea is…"

"One way of looking at it is…"

"Another way of looking at it is…"

If you forget the English word

If you forget the word you want to use, you can say:

"I can't find the word I'm looking for…"

"I'm not sure that this is the right word, but…"

"What I want to say is…"]]>