Let's English by Phoenixfiras | English, baby! Blogs

Mother To Son

Phoenixfiras — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:31:55 GMT

Mother To Son

Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light.
So, boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps.
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now—
For I'se still goin', honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

By Langston Hughes

I changed something

Phoenixfiras — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 09:10:46 GMT

I changed something

Do you know that I've been here for some long time in Ebaby!

I really don't remember when did I register at this website but I remember that I started being active in Jan 1/2010, then I stopped.

I contributed a lot for the benefit of you all.....lessons, blogs and PDF's with MP3's and all for FREE!

Do you know that "Go Super to Listen" was free????!!!!!!!! listening was free until that I uncovered that to all guys here, a blog about how to become a super member for free........yeah that was really real.But, Ebaby administration changed it to Go Super to Listen after I revealed the way to download the mp3's for free along with the lesson.

So, I'm proud I changed something in this website, though not for the benefit of guys here, but still I'm there for you to help you for free.

check out my profile lessons, and my page on facebook and the blog here:

http://www.letsenglish.yolasite.com/

And:

Let's English

See ya there. best wishes

May she rest in peace if she were dead

Phoenixfiras — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 12:58:35 GMT

May she rest in peace if she were dead

Please all pray for our sister here from Pakistan, she's either dead or in a bad trouble, I don't know wht happened to her after the floods in Pakistan and she never showed up after it.

This is her page

http://www.englishbaby.com/findfriends/gallery/detail/1199543

My Official Page On Facebook For You

Phoenixfiras — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 15:07:30 GMT

My Official Page On Facebook For You

After a series of lessons here on Ebaby!, and after some inconvenient experience with Ebaby, I'd like you to move to my page on facebook where you can share with millions of people the benefit and the joy of learning English for free.

Visit Me There:

http://www.facebook.com/LetsEnglish

Yet, Another Third Helpful Tips To Improve Your English

Phoenixfiras — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 10:24:43 GMT

Yet, Another Third Helpful Tips To Improve Your English

After having presented two "Ten Helpful Tips..." in my "Lessons" section, I'd like to present you the third of this series. But, it's not ten this time. I tried to give practical pieces of advice.

1- Always have an English-English dictionary with you. Using English-your mother tongue dictionary doesn’t mean that you’re learning correct English. When you use an English-English dictionary you can be sure of a word meaning and usage.

2- Try to keep it with you all the time. Download a jar dictionary from the Internet and install it on your cell phone, jar extension works on most cell phones. I recommend Cambridge dictionary of American English. You can download it from any share website like: 4shared, mediafire...etc.

3- Think in English and speak in English. This could be a hard task, but it’s the best way to speak fluently. When you’re on your way home, for instance, walking or on the bus, whenever you see something think about it in English and try to describe it in English.

4- Get stubborn about learning. Be determined and decide to speak English for a whole day, and never reply anyone who would talk to you in your mother tongue. Believe me, I did it and it felt great because I was obliged to speak English whatsoever, no matter what.

5- Install Windows Vista or Windows Seven. Why these two operating systems?! Vista has something great in it
which is “Speech Recognition” feature. This feature allows you to speak to your computer, and it does your demands instead of using the mouse or the keyboard. Guess what? The computer doesn’t understand you unless you use American English as far as pronunciation is concerned. And, this would give you a great chance to practice the correct, standard American accent.

6- Use Google to improve your English. Google is a powerful tool that allows you to access millions of web sites. You can just type few words and get great results. I found the following site of great benefit to learners: www.dailyesl.com.

As a matter of fact, I went through these stages. I spoke to myself, I thought in English on the bus, down the streets and sometimes loudly, I tried to speak English all the time. I would speak English with any man even if they had no idea about English. That was crazy, but that was of perfect benefit; I ended up with a perfect accent and fluency.

Feel free to contact me if you have any question.

Mr. Firass Kaddour

English teacher

Syria

Solutions To Your Difficulties

Phoenixfiras — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 06:51:58 GMT

Solutions To Your Difficulties

First,the younger you learn a foreign language, the better you speak it.
Of course, this rule has exceptions. I started to learn English when I was 11 years old, however I speak very good English. I learned it at a typical school which gave no serious care to it.
If you have difficulty pronouncing "the sixth thunder storm this year" then the solution is Dissimilation.
What is Dissimilation? It's a process in which we change the pronunciation of some sounds to make them easier to produce i.e. "the sixt thunder storm thish year".
And of course you have to practice a lot to produce such sentences.
If you feel that you're not able anymore to learn, then it could be what we call " fossilization" i.e. you can't learn anymore no matter how hard you try.
Fossilization can apply to grammar, words, or any other aspect of a foreign language.

If you feel that you still can’t speak English though you have a great deal of grammar and vocabulary, then this is the problem that most learners face. This can be due to many reasons: you don't practice English very much, or you feel lost; where to start, what to say then, how to say this or that.
You can solve this problem by doing the following:
1- Think in English, and speak in English
Don't transfer your mother tongue's grammar and vocabulary to the target language. Don't think in your mother tongue then perform the target language. You may say: how to do that? You can do that by so much listening to native speakers, watching movies that tackle every aspect of life and imitating them.
2- Don't ever feel embarrassed about yourself speaking English. Be brave, stand tall and speak even if you make mistakes cause if you don't make mistakes now, you'll never speak English because you'll think about the mistakes you might make.

You want to learn English cause you want to get a good job, or you want people to say that you're an educated person? If so, your English is not gonna be as good as native speakers'.
As a matter of fact, we have two types of motives: instrumental and integrative, I guess these words are self-explanatory. If your motive is instrumental, you wanna get a job, you love a girl who speaks English LOL! So you wanna learn the language, then your journey of learning is gonna be too short and will give imperfect results.
If it's integrative, then the results are gonna be as good as expected.

If you're not seeking to improve your English all the time, it's gonna get weaker and weaker until it fades away, so to speak.
For me, a student of English, or any foreign language, is a student for life.

You know something! How do I practice English??
Wanna tell you that I'm almost lonely, I have no one to speak English with...What should I do? Got an advice? LOL.. In fact I speak to myself, I speak in my dreams, and I speak to you guys here on Ebaby!.
Yeah, I rarely see a friend with whom I can speak English, and of course that one would be not that good at English. I have to explain and translate and sometimes spell!!!!!!.
I had two friends only who could speak English like native speakers during university. Unfortunately,the last time I've seen them was about a year ago, and it's likely we'll never meet soon. And, I don't like speaking English with someone whose English is very bad, especially pronunciation.

So, I sit by my computer and watch some movie, I interact with it, speak to the actors and the like. Don't you ever think that I'm a mad guy LOL!.
To me it's like hunger, I long to speak it but unfortunately I don't always get the chance. All I wanna say is, love it, feel it, interact with it.
By the way, I love learning languages i.e. not only English...but I don't have the time on my side. However, I speak some Turkish, I studied three levels, French, got it only by watching TV, Kurdish, it's a local language here in Syria and some neighboring countries, I understand about 90 % of it, and Armenian, only few expressions and words. The same applies to Spanish and Italian.

I don't know if love languages like I do, but it's a good idea to set your goals and go for them.
Ok, do you think that I chat with native or non-native speakers of English all the time? No, I don't simply because I don't have an Internet connection at home, simply because- this is funny- I don't have a telephone.
Again, simply because... I don't know. So, I have to go to some Internet cafe to deliver this article to you, and I don't always get the chance and money to do that. You see how much I suffer! however, I won't give up.

I wish you all the best

Mr. Firass Kaddour
English teacher
Syria

Do You Have Difficulties In Learning English

Phoenixfiras — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 12:10:55 GMT

Do You Have Difficulties In Learning English

I'd like everybody to write down their difficulties please.

A questionnaire about the difficulties you face through the process of learning

English.

By conducting this questionnaire I can be able to know your problems and

difficulties when learning English, so I can be of some help.

You just have to answer the following questions:

-When did you start learning English?

-Did you study it at an English school, or it was just a school?

-Do you have any difficulty when pronouncing similar words or certain sounds

like, “there’s something missing in my heart”, or “the sixth thunder storm this

year”?

-Do you feel that you’re not able to learn anymore?

-If yes, is it grammar, new words, or something else you can’t understand

anymore?

-Do you practice your English often?

-Do you have difficulties understanding natural fast spoken English?

-Do you feel that you still can’t speak English, though you have a great deal of

grammar and vocabulary?

-Are you confused or embarrassed when speaking?

-What’s the reason you want to learn English? Is it because you wanna get a job?

Or you love to speak many languages, or you love it, or any other reasons?

(Mention them, if any).

- Are you looking forward for constant development of your English, or it’s just

like “I’m fine”?

Please write your answers according to the order of questions, and if you have

any other difficulties write them below your answers.
If you have any questions or suggestions let me know.

Thank you for sharing.

Mr. Firass Kaddour

English teacher

The Importance Of Punctuation II

Phoenixfiras — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:00:33 GMT

The Importance Of Punctuation II

How do you punctuate the following sentence?

Woman without her man is nothing

The Importance Of Punctuation

Phoenixfiras — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:29:23 GMT

The Importance Of Punctuation

Did you ever think that punctuation marks are not that important?
have a look at the following.

Dear John,
I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart. I can be forever happy--will you let me be yours?

Sarah

_______________________________________________________

Dear John,

I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me. For other men, I yearn. For you, I have no feelings whatsoever. When we're apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let me be?

Yours,

Sarah

Mr. Firass Kaddour
Syria

Does it Happen to You

Phoenixfiras — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:26:05 GMT

Does it Happen to You

I'd like to share this real, strange story with you guys,
Whenever I get Flue and get very sick, I better understand English!!! And better speak English!! Weird ha?
It happened that I fell sick one day,and strange things began to happen. I turned on my computer and played a romantic song which I didn't completely understand and started listening, and I reached the part that I didn't understand, but I understood it.
Strangely enough, played another song and fully understood it.
One of my friends called me when I was in this situation and I spoke English with him like never before, very fast, fluent and confident.
This weird story is almost repeated every time I get Flue, or whenever I'm so tired.
It could be a general fact that when someone is very tired , hungry or distracted, they can't perform a foreign language perfectly, but the opposite is somewhat true with my case.
Another thing, I dream about myself speaking English!! Well...I can explain this, it's because English has entered my subconsciousness and I'm thinking of it all the time.
Once my brother told me that I'm speaking during sleep..I asked him "what did I say?" He said" How would I know, you were speaking English" LOL!.
But, what is way weird and shocking -to me- is that I dreamt about that I'm speaking to an alien and I uttered a word that I didn't know or heard of in reality??!!!
Yeah, I woke up and immediately checked my dictionary, and oh my God! it existed in English and it's got meaning.

I thought of consulting a linguist or a therapist, but I quit the idea. I thought it could be embarrassing or silly 'cause once I asked one of the university professors about that I get tired after speaking English for a long time while I don't get easily tired when speaking my mother tongue "Arabic" ... I laugh when I remember the situation, he said " you.... sleep well..eat well" LOL..... maybe he saw that I'm skinny so he suggested that reason, food and rest matter.

So, does it happen to you? Do you dream about speaking English or get fluent when sick?
Are you so obsessed with English like me...
Can you provide a scientific explanation?
If you're head over heels, so to speak, with the English language like me, please let me know.
Thank you in advance for sharing

Before and After

Phoenixfiras — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:45:07 GMT

Before and After

Before Marriage - - -

Boy: Yes. At last. It was so hard to wait.

Girl: Do you want me to leave?

Boy: NO! Don't even think about it.

Girl: Do you love me?

Boy: Of course! Over and over!

Girl: Have you ever cheated on me?

Boy: NO! Why are you even asking?

Girl: Will you kiss me?

Boy: Every chance I get!

Girl: Will you hit me?

Boy: Are you crazy! I'm not that kind of person!

Girl: Can I trust you?

Boy: Yes.

Girl: Darling!

After Marriage - - - Read from bottom to top

How American is Your English?

Phoenixfiras — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:16:43 GMT

How American is Your English?

Here's a book you can use to know whether you speak American English or some British English.

http://www.mediafire.com/?w0mni3nl2mj

Why English is the hardest language to learn

Phoenixfiras — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:18:42 GMT

Why English is the hardest language to learn

If you wanna know the explanation of the previous article antitled the same as this one, download my explanation here.

(I recorded my voice and embeded it in the file)

http://www.mediafire.com/?b3m0nmy2cye

Why English is the hardest language to learn

Phoenixfiras — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:16:22 GMT

Why English is the hardest language to learn

Consider the following sentences,

1-The bandage was wound around the wound.

2-The farm was used to produce produce.

3-The dump was so full it had to refuse more refuse.

4-There is no time like the present, so he thought he
would present the present.

5-When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

6-He did not object to the object.

8-The oarsmen had a row about how to row.

9-he was too close to the door to close it.

10-A stag does strange things when the does are
present.

11-After a number of injections my jaw became
number.

12-The artist saw a tear in his painting and shed a
tear.

13-She had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

14-An army chef decided to desert his dessert in the
desert.

Also...

There are no eggs in an eggplant, no apple or pine in
pineapple.

Quicksand works slowly.

Boxing rings are square.

Guinea pigs are neither from Guinea or are pigs.

Writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't
groce and hammers don't ham.

If a vegetarian eats veg, what does a humanitarian
eat?

A slim chance and a fat chance are similar.

So are quite a lot and quite a few.

But overlook and oversee are very different.

You fill in a form to fill it out.

An alarm goes off by going on.

When the stars are out, you see their light but when
the lights are out you see nothing.

Can you give an explanation?!
If you can't, see the next blog.

Prepared by

Mr. Firass Kaddour

English Teacher

Syrian Arab Republic

Hu is the new leader of China?!

Phoenixfiras — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 09:20:50 GMT

Hu is the new leader of China?!

This is a very nice misunderstanding betwen George Bush and Condoleezza Rice.

You can download this joke here, I embeded the mp3 file in the PDF.

http://www.4shared.com/file/230979320/accb91fc/Hu_is_the_new_leader_of_China.html

English Conditionals

Phoenixfiras — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:48:21 GMT

English Conditionals

You can download this book about Conditionals, enjoy it!

http://www.4shared.com/file/229717967/57f3e223/English_Conditionals.html

English Prepositions

Phoenixfiras — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:49:09 GMT

English Prepositions

The usage of some English prepositions

For, during and while

We use for + a period of time to say how long something goes on:
A. For
For two hours, for a week, for ages for example:
* We watched television for two hours last night.
* Victoria is going away for a week in September.
* Where have you been? I've been waiting for ages.
* Are you going away for the weekend?
We use during + noun to say when something happens (not how long):
During the movie during our holiday during the night
For example:
* I fell asleep during the movie.
* We met a lot of people during our holiday.
* The ground is wet. It must have rained during the night.
With a 'time word' (for example, the morning/the afternoon/the summer), you can usually say in or during:
* It must have rained in the night. (or ... during the night.)
* I'll phone you sometime during the afternoon. (or ... in the afternoon.)
You cannot use during to say how long something goes on:
* It rained for three days without stopping. (not 'during three days')
Compare during and for:
* I fell asleep during the movie. I was asleep for half an hour.
B. During and while
Compare:
We use during + noun:
I fell asleep during the movie .
Compare during and while in these examples:
* We met a lot of interesting people during our holiday.
* Robert suddenly began to feel ill during the examination.
We use while + subject + verb:
* I fell asleep while I was watching television.
* We met a lot of interesting people while we were on holiday.
* Robert suddenly began to feel ill while he was doing the examination.
Some more examples of while:
* We saw Amanda while we were waiting for the bus.
* While you were out, there was a phone call for you.
* Christopher read a book while I watched television.
When you are talking about the future, use the present (not 'will') after while:
* I'll be in London next week. I hope to see Tom while I'm there. (not 'while I will be there')
* What are you going to do while you are waiting? (not 'while you will be waiting')

By and until, by the time...

A. By (+ a time) ='not later than':
* I posted the letter today, so they should receive it by Monday. (= on or before Monday, not later than Monday)
* We'd better hurry. We have to be at home by 5 o'clock. (=at or before 5 o'clock, not later than 5 o'clock)
* Where's Sue? She should be here by now. (=now or before now - so she should have arrived already)
You cannot use until with this meaning:
* Tell me by Friday whether or not you can come to the party. (not 'Tell me until Friday')

B. We use until (or till) to say how long a situation continues:
* 'Shall we go now?' 'No, let's wait until (or till) it stops raining.'
* I couldn't get up this morning. I stayed in bed until half past ten.
* I couldn't get up this morning. I didn't get up until half past ten.
Compare until and by:

#1 until
Something continues until a time in the future:
* Fred will be away until Monday. (so he'll be back on Monday)
* I'll be working until 11. 30. (so I'll stop working at 11.30)

#2 by
Something happens by a time in the future:
* Fred will be back by Monday. (= he'll be back not later than Monday)
* I'll have finished my work by 11. 30. (I'll finish my work not later than 11. 30)

C. You can say 'by the time something happens'. Study these examples:
* It's not worth going shopping now. By the time we get to the shops, they will be closed. (= the shops will close between now and the time we get there)
* (from a letter) I'm flying to the United States this evening. So by the time you receive this letter, I'll be in New York. (= I will arrive in New York between now and the time you receive this letter)
* Hurry up! By the time we get to the cinema, the movie will already have started.
You can say 'by the time something happened"(for the past):
* Jane's car broke down on the way to the party last night. By the time she arrived, most of the other guests had gone. (= it took her a long time to get to the party and most of the guests went home during this time)
* I had a lot of work to do yesterday evening. I was very tired by the time I finished. (= it took me a long time to do the work and I became more and more tired during this time)
* We went to the cinema last night. It took us a long time to find somewhere to park the car. By the time we got to the cinema, the movie had already started.
Also by then or by that time:
* Jane finally arrived at the party at midnight, but by then (or by that time), most of the guests had gone.

At /on / in (time)

A. Compare at, on and in:
* They arrived at 5 o'clock.
* They arrived on Friday.
* They arrived in October. /They arrived in 1968.
We use:
At for the time of day:
At 5 o'clock, at 11.45, at midnight, at lunchtime, at sunset etc.
On for days and dates:
On Friday/on Fridays, on 12 March 1991, on Christmas Day, on my birthday
In for longer periods (for example, months/years/seasons):
in October, in 1968, in the 18th century, in the past, in (the) winter, in the 1970s, in the Middle Ages, in (the) future

B. We use at in these expressions:
At night: I don't like going out at night.
At the weekend/at weekends: Will you be here at the weekend?
At Christmas/at Easter (but on Christmas Day): Do you give each other presents at Christmas?
At the moment/at present: Mr Benn is busy at the moment/at present.
At the same time: Liz and I arrived at the same time.
Note that we usually ask 'What time ... ?' (not usually 'At what time...?):
* What time are you going out this evening?

C. We say:

In the morning(s), in the afternoon(s), in the evening(s)
* I'll see you in the morning.
* Do you work in the evenings?
But:
On Friday morning(s), on Sunday afternoon(s), on Monday evening(s) etc.
* I'll be at home on Friday morning.
* Do you usually go out on Saturday evenings?

D. We do not use at/on/in before last/next/this/every:
* I'll see you next Friday. (not 'on next Friday')
* They got married last March.

E. In a few minutes/in six months etc. = a time in the future
* The train will be leaving in a few minutes. (= a few minutes from now)
* Jack has gone away. He'll be back in a week. (= a week from now)
* She'll be here in a moment. (= a moment from now)
You can also say 'in six months' time', 'in a week's time' etc.:
* They're getting married in six months' time. (or ... in six months.)
We also use in... to say how long it takes to do something:
* I learnt to drive in four weeks. (It took me four weeks to learn)

Got a question?!Contact me at Ebaby!

Mr. Firass Kaddour

Syria

Taking Control of The English Language

Phoenixfiras — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:26:01 GMT

Taking Control of The English Language

•How can I speak English better?
•How can I communicate better in English?
•How can I express myself better in English?
•How can I listen to and understand English better?
•How can I improve?

What does taking control of the English language mean?

You speak English at an advanced level. You speak it fluently and you use it every day, yet you aren’t satisfied with your ability. You feel like you can’t express yourself the way you want to. When you can’t say what you want to say or need to say in the manner that you would like to, it might not leave you with the best feeling you could possibly have. There is only one thing to do about it. You must take control of the English language. What does taking control of the English language mean? It does not mean taking control of the entire language. It means taking control of the English language that is yours; the English language that you have. It means using the English that you already have to get more. It means taking responsibility for your own learning.
You might tell yourself that you want to have private instruction with an English language tutor. Great idea! However, there is something you should know and be well aware of. What happens during the time that you meet with an English language tutor is very important, but what happens during the time between your meetings with an English language tutor is even more important. The proactive steps that you take in order to improve have a direct effect on what it is you get out of the time and money that you spend with an English language tutor. In order to receive the maximum benefit possible for the money you spend on a tutor, you must dedicate a sufficient amount of time to studying between each lesson. Of course, the amount of time that anyone is able to dedicate to studying will vary, but nevertheless, it must be done. Furthermore, there are a number of things you should do leading up to the time that you decide to pick up the phone and make that call. So you ask, what is it that I need to do? What can I do on my own?

Read to Increase your Vocabulary

You need to increase your vocabulary. You need to build your lexicon. You need to learn more idiomatic expressions. Does this mean studying vocabulary lists? No. Does that mean buying books that list idiomatic expressions in English and their meanings? That may or may not be helpful. Does it mean going to the Internet and studying idiomatic expressions that are listed at websites? Perhaps, but that wouldn’t be all. Does it mean learning the word of the day that is given by online dictionaries? No! You need to build a personal lexicon. You need to maintain a lexical notebook. You need to learn words and expressions that are interesting to you and will be useful to you. You need to learn words and expressions that are part of your environment. Where can you find these words and expressions? You can find them by listening to the radio, by listening to those that you speak with on a daily basis, and by even listening to those that you don’t speak with. You don’t have to converse with someone in order to listen to someone. Of course, you can find new words and expressions by choosing challenging reading material that is interesting to you: newspaper and magazine articles, books, short stories. In order to start building your new lexicon, I suggest starting by finding something to read.
Now that you have chosen something interesting to read, here is what you need to do. You need to write down the words and expressions that you don’t understand. Take note of the page number and paragraph that the words or expressions are on as you read. After you are done reading, go back to the words and expressions that you didn’t understand and write them in your lexical notebook. Leave space to write an explanation or a definition. From the context, see if you can figure out what the words or expressions mean. After you have done this, go to a dictionary. For idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs that you are unfamiliar with, I strongly recommend taking advantage of Cambridge Dictionaries Online. It is important that you practice these new words and expressions by writing your own sentences. This is helpful in incorporating them into your daily conversations and speaking habits. Don’t be overwhelmed by thinking you have to read a lot. Read what is good for you. If you come across too many words and expressions that you don’t recognize, it might be a good idea to find some less challenging reading material. What you read should be challenging, but it should not be so challenging that it might be discouraging.

Using Radio to Listen to and Understand English Better

Listen to the news on the radio. Listen to talk shows. Generally speaking, radio announcers that report the news speak clearly, use good vocabulary, and also use idiomatic expressions. If you have a computer, you can listen to news reports from National Public Radio and the British Broadcasting Corporation (NPR and the BBC). You can usually find a RealPlayer link to listen to news stories from both of these resources. However, listening to the radio will suffice as well. If you can, it would be a good idea to record a ten to fifteen minute segment of a news show or any broadcast that might interest you. Take note of any words or expressions that sound unfamiliar to you. Write them down in your lexical notebook. If you were able to record what you listened to, listen to it again to see if you can figure out what the new words and expressions mean through the context that they are used in. If you are unable to figure out what something means, then by all means go to a dictionary. Once again, I suggest using Cambridge Dictionaries Online for a comprehensive overview of any single word. Cambridge Dictionaries Online is a very good resource in that it demonstrates how words are used in idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs. Cambridge Dictionaries also point out any important secondary definitions that a word might have.
Pay attention to what you hear wherever you go. If you are on a bus or a train, listen to what people say and how they say it. If you are in a supermarket, a shopping mall or any other public place where you can hear others speak, open your ears and try to listen. Take note of what you hear. Jot it down in a small pocket size notebook. Later, you can add it to your lexical notebook. If you pay attention, you are eventually bound to hear at least one word or one expression that is new to you. When you hear it, write it down. Find out what it means later. Learn it. Use it.
When learning new words and expressions, it is important to take note of whether these words and expressions are used in an informal context or a formal context. Many words and expressions are used both formally and informally. If you aren’t sure of exactly how to use a new word or expression, you can try them out with work colleagues and friends. Find people to converse with. They may not be instructive in any way, but you can try out new ways to express yourself. You should also listen as closely as possible when you converse. Listen for anything that sounds different, new, or unfamiliar. If the circumstance permits, don’t be afraid to take out your pocket notebook and write it down. If you say something that isn't quite right, the person you are speaking with might take note of it and let you know. If you aren’t sure of something you said or would like to say, then ask about it. If you hear something and you don’t know what it means, ask about that as well. Some, or even many people, may not view themselves as "teachers" per se, but most native speakers of English should be able to assist you in this manner. I believe most people would be glad to help. It is of the utmost importance to not be afraid to ask questions. That’s part of taking control of the English language. That’s part of making the English language your language. English is not your first language, but there is no reason why it cannot be your language. Get a notebook. Get something to read. Find something to listen to on the radio. Take control of the English language now.

Mr. Firass Kaddour

Yet, Another Ten Helpful Tips To Improve Your English!

Phoenixfiras — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:03:30 GMT

Yet, Another Ten Helpful Tips To Improve Your English!

After the first successful ten tips, I'd like to provide you with more...

1.Read English language comics. Even more than books with lots of dialogue, comics can be easy to understand and full of idiomatic language as it is actually spoken. There can be difficulties with slang, difficult to understand jokes and/ or dialogue written how people speak rather than with normal spellings, so try to choose which comic carefully. Usually, serious or adventure comics are easier to understand than funny ones.

2.Read English language entertainment guides. Nowadays most big cities in the world have an English language magazine and/ or online guide to the movies, plays, exhibitions that are on in the city that week. Reading this in English is not only good value, but it could also guide you to places that English speakers are interested in and where you might hear some English spoken around you.

3.Read English language magazines.If you can read two versions of the same magazine (Newsweek in your language and in English, for example), that could make understanding it much easier.

4.Take a one week intensive course. Although you cannot expect to come out of a very short course speaking much better English than when you started it, if you continue studying a little over the following weeks and months, the knowledge you gained then will gradually come out and mean that your level of speaking, listening etc. are better than they would have been if you hadn't taken that course. This positive effect can still be true up to a year later.

5.Follow your intensive course up with an extensive course. The more time you can spend studying English the better, but studying periodic intensive courses with a few hours of study a week in between is probably better value for money than any other system as it gives your brain time to subconsciously learn and start using the new language you have learnt before you introduce the next new "chunk" of language.

6.Supplement your group class with a one to one class. Another good way to combine two different kinds of classes is to study both in a group class and one to one. Having a one to one teacher, even if just a couple of times a month, will mean that you can be taught exactly the language that you need, that you will have more time to speak, and that you can have as much error correction as you like.

7.Supplement your one to one class with a group class. The benefits of having a group class are often less clear to students, but they include the fact that you will learn to deal with several people speaking at once, have a chance to practice skills such as interrupting people, and will hear a range of different viewpoints and topics.

8.Teach your children or friends some English. Recent research has shown that elder children tend to be a couple of IQ points above their younger siblings, and the most likely reason is that explaining things to their little brothers and sisters gives them an intellectual boost. In the same way, teaching someone lower level than you the English you already know is a great way of permanently fixing that knowledge in your own brain.

9.Ask your company to start English lessons. Even if you don't need to speak English at work, English lessons can be a fun and reasonably priced way for your company to spend their training budget in a popular way.

10.Have English radio on in the background while you are doing your housework. Even if you are not listening carefully, it will help you subconsciously feel the natural English rhythm and intonation.

END

Got a question?! Feel free to contact me at Ebaby!

Longing for another ten tips??!!!, that would be coming up soon.

Mr. Firass Kaddour

Syria

A Personal Experience in Learning English Resulted in Perfect Language

Phoenixfiras — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:42:38 GMT

A Personal Experience in Learning English Resulted in Perfect Language

Hello everybody and welcome to my humble blog.

As you maybe have seen my profile, I’m an English teacher. What I’m trying to do is to help people improve their English language, or even start with them to learn this amazing language which I like so much.

I would like to start with my own experience through which I achieved native-like competence of American English.

Long ago, since I was a little child at nearly the age of 10 and by mere chance I was exposed to Whitney Houston's song entitled "I will always love you".
That made a great, deep impression in me though I didn't understand what I heard. So, I kept trying to repeat the song but in vain because I didn't speak English, so I tried to remember the melody only in order not to forget the song because maybe one day I’ll come to know this song’s title.

After about five years and by chance again I bought a cassette that included Whitney’s song and Celine Dion’s “My heart will go on “as well. That was amazing I was so happy I found the song I was looking for.
Then I started to listen to my local radio stations which broadcasted English songs, and sometimes they were telling the lyrics of those songs. That helped a lot, but until that time I wasn’t seeking learning English. Then, and with the passage of time I started understanding few words and sometimes fifty percent of the songs I hear on the radio. Of course I was a secondary school student at that time, so I had some English grammar. I want you to know that what was driving me is love, the love of that language.
I wasn’t intending to improve my English, but it was automatically improving by the passage of time.
After I was grown up a little bit I decided to study English Literature at the university, because I said to myself this is the best subject I’ve been good at during my school life, so I want to do it. And that’s what happened; I studied English Literature at university and graduated recently.

There’s something I want you to know, my native-like competence didn’t evolve because of the university, it evolved from hardworking and self-study. I used to listen to native speakers of both British and American English almost all the time, I imitated their pronunciation, and of course this didn’t happen simultaneously, I had to repeat and practice even with myself i.e. I spoke to myself sometimes loudly and I’m still doing it. Because you know… and as one of my friends here at Ebaby told me that he is not finding a person to communicate with in English, I didn’t have my English mate as well, not even had a person to speak English with. Some said that : come on man, we’re not English why should use their language, some didn’t have the courage, and many others couldn’t communicate in English though they were English Literature students and were exposed to English almost daily and for at least five six hours a day.
So I decided to chat with English people on the internet. Most of my conversations were by writing only, I had the chance to speak via voice only twice in the last four years.

It was such a pleasure to speak English fluently at least for a few minutes with my professors back at the university.
I tried to speak all the time. I needed a chance so I told one of my instructors to let me make a presentation in front of all my colleagues, and she said ok. I did it, and during it I cracked a joke in order to refresh the students but guess what happened?! Only four guys understood what I said and laughed. Oh my God, I was shocked but still, I wanted to go on.
You might ask yourselves this question “How could this guy pronounce English like native speakers, and I’ve been trying so hard to do that and I couldn’t?! Even though I’ve been studying English for years and in formal classes”.

I can tell you something but I don’t want you to get disappointed or frustrated; as I studied language learning theories and how a child acquires his mother tongue and how an adult learns a new language and how far can he or she achieve native-like competence of that language, this could be up to many factors like: age, teacher, environment, the right input etc…….
But my case as I think is a kind of innateness, something I was inborn with, so no matter how hard you try, no matter what you do you’re not gonna reach that point. I don’t wanna disappoint you but this is the truth as far as pronunciation is concerned.

But, you should keep learning and trying to improve your English whatsoever, don’t lose hope and practice English pronunciation as much as you could because not all learners of English are native-like speakers, but some have a nice pronunciation, they’re able to communicate with others, they can express themselves clearly.

Finally, one of the best ways to improve your English is using it, use it or lose it.
Please help me fulfilling my quest by commenting on my articles and lessons.
Please feel free to share me your ideas and thoughts, and don’t hesitate to contact me at Ebaby!

Mr. Firass Kaddour

Syrian Arab Republic