Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Correct British English - Especially Helpful for Speakers of Chinese (Mandarin) and Singlish


UK flag

I teach English to English speaking people and English as a Foreign Language (EFL).

What's the difference between English as a Foreign Language and English as a second language?

If you teach English as a foreign language, you start from scratch with the grammar. And vocabulary.

If you teach English as a second language, the students can make them selves understood, sometimes misunderstood. They often cannot be bothered to read grammar which they did years ago in school. They want to correct their pronunciation and to work out why nobody understands their intonation, although their vocabulary can be huge. They may be translating word by word from another language such as Chinese which has a different sentence structure. lacks the a and the, and has fewer tenses.

What I hear - What I would say and you should say in Correct English

B
I am boring - I am bored (boring is active, what you are in the process of doing to others, and how they feel when listening to you, whilst bored is passive, how you feel when listening to them)
I am never boring - I am never bored

I
I would like to introduce you - I would like to introduce to you

N
Narrative (Emphasize the first syllable. The middle a is short, like in a man, not ay as in pay.)

O
Off the light (Singlish) - turn off the light (the verb is required in English)

S
sword (the w is silent)

T
(the) team of the evening - (the) theme of the evening

This my first time - this is my first time
(a) Toemaster - (a) toastmaster

Tortoise (pronounced taught-us, short u like er, not taught-iss)

Useful Websites
Menti.com
Zoom
Toastmasters International Find a Club
https://www.toastmasters.org/find-a-club
learncool.sg
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8262085/College-student-shocked-professor-read-private-conversations-Zoom.html

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. (Not related to the actress.)
Author of twenty books including: Quick Quotations; Who Said What When.
See books and profiles on Lulu.com and Amazon, such as Wedding Speeches & Toasts. Also watch videos on YouTube.

If you want to learn to speak the Queen's English, or Received Pronunciation. join me at my online toastmasters club,
Braddell Heights Advanced. Wednesdays, 7-9 Singapore time which is seven hours ahead of London, England.
I am also a member of
Singapore Online.9-12 pm, Singapore time, Fridays. I am also a member of
Tampines Changkat Advanced.
Harrovians, London.

See other posts on speaking, singers, statues, languages and destinations.
Please share links to your favourite posts.


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