This is the first in a series of lessons about connected speech. One of the ways in which we link syllables and words together is with "glides" -- for example a Y sound is added between "be" and "able" so it sounds like "bee yable".  Listen to the sentences and you'll get the idea of these glides. Y glides: /iy/ 1) I would like to be able to speak fluent English. 2) Will you be able to come? 3) She likes to create small sculptures.  4) Let’s create something new. 5) My dog loves being in the...

Here are some sentences with six-syllable words. 1- In the 1960s people experimented with hallucinogenic drugs.  2- Covid 19 has resulted in the hospitalization of too many people. 3- Please do NOT eat mushrooms which are not identifiable as safe and harmless. 4- Alien organisms might not be easily categorizable. 5- After lengthy reconsideration of your proposal, my answer is still NO. 6- I was the beneficiary of my late uncle’s largesse. He was a generous man. 7- I would like to study...

Crazy English. We pronounce "ough" in too many ways... I thought microbiology was a tough course, but my professor was a thorough teacher. I studied hard throughout, and in the end I learned what he taught even though it was a challenge. 1- I thought microbiology was a tough course… 2…but my professor was a thorough teacher.  3- I studied hard throughout… 4…and in the end I learned what he taught… 5…even though it was a challenge. You did it! Good job. Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du...

1- Do you think you know what a parachute looks like?  2- Guess what: There are tons of parachute types out there, and you probably don’t know ’em all!  3- Here’s a rundown of several of the normal and not-so-normal types of parachutes…  3a- …that help skydivers (and far-flung cargo) make their way softly back down to terra firma. 4- Round parachutes were the first tools for fabric descent.  5- If your mental image of a parachute involves a big, inverted pouch of fabric…  5a-…suspended over a...

What parachute types are there? Do you think you know what a parachute looks like? Guess what: There are tons of parachute types out there, and you probably don’t know ’em all! Here’s a rundown of several of the normal and not-so-normal types of parachutes that help skydivers (and far-flung cargo) make their way softly back down to terra firma. 1. ROUND PARACHUTES Round parachutes were the first tools for fabric descent. If your mental image of a parachute involves a big, inverted pouch of...

1 - Gymnasts have broad, muscular backs. 2 - I worked in the garden all morning and now my back aches. 3 - He broke his back in a terrible car accident. 4 - Have you ever read The Hunchback of Notre Dame? 5 - My dog always stretches his back and yawns when he wakes up. 6 - My cat arched his back and hissed loudly at the neighbor’s dog. 7 - She leaned her back against the door and looked at me suspiciously. 8 - He patted and scratched his dog’s back affectionately.  9 - Tall people are prone...

There are some words in English which change their meaning when you change the stress. Here’s an example: Perfect - free of mistakes, problems, errors. 1 - The teacher said my homework was perfect. (PER-fect) 2 - She got a perfect score on the exam. 3 - Your pronunciation is perfect. 4 - It’s hard to be perfect all the time.  5 - That painting looks just like my grandmother. It’s a perfect likeness. 6 - The forger copied my signature perfectly. Uh oh! 7 - What a smile! She has perfect...

 1 - I enjoyed myself when I visited Mexico.  2 - She hurt herself playing basketball.  3 - You’re working too hard. Don’t kill yourself!  4 - John is going to make himself a sandwich.  5 - We encourage ourselves to practice English every day.  6 - I own my own small company. I pay myself four thousand dollars per month.  7 - It is important for children to learn to behave themselves.  8 - If you get hungry please help yourself to anything in the refrigerator.  9 - He entertained himself by...

The full text of this podcast along with additional information about job scams can be found on the US Federal Trade Commission website. Here are some sentences to use for pronunciation practice. They are at the end of the podcast. 1- Scammers advertise jobs the same way honest employers do — online (in ads, on job sites, and social media), in newspapers, and sometimes on TV and radio.  2- They promise you a job, but what they want is your money and your personal information.  3- Here are...

There are many collocations in English using the word “pain”. Here are a few to practice with. 1) He immersed himself in the music and for a little while forgot the pain of losing his father. 2) She took medications for a few days to ease the pain in her leg. 3) It took me a long time to get over the pain of getting divorced. 4) We shared both the joy and pain of raising our children. 5) Her husband is a soldier. She knows the pain of separation.  6) Her addiction to drugs caused her family a...

Once upon a time there was a little girl who lived with her mother in a small house at the edge of a big forest. The girl had a bright red cape with a hood and it was so striking that everyone called her Little Red Riding Hood. One day her mother said, "Sweetie, I'm preparing a basket of treats for your dear grandmother. She's not feeling well and a visit from you would cheer her up.” Soon the basket of treats was ready. Little Red Riding Hood put on her cape and her mother gave her final...

1) Our teacher gave us some grammar exercises for homework. 2) The translation exercises were difficult. 3) I do yoga exercises every morning. 4) His doctor recommended some exercises to strengthen his back. 5) Learning a new language is a good mental exercise. 6) Mary does daily breathing, stretching, and relaxation exercises.  7) I like to listen to rock and roll music during exercise. 8) My wife gave me an exercise video for my birthday.  9)  I don’t have any exercise equipment at...

1) We go to dinner at a fancy restaurant when we’re feeling extravagant.  2) Spending $200 on a pair of shoes seems extravagant to me. 3) She’s only extravagant when she’s on vacation and then she throws caution to the winds. 4) After winning the lottery, he became the most extravagant person I know. He spent millions on his new house. 5) The lifestyles of the rich and famous are often wildly extravagant.  6) Mr. Jones is a conservative man, but his wife is very extravagant.  7) He’s cautious...

Some sentences with "happy": 1) He has a successful business with many happy customers. 2) Meeting you here in the airport was a happy accident.  3) The boy was whistling a happy tune. 4) That movie had a happy ending.  5) Alex and Joanna are a very happy couple. 6) My grandson has had a happy childhood. 7) I have happy memories of my first trip to Europe. 8) She had a productive day at work so she’s in a happy mood. 9) This restaurant has a happy atmosphere.  10) You have a happy face and...

Betty Botta bought some butter; “But,” said she, “this butter’s bitter! If I put it in my batter It will make my batter bitter. But a bit o’ better butter Will but make my batter better.” Then she bought a bit o’ butter Better than the bitter butter, Made her bitter batter better. So ’twas better Betty Botta Bought a bit o’ better butter. Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the showYou can now support my podcasts and...

Where's Molly? The cat? I don't know. Where have you looked? Did you check the bedroom? She's not in the bedroom. Did you look in the fridge? How would a cat get into the fridge? I don't know. How about the washing machine? I just put laundry in the washer. She's not in there. Did you look outside? She's not in the front yard and she's not in the backyard. Did you look in the car? Molly hates the car. I'm sure she's not in the car. Did you check the box? What box? Schrödinger's...

If you're not familiar with the word auction, A-U-C-T-I-O-N, I want you to stop this podcast, look at the notes, and go watch two parts of videos on YouTube. The first one is an example of an auction competition and the second one is a woman auctioneer talking about her patter, which is the way people talk during auctions. STOP! Please watch these videos: 1) An auction competition 2) Auction patter demonstration In the United States, auctions can be for horses, cows, antiques, furniture,...

Here are two home-made tongue twisters featuring "L". Lazy Lucy left languid Larry lingering in Louisiana. Lucille’s lizard lives happily in her yellow bungalow. (Note to Turkish speakers: look in a mirror and say English words beginning in "L". If you see the tip of your tongue sticking out, you are articulating a Turkish "L" -- in American English, the tip of the tongue is on the roof of the mouth behind your teeth.) Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers -...

Today's mini-cast discusses these two sentences: I used to work for a big company, but after a few years I quit. Now I'm self-employed. If there's a sentence or a couple of sentences you find tricky to pronounce, and you'd like me to use it or them in a mini-podcast, email me at [email protected] and I will be happy to consider your suggestion. Thanks! Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the showYou can now support...

Another mini-cast: the sentence to practice here is: "I could take the bus to work, but I'd rather walk." Listen carefully as always, and notice how words pronounced in isolation may be pronounced differently when they're in a sentence. If you want to practice your speaking and correct grammar at the same time, try making up variations on the podcast sentence. Here are a few examples: I could walk to work, but I'd rather drive. I could take my scooter to work, but I'd rather bike. I...

Here's another podcast where I dig into exactly how I pronounce a single sentence: "To tell you the truth, I was surprised by his attitude."  By the way: thank you to my supporters who contribute to help pay for the expenses of this podcast. You are greatly appreciated! Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the showYou can now support my podcasts and classes: Help Barry pay for podcast expenses--thank you!

Note: the podcast recording is not identical to this short essay. But the topic is the same. Who knew? The "TH" sound in English does not exist in Turkish. And yet, the articulation of the "TH" sound does exist in Turkish. Really and truly. If you are a native speaker of Turkish, do this: 1) Say the word "geldi". 2) Repeat the word, but do NOT pronounce the "di". Just say "gel" and stop. Freeze. Don't move. Go look in the mirror and see where your tongue is. Or if no mirror is nearby, just...

This podcast contains a very close analysis of how I pronounce a few sentences: 1- I am so tired of waiting in the rain. 2- I'm so happy to be walking in the park. 3- I was so tired of waiting in the rain that I went to a restaurant. Remember:  Written English is not a good guide to pronunciation.  Believe me! You need to listen closely to how we native speakers actually speak. Listen, listen, listen. Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers -...

 There was once a young rat named Arthur, who could never take the trouble to make up his mind. Whenever his friends asked him if he would like to go out with them, he would only answer, ‘I don’t know.’ He wouldn’t say ‘yes’ and he wouldn’t say ‘no’ either. He could never learn to make a choice.  His aunt Helen said to him, ‘No one will ever care for you if you carry on like this. You have no more mind than a blade of grass.’ Arthur looked wise, but stupidly said nothing.  One rainy day, the...

No text. This podcast is my quick report on how my Turkish studies are going after one month. It's definitely an adventure.  Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the showYou can now support my podcasts and classes: Help Barry pay for podcast expenses--thank you!