| You have been a good student of English as a foreign | | | | speech in preference to the more easily understood |
| language. You've worked hard and studied English | | | | Latin root. Sadly, most of these are not at all |
| since you were at school. You have taken courses | | | | transparent to the non-native speaker and so just |
| and passed lots of important English language exams; | | | | have to be learned. To make it more difficult they will |
| Cambridge First Certificate and even the advanced | | | | often have a very specific meaning in an often narrow |
| level CAE. However, one thing still gets you: as soon | | | | context. Consider "he cleared off" meaning that "he left |
| as you meet some native English speakers from the | | | | quickly and suddenly". Or "she turned up out of the |
| UK or the States and they all get talking together, you | | | | blue" meaning that "she arrived suddenly and |
| are totally lost! Why did I spend so much money on | | | | unexpectedly". When you consider idioms like "it's high |
| English classes when I still can't follow the Brits and the | | | | time that I took some more English lessons" meaning "I |
| Yanks? Don't dispair! There are some simple and | | | | feel that I really should take some more English lessons |
| specific reasons for this and plenty of things that you | | | | now and this need has existed for a long time." it's not |
| can work on to help make sure that the native | | | | hard to see why the non-native speaker is at a |
| speaker fog will lift! Check out the main reasons below | | | | permanent disadvantage! |
| and follow these tips to make sure you improve your | | | | Tip - it's necessary to broaden your passive |
| listening comprehension and your confidence when | | | | vocabulary. This is the range of vocabulary that you |
| talking to native English speakers, wherever they | | | | can simply understand when you hear it spoken or |
| come from. What's more, they are all free and easy | | | | see it written as opposed to the active vocabulary |
| to follow!: | | | | that you can produce when speaking or writing. Your |
| 1 Pronunciation - most people think that work on | | | | passive vocabulary will always be much greater than |
| pronunciation in the English language classroom is all | | | | your active. However, to broaden and expand your |
| about production. To help you as a learner of English | | | | passive vocabulary you should read more in English. |
| speak more clearly and to help you to be understood | | | | Go online and find articles or news stories written in |
| by native speakers and non-native speakers alike. | | | | English that just interest you. Read the article through |
| Wrong! Raising student's awareness of English stress | | | | once at first without stopping to consider specific items |
| timed rhythm is really the key to improving their listening | | | | of vocabulary that you are not familiar with. Just try |
| comprehension. | | | | and get the gist of the story. Then go back and look |
| In Italian, it is generally the penultimate syllable at one | | | | at the sentences containing words or phrases that you |
| word level that is stressed, but in English there is no | | | | haven't seen before, but don't reach for that dictionary |
| pattern. On the contrary, the word stress can change | | | | just yet! Instead, whilst thinking of context and probable |
| in the same word family e.g. ecOnomy (o O o o) cf | | | | meaning of this sentence by considering the sentence |
| econOmics (o o O o). Consider phOtograph cf | | | | before and after it, try to substitute the unknown |
| photOgraphy. If the learner is mistakenly expecting to | | | | phrase or word with something else, with which you |
| hear "Economics" (O o o o), but a native speaker says | | | | are familiar. Substitute some other word(s) in so that |
| econOmics (o o O o), they will simply not understand | | | | the sentence still makes sense. If you really get stuck, |
| the correct version when a native speakers says it as | | | | use the mono-lingua dictionary as a last measure. |
| this subtle difference in the word stress pattern makes | | | | 3 Regional accents - well, nobody speaks the Queen's |
| the whole thing totally incomprehensible! Not | | | | English any more. That's for sure. Even the BBC is full |
| convinced? if you try and say some words from your | | | | of presenters from Glasgow, Manchester, Texas and |
| first language with a typically English accent, you'll soon | | | | Dublin! And these accents can make life difficult, even |
| understand! by the time you stop laughing, you'll see | | | | for the native speaker! Speakers with strong Scottish |
| excatly what I mean! | | | | accents have appeared on UK tv news and |
| Tip - Just knowing that this phenomena exists will have | | | | documentary programmes along with sub-titles to help |
| raised your awareness of this potential problem, | | | | the southerners understand what is being said! |
| meaning that you are more likely to actively try and | | | | Tip - again, there are lots of free resources out there |
| avoid it. However, the best time to tackle this is when | | | | on the internet to help you. Search on YouTube under |
| you are learning a new word for the first time. Make a | | | | Scottish or Irish accent and you are bound to find |
| point of checking the word stress patten in a dictionary | | | | plenty of material to work with. Join an international |
| and then practise saying the word out loud with the | | | | social network site like Facebook, actively seek out |
| correct delivery. A good mono-lingual English language | | | | native speakers of regional English and then get to |
| dictionary specifically designed for English as a foreign | | | | know them. VOIP calls on Skype, MSN or ooVoo are |
| language students will indicate the word stress with an | | | | free ad easy to set up with a modern PC and |
| appropriately placed accent eg. eco'nomy or by some | | | | headset, so you can soon be chatting away to your |
| other clear visual indicator. The best of these | | | | new friends and getting to grips with the trickiest |
| dictionaries now also come with a CD-ROM which | | | | regional English accents from all over the world, from |
| allows you to actually hear and then model the correct | | | | the comfort of your home or office. I bet you can |
| pronunciation. Like most things, get it right at the start to | | | | even find some homesick native English speaker |
| avoid any future problems! you can also check out the | | | | working or studying in your home town who would |
| English language section on the BBC website as there | | | | love to make friends with a local and chat in English |
| are lots of news articles that you can listen to whilst | | | | over a beer! |
| reading the story from the text at the same time. | | | | When you find it difficult to understand native speakers |
| Simple and unfashionable, yes, but very very effective | | | | of English, you are not alone. It's a common complaint |
| in helping you use your awareness of native speaker | | | | from even the most advanced level learners of English |
| pronunciation to improve your listening comprehension | | | | as a foreign language! But, there are lots and lots of |
| skills, ability and enjoyment. | | | | things that can be done to help yourself here. As soon |
| 2 Phrasal verbs & idiomatic expressions - native | | | | as you start to put into practice all the tips above, you |
| English speakers, whether they come from Ireland, | | | | will be amazed how soon and quickly the mist of |
| Scotland, Soth Africa, the States, New Zealand or | | | | incomprehension starts to burn away as you begin to |
| Australia will all naturally and without thinking always | | | | glow in the sunshine of improved self-confidence! |
| tend to use phrasal verbs and idioms in their everyday | | | | |