Testing

4 Apr 2016

You may have heard or read that English has more words than any other language.

Actually, this probably isn’t true. For one thing, it’s very hard to count words. For example, do all the forms of a word (such as hard, hardly, hardness, harden, hardening, hardy, hardiness) count as one word or many words?

But it’s definitely true that English has a lot of words. You can thank English history for this. English started as a Germanic language. But then, in 1066, the French invaded England and ruled it for hundreds of years. As a result, many French and Latin words flooded into the language.

bayeaux_tapestry

The results are quite interesting. English has many synonyms (words that mean the same thing), one with a Germanic origin and one with a French origin. For example, forgive (Germanic) and pardon (French). Or friendly and amicable, or answer and reply.

But maybe you don’t want to learn about English history: you just want to learn English vocabulary! What should you do when there are so many words, and you have so little time?

It helps to think about vocabulary as belonging to three tiers (or levels).

Tier One words are the basic words that are usually easy to learn (and teach). These words include numbers (one, two, three), colors (red, blue), simple adjectives (hot, cold), and basic verbs (do, make, talk, sleep). Nouns (names) for everyday things (car, house, plate) also belong in Tier One. If you are a beginner, these are the words you should focus on.

To learn Tier One words, picture dictionaries can be very helpful. My personal favorite is the Oxford Picture Dictionary (Second Edition). You can buy a monolingual (English only) version; online and 13 bilingual editions are also available.

Tier Two words are more complex. Intermediate students need to learn these in order to read more texts and express more ideas. Take a word like walk. That’s a basic Tier One word. But there are lots of ways to walk. To describe these, you need Tier Two words such as stroll, amble, saunter, trudge, stomp, and stride. When you know these words (at least some of them), you can express your thoughts more exactly. Knowledge of Tier Two words can also really help you on tests like TOEFL. For example, instead of saying “students should work hard,” how about “students should pursue their studies diligently”?

To learn Tier Two words, it’s helpful to do extensive reading in English. Find books that interest you and that are not too hard to read. Use an online dictionary such as Collins Cobuild to help you translate unfamiliar words. Focus on words that relate to your interests. If you’re an artist, you might want to expand your vocabulary of “color” words, like aquamarine and teal. If you’re a sports fan, zero in on English words you can use to talk about your favorite sport or team. Review your vocabulary words constantly and try to put them into use in your speaking and writing. Finally, have some fun. When you are learning those synonyms for to walk, try strolling, sauntering, trudging, stomping, and striding around the room while repeating those different words! Play word games such as the Daily Jumble or crossword puzzles. Walk around your home and try to name every object in English; for a bigger challenge, add an adjective to describe it.

And what about Tier Three words? Those are the specialized words that relate to a particular field of interest or occupation. Biologists will need one set of words, while engineers will need a completely different set. You will probably learn these when you are an advanced English student, and you will only need to focus on those connected to your work or studies.

Finally, what about slang and swear words? You can’t watch an American movie or TV show without encountering them. This is such a big topic that I will save it for a later blog post.

20 Mar 2016

Do you speak English with an accent? Do you wish you didn’t have an accent? Are you ashamed of your accent?

The truth is that unless you started speaking English when you were very young, or unless you have a very unusual gift for languages, you will probably have an accent.

And that’s okay!

Actually, most of us Americans love to hear someone speaking with an accent. If you have been to the U.S., you will notice that we all have accents too. Someone from New Jersey, where I was born, does not sound much like someone from Kentucky, where I live now. We all speak English, but our accents and even the words we use depend on where we grew up. It’s probably the same in your country.

Since you can’t get rid of your accent, what should you aim for in your spoken English?

The most important thing is that other people understand you. If you speak to someone in English, and they look puzzled or ask you to repeat what you said, you probably need a little improvement. Usually your grammar does not have to be very good for you to be understood. But you may have to work on your pronunciation, your intonation, and your pace.

Problems with pronunciation usually arise from your first language (what we teachers call your L1). Native Chinese speakers have different pronunciation problems than native Arabic speakers, or native French speakers. Some sounds are just harder for people to say (or even to hear!) than other sounds. I think the best way to fix pronunciation problems is to work with a native English speaker. You don’t have to be face-to-face. Make use of new technology to connect with people. Ask them to listen to you carefully and to correct your mispronunciation. Keep practicing!

Intonation is another problem. This means that your voice naturally rises and falls. Intonation patterns can really vary from one language group to another. If you don’t try to copy English intonation patterns, you may have trouble being understood. A great way to improve intonation is to listen to English language TV shows or movies. Pretend you are one of the actors and speak their lines.

Finally, there’s pace, which means how fast or slow you talk. Maybe you have been studying English in a classroom or with recorded materials. But when you watch an American movie, people seem to be speaking a different language, and much more quickly! Unless you are really, really good at English, I think it’s better to slow down when you speak. If you have problems with pronunciation and/or intonation, speaking quickly is only going to make it harder for people to understand you. Even in a test like TOEFL, when you only have a minute to answer a question, slow down. TOEFL is looking for speech that is “clear, fluid, and sustained.” You don’t need to speak rapidly, and if you do, you may not be understood.

When you are speaking to someone in English, they may repeat some of your words or phrases. This does not mean that they are correcting you. It’s what we do naturally when we want to make sure we have understood something. Remember that the goal of learning a language is to communicate. With or without an accent, if your English is good enough so that you can be understood, you should be very pleased with your fluency.

9 Mar 2016

When someone asks you to give your opinion, what should you say, and how should you say it?

In tests like the TOEFL iBT, or in your English classroom, you may be asked what you think about some topic. A common question is whether you agree or disagree with something. For example, do you agree or disagree that children should start school when they are three years old?

First of all, be sure to start your response confidently, using proper English.

Some people begin with phrases like Personally speaking (which sounds a bit unnatural) or, even worse, According to me (which native English speakers never say!). Try In my opinion or From my point of view instead. But really, you don’t need these “filler” phrases. Especially in tests like the TOEFL, you don’t have much time to express your opinion, so don’t waste it on empty words.

Try to use good grammar. Don’t say, I am agree (or I am disagree). Instead, say, I agree or I disagree (or I don’t agree). If you want to add some emphasis, use words like strongly or definitely. For example, I strongly disagree that children should start school when they are three years old. Or, I definitely agree that children should start school when they are three years old. Other popular word choices (which are sometimes overused) are totally, completely, and absolutely. Never use greatly or exactly.

What if you don’t completely agree or totally disagree with something? What if you see two sides to the issue? There are some common English expressions that can help you express this point of view. And, actually, using phrases like these can make you sound much more fluent.

For example:

I both agree and disagree with this statement (point of view, opinion).

I think this issue is not black and white. (Or, I don’t think this matter is black and white.)

I believe it’s important to strike a balance.

I really think there’s a happy medium.

Perhaps it’s best to find some middle ground.

It depends.

Or, the popular duo, On the one hand …. on the other hand.

Of course, after you state your main belief, you will usually be expected to offer one or more reasons to support it. The number of reasons you need and the amount of elaboration you give will depend on the amount of time you are given to speak. In a test like the TOEFL, when you have only 45 seconds, it’s not necessary or even desirable to provide more than one reason. Instead of struggling to come up with two or more reasons, focus on developing your one reason with specific details and examples. You can start out your sentences with phrases like:

I think that …

I believe that …

It seems to me that …

In my experience, I have found that …

So, here are some examples of responses you might make to the question about children’s schooling.

I agree (one extended reason):

I definitely agree that children should start school when they are three years old. In my country, most women go back to work after having a baby. They take about three years off after the baby and then they have to return to their job. So, in my country, most children go to schools at that time. If there are schools for children that age, then the parents know that their children are in a safe place, with trained people to take care of them. Of course, when they are only three, children don’t have to sit at desks and do school assignments, but they can play with other children and learn social skills. They can learn the alphabet and how to count, and they’ll also learn valuable lessons about obeying the teacher and respecting other people. So I think if children start school at age three, it’s definitely better for the parents, because their children are taken care of, and it’s also better for the kids themselves, because they’ll be learning lots of things.

I agree (two reasons):

I strongly agree that children should start school when they are three years old. First of all, in my country, most mothers and fathers work full-time, so it’s good for children to have a place to go where they can be with responsible adults and play with other children. For example, I started school when I was very young and my parents felt I was safe and cared for there. Also, I think that in today’s world, it’s important for children to get an education as soon as possible. In countries where children don’t go to school until they are six or seven, I don’t think they get enough education. I learned to read before I was five years old and I think that was a real advantage for me. This is why I think school is good for children, even when they are only three years old.

I disagree (two reasons):

I strongly disagree that children should start school when they are three years old. First of all, I think children are safer and more loved when they are living in their own home. For example, my sister’s child went to school when she was very young and she was always getting sick. Also, she didn’t see her mother and father as much, and I think that had a bad effect on her. Also, I think that children learn lots of things at home; they don’t need school when they are that young. For example, my mother taught me numbers and letters while I was very young. But I also had a chance to play with my brothers and sisters and not to feel pressured to start learning. This is why I think it is better for children to go to school when they are older, maybe at age five or six.

I can see both sides of the issue:

I think whether children start school when they are three years old depends on the situation. On the one hand, if both of the parents work, then I think it’s probably a good idea for children to be in school, rather than home with someone who might not take good care of them. In school, they can be with other children and they can start learning things at a young age. On the other hand, if a mother or father stays home with their child, then I think it’s good for children to go to school later on. Nobody loves their child as much as a parent, so I think it is good for children to be with their parent. Also, they can be with their brothers and sisters, which makes their relationships stronger. So I don’t think it’s a black and white issue. Sometimes it’s better for children to go to school when they are very young, and sometimes it’s better that they stay home longer.

You can find more discussion about discussing your “mixed feelings” here.