TT4BS - the /e/ sound

In this TongueTwisting4BetterSpeech, let's practice the /e/ sound. Click the red speaker below for an audio recording to help you practice your pronunciation.

Practice the following words first:
when, send, lend, fence, hence

Any, says, yes, best, dress
Lesson, oppress, digress, message, fresh

Practice this tongue twister slowly first; then go faster as it gets easier.

Ken said Ted meant to send the rent but left the check on a bench when he stopped to mend the fence.

Good luck!

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Quick Reminder: Practice makes perfect

I came across a quote posted by @CoachCoreyWayne on Twitter. The quote is by the German literary great Johann Von Goethe and says, "Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Wishing is not enough; we must do." This quote is relevant to whatever endeavor you are engaged in, of course, but it caught my attention because it definitely applies to language learning. 

In the classroom, I often say it's never enough to simply understand; you have to practice--even when it's easy. Advanced students who mess up the simple present tense when speaking are often the ones who don't see the need to practice it. These students can complete exercises perfectly and do them in less than a minute, but when it comes to expressing themselves, they stumble and mess up because proper use of the tense just hasn't set in, and it doesn't set in unless they practice. 

Sometimes it's difficult to get some students excited about an activity, however engaging or fun--in my opinion--it is if they think the grammar point is too easy. Ironically, the students who are eager to participate are often the ones who don't need the practice. Their language skills are good because they enjoy learning and using it. On the other hand, the ones who resist the activity are often the ones who really need it. Simply put, they have poor language skills because they're not excited about practicing the language. Their language skills are poor because they don't practice, but it's because they don't practice that their language skills are poor. It's the chicken-or-the-egg scenerio of language learning. 

I hope this Quick Reminder makes sense. If you are a student, you really need to get excited about your new language and eagerly participate in using it in the classroom even when the lesson seems too easy. Practicing will eliminate the errors you make when you speak. 

Please post your comments or write me at joeyu@thesmallguidesite.com.

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Quick Reminder about "Speak Up"

Did you know speak up has two meanings?

- Speak louder:

1. Could you please speak up? I can't hear you.
2. Please speak up so students in the back of the room can hear.

- Express your ideas and opinions:
1. Tom, you need to speak up if you're not happy with something. If you don't say anything, we can't fix what's wrong.
2. Speak up for what you believe and support a cause.

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shortchange (v)

1. You are shortchanging yourself if you don't study or get the most out of a course.
2. It felt like we got shortchanged at the restaurant. Our portions were much smaller than the dishes at the next table.
3. The merchant shortchanged them out of one hat. He'd said he'd give them 5 for $10. On the other hand, it may have been an honest mistake.
4. Everyone thought Bill got shortchanged out of a promotion. People in management just suddenly changed their minds.
5. If you have a gym membership and you don't go, you're shortchanging yourself.

To shortchange someone is to cheat or deprive someone. Shortchanging yourself means cheating or depriving yourself of what should be yours. This phrase is similar to selling yourself short and most of the time, the two phrases are interchangeable.

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Sell yourself short

1. John constantly gives more credit to others when he actually does most of the work. I wish he'd stop selling himself short.
2. Stop selling yourself short, Jane. Let them know it was your idea.
3. Sue, you're nice, but you're selling yourself short if you let them take credit for something you did.
4. She should've gotten the promotion, but she keeps selling herself short. They don't know how talented she is.
5. He sold himself short again. He didn't mention the fact that he'd had a couple of exhibitions of his work.

When you sell yourself short, you undervalue yourself or your abilities; you don't give yourself credit, and you don't let others give you credit.

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GR - the third conditional part 2

First of all, G2R (Grammar2Remember) is now simply GR (GrammarReminder). I decided to change it mainly because it's simpler and I think it sounds better. GrammarReminder just rolls off the tongue better than Grammar2Remember.  

Secondly, if you need a quick refresher on the third conditional, go to our May 21 blog first to review the structure and the rules for when we use the third conditional.

Good news: The third conditional is the easiest one to convert to its advanced form. To do so, you simply eliminate "if" and put the auxiliary verb "had" in front of the subject in the if clause.

like this:
1. If she had studied, she wouldn't have failed.

(advanced form) Had she studied, she wouldn't have failed.
2. If the show had been good, we would have stayed longer.

(advanced form) Had the show been good, we would have stayed longer.
3. They could have seen us if they had stayed just another 30 minutes.

(advanced form) They could have seen us had they stayed just another 30 minutes.
4. If he hadn't lied, he wouldn't have gotten in trouble.

(advanced form) Had he not lied, he wouldn't have gotten in trouble.
5. He would have won the game if he hadn't made that one mistake.

(advanced form) He would have won the game had he not made that one mistake.

your turn:

Finish the following sentences from part 1:

1. Had I not moved to this country, ...

2. Had I gone to that party, ...

3. Had the weather been nice this past weekend, ...

Share your sentences here or on our Facebook page. Good luck!

(If a word or phrase rolls of the tongue, it's easy to say or pronounce it.)

Spread oneself too thin

1. If he keeps spreading himself too thin, he might have a nervous breakdown.
2. I told my manager I couldn't take on the new project; I was already spreading myself too thin.
3. You really should ask for help. You're already spreading yourself too thin.
4. She likes to help everyone, but she ends up spreading herself too thin.
5. He wants to start a business, but he doesn't want to spread himself too thin. His job already keeps him very busy.

When you spread yourself too thin, you do too much; you take on too much responsibility; you leave no time for yourself, and often as a result, you suffer and your work suffers.

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Call it a day

1. We finally finished the project, but we didn't call it a day until 1 in the morning. We were so tired.
2. You've been working for 8 hours straight! Why don't you call it a day and get some rest.
3. Let's call it a day and start the next chapter tomorrow.
4. She's supposed to work 8 hours, but she usually calls it a day after 9. There's so much to do.
5. Could you call them at work and see if they've called it a day? We really need them here in 30 minutes.

When you call it a day, you're saying that you'll stop working at that moment and that you'll continue working the next day or the next time.

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Pick someone's brains

1. When she goes fishing with her grandfather, who used to run a corporation, she picks his brains about managing a company.
2. They wanted to meet the author and hopefully pick his brains about his writing career and getting published.
3. He likes to have dinner with successful businessmen so he can pick their brains.
4. You're a lawyer, right? Can I pick your brains about my divorce?
5. Instead of doing research for their science project, they went to a hospital, found a doctor who was nice and had some extra time, and picked his brains.


If you pick someone's brains, you ask this person questions in order to learn from this person and get important information.


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Lighten up

1. Their manager used to be so strict. Now he has lightened up a bit.
2. He can't take a joke without getting angry. He needs to lighten up.
3. She was just kidding! C'mon! Lighten up!
4. The police lightened up a little when they realized we weren't there to cause trouble.
5. He lightened up significantly once he got used to the work, the office, and his colleagues.


When people lighten up, they become less strict, they worry less, or they stop being angry.


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well-versed

1. If you're curious about acupuncture, talk to Dr. Clark. He's well-versed in alternative medicine.
2. Do you know anyone well-versed in solar power? I need someone to talk to my science class about it.
3. He's well-versed in iPod apps, but he can't get a B in math.
4. She's well-versed in Latin American culture but not in history.
5. I've never met anyone so well-versed in the national monuments around the world other than their son.


If you are well-versed in a subject, you are highly knowledgeable in that subject.


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Step up to the plate

1. They haven't picked a replacement yet. The manager's due to step down next month, but so far, no one has stepped up to the plate.
2. You need to get as much experience now; so if someone leaves, you'll be ready to step up to the plate.
3. We weren't sure if Sue could do the job, but she really stepped up to the plate.
4. He's so motivated; he's the kind of guy who would step up to the plate whenever they need him.
5. Tim did alright as a project leader, but when things got tough, I don't think he really stepped up to the plate. He could have done better.


Stepping up to the plate means coming forward and assuming leadership or facing a challenge and meeting expectations.


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Play it by ear

1. They're going to Central Park, then the Met; after that, they're just going to play it by ear.
2. Let's just play it by ear as far as what to do for the party. Let's see first who shows up.
3. Our excursion went well even though we mostly just played it by ear.
4. They could tell the manager was not ready for the meeting. He was clearly playing it by ear.
5. They don't know how long they'll stay at the party. They're just going to play it by ear. If they're having fun, they'll stay long. If not, they'll leave early.


Playing it by ear means not making definite plans and deciding what to do as things happen.


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