Understanding The Origins Of The Italian Language To Assist With Completing Italian Translations

Compared to many other major languages in Europe Italian is spoken by a relatively small number of people. Primary Italian speakers add up to about sixty five million native speakers, with an additional fourteen million who speak the language secondarily. While other European languages are spoken by massive populations outside of Europe, Italian only receives an additional twenty million speakers, adding up to a total of about 80-85 million speakers these days.

The vast majority of these speakers live in Italy, though Switzerland and a few other countries feature statistically significant Italian speaking populations. When looking for an individual to perform Italian translation for you it's a good idea to have an understanding of where this language came from and how it reached its modern standing.

Many people make the mistake of assuming that Italian is essentially the modern form of the Latin language, due to the identical geographic base of the two. This assumption holds some merit, but isn't entirely true. Like other Romance languages (including French) the Italian language is primarily rooted in Vulgar Latin, yet a distinct language closely resembling modern Italian wasn't developed and identified until the beginning of the 1300's.

It was Dante Alighieri who actually, in many ways, formulated and systematized the Italian language. Dante combined a number of languages from the south of Italy, including heavy influences from Florence and Sicily, to write what would later be known as his Divine Comedy. It's hard to overstate or express the importance of Dante's writing when it came to systematizing the modern Italian language. Dante's works were incredibly widely read throughout the country, especially among the wealthy and educated members of society. Because they were read by all of the decision makers of the time the language Dante used in his poetry became the most common formulation and dialect understood by the largest number of influential people at the time.

While Dante's writing essentially made the speech patterns of Florence the standard for the entire country, Italy continued to utilize a wide variety of dialects in every day speech. Part of this had to do with the political nature of Italian society and culture, with each city considered to be its own semi-antonymous city-state. With the standardization of the Italian language these dialects retained many of their regional inflections, though for the most part these differences are cosmetic (relating to pronunciation) and not structural. While French influences entered northern Italy through both conquest (the Normans) and culture (the bards), overall it was Dante who is created with the formation of the modern Italian language more than anyone else.

Most of the resulting history of the Italian language is little more than a further standardization of the speech and writing, often through adoption by the nation's legal and religious institutions. The lyrical nature of Italian should make more sense now when you realize that it was primarily designed by a poet, making it obvious that you require a true specialist when it comes to understanding and navigating the tricky nature of Italian translation.

Charlene Lacandazo is a marketing executive for Rosetta Translation, a leading full-service translation agency in London, UK.

Rosetta Translation specialises in Italian translation, as well as interpreting services worldwide.

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Speaking and Writing Grammar Errors to Avoid in English - The Short List

However acceptable some English grammar usages have become, synesis (notional concord), split infinitives, ending a sentence in a preposition and the improper use of who and whom will cause problems in some circles. It is always wise to get these right, at least as they are perceived to be correct by many. It never hurts to use acceptable grammar unless you want to give the impression of one whose grammar is lacking.

Commonly condemned usages are:
Synesis defined as "A construction in which a form, such as a pronoun, differs in number but agrees in meaning with the word governing it, as in If the group becomes too large, we can split them in two."
Splitting an infinitive. To boldly go where no man has gone before.
Ending a sentence with a preposition. That is the sort of nonsense I will not put up with.
Using "none" as a plural noun. None of them were quite ready to be displayed in the curling club locker room.
The use of "who" as the object of a verb or preposition where "whom" is correct. Who did the provost direct to remove the badger from the auditorium? Who did you receive the holiday collection of industrial adhesives from?
A pronoun in the objective case after a comparative with "than" or "as" (sometimes called an elliptical reference): He is even more scrofulous than me. She is just as revolting as him.

A learned audience will not be impressed by correct grammar but may well be swayed by errors -- real or perceived -- which are regarded as non-standard. It is far more important to make sure that subjects and verbs agree, that parallel constructs are truly parallel and that all words are correctly used. If one's purpose is to offend and shock, however, the above should be ignored.

Other common errors are:
Verb pair confusion: lie/lay, rise/raise, sit/set and fall/fell.Sentence fragments and run-on sentences.Mass nouns and count nounsSubjunctive usageLists and coordinationMisplaced modifiersDangling participles

The exercises in SAT, ACT, TOEFL College Prep English practice text explains these at length with many examples and quizzes. The examples used are never prosaic or quotidian.

Examples:

1. Would _____ever the statuary director designated, please replace Prometheus' sword and remove the kangaroo?

2. Would _____ever put the Jello on the table of the last supper tableau please return the fish?

SAT ACT TOEFL College Prep English Practice (http://abacus-es.com/cpep/) by K. Titchenell covers the practical aspects of what language to use for a particular audience. Press release page: http://abacus-es.com/cpep/pressrelease.html. The Amazon.com page has the search-inside feature enabled.

About the author:
After ten years as a writer, editor and translator, K. Titchenell taught community college for many years, published several textbooks and edited numerous papers for publication in scholarly journals.

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History Of The Ukrainian Language And The Development Of Ukrainian Translators

From the beginning of its identification as an important and individuated area of the world the Ukraine has been a real melting pot of different cultures. The country is uniquely positioned in such a manner that it stands close to a few different powerful and influential cultures. Most notably the Ukraine is in direct contact with the Slavic nations of the north and directly accessible to the modern Middle East more to the south. These two different cultures formed the earliest influences on the region, which congealed influences from Turkey, Iran and the Slavic nations of the north. This conflicted space was eventually claimed and held by the Slavic nations and the language during this period connects clearest to older Russian. This Slavic language was really set into place by the fact that the written work of the region adopted it.

Ukraine then deviated from the Russian-flavored influence for a time when the region fell under Lithuanian and Polish rule. Both of these nations imparted a large degree of influence on the Ukrainian language and in time on Ukrainian translators, especially the Polish who made it all but necessary for higher ranking Ukrainians to learn and primarily adopt the Polish language. This was further strengthened by the widespread adoption of the Polish Catholic religion during these years, which helped spread the Polish language throughout both the religious and educational orders within the Ukraine.

As the Polish empire and its influence on the Ukraine began to fail the Russians reasserted their influence upon the region. There was even a linguistic split where a significant number within the country spoke Polish while the rest spoke Russian, imagine the effect this would have on Ukrainian translation services in the future. Traditional nationalism didn't play a large part in the Ukrainian character during this time. Such nationalism began to rise later in the nineteenth century, but was subjugated by the Russians fiercely, as they eventually incorporated all of the Ukraine into their empire.

Russian subjugation of the Ukrainian state and its language continued throughout the Russian Empire, and the language primarily existed within the rural regions of the nation until the Soviet Union rose and allowed the Ukrainian language to spread once more. While there was a regular back and forth throughout the years of the Soviet Union, in general the Ukrainian language was allowed to be used by a significant amount of people, and after the fall of the union the Ukrainian state instituted the Ukrainian language as the official tongue of the now-sovereign nation from where several Ukrainian translators are sourced today.

As you can see from this the Ukrainian language was developed over a long time under a wide variety of competing influences. Due to the fact that Russian was the strongest of these influences throughout the life of the region it's unsurprising that to this day Russian and Ukrainian are often considered to be near interchangeable languages, where understanding one usually results in the ability to understand the other.

Charlene Lacandazo is a marketing executive for Rosetta Translation, an international full-service translation company in London, UK.

Rosetta Translation specialises in Ukrainian translation, as well as interpreting services all over the world.

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Situations When You Wish You Knew Spanish!

Spanish is one of the fastest growing languages in the world. It has a rich history, embroidered in royalty. Spanish is a Latin language and shares its origins with English and French. This is why, it is considered to be the ideal second language for a person who is an English speaker.

However, learning a language isn't a walk in the park. This is why many people are apprehensive about taking on the challenge. Truth is there are several times in life when you wish you would know Spanish. It is better to learn it rather than regret it later on. Here are some examples from real life regarding the situations I am talking about. Maybe some of these will sound familiar to you.

Marriage

Yes, marriage has compelled several people to take Spanish lessons. The reason is that they are getting married to a latino/latina. Their spouses can speak English alright, but their families can't. So when things get intimate, you cannot avoid talking to their familia. This is why people learn up Spanish so that they can talk to their in-laws.

Business

You have a business and it is thriving. All your staff is native English speakers who don't know any other languages. One day, you get an order from a Mexican client. The only catch is that he doesn't understand a word of English. You and all your staff don't know Spanish. So, learning Spanish can help you expand your client base. In fact, people have studied Spanish because all their clients were Spanish!

Moving to Mexico

People do move to Mexico for some reasons or the other. There, finding a person who speaks English is a tough job. All the natives are glued to Spanish and they don't like talking in any other language apart from their own. In case you have any plans to move to Mexico or any other Latin American Spanish speaking country, make sure that you learn Spanish beforehand.

Interacting with Hispanics

There are over 40 million Hispanics in the US. You just cannot avoid running into them. Some people have a lot of Hispanic friends so they decide to learn Spanish so that they can interact with them in their own language. This gives them a chance to explore their culture as well. Some people just like Latinos/Latinas and want to approach them so they learn Spanish in a bid to impress them.

The best resource for you to learn Spanish is the Spanish Learning Factory. They provide private lessons, software and books which would have you speaking Spanish like your ancestors came from Chihuahua.

SpanishLearningFactory Provides affordable Spanish books and cd's from beginner, to intermediate, to advanced to learn Spanish, sitting at home. Visit website SpanishLearningFactory.com to listen and watch testimonials about online Spanish classes and programs.

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Learn to Appreciate Chinese Culture by Learning Mandarin Online

Chinese culture is one of the oldest and richest in the world, and learning how to speak the language online is an essential step in coming to understand and appreciate it. Dating back thousands of years, China has a wide variety of customs and traditions spread among 56 distinct and recognized ethnic groups as well as a geographical area that is one of the largest in Asia. The pre-eminent ethnic group, however, is the Han Chinese and much of what we think of today as "Chinese culture" derives from their customs. Mandarin is the dialect spoken by the Han; at present, Mandarin has over a billion speakers in China alone.

There are two philosophical systems from which most of Chinese social values are derived - Confucianism and Taoism. Confucianism is derived from the teachings of the revered Chinese philosopher Confucius and teaches that human nature can be perfected through constant striving and self-cultivation. Taoism, on the other hand, is a religious tradition that stresses the relationship between man and the cosmos and emphasizes the basic virtues of humility, compassion and moderation. In addition, the concept of guanxi is also very important in Chinese culture. Guanxi is a word that means either "relationships" or "connections" and stresses the primacy of a personal relationship in which one party can prevail upon the other one for a favor.

Learning Chinese online will also enable you to enjoy the many pleasures afforded by Chinese music, literature and movies. For example, knowing how to read Chinese will enable you to read the works of writer and human rights activist Liu Xiaobo, who won the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize for his struggle for human rights in China, in the original Mandarin. Or if that seems too heavy for you, you can use your proficiency in the language to enjoy popular Chinese music and movies. C-pop or Chinese Popular Music is an increasingly popular genre not only within China and Taiwan but also abroad due to the growing number of Chinese communities overseas. Chinese movies have also seen both critical acclaim and box-office success worldwide, spurred by the work of directors such as Zhang Yimou (Hero), Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and John Woo (Hard Boiled) as well as actors including Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Zhang Ziyi and Chow Yun-Fat.

Being fluent in Chinese will also give you more insight into the culture of your Chinese friends as well as helping improve your relationships with them.? Even if they know how to speak English, they would surely appreciate your efforts to reach out to them by learning how to converse in their language. Being able to talk in Mandarin will also help you to appreciate nuances that otherwise would go unnoticed if you were conversing in English.

While learning to speak Chinese online may initially seem to be insurmountably difficult, with the wide variety of learning modalities available from the various websites offering online Chinese language lessons, you'll surely find one that you'll feel comfortable with and you'll be speaking Mandarin fluently in no time.

One of the objectives of Chinese Online is to ensure your learning experience is not only relaxing but fun as well. The teachers are graduates from renounced China universities and the courses are designed by universities' professors who specialize in the Chinese language. They understand your needs when learning the Chinese language online. Go to http://www.chineseonline.sg/ today!

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How Learning Mandarin Can Enhance Chinese Business Communication

The most important thing to understand about Chinese business communication is that so much of it relies on what is unsaid, rather than on what is spoken aloud. Thus, while it is very important to gain proficiency in Chinese through online lessons if you are planning to do business in the country, it is just as essential for you to gain a basic understanding of Chinese cultural norms so as not to inadvertently give offense and damage the association before it has even started. Learning how to speak Mandarin also helps you to build a personal relationship with a potential business partner, in the spirit of the Chinese concept of guanxi ("connections"), before a professional association can occur.

When you are fluent in Mandarin, you can open an initial meeting by sharing small talk and pleasantries since it is Chinese custom not to come to the point immediately, unlike in the West where a business transaction can be completed in minutes with neither of the participants knowing anything more about each other than their names. This importance of building relationships is also the reason why you should not bring your lawyer to any preliminary meetings since it may cause offense, as the other party may believe you don't trust him or are trying to get the better of him.

At the same time, you should also not be too informal or too personal. You can talk about topics like your family, your marital status and your job but avoid talking about your feelings. Make sure you answer any question put to you; don't appear that you are avoiding answering since this makes you look untrustworthy. And unless you can speak Mandarin very, very well you should avoid humor, since jokes are always lost in translation and you may end up inadvertently causing offense.

One of the most important concepts to understand in Chinese business communication is the concept of face. The word 'face' in Chinese is roughly translated to respect or good reputation and to lose face is to be deeply humiliated in front of others. This is why the American businessman who wants to do business in China should get away from the mindset of arguing with or correcting somebody if you think they're wrong; never contradict someone in China or say no since this will cause them to lose face. Again, this is where the importance of being fluent in Mandarin comes in since you will be able to communicate your corrections in such a way as to allow the other party to still keep face. It is a delicate balancing act and possible only if you can converse clearly.

Ultimately, the value of learning Mandarin for Chinese business communication is that it frees you from struggling to communicate verbally so that you can also focus on non-verbal communication, such as observing the other party's body language. Proficiency in another language is the best way to bridge the gap between two parties so that connections can start to be made, which hopefully will grow into a mutually profitable relationship.

Consider carefully the choice of courses you want to enroll to learn Chinese/Mandarin online especially for Chinese business communication. Look at the courses provided by Business Chinese Online before making any final decision because doing business in China is a serious business!

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Good Ways To Learn French

French is spoken by over 110 million individuals globally. The language is spoken in many nations including France, Canada, and a few others. A number of U.S. citizens within the states of Maine and also Louisiana are actually native French speakers. The language is also a standard for many global organizations such as the United Nations. If you're thinking about learning another language for a profession or simply for personal enrichment, give some thought to learning French. French is the most beautiful spoken language and also suggests class and distinction. Mastering this language could be a great asset in your own profession and may also improve your experience when you visit French speaking countries.

If you choose to learn this language, you have a number of options. You might earn a degree in French from a university or college. A degree gives you expert knowledge of the language, both written and verbal. You might have already established yourself as a professional, and believe that understanding the language may help augment your career. If so, you may learn French online using a course, such as Rocket French, which is certainly a great way to study in your own convenience. They provide a free six day trial for their study course. Learning French this way will be a quick and easy way for you to master the language.

Of course, if you have time, another great way is an immersion program. In this manner, you have an opportunity to experience French culture. You will actually be residing in France and experience the daily life and culture of the French people. This really is the quickest option to learn French. You can expect to communicate with native French speakers each day. Most of the people will not be able to speak in English. For that reason, you must communicate with these people in French. You will be completely absorbed into French everyday living. You will take classes that can help you to write and speak in French. An immersion program is the most effective method for learning French fluently.

Being fluent in a second language offers benefits as a professional. For instance, you may attain certification to be a foreign language translator. This particular career opportunity presents lots of challenges and benefits. There are a lot of foreign language agencies that provide full-time jobs to translators. A translator ordinarily helps a company translate their particular business files and also company websites. You may want to work as a freelancer, taking care of your individual workload, and may set your own schedule. Another possibility may be to teach English in French speaking nations. Just by knowing French and English, it's possible to succeed in any French speaking country.

Mastering French offers you a chance to begin a new job or further build up your job just by working abroad. Additionally, you will enhance your trips in the French speaking nations. Learning another language will be a rewarding achievement. It is easy to learn French online right now by going to Rocket French.

Read related articles here: Rocket French Review

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Learn English Online - What You Can Expect to Learn

When you learn anything on an online class there is always a part of yourself wondering what you are going to get out of it. With an online language class there is so much information given to you that it can be hard to gauge how much you are learning. If you learn English online here are some of the things you can expect to be taught by a course. English is a difficult language to learn because there are so many rules and exceptions. In a reputable online English language course you will learn vocabulary, pronunciations, guidelines, and total comprehension of what you are being taught.

Vocabulary is the main focus of any language course. This is because the more words you know the more you can say, write, and comprehend. Vocabulary can be confusing because several words are very similar to others. There are also several words that can mean almost the same thing. As you acquire more vocabulary you can begin to have much more confidence with speaking with other English people. There are several techniques that an online course could offer for teaching vocabulary. Do not trust an offer to learn English online that says it does not require repetition and study, because vocabulary requires it.

Pronunciations will make a huge difference in whether or not you can pass as a viable English speaker. If you pronounce a word incorrectly it can still sound like you are speaking a foreign language. The easiest way to learn proper pronunciations is to listen to a native speaker. There is often a difference with dialects depending on where the person you are speaking to grew up. Pronouncing words like you hear them from a native English speaker will help you to blend into the culture and society of and English speaking country. If you learn English online you are not always taught this so look for a program that does teach it.

Guidelines and comprehension should also be taught in any course that teaches a language. When you learn English online you should be taught the rules and given and understanding so that you can speak English on your own. Comprehending what others are saying is a huge percentage of communicating. The number one tip is to always try to say something that way they know you are trying. Learning in an online course you should always find these basic components. If feedback is your primary concern try learning English through a video chat based system with a person raised and living in an English speaking country.

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Why to Choose an English Russian Technical Translation?

A translator is a must have if you are in some foreign country and are clueless of the language spoken there. For instance, a majority of Russian entrepreneurs visiting foreign countries for their business deals hire translators, who are fluent in both English as well as Russian for communicating effectively.

Not only if the Russian entrepreneurs, but also if you would like to make some business relations with Russian counterparts, then language might come as a big obstacle. Particularly, when it comes to discussing technical specifications and devising business strategies, it becomes necessary to overcome the language barrier. A Russian may learn English and vice versa. However, what if one is asked to do a PhD on a technical subject in English and then do it all over in Russian. Sounds messy, isn't it? Hence, it is ideal to choose to English Russian technical translators, as they make the whole process easy.

English Russian technical translation is quite different from the usual translation. In fact, a Russian English technical translator has more hold on the vocabulary than an ordinary one. They are well equipped technically with a proper knowledge on the conversions of units from Russian to English. Moreover, they know how English technical terms read in Russian. With the help of a good technical specialist, you can execute an effective communication with Russian counterparts, which can help you create good business relations with them.

For instance, there are a few peculiar units such as mkm in Russia. Such units do not occur in SI (Standard International) units. On the contrary, a non-Russian technical person may find difficultly in understanding English conversion for mkm. Thus, a technical specialist plays an important role here. Moreover, he plays a pivotal role in executing result-oriented business discussions. In fact, finding English Russian translator is not too difficult. You can refer to any genuine translator's website, which you can find using any popular search engine.

Russia is a big hub for business and can act as good pivotal point for your business too. Especially, if you have a marketing firm and intend to sell Russian products in your country, then hiring a technical translator is certainly a smart choice. It is ideal to hire an expert in the field than hiring a casual translator. English Russian technical experts involve only the expertise in the field. They are a group of people, who are both qualified as well as talented. Thus, it is quite evident that there is a lot of difference between technical translator and usual one.

Visit English Russian Technical Translation website if you need quality translation.

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English, Common Choice As a Second Language for the Speaker of Other Languages

People all around the world either they are German or Chinese, are using English as a second choice for communication. Any one from any country having any native language is learning English too as it is considered as a universal language of the modern era. People while chatting are preferring to talk in English which every one can understand even if u visit some chat rooms you will see that a message from the administrator keeps coming, to use English language in room and may use your native in private messaging. The reason why people are using this language as a universal language is this that it is easy and most importantly a huge amount of population in the world are speaking it as their native language. According to a research more than two billion populations is using English as a native language and a sum of 375 million populations is using English as a second language.

The best news channel like BBC is using English for delivering news. The funny thing about it is that the people who are not well aware of this language just try to communicate with people in English without following the rules of grammar which looks quiet funny. Although English language is not very easy and is a very technical language but, still it is used for communication world-wide. That's the only reason, why there is a difference between British English and American English? British English is considered as a well-organized one and English that American use is the mixture of British English including some new rules of grammar. People these days don't have a command over grammar. Mostly people have poor grammar and they don't even bother to follow the rules of grammar that's why a controversy between American and British English has arisen.

People all around the world are getting English- speaking lectures online. There is much software that is working for the purpose to make people learn English. There is a doubt that in future all countries will announce their official language to be English. Even all the presidents of different countries when sit together for any discussion they use English language to communicate. The administrative authorities of a hotel, cafe etc of any country are required to learn English so they can communicate with the people from foreign countries easily. 99% websites on internet are using English language. All blogs, articles are written in English language. If someone would ask me to define English language, my answer to the person would be, 'a comprehensive language, used world wide' what more easy definition a person will expect? No one in the world u will find who will say that he don't know English at all. All schools in the world are teaching English language and most of them are having whole of their course books in English. A person can not ignore the need of learning English in the modern era.

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Learn To Motivate Yourself To Study New Language

Are you looking for ways on how you can motivate yourself so you can study new language? This is because just like with anything else that we try to achieve in our lives, learning another language can be quite hard. So we tend to look for short cuts which often do not work. We just need to have that right mindset to help us with our goal.

It has been said that 9 out of 10 people who get started in trying to learn a new language gets frustrated with it and drops everything and went on their merry ways. That means only one percent will continue with their studies and actually get to master the language. Well, master maybe too big a word, but at least they will be able to become fluent in it. So what is the point in telling you about this percentage? That you do not want to belong to that 9 people, instead you certainly would like to be able to actually speak and understand that language.

And motivation is the key to everything about studying another language. Just think about it, when was the last time you feel highly motivated to accomplish anything? Any specific task or goal for that matter? If you have a hobby then for sure you would do everything in your power to succeed in that hobby. And why is that? It is because you are motivated to do it, because you love doing it. The same goes when you study new language. You need to have that desire to learn it, to be able to hold your head high and let people know you have accomplished something great.

So where can you find such motivation? Let us discuss some of the tips that you may try to achieve it.

Look for a like-minded group of people and join them. Where else can you find them but in language tutorial schools or centers. People who would like to learn a new language often can learn best when they are in the company of others who have the same desire. So join a study group and the great thing about it is that you can compare your notes and your progress with other people, especially if you all started at the same time.

Try to have fun doing it. This is because when you are having fun working on something, you tend to get it finished faster and more efficiently. Again, one reason is that you simply love doing it so you are always excited to get started and even more excited to get it done. So make a passion out of learning a new language especially if you know you can greatly benefit when you finally master it.

Hire a tutor or a trainer. This is probably the best thing that you can do particularly if you are trying to learn on your own and by not joining a program or a group. If you find yourself getting easily distracted from doing your studies, then get someone who would look after your studies and who would make sure you are on the right track all of the time.

We all know it is not easy to study new language, but if you are really motivated to do it you can definitely make it work for you. Just follow the tips here and you can get off on the right foot with achieving your goal.

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Learning Language in Spanish Does Not Have to Be Hard - Learn To Speak Fluent Spanish Now

Learning a second language is always a good idea. In the United States today, Spanish is almost as prevalent as English. Consider this, how often do you hear English repeated in Spanish? That is a good reason for learning Spanish. But a lot of people have difficulty with learning new languages. What follows are some helpful tips and a few tricks you can use to make things easier to learn language in Spanish. Learn to speak fluent Spanish now!

Get a course on CD. If you're feeling shy about learning a new language, CDs are great to use. You will be able to listen to someone pronounce the words and use them in sentences. CDs contain the same learning material as used in a classroom, but there will be no stress about talking in front of a class. And it's great because you can listen to your CD just about anywhere. You can just use a CD player, or you can download lessons on an MP3 player and you're all set! So there's no single location where you must learn.

Use labels in your environment. Do this in as many spaces as you can, whether at home, work or even in your vehicle. This way you will get used to associating the correct words with the correct items. When it comes to speaking a new language, you don't want to make silly mistakes. If you take the time to learn what words really mean, you won't do what some tourists and other novices of a language do, and make mistakes that can be humiliating. By using this technique of labeling objects, you'll be absorbing all the right names for things, and you'll find yourself picking up the new language quite naturally.

Practice makes perfect! Don't worry about how you look or sound, it's important to always practice speaking Spanish. Even if you aren't great at putting together whole sentences, using the words you know in place of your native language regularly will help commit those words to memory. So if your new language is Spanish, then just try to use "cena" instead of "dinner" and in place of "one" use "uno." The words will feel like second nature to you, in time. This way you'll be able to understand the words when you hear others speak them. This technique will really help you understand your new language when you talk to others who are fluent in it.

There are lots of reasons to learn another language but figuring out the best way to learn that language can be tough.

You might be thinking about driving to the closest bookstore and getting a book about it. Taking a class is also a good idea, as is getting to know people who are already fluent in the language. There really are many options to learn Spanish or other languages. Be sure to have lots of fun!

So, if you are looking to learn language in Spanish, here is a highly recommended tool for you to take advantage of. Thousands of people, just like you, all over the world have used this fun and effective multimedia Spanish course to hasten their learning, while having a lot of fun in the process. Don't let your inability to speak fluent Spanish now hold you back any longer. Click here to open up a whole new world of Language in Spanish.

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Learn Spanish Anywhere With Learning Spanish Videos, But Be Considerate

I love traveling and I like picking up new languages. But some languages are easier to pick up than others. Spanish is one of the languages that I picked up pretty fast. I guess it may have a lot to do with my love for Spanish football, flamenco and Spanish classical music.

A few years ago I made a trip to Spain to learn to play flamenco guitar from a master flamenco guitarist in Jerez. I prepared for the trip by watching lots of learn Spanish videos as well Spanish movies which had both English and Spanish subtitles for easy reference.

Portable

The good thing about these learn Spanish DVDs is that you can take them anywhere. Wherever I go, I would bring along my portable DVD player so I could watch my learn Spanish DVDs. I would watch them on the plane, on the train, on the ferry or on the bus. This practice has caused me to miss my stop more than a couple of times while traveling on a bus. I would advise those who intend to watch videos on bus journeys not to do so on short trips lest you risk missing your stop too.

For Better Audio

When I watch learn Spanish videos at home, the audio comes through my huge speakers. However, when I watch them while I'm on a train, I naturally use headphones. What I discovered is that with headphones you can better hear how certain words are pronounced. I am not sure if it is because I use s $200 headphone set but the words just sound clearer.

Be Considerate

One word of advice when using headphones; try not to annoy the people around you especially if you are on the plane or train on a long journey. Watching Spanish movies is not a problem. The problem arises when you watch and follow the instructions on learn Spanish DVDs. You might find yourself happily repeating the words while totally unaware of your volume.

Practice common courtesy by just listening to the learn Spanish videos while in close proximity with other passengers. After all, you do not want to find yourself on the 6 o'clock news or on YouTube for causing discomfort among fellow passengers.

Summary

Watching learn Spanish videos is a great way to pick up Spanish. Knowledge of a new language opens up a new world of culture and adventure and makes it very easy to make new friends and travel to new Spanish-speaking places.

Amelia Warmheart is an avid traveler but a lousy cook. When not traveling or recovering from jet lag, she shares tips on where to get gifts that range from something as simple as learn Spanish videos or Spanish for children DVDs.

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The History of Braille

Braille, a form written communication used by the blind, has interesting origins. Invented in 1824, braille stems from a combination of ideas from a French Army captain and a blind teenager. Today, braille is used worldwide as a standard means for blind people to communicate and educate themselves with the written word, and it has changed little since its creation.

Louis Braille was born in 1809, and was not visually impaired until after a terrible accident. When he was only three years old, Louis was playing in his father's saddle-making workshop, and he scratched his eye while trying to cut leather. Although the wound was bandaged, an unfortunate infection eventually took hold, spreading to both of his eyes and causing complete blindness. Despite the horrible accident and illness at a young age, Louis held on to his curiosity and love of learning. Seven years after the accident, Louis Braille received a scholarship to The National Institute for the Blind Youth in Paris, where he met Charles Barbier.

While studying at The National Institute for the Blind Youth (also know as the Royal Institute for Blind Youth), Louis Braille learned to read the outlines of raised letters in special books. This system was created by the school's founder, but it was inefficient and the books were large and few. In 1921, Louis was inspired during a school assembly when Charles Barbier demonstrated a system he created for the French military after Napoleon expressed a need for way for soldiers to communicate silently in the dark, called "night writing." His system used sets of 12 raised dots, with each set representing a letter. It was too cumbersome for the soldiers to use efficiently and thus was rejected for use by the military. However, the students at the school were very interested in and impressed by Barbier's creation. It was much easier to understand and faster to read than anything they had seen before. Another advantage was that they could write using this system by impressing the dots on wood to form the symbols.

Louis Braille was especially impressed with what Charles Barbier had shown him and his classmates. He always was an intelligent and intuitive boy, and even at the young age of 12 he noticed the flaws and room for improvement on the Captain's invention. Over the next few years, Louis Braille developed his own system based on what he learned from Charles Barbier's inventions and his experience of being a blind person who wanted to communicate fluently in the written word. In 1824, Louis put the final touches on his system, calling it "braille," after himself. In 1829, he released the first book about his writing system, entitled "Method of Writing Words, Music, and Plain Songs by Means of Dots, for Use by the Blind and Arranged for Them." Ever since, braille has made reading possible for blind people around the world.

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Learn Swedish - 4 Great Resources To Speed Learning

1) Start with Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone is the most well known language software program. It utilizes a unique system that attempts to mimic the environment that we all learn languages as children. Therefore, there are no translations or grammar rules. Instead, students must infer the meaning of Swedish words through context and pictures. This process truly aids in the retention of words and makes learning a much more enjoyable process. This software is the best place to begin learning Swedish.

2) Watch Swedish TV

One of the most difficult tasks in learning Swedish is being able to follow and participate in conversations. If you live outside of Sweden and are not surrounded by Swedish speakers, a great exercise is simply watching TV. The Swedish TV programs are well produced and often times the same as shows in the US. From sitcoms to reality shows, you can find it in Swedish

Even if you are a beginner, it still helps to watch these shows. Just try to listen for words you recognize. It's amazing what you will pick up on and it will really help you retain the Swedish words you've learned. Several of the online shows offer subtitles in Swedish at the bottom of the screen. Subtitles are ideal and will allow you to pick up on much more of each conversation. You can search for many of these shows online including Swedish TV3 or TV8.

3) Try the free online Swedish dictionary

Thanks to the internet, we no longer have to go to the bookstore and pay for expensive foreign language dictionaries. The benefit of an online dictionary is not just ease of use, but also accuracy. Folkets Lexicon is a free dictionary developed in Sweden that is on an open platform basis. Since it is an open platform, it is more likely that the translations you receive are relevant words and not antiquated translations. Simply type in any word in Swedish or English that you would like to translate and a list of suggestions will instantly populate. For verbs, the dictionary provides all the relevant tenses so learning verbs has never been easier. If you want to bring the dictionary on the go, it is possible to download the entire collection. Obviously, this open source dictionary is a great free resource to help you learn Swedish

4) Take lessons with LiveMocha.com

There are over 10 million people throughout the world that have joined this social language learning network. The website offers free Swedish lessons as well as a network to connect with native Swedish speakers. The lessons follow the same structure as Rosetta Stone which is the leading language instruction software. Live Mocha offers other free resources as well such as the ability to create flashcards or use flashcards that have been created by others. The social aspect of the site will help keep students motivated to learn and help create connections to Swedes.

For more information on great resources to learn Swedish check out?iLearn Swedish at?http://www.ilearnswedish.com/.

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Spanish Audio Lessons

With all the options available to new learners it can sometimes be difficult knowing what method is best. Spanish audio lessons tick all the boxes as they introduce the language through key words and phrases, slowly breaking in the different Spanish sounds and structures, without confusing the learner with technical words or rules.

These audio lessons have become a very popular way for students to incorporate learning Spanish into a busy timetable; the lessons can be done while traveling, doing housework or during most leisure activities. The quality of the lessons and what it gives to the learner also helps to make them so popular. In addition the lessons are usually quite cheap and can be downloaded instantly from many different providers.

The majority of the audio courses have similar structures and methods. There is usually a native Spanish speaker who breaks down Spanish words in the the different sounds. The listener has to repeat the Spanish sounds, attempting to copy the Spanish speaker as closely as possible. Then some phrases are strung together with their meaning in English also explained. The learner has to repeat the phrases a number of times before moving on. At the end of each lesson a review is given and this is usually where the learner has to translate some English phrases into Spanish. The learner then has the option to repeat the lesson or move onto the next lesson.

The material that is covered during the lessons is not only repeated in future lessons but it adapted to include other words and is used in different tenses and situations. This helps the learner gain a skill of creating lots of different sentences from just a few learned phrases and vocabulary.

Listening to Spanish audio lessons and following the instructions carefully is highly recommended for beginners, and there have also been some courses put together for intermediate and advanced speakers. Going through the lessons and making sure that your pronunciation is correct will help you greatly when you go on to learn more about the Spanish language. Knowing the basic structures from an early stage means that you can build on what you have learned through taking a Spanish course, going to a foreign country or practicing Spanish grammar with online resources or books.

Many courses offer a free download so that you can try the methods before purchasing. Spanish audio lessons are a great way to start your Spanish learning.

Jorge has reviewed different Spanish audio lessons and also writes about how to start learning Spanish.

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How to Speak English Fluently?

You always dreamed of speaking fluent English just like other million people around the globe but that remained only a dream! You know English, but when you speak, your pronunciation sounds strange or you stammer. Have you ever wondered what's the root cause of the above problem? The answer might surprise you! The biggest problem is speaking English fluently & confidently without any hesitation.

As we all know, English is a globally accepted universal language & the ability to speak it well is absolutely crucial in today's global economy. English is a language that has aspects of other languages in it as well, making it easier to learn and follow the language. So it is super essential to speak English fluently for communication in any part of the world, because it is communication that is holding the world together. Imagine if your weak in it, then how can you survive in this highly competitive globe. More and more people are trying to learn and improve their English. Speaking English fluently can bring you many opportunities, not only in career but also a chance of interacting with other people, who speak English across the world.

Many people say that the English language is one of the hardest to learn. But the truth is it is not at all difficult. In fact learning English can be fun & easy task if you put your mind into it. Also, you have to say goodbye to your fear & hesitation, then only will you be able to speak English fluently & confidently just like a native speaker. When learning how to speak fluently, just remember how you learnt to speak when you were a child. You simply uttered words imperfectly & used to imitate whatever sounds were produced around you. Same is the case with learning to speak fluent English.

You might have seen a person having a good grasp of the English language impressing everyone. To speak English fluently means you should be able to pronounce words properly and with a correct vocabulary. When you talk to someone who is fluent in English, it is no surprise that you'll be impressed with that person.

So if you wish to speak English flawlessly like a native, here are some efficient tips on how to speak English fluently:

Focus on actually conversing rather than just memorizing grammatical rules. To converse good English, you need to focus on conversing in English as much as possible.
Look out for people who are good in English. Converse with them. Don't be afraid of making mistakes. Ask your friends or relatives or teachers, who know better English, to correct you, In this way you will learn correct English.
Think in English. Yes, if you want to speak English fluently, you need to think in English rather than thinking in your mother tongue. If you do that, it will slow down your speaking process and you won't be able to speak fluently if you constantly translate from your native language to English.
It is also good to hear how others are pronouncing words in English. You can listen to conversations on the internet, radios, TV, movies and from general people.
Access gold mine of English reading materials like online English learning sites, books, English learning kits, English distance learning programs, English learning blogs, forums etc.
Be confident in speaking English. Yes, speaking English confidently will improve your approach and your communication skills. So, don't only concentrate on the language itself, but also on your confidence, because if you aren't confident, you can't speak fluently.

So these were the secrets of speaking fluent English. There may be other ways to make your spoken English better but the only thing which will improve your English language is working hard and practising.

Thus in order to gain English fluency, you should be more patient in the process of learning the language. It takes hard work, discipline and the willingness to learn in order to speak English fluently. So practice constantly as much as you can & as per the old saying, "Practice makes a man perfect", you will be a master of it.

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The Three Most Important Sounds to Master When Speaking French

French has a number of sounds that do not exist in English. Are some more important than others? It's hard to say, but here is a look at three candidates that are both common and troublesome.

1. The u sound

The pronunciation of this common vowel is very different from that of its English counterpart. The lips are rounded into something akin to a pout. It's almost like whistling. Here are some examples of words with this sound:

lu, connu, su, du, pu, rue, bu, plu, truite, mu

This difficult sound is important because when mispronounced it tends to sound like "oo". Here are pairs of words that illustrate the difference:

pu - pou

bu - boue

rue - roue

mue - moue

su - sou

cul - cou

Longer words with u can be challenging, as in:

construire, instruire, l'instruction, l'instrument, la puanteur, la lueur

Here are some phrases using this sound:

Le concert nous a beaucoup plu. (We liked the concert very much.)

J'ai su qu'elle ne viendra pas. (I found out that she will not be coming.)

J'habite la rue Ste-Catherine. (I live on Ste. Catherine Street.)

Elle a bu du vin. (She drank some wine.)

L'homme est bien connu de la police. (The man is well known to the police.)

Je ne comprend plus rien. (I don't understand a thing.)

2. The French r

One of the most challenging sounds of French for English-speakers is the consonant r.

The sound associated with the letter r in French is totally different from the sound of the English letter r. In fact, there are two kinds of r in French. A somewhat archaic pronunciation that you will hear in old French movies and songs, in parts of France, Canada and Africa is a vibrating sound made with the tip of the tongue flapping against the roof of the mouth. This is called a rolled r. In French, this pronunciation is often described as "rouler les r".

The other more contemporary sound, very typical of the city of Paris, is produced way at the back of the mouth and is a rasping sound akin to what is made when coughing. The rolled r sound is probably easier to learn, but this guttural r is what you want to master.

The sound of the r will vary slightly if it is at the beginning, middle or end of a sequence of sounds. It is strongest at the beginning of a word and weakest at the end.

Beware of a special complication when reading aloud written French. The r is not pronounced at all at the end of French verbs ending in -er. This includes the largest group of verbs such as: aller, louer, noter, parler, manger, etc. In words other than these verbs, the final r is pronounced. (Remember that in the vast majority of French words the final written letter, except for r, is not pronounced). Here are groups of words that sound the same despite differences in spelling:

paire, pair

par, part

cher, chair, chaire

ver, vers, verre, vert

bonheur, bonne heure

serre, sert

beur, beurre

Here are verbs ending in pronounced r:

voir, boire, avoir, faire, construire, maintenir, prendre, tendre

3. The sound of eu.

Although it is written with two letters, eu, this is actually one sound. Something like the articulation of the u sound, the lips are not as rounded and extended. This sound is found in words like:

deux, peu, peux, peut, feu, pleut

Note that the eu spelling is also used for a different but similar sound in words like:

oeuf, coeur, gueule, neuf, meuble

The real challenge of pronouncing French is to articulate these sounds in sentences. This is where those mouth muscles get the workout. Here are some examples.

Je n'en peux plus. (I can't take it anymore)

Le barrage est construit en pierre. (The dam is built of stone.)

Il pleut aujourd'hui. (It is raining today.)

Stanley Aleong specializes in methods for learning foreign languages at the advanced level. He believes that an excellent strategy for achieving advanced proficiency in French or Spanish is to work with many carefully selected authentic examples. To learn more about some very effective learning tools based on this principle, visit Advanced French / Spanish.

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The Difficulties Involved In Finding Qualified Ukrainian Translators

The first thing you need to understand is that as a language Ukrainian is very, very similar to Russian. This generally creates the easiest entry point for Ukrainian translators. If an individual understands and can both speak and read Russian than they are going to have a nearly identical level of competency with Ukrainian.

Certain experts like to analogize it by saying that the differences between Ukrainian and Russian are basically of the same order as the differences between different forms of English. If you can speak English in the United States you'll be able to speak and understand English in francophone Canada, for example. This is good news, as Russian is a very widely spoken and understood language compared to Ukrainian, and their nearness opens up the field of potentially effective Ukrainian translators immensely.

That being said Russian and Ukrainian are NOT the exact same language. There are differences between the two of them which are significant enough to make Ukrainian translation a little more difficult than the above paragraph makes it sound. This is due to the fact that translation is a tricky task that requires an unrivaled level of depth and sensitivity to the cultures and the fundamental character of each language that goes well beyond simply 'understanding' a language.

If someone speaks Russian than they might make an effective enough Ukrainian interpreter due to the speed and less-specific nature of that service. Simply understanding a language well enough to get by and to communicate, however, just isn't enough when it comes down to translation. If you're looking for a Ukrainian translator than you really need to find someone who specializes in that exact language, a good tranaclation company can help you do this. You can't settle for 'good enough' when it comes to thorough and effective translation.

Specificity is always important in the field of translations, not just with Ukrainian translation services. It's always a good idea to make sure you spend the time, energy and money to make sure you end up hiring a Ukrainian translator who will provide you with a truly brilliant piece of work that is sensitive to both languages involved, to both the spoken and unspoken assumptions inherent in each. The language is too difficult and complicated to attempt to learn or understand on your own if you are in need of translation services, which is why it's so important that you go ahead and hire the best Ukrainian translator you can find.

Charlene Lacandazo is a marketing executive for Rosetta Translation, a leading full-service translation agency in London, UK.

Rosetta Translation specialises in Ukrainian translation, as well as interpreting services worldwide.

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What Is the Fastest Way to Learn a Language?

The US government uses it, fortune 500 companies use it, heck, even Mormon missionaries use it when learning a new language. What is this program that is so effective that people who have never spoken a language can be in it in just a few months? What is the secret that can unlock your mind and make learning any language possible?

I once asked a friend who had mastered Chinese how he did it. His response was simple: "I moved to China and wanted to eat, if I couldn't speak, I might not eat or I might hate the food, I quickly learned." This man went from knowing zero Chinese, to passing an advanced level Chinese test 6 months later! When he told me this story, he confirmed what I had long suspected. The secret to learning a language isn't fancy software, it isn't years of college or high school courses, it is complete immersion into a language!

As exciting as this realization was, I quickly found this was no easy task. Most people just don't have the time or resources to move out of their country for a year and learn a language. So what solutions are there to complete immersion?

1. Find a native speaking friend who is willing to learn with you. The benefit to this is that it is free and can be fun for you and your friend. The problem is there is a good chance you don't know anyone who speaks the language you want to learn, or, if you do, they would rather speak English with you. That being said if you know someone you should ask!

2. If you have a friend learning the same language, decide with them to only speak in that language when you are together. For example, if you are learning Spanish, only use Spanish when together. Now obviously, you will encounter words that you don't know. When you don't know a word use the English equivalent, but keep the Spanish grammar. This method can greatly increase your ability to learn a language!

3. One last option is to sign up with a website that sets you up with native speakers. If you are only looking for chatting through reading and writing I would check out livemocha.com, they are free and allow you to chat with people from around the world. The downside is that those people are often trying to learn English, so they would expect you to help them as well. If you want a good website that connects you with both native speakers and other learners check out cafespeak.com. They focus on conversation, so essentially you would be utilizing Skype to converse with someone else in their native language.

Learning a language through immersion can be fun and exciting. Try one, two, or all of these methods to quickly immerse yourself in your language of choice. Good luck!

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Tips to Learn Conversational Spanish

Many can see the value in learning conversational Spanish.Spanish has quickly become the second most spoken language in the United States, and many nations across Europe are also seeing an amazing growth in the amount of Spanish speakers. So, how can you learn conversational Spanish without getting frustrated and pulling out your hair?

The first step is simple. Keep you vocabulary simple to begin with. Many learners get discouraged by trying to learn all of the grammatical rules about conjugating verbs and gender and blah, blah, blah, and its too overwhelming and they give up. Keep it simple. Learn a few basic phrases that you can use right away. Don't try to understand why a certain phrase is said a certain way. Just go with it, and use your new words. Invest in a good Spanish/English dictionary. It will save you a lot of time and work by getting a good one as you start to learn.

The next step is to increase your vocabulary. Start with your nouns. Learn what the things around you are called in Spanish. Remember, you can't start putting together sentences without a vocabulary! You can start with they category that you feel you'll use the most. For example, if you hire a he keeper that speaks Spanish, obviously your vocabulary should focus on household words. Likewise, if you work with Spanish speaking construction workers, use the nouns from work as your vocabulary.

As your third step, you can start learning verbs, the words that make things happen in any language. Don't worry about conjugating the verbs just yet. Make a list of the most common verbs in your chosen category. For example, to speak to your house keeper, you'll need verbs like clean, wash, sweep, etc. On the construction site you'll need verbs like move, lift, measure, cut, etc.

The fourth step is just to practice what you have learned already. Stay comfortable and encouraged with what you are learning. Keep reviewing and using what you know.

Now you can start conjugating your verbs. Start with present tense and forget everything else for now. It will all come in time, all you really need now is to get the point across. If you want a simple way to express future tense for your verbs, you can use the phrase "Voy a..." and then add your verb. It simply means "I am going to..." And you are now speaking in present and future tense!

I hope these few little tricks help you, but its really just the tip of the ice berg! If you want to learn conversation Spanish, there are many other tools available to help you do just that.

If you want to get more tools to help you learn conversational Spanish check us out!

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Economic Benefits of Learning Spanish

There is a probability that you come across someone who speaks Spanish in your daily life, maybe it's a colleague, or a neighbor. The number of Hispanics in the US is increasing so quickly that it has become the 4th largest Spanish speaking country. There are over 40 million Hispanics living here and there number is expected to increase in the future.

Learning Spanish in this scenario is extremely important. If you happen to live in California or Texas, then it is a must. Half of the Spanish people live in these two states so the need for studying Spanish is higher here. However, the hassle which is a part of learning a new language detracts people from doing so.

Considering the benefits which you can avail if you study Spanish, it sounds like a good deal. Here are some economic benefits of learning Spanish.

Employment

Believe it or not, but knowing Spanish in the US can help you obtain a better job. Employers consider it well of you to be able to speak up a whole language. Hence, you can spice up your resume by studying Spanish. Learning multiple languages is an 'in' thing when it comes to gaining good employment. There are many Spanish based companies operating here who require their employees to be fluent in English as well as Spanish. Therefore, you can open your doors to better employment by learning Spanish.

Raise

You can even obtain a raise in your existing job by learning Spanish. Companies are willing to provide incentives to employees who can speak Spanish. There is a scope for learning Spanish to improve your current employment regardless of where you are working.

Expand

In case you want to expand the consumer base of your business, learn Spanish and open up to the Hispanic population. They will feel much valued if you are going to communicate with them in Spanish instead of English. Expatriates long for acceptance and what better way to use it for your benefit than by learning their language.

Save Money

Yes, you can actually save money by learning Spanish. Spanish shop owners tend to treat all the people who don't speak Spanish as tourists and charge higher prices than they normally do. If you know Spanish, you can communicate and get through to them. They will bring down the price to where it usually is. Guides, especially those who speak English, charge good money. You don't need them when you know how to communicate with everyone you meet in the native language. You also eliminate the need for translators, who are equally expensive, by learning Spanish yourself. Imagine, you can order for yourself in a traditional Mexican restaurant!

These were some reasons why learning Spanish can be economically beneficial for a US citizen. If you want to study Spanish quickly and without hassle, Spanish Learning Factory is the best option for you. They offer private lessons as well as books and CDs so you have the option to choose a resource according to your budget.

SpanishLearningFactory provides online Spanish courses and online Spanish classes. for more details visit Website. SpanishLearningFactory.com

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What to Consider When Choosing Sites to Learn Chinese Online

The development of Pinyin Romanization has made it easier for Westerners to study Chinese online through a widely accepted and easy-to-learn system of transcribing Mandarin sounds using the Roman alphabet. Most importantly, Pinyin includes tone marks or numbers to indicate the four different Mandarin tones and clarify the meaning of transcribed words. The main disadvantage of Pinyin is that its sounds are different from English, which may lead those who are unfamiliar with the system to mispronounce them. This minor drawback has not hindered the wide adoption of Pinyin; it has become the official Romanization system of China and Singapore, as well as the US Library of Congress.

Because of Pinyin, there is now an extensive range of options for learning Chinese online using a variety of modalities ranging from videos to one-on-one online tutoring. However, because of the sheer number of choices available, it can be difficult to find the site that best suits your particular needs. The first step in deciding which site to use is to browse their different lesson offerings to see if they have a package that is most suitable for your requirements. For example, if you are learning Chinese because you are planning to visit China or other Chinese-speaking country, do they have a simple course that will teach you to quickly converse in Mandarin? If you are planning to apply for college in China, do they have a learning package that will help you build your vocabulary and Chinese-reading and -writing skills?

The next step is to look at the learning tools that they offer on the site. The wider the selection of tools available the better, since every person has a different way of learning. For example, some people might prefer to learn on their own using self-guided audio lessons with occasional supervision from a tutor while others might feel more comfortable being taught live by a teacher through Skype or Adobe Connect - an advance e-education software used in the universities and professional bodies for interactive online classes. The best sites may even offer assistance in preparing you for Chinese language proficiency exams that are a requirement before you are allowed to study or work in China.

Price, of course, is an important consideration. The best sites for learning Chinese online will offer a selection of pricing options, ranging from monthly subscriptions for unlimited lessons to one-time fees for particular lesson packages. In addition, they may even offer you free trial periods or sample lessons that you should take advantage of, as this will give you the flavor of how the site teaches Chinese so that you can decide if you feel comfortable with their approach. And of course, a good site always guarantees the satisfaction of its users by offering a money-back warranty if you're unsatisfied with their services.

Finally, the best sites have responsive customer service and technical support in case you encounter any problems accessing their lessons. You can even test how good their customer service is by asking to speak to a customer representative or e-mailing them, just to see how fast they get back to you to address your concerns.

If you are seriously considering learning Chinese online, the above mentioned pointers are worth a second look. Learn Chinese Online is one program you must see before making any final decision because the programs offered met most the featured mentioned in this article. Without further delay, hop over to http://chineseonline.sg/ for more information.

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ESL Teaching Strategy: Information, Instruction, Inspiration, Intuition

What is the difference between a good teacher and a master teacher? We probably have all endured teachers where we felt their calling was anything other than teaching. Other teachers could at least keep our attention, and make the class exciting and fun. But on occasion, there would be that master teacher that could somehow make us feel like we were the only one in the classroom, and we felt as if our brains had been opened as he poured a cup of knowledge into our souls. It might have been an elementary teacher, a coach, or, for a lucky few, a mom or a dad. Let's look at the main ingredients of a master teacher.

1. Information. Information makes up 40% of teaching. It is the sole reason for our role as a teacher. Take away our substance, and we will also lose our occupation. Yet, the fault in many teachers is in their resistance to remain a student. It can be easy to dust off the old lesson plans from year to year, and deliver the same information that was given 10 years ago - rusted and outdated.

I don't think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday. ~Abraham Lincoln

The best remedy for an old lesson plan is a learning teacher. Let's make sure as teachers that our information - that 40% of teaching - is 100% of what it should be.

2. Instruction. Instruction makes up 30% of teaching. Imagine a road system that had no rules. Drivers could go as fast as they want, drive in any lane, never stop for a traffic light, and there were no guidelines for accidents. Yes, people could get to their destination, but it would be accompanied by chaos and confusion. As teachers, we not only need to impart information, but also give it with good instruction. As a student I enjoyed the classes where it was obvious that the teacher had good procedures in the classroom. He knew the most efficient way to pass out papers, collect papers, explain the rules of an activity, give tests, schedule a research paper with good deadlines, and keep the class as fair as possible. It was always a privilege to be in a class where I felt the teacher ensured that every little detail was accounted for.

3. Inspiration. Inspiration makes up 20% of teaching. Inspiration comes from success. The more successful a student is at something, the more they will want to excel in that area. I was watching my son play a skateboarding game on our Wii. As a six year old, he just could not figure out how to make that virtual skateboard do what he wanted it to do. However, I noticed that level 1 was super easy. It was easy enough to grant my son a small measure of success. He could not do level 2, but I simply had to encourage him to do better on level 1, and he soon was able to beat level 2. That measure of success was enough to keep him interested. In our classes, our students don't want to fail. However, if they fail many times then failure becomes the only thing they are actually successful at. Have you ever had a student that wanted to excel at failure? Instead, we need to keep our students tasting the wonderful joy of success.

4. Intuition. Intuition is that 10% of teaching that I believe separates the good teachers from the master teachers. Intuition is that ability to look into the eyes of a student and know whether or not he is learning. It's the ability to draw out of the student the knowledge that the teacher has given to him. It is that unique touch on the heart of a student that lets him know that you really care. Students have the distinctive ability to know whether or not the teacher is teaching for money or for the student. Teachers will never be able to fool a student in this area. For the master teacher, intuition goes both ways. The master teacher is able to know if the student is truly learning and what to do about it, and the student is able to sense the level of compassion that the master teacher has for the student.

What an awesome privilege to have to opportunity to help mold the early impressions of a student. Let's increase our relevant information, make clear our instructions, inspire through success, and captivate with our intuition.

For great ESL resources for both the student and the teacher go to http://www.ilesi.com/. ILESI stands for International Languages Educational Services Inc., and has established English training centers all over the world.

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Chinese Language Learning Strategies For Interpersonal Learners

As outlined by Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences, there are 7 distinct kinds of learners, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, musical, visual-spatial, intrapersonal, linguistic, and logical-mathematical. As a pupil of the Chinese language, you will discover that, while you are able to use approaches from all 7 of the individual learning models, you will be more at ease with some than with others. Pay attention to your inner thoughts, and gravitate towards the exercises you feel most comfortable carrying out. This particular report will present Chinese language learning strategies for people who are intepersonal learners.

What is an Interpersonal Learner?

An interpersonal learner is somebody who loves interacting with other people. These people are usually particularly understanding, and they normally show empathy for other people. They generally have a lot of acquaintances and possess superior street smarts. If you're one of these styles of learners you will excel whenever taking part in group exercises, seminars, and by participating in dialogues, no matter how easy they may be.

Learning Strategy 1

Interpersonal learners excel in group activities, and their study techniques ought to center on interaction. Fortunately, this is often easy to do when learning another language, seeing that everybody desires partners to converse with. You ought to take an active part in setting up parties or some other social get-togethers where the chief goal is to practice talking in Chinese. For instance, you can host a dinner party where the aim is to speak about food in the Chinese language.

Learning Strategy 2

Join organizations which are organized by individuals who are native Chinese speakers. This can seem difficult at first, and it would, in fact, be extremely hard for most of us. Your high level of comfort in interpersonal situations, however, allows you to succeed in most of these circumstances. You can join almost any group. For example, it is easy to join a Chinese trekking group, or perhaps some sort of civic group that meets often.

Learning Strategy 3

Socialize with native Chinese speakers. This might seem to be a bit fake or dishonest, but it doesn't have to be. Just be genuine in the beginning and then allow your natural interpersonal skills take over from there. Take your new friend out for lunch and ask for their help. Most people love helping others, since it makes them to feel useful and significant. And, surely, since English is not their native language, you may as well help them with their studies. It's a win-win position for everybody.

Learning Strategy 4

Enroll in a Chinese language learning class. If you're an intense interpersonal learner, you will definitely get bored rather quickly learning alone. Some sort of classroom environment, on the other hand, will provide you with the social interaction you desire. Additionally, don't just be a part of a class. Also make certain that you spend as much time as you can with your teacher, as the increased individual attention will encourage you to study more.

Conclusion

Interpersonal learners need social interaction to keep encouraged and learn up to their potential. If you are secure in and quite often desire social situations, and if you have a lot of friends, you're almost certainly an interpersonal learner. If this is the case, you should design a learning approach that is based around social interaction.

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Count Nouns and Non-Countable (Mass) Nouns - Simple Solutions to a Major Problem for ESL Students

The concept of distinguishing between objects that can and cannot be counted does not exist in many languages and this results in severe bafflement when speakers of those languages write in English.

Examples of mass and count nouns:

Count nouns:

A pencil: three pencilsA frog: three frogsA minister: three ministers.

Mass nouns are uncomfortable with numbers:

A confusion: three confusions (No. "How much confusion")An air: three airs (No, "How much air")A misery: three miseries (No, "How much misery")A research: three researches (No, "How much research")

Many nouns can be both count and mass nouns, often with different meanings.

Paper:

How much paper? (24 reams, boxes, rolls of paper)How many papers? (He published three papers on invertebrate alcoholism last year)

Oil:

How much oil? (one quart)How many oils? (olive oil, corn oil, linseed oil - three oils.)

Mystery:

Much mystery surrounds the case of the giant rat of Sumatra.There are probably many more mysteries set in English country houses than murders in all of Yorkshire.

Thought:

Not much thought has been given to making cats amphibious.Did Rupert have any thoughts about wearing gaudy socks in the parade?

The Web Searching Solution

When in doubt about the countability of a noun, one could just compare the result count from a search for "much [noun]"to that from a search for "many [noun]s". The search, "many confusions"yielded 55,900, while "much confusion"produced 774,000. While searching "how much"with most countable nouns will reveal clearly that the noun does not function as a mass noun ("how much pencil", "how much bicycle", "how much flagpole"), this process is not always reliable because, as demonstrated above, some nouns can be both countable and non-countable. The respective counts of "many thoughts"and "much thought"do not differ greatly. In these cases, a targeted search and an examination of context is probably best.

Frequently the excerpts Google presents are perfectly adequate for understanding usage and there is no need to visit the pages found as demonstrated in the following excerpts from the first page of results of a search restricted to academic sites in the UK.

Searched: site:ac.uk/ "many thoughts are"

Within a given conceptual space, many thoughts are possible, only some of which may have been actually thought.

As many thoughts are in my mind: As wavelets o'er thee roam;: As many wounds are in my heart: As thou hast flakes of foam. But if heaven's constellations

One problem of this work is that too many thoughts are embedded in a single character-mind. It is often difficult to identify to whom each thought...

Searched: site:ac.uk/ "much thought is"

...much thought is already being given to the social and economic implications of these changes.

Much thought is given to the dating and composition of Weissenburg's cartulary, which is put in the context of Louis the German's attempts to acquire...

...But modern versions of RTM assume that much thought is not grounded in mental images. The classic contemporary treatment maintains, instead, ...

The resultant phrases reveal clearly how the word is used in context.

Remember, mass nouns do not take indefinite articles and are quantified by:

"how much [noun]"or "how little [noun]"and "more [noun] ", "less [noun], all that [noun] or the amount of [noun]"

while countable nouns use:

"how many [noun]s"or "how few [noun]s", "more [noun]s", "fewer [noun]s"or the quantity of [noun]s.

Note that the comparative form "more"is used with both countable and non-countable nouns. Purists maintain that "fewer"should always be the comparative form used with countable nouns but the use of "less"in these contexts is increasing: "Oatmeal has less calories than granola". When searched, the count was: "less calories", 491,000 and "fewer calories", 6,060,000. It will be interesting to see how these numbers change over time.

There are some sticky areas however. Some count nouns, when used in plural, and particularly when large quantities are discussed, tend to be treated as mass nouns. Phrases such as "the amount of lentils"(460,000,000) tend to compete well with the more correct "the quantity of lentils"(475,000,000). With more abstract nouns, this is even more evident.

"quantity of resources" 463,000

"number of resources" 8,770,000

"amount of resources" 11,500,000

A short collection of mass nouns:

(Be sure to look up any you don't know)

acrimonyadulationadviceairaluminumapplauseapostasyapprobationavaricebadinagebeerbiologybloodboatingcacographycakecasuistryceleritycheeseclothdancingdisdaindusteconomicselectricityequipmentexperiencefatuityfealtyflourflummeryfoodfurnitureglassgraffitigrasshairharmheathistoryhockeyhomeworkhouseworkiceinformationinsoucianceknowledgeleatherlogorrhealuggagemathematicsmeatmentationmetalmilkmoneymilitancymusicoxygenphotographyplasticpoetrypollutionporcelainprobitypublicityrancorreadingresearchreticencerevulsionricerodomontaderubbishsandsedulitysmokingsoapsoccersoftwaresubserviencesteelsugarsunshinetemeritytraffictransportationtravelwaterweatherwinewoodwool

Count and Mass Noun Usage

Mass nouns can usually be made countable by adding a count noun:

Mass noun: furniture

Count noun: piece of furniture

Mass noun: paper

Count noun: sheet of paper

Mass noun: research

Count noun: research paper

The use of count nouns as mass nouns can be intended for comic effect through the incongruity of the usage:

It's 49 feet tall; how much flagpole do we really need?

A tandem? What's he doing with that much bicycle?

If one prefers to avoid this effect, reference to size or quantity solves the problem: How large a flagpole? How big a bicycle? How long a piece of construction grade gingerbread?

Use the searching technique above to determine mass or count-noun usage in the following.

Count Nouns and Mass Nouns Playsheet

Circle and fix the errors.

When dealing with a furniture of this size, Rupert had to agree that the word "manana" conveyed far too exigent a sense of urgency.There was too much barrel of fermented applesauce for Hermione to deal with but less golf balls than the minimum required for the sleepover.It wasn't me whom the assistant vice principal accused of impertinence after he saw so much of his bulletins, printed in the local newspaper with appropriate grammar corrections.Rupert saw the curate and me mixing all that anchovy into the nougat.Who do you think is responsible for putting so much toads into the library garden?Whom should we make clean up all those peanut shells, tapioca, and horse droppings in the cafeteria after the Polo Club's cavalcade of ethnic indigenous cuisines?There's too much reason for not letting Mrs. Drookle's second grade class reenact the Boston Tea Party at the Main Street fountain.There's too much puce finger paint and Brillo pads to hide convincingly behind the irregularly eructative model volcano.There's not enough volcano to hide even a small equipment.Acrimonies abound in the field. Invertebrate alcoholisms seem to inspire many rancors.

Answers

Problem: "Furniture" is a mass noun. Search "much furniture" and "many furnitures" for the count. Correction: "When dealing with a piece of furniture of this size..."Problem: barrel is a count noun. Search "much barrel" and "many barrels". Correction: the barrel contained too much fermented applesauce..." Problem: Golf ball is a count noun and "less" should be used only with mass nouns. It should be replaced with "fewer".Problem: "bulletin" is a count noun. Search "much bulletin" and "many bulletins" for the count. Correction: "so many of his bulletins".Problem: "anchovy" is a count noun. Search "much anchovy" and "many anchovies". Correction: "mixing all those anchovies" Note that the discrete fish can easily become a mass for culinary purposes and that usage may not be uncommon.Problem: "toad" is a count noun. Search "much toads" many "toads". Correction: "So many toads".Problem: "tapioca" is a mass noun listed with count nouns. Search "much tapioca" and "many tapiocas". Correction: "Whom should we make clean up all that tapioca and all those peanut shells, and horse droppings?Problem: "reason" is, in this context, a count noun. Search "many reasons" and "much reason". Correction: "There are too many reasons for...".Problem: "Brillo pads" are countable. Search "much pad" and "many pads". Correction "There's too much puce finger paint and too many Brillo pads".Problem: "volcano" is countable. Search "much volcano" and "many volcanoes". Problem: "equipment" is a mass noun: Search "much equipment" and "many equipments". Correction: "The volcano's not big enough to hide even a little equipment.Problem: "acrimony", "alcoholism" and "rancor" are mass nouns. Search them. Correction: "Acrimony abounds in the field. Invertebrate alcoholism seems to inspire much rancor."

Excerpted with permission from SAT ACT TOEFL College Prep English Practice ( http://abacus-es.com/cpep/ ) by K. Titchenell. For more information on this text, use the search/look inside feature on Amazon.com ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/146108380X/ ).

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ESL Teaching Tip: How to Teach a Class With a Wide Range of English Levels

With teaching English in China for many years, I often found myself in situations where I was thrust into a classroom as the new American English teacher. Before me there would be 30 - 40 grade school students with 20 - 30 parents sitting in the back. On my left there would be a couple of 2nd graders and on my right I would find a couple of 6th graders. The whole class consisted of an incredible disparity in English ability.

If I focus on the slower students, then the more advanced students would be bored. If I focus on the more advanced students then the beginners would not be able to understand. Obviously, the best solution would be to split the class, but because of student schedules, or teacher availability it would not be an option. I get one chance to make that perfect impression, or the parents in the back will pull students out of the class. How do I make the right impression, so all of the students in the class at least feel like they are learning something?

Here are five suggestions for teaching a class with a wide range of English levels.

Follow the 10% - 50% focus rule. Typically in China, I would look at my class and mentally divide it into half based on their English level. Then I would take the lower half and come up 10%. This usually was a good focus for the material. I would try to give this 40% of the students the majority of my time and effort. For the top 50% of the students I would throw out "nuggets" of harder English to keep them interested. Then whenever we had pair work or group work, I would focus in on the lower 10% and try to give them some individual help. This way everyone feels important, and I am meeting everyone's needs.
Allow the students to be successful. Students love to have the right answer, and this will build their confidence. In order to be successful, present the information using clear instructions, and practice thoroughly. If the teacher uses clear visuals, exciting games, enjoyable activities, and great body language, the students are more likely to remember what was taught and will be more successful in class.
Bring extra materials for those that will finish their assignments quickly. It is discouraging for a teacher when an assignment is passed out and 10% of the class finishes in 10 minutes and the last 10% finish in 40 minutes. To avoid this, always put a time limit on each of your assignments, and walk around to help those that are struggling. Then have an extra fun, but educational assignment to give to those that finish early.
Allow the more advanced students to do some of the teacher's job. For example, if you are playing a reading game where students have to stand when they hear a specific type of word, have a student read instead of the teacher. This will increase the amount of time that the student speaks, and decrease the amount of time the teacher speaks. Also, if a slower student asks a question, see if the more advanced student can answer it instead of the teacher answering all of the questions. Remember, the main goal of the ESL teacher is not to teach, but to motivate, guide and clarify.
Realize the entire level of the student. John might have a better speaking ability than Mary, but Mary might have a better reading ability than John. So, not only do you look for overall English level, but also specific English level. To effectively teach an ESL class, the teacher has to very alert to pick up on the various levels of each student. Never assume that because the writing skill is good that the listening skill is also good.

Teaching ESL students is a great challenge and for me it has been more artistic in nature than scientific. Yes, there are many scientific methods to use in a classroom, but when it comes down to an individual student, develop the ability to look into the eyes of the student and see where he truly is at. The master teacher will develop a level of intuition to know whether or not his students are comprehending.

For great ESL resources for both the student and the teacher go to http://www.ilesi.com/. ILESI stands for International Languages Educational Services Inc., and has established English training centers all over the world.

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Teaching ESL - The 5 Most Difficult Things About the English Language

For native English speakers, none of these are a problem but they can create havoc and apprehension with English language learners, particularly those who do not benefit from being in an English-speaking country.

Number 5 - Idioms and Expressions

Every language has its idioms and expressions and English is no exception. In fact, it sometimes seems that 50% of what we say is idiomatic with the grammatical portion of the language just acting as connectors. I term it 'the colour of the language'. Idioms are phrases that when spoken usually do not have much if anything to do with the words being used. No wonder ESL students have comprehension problems. Let's look at some animal idioms to give you some examples:

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

"Holy Cow!"

"When I tell my mother, she's going to have a cow!"

"It looks like a dog's breakfast."

"She's barking up the wrong tree."

Try explaining those to students who have never encountered these idioms and have nothing to relate them to.

Number 4 - Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are verbs containing more than one word.

'Up' is one we use all the time: bone up on, break up, bring up, burn up, butter up, call up, draw up, dress up, ease up, give up, hurry up, listen up, look up, move up, smarten up, tie up, wise up...

Off is another one: back off, beg off, face off, hold off, show off, tell off...plus several I won't mention!

Or how about 'back' as in: back down, back in, back off, back away, back up...

Speaking of 'down, we have break down, bring down, die down, dress down, lowdown, show down...

And far from the end but all I can cover here, 'in', as in, call in, figure in, give in, listen in, run in, shoe-in...

Number 3 - Homonyms

Homonyms are words that are pronounced the same but mean different things and are often spelled differently as well. For example:

1. The referee blew his blue whistle.

2. Cheryl rode her bike as we rowed our little boat in the river.

3. She had never seen such a beautiful scene.

4. The new site for our building is quite a sight.

5. It seems the seams in my pants have split again.

6. Years of rain didn't interrupt the king's reign.

7. Due to the dry weather, we do not see any dew on the grass.

8. Our zoo has a new gnu.

9. Some people know that you add to find the sum.

10. They're on their way over there.

11. I ate the eight cakes that were on my plate.

12. How many ways can I tell him that he weighs too much?

13. They banned the crude band from playing at the concert.

14. We only won one prize.

15. They had to raze the old building before the sun's rays could raise the temperature.

16.I'll walk down the aisle on the Isle of Capri.

17. The boy threw the ball through the window.

Is it any wonder, new learners get confused?

Number 2 - Tenses

Past Simple - Present Simple- Future Simple, right?

Well, it's not quite that simple, is it? We add present continuous and present perfect, past continuous, past perfect, future continuous, future perfect and then we have present to talk about the near future, present continuous for the future...

Explaining each of these different tenses to students and expecting them to understand is challenging and it doesn't happen overnight. Then, expecting students to learn when and how to use them is another facet of the task.

I don't have space to go into a full explanation of tense use here but if you want a good explanation, you might like to go to My English Pages.

Number 1 - Word and Sentence Stress

Some languages are described as musical. Well, English has quite a lilt to it when you listen to it. In words of two syllables or more, only one is stressed or spoken a little louder than the rest.

In these examples, I have shown the stressed syllable in caps: CA-na-da, a-MER-i-ca, CHIN-a, ja-PAN, pho-TOG-re-pher, con-sti-TUT-ion.

ESL learners have a tough time figuring this all out. It takes a practiced ear.

Similarly, certain words or parts of words in sentences are spoken a little louder to signify their importance in the meaning of the sentence. Sentences are usually spoken in 'thought groups' and thee is usually only one stressed point per thought group.

Here is an example of a sentence with four thought groups with the stressed point shown in caps:

I'm GOING | to the MARket | by mySELF | on SATurday.

As native speakers, we say it quickly and don't even think about it but for non native speakers, it takes a lot of practice listening to and imitating English speakers.

One of my favourite exercises is to have students pronounce this sentence in nine different ways. Each way has a different meaning.

"JOHN and Sally walked to the small restaurant yesterday evening" (Not Bill)

"John AND Sally walked to the small restaurant yesterday evening" (John was not alone)

"John and SALLY walked to the small restaurant yesterday evening" (Not Susie)

"John and Sally WALKed to the small restaurant yesterday evening" (didn't drive)

"John and Sally walked TO the small restaurant yesterday evening" (not from)

"John and Sally walked to the SMALL restaurant yesterday evening" (Not the big one)

"John and Sally walked to the small REStaurant yesterday evening" (Not the pharmacy)

"John and Sally walked to the small restaurant YESterday evening" (not today)

"John and Sally walked to the small restaurant yesterday EVening" (not the afternoon)

So there you have what I consider to be the five most difficult aspects of learning to communicate in English. If you are learning English, the best way is to be in a country where English is the main language and you have the opportunity to practice it 24/7 (an expression). If you cannot do that, join an English Club, read books, newspapers and magazines, watch English videos. Replay them a few times and listen to the stress, the idioms and the way the language is used.

Robert Taylor

Dr. Robert Taylor is a Canadian educator who lives in Thailand and specializes in teaching English. He has a teacher training school for people interested in teaching English overseas Sunbridge Institute of English and an online club for business people who need to improve their written English communications My Business English Club.

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