Search results for 'tag:Vocabulary tag:Literature' matching tags 'Vocabulary' and 'Literature'

Re: Books

Mister Micawber — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:24:26 GMT

Is it a good idea to choose those classical masterpieces, like books written by Charles Dickens and Shakespeare?

There is a world of difference in difficulty between Dickens and Shakespeare, Stephen. I think Dickens would be fine. Shakespeare won't help you much in practical learning of the language-- his vocabulary and structure are too dated. He is of course great art.

Ana, here are some shorter novels that are good adult literature, yet not overly complex in structure or vocabulary:

The Old Man and the Sea (Ernest Hemingway)
True Grit (Charles Portis)
Cat's Cradle (Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.)
I Heard the Owl Call My Name (Margaret Craven)

One good approach is to get an anthology of English short stories, read it, and pursue longer works by the authors you like.

Re: Recommend a Book to me!!!

Mister Micawber — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 04:27:33 GMT

.
The best way to build vocabulary is to read, and the best thing to read is something that interests you-- what kind of reading that is, is unimportant. Read about your hobbies or interests; read the newspaper or magazines; read classic literature or Sidney Sheldon-- whatever tickles your fancy.

Re: When I have trouble...

Kooyeen — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:36:17 GMT

Hi Anon,
what Jim said makes a lot of sense, and we discussed it a little in another thread, I think.
The point was that teaching completely descriptively is impossible. The teacher would have to say: Mr X says this, Mr Y says that, and Mr Z says another thing. Now learn what they say and then decide what to do by yourself.
Every time a teacher gives advice or suggest something, they're being at least a little bit prescriptive.
So if you want a good teacher, you need a teacher who "prescribes" the most appropriate English for you.

Now, suppose I'm 17. The better you know English, the more it should sound like English spoken by native speakers (this should be true for every language). How can I be as similar to a native as possible? If am learning American English and I imagine I am a native speaker, I should imagine I am a 17-year-old American guy. If I found an American teenager to imitate, I would learn how to speak like my imaginary native clone.

So, why would a ESL student who is 17, listen to punk rock and don't care much about school and rules in society... why would he want to have a teacher who is 50, listen to classical music, and is a literature professor? Learning English from a punk like him is probably the best way to learn the best kind of English for him.

And as for females... sometimes girls talk a little differently. Vocabulary might be different, tipical topics in conversations are definitely different, and sometimes intonation might vary (example: uprising intonation).

Re: Please help me proof it. Thanks

Cheese1987 — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 04:39:46 GMT

Julielai wrote:

Some parts in red for you to fix

Cheese1987 wrote:

Thank you!

Account of the recent language learning experience and insights gained through the course both inside and outside of class

      I have learnt some useful skills in the course in these months.(incomplete sentence) The most impressing (missing three letters) lesson teach me how to write a composition in an (article) appropriate (sp.) style. I do know it is important to choose the appropriate style and tone when writing. I also understand that language style can be classified as formal, neutral and informal before. However, I do not know how I can write in an appropriate style correctly. The skills are not taught when I am in secondary school. After the lesson, I understand choice of vocabulary, sentence structure and grammar, use of transitional words and phrases, use of punctuation and use of abbreaviations and short forms affect the language style. I feel happy that I know how I can write in an appropriate style now. I believe that I can match the type of writing more correctly and therefore, my writing will _not__ _be__ (Insert words here) awkward or unnatural.

      Reading English newspapers also helps me to improve my English. I am not used to reading English newspaper before. But I am required to buy South China Morning Post from the courses. From then on I try to make reading South China Morning Post to be my daily routine. I find that it is an effective way to learn more vocabularies. It also helps me to broaden my horizon(Review your use of not only but also) Now I read South China Morning Post form Yahoo. So I can read South China Morning Post everyday. I deeply believe that South China Morning Post is worth reading.

Personal changed feelings/opinions/attitude towards English language learning

    I am convinced that English language learning are stressful and frustrating before. I feel nervous when everyone is focus on me and when teacher is listening carefully. I believe this feeling comes from my self- doubt. I think classmates are step ahead of me. I also cannot correctly pronounce some sounds and sets of sound. To be frank, I have thought that English is no more important because I am in Chinese Language and Literature Programme. I no need to improve my English anymore.

However, my friends told me that mastery of the English language is important. Hong Kong being a service - oriented economy, the advantage of having a competent English-speaking work force has become all the more improtant. I know that being a Chinese Language and Literature student is only an excuse to avoid learning English (You shouldn't think like that! Nothing wrong with being a Chinese major.). This thought only badly affects my interest and progress of learning English. I do know that if I lose the interest of learning English, my English cannot improve anymore. I need to find some ways to prevent feeling so embarrassed.

     There are ways for me to prevent feeling so embarrassed. I think the most practical way is to improve English. I should study English continuously. When I find some words that I cannot pronouce, I will check the electronic dictionary immediately. I will also try to speak English with my friends. I believe I can speak English fluently if I often do that. My friends can also kindly point out my grammatical mistakes. They will not laugh at my absurd mistakes. Therefore, I will not feel embarrassed anymore.

Personal Learning Plan

Long term goals:

a)         To get a C grade in Use of English in Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination

b)        To get a band score of 7 in IELTS

Short term goals:

a)         To finish all the exercises in Advanced Grammar in Use.

b)        To keep reading South China Moring Post and Hong Kong Standard

c)        To write compositions

Materials to use:

a)         Advanced Grammar in Use Exercise book

b)        South China Morning Post

c)        Hong Kong Standard

Activities to engage in:

a)         To join some workshops held by ITC

b)        To exchange oversea in Summer

How often:

a)         Doing 3 exercises everyday

b)        Reading Newspapers everyday (Look up the difference between "every day" and everyday)

c)        Writing a composition every 2 weeks

Mode of learning:

a)         Keep doing exercise and composition

b)        Keep reading newspapers

Mode of assessment:

a)         To sit for Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination.

b)        To sit for IELTS.

Re: Please help me proof it. Thanks

julielai — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 22:06:53 GMT

Some parts in red for you to fix

Cheese1987 wrote:

Account of the recent language learning experience and insights gained through the course both inside and outside of class

     Some useful skill I have learnt in the course in these months.(incomplete sentence) The most impress_ _ _ (missing three letters) ~~me is the~~ lesson teaching me how to write a composition in a (article) approicate (sp.) style. I do know it is important to choose the appropriate ~~and~~ tone when writing. I also understand that language style can be classified as formal, Neutral and Informal before. However, I do not know how I can write in an approriate style correctly. The skills are not taught when I am in secondary school. After the lesson, I understand choice of vocabulary, sentence structure and grammar, use of transitional words and phrases, use of punctuation and use of abbreaviations and short forms ~~are a critical issue~~ affect~~ing~~ the language style. I feel happy that I know how I can write in an approiate style now. I believe that I can match the type of writing more correctly and therefore, my writing will ~~be avoided to regard as~~ ___ ___ (Insert words here) awkward or unnatural.

      Reading English newspapers also helps me to improve my English. I am not used to reading English newspaper before. But I am required to buy South China Morning Post throught the courses. From then on I try to make reading South China Morning Post to be my daily routine. ~~I find that not only vocabularies I can learnt more , but also the horizon I can borden.~~ (Review your use of not only but also) Now ~~when the days I cannot received Newspaper from the lesson,~~ I read South China Morning Post form Yahoo. So I can read South China Morning Post everyday. I deeply believe that South China Morning Post is worth reading.

Personal changed feelings/opinions/attitude towards English language learning

    I am convinced that English language learning are stressful and frustrating before. I feel nervous when everyone is focus on me and when teacher is listening carefully. I believe this feeling comes from my self- doubt. I think classmates are step ahead of me. I also cannot correctly pronounce some sounds and sets of sound. To be frank, I have thought that English is no more important because I am in Chinese Language and Literature Programme. I no need to improve my English anymore.

However, my friends told me that mastery of the English language is indispensible. Hong Kong being a service - oriented economy, the advantage of having a competent English-speaking work force has become all the more improtant. I know that being a Chinese Language and Literature student is only an excuse to avoid learning English (You shouldn't think like that! Nothing wrong with being a Chinese major.). This thought only badly affect my interest and progress of learning English. I do know that if I lost the interest of learning English, my English cannot improve anymore. I need to find some ways to prevent feeling so fear and embarrassed.

     There are ways for me to prevent feeling so embarrassment. I think the most basical way is to improve English. I should study English continuously. When I find some words that I cannot ~~ensure to correctly~~ pronouce, I will check the electronic dictionary immediately. I will also try to speak English with my friends. I believe I can speak English fluently if I often do that. My friends can also kindly point out my grammatical mistakes. They will not laugh at my absurd mistakes. Therefore, I will not feel embarrassed anymore.

Personal Learning Plan

Long term goals:

a)         To get a C grade in Use of English in Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination

b)        To get a band score of 7 ~~marks~~ in IELTS

Short term goals:

a)         To finish all the exercises in Advanced Grammar in Use.

b)        To keep reading South China Moring Post and standard

c)        To write compositions

Materials to use:

a)         Advanced Grammar in Use Exercise book

b)        South China Morning Post

c)        Hong Kong Standard

Activities to engage in:

a)         To join some workshops held by ITC

b)        To exchange in Summer

How often:

a)         Doing 3 exercises everyday

b)        Reading Newspapers every day (Look up the difference between "every day" and everyday)

c)        Writing a composition every 2 weeks

Mode of learning:

a)         Keep doing exercise and composition

b)        Keep reading Newspapers

Mode of assessment:

a)         To sit for Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination.

b)        To sit for IELTS.

Please help me proof it. Thanks

Cheese1987 — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 16:41:16 GMT

Please help me proof it. Thanks!

Account of the recent language learning experience and insights gained through the course both inside and outside of class

Some useful skill I have learnt in the course in these months. The most impress me is the lesson teaching me the skills to write a composition in a approicate style. I do know it is important to choose the appropriate and tone when writing. I also understand that language style can be classified as formal, Neutral and Informal before. However, I do not know how I can write in an approriate style correctly. The skills are not taught when I am in secondary school. After the lesson, I understand choice of vocabulary, sentence structure and grammar, use of transitional words and phrases, use of punctuation and use of abbreaviations and short forms are a critical issue affecting the language style. I feel happy that I know how I can write in an approiate style now. I believe that I can match the type of writing more correctly and therefore, my writing will be avoided to regard as awkward or unnatural.

Reading English newspapers also helps me to improve my English. I am not used to reading English newspaper before. But I am required to buy South China Morning Post throught the courses. From then on I try to make reading South China Morning Post to be my daily routine. I find that not only vocabularies I can learnt more , but also the horizon I can borden. Now when the days I cannot received Newspaper from the lesson, I read South China Morning Post form Yahoo. So I can read South China Morning Post everyday. I deeply believe that South China Morning Post is worth reading.

Personal changed feelings/opinions/attitude towards English language learning

I am convinced that English language learning are stressful and frustrating before. I feel nervous when everyone is focus on me and when teacher is listening carefully. I believe this feeling comes from my self- doubt. I think classmates are step ahead of me. I also cannot correctly pronounce some sounds and sets of sound. To be frank, I have thought that English is no more important because I am in Chinese Language and Literature Programme. I no need to improve my English anymore.

However, my friends told me that mastery of the English language is indispensible. Hong Kong being a service - oriented economy, the advantage of having a competent English work force has become all the more improtant. I know that being a Chinese Language and Literature student is only an excuse to avoid learning English. This thought only badly affect my interest and progress of learning English. I do know that if I lost the interest of learning English, my English cannot improve anymore. I need to find some ways to prevent feeling so fear and embarrassed.

There are ways for me to prevent feeling so embarrassment. I think the most basical way is to improve English. I should study English continuously. When I find some words that I cannot ensure to correctly pronouce, I will check the electronic dictionary immediately. I will also try to speak English with my friends. I believe I can speak English fluently if I often do that. My friends can also kindly point out my grammatical mistakes. They will not laugh at my absurd mistakes. Therefore, I will not feel embarrassed anymore.

Personal Learning Plan

Long term goals:

a) To get a C grade in Use of English in Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination

b) To get 7 marks in IELTS

Short term goals:

a) To finish all the exercises in Advanced Grammar in Use.

b) To keep reading South China Moring Post and standard

c) To write compositions

Materials to use:

a) Advanced Grammar in Use Exercise book

b) South China Morning Post

c) Hong Kong Standard

Activities to engage in:

a) To join some workshops held by ITC

b) To exchange in Summer

How often:

a) Doing 3 exercises everyday

b) Reading Newspapers everyday

c) Writing a composition every 2 weeks

Mode of learning:

a) Keep doing exercise and composition

b) Keep reading Newspaper

Mode of assessment:

a) To sit for Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination.

b) To sit for IELTS.

Re: Action Research about learning vocabulary in groups

Dean1981 — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 01:39:51 GMT

You had better tell us in details and search for some related literature about action research and vocabulary learning by yourself. If you can not find some essential materials about them, you can send a post and ask for help. God help them who help themselves.

Re: Out of Question VS Out of The Question

Tam Sadek — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 13:01:50 GMT

Hi GG Did you actually read my post? For if you had you would have see the following:

The fact that other posters appear unaware of the existence 'out of question' as a collocation should show you that this phrase is not common in modern spoken English. Therefore I would recommend that you refrain from using it in general conversation even/especially with native-English speakers, otherwise they may think you have got the collocation 'wrong' as it is not used now.

And 'No!' I don't teach archaic literature and never have. In fact I never recommend to any student that they should read any English literature. The last time I told someone about literature was a Russian a couple of months ago who asked me whether reading Sherlock Holmes in English would help him improve his English... Yes, I replied... if you want to talk to 19th Century English speakers; otherwise forget it!

However, the poster Teo I would guess is from Taiwan as he referred to a Taiwanese domain... If you've ever taught Chinese speakers out in Asia you'll have noticed that their dictionaries throw up a lot of archaic terms and vocabulary; usually because the dictionary itself is very old - I once came across a 2002 reprint of an English-Chinese Dictionary written by a German in 1899 being used by one of my mainland Chinese students in class!

Also, you have probably noticed that many foreigners love over-formal language and many foreigners, especially the Chinese, view the written form of English as the most correct and view all spoken forms as being inferior or slang.

This is why they get off on Shakespeare, etc. And it is also why we have to tell them why it is 'not correct' now rather than wrong. As you know yourself there are no such things as absolutes in English as English ain't science. What we have to enable people to do is to encode their message in the appropriate manner for their target audience, which is why I don't teach literature to EFL students and proactively tell them not to read any if they don't want to.

After all, generally, we're teaching people to communicate in modern English in the 21st Century - not trying to train wannabe authors aren't we?

And as an afterthought; just because I don't teach it, doesn't mean I don't about it... Mind you, I'd never call myself a guru of anything, would you?

Re: Need Ideas for (english) conversation topics with woman aged 35 - 45.

Anonymous — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 03:27:54 GMT

Nona The Brit wrote:
If you think about The word "Perhaps" it still have a bige problem .
That depends on her personal interests I'm afraid. Why don't you ask her? Stop thinking of her as someone from another planet () - I know she is a woman and older than you but you can't stereoptype her any more than I would a man in his 20s. Perhaps she loves cooking. Perhaps she never cooks. Perhaps she is interested in politics and current affairs. Perhaps she isn't. Perhaps she loves animals and the natural world. Perhaps she doesn't. Perhaps religion is important to her. Perhaps not. Perhaps she is interested in the arts and literature. Perhaps she isn't. Perhaps she goes sailing every weekend and would like to work on her conversation regarding that. Perhaps she doesn't.

She might appreciate expanding her vocabulary and conversation practise related to her employment? Other than that you'll have to find out what interests her as an individual.

Re: Canadian Vocabulary vs American and British

Clive — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 00:58:52 GMT

Hi,

I beleive there is quite a lot of literature available on this topic. This includes the Canadian Oxford Dictionary that I have in front of me here, and which claims to define Canadian English. Are you hoping to add something new?

Good luck, Clive

My practical section of this dissertation is to involve the analysis of Canadian Vocabulary and I do need your help (especially of Native CANADIANS). I'm a Canadian. We use the term native Canadian to refer to what you might call Canadian Indians. I would be REALLY grateful if U could give me answers to the following survey:

1. Which way of spelling do U prefer: odour/odor, colour/color, centre/center, foetus/fetus, licence/license, dialogue/dialog, jewellery/jewelery, criticise/criticize, formulae/formulas, <<< both, depending on context.- the former in a math context tyre/tire, program/programme

2.Do U ever use any of these words (if yes how often): serviette, chesterfield No and No

3. Which words do you use in everyday life: autumn/fall, biscuit/cookie, chemist's/drugstore, crisps/chips, football/soccer, <<< both, depending on which of the two games I am speaking of garden/yard, lift/elevator

Thx also for filling these info:

Age:

Sex: M

Province and territory (if you are a Canadian): Ontario

Town: Toronto

Education (primary/secondary/ higher education):