GRAMMAR

Reading may be the number one way you can improve your grammar skills. When you read, you
reinforce correct grammar in your mind. It can be particularly helpful to read out loud, as the
combination of seeing, saying, and hearing assists in solidifying what you have learned.

It is useful to have a thorough reference book nearby that you can consult when writing. This way, any
time a grammatical question arises, you can quickly refer to the manual to obtain the answer. 

While classes in English linguistics and writing may not be something you are interested in, it is vital to
spend a bit of time learning or reviewing the basic principles. Do some research on the basic parts of
speech, as well as on the common grammatical errors people tend to make.

There are many excellent resources, both online and in print, conducive to improving your grammar
skills. A quick Internet search will reveal a multitude of websites that offer grammar games and
exercises.

When instructors, writing lab staff, or writing tutors give you feedback, listen to them! Find out if you
have a consistent issue with any topics in particular. 

Sometimes when we re-read pieces we have written, our brain fills in the gaps of missing information.
We do not always catch our own mistakes when we proofread.

Just as it helps to read a great deal, it will also benefit you to write more. The more you practice writing
with proper grammar, the more naturally it will come to you.

VOCABULARY

Use a word immediately after you learn it. Try to make a game out of using a new word as soon as you
learn it.
Try to read a well-written and edited essay, magazine article, book or news article every day. Nonfiction
and technical books will quickly teach you new ways to think and speak with words you may be
unfamiliar with, but any type of reading will help you along.

Learn the roots of words. Most words in the English language are built from a common root, prefix, and
suffix, usually with an origin in the Greek or Latin language. Once you learn a root, you’ll begin to
understand more words that use the same root.

Keep a thesaurus handy. As you write, keep a thesaurus handy and use it when you find yourself using a
word too often, or using a word that you know doesn’t quite convey the right meaning.

This means you should start by learning words that express what’s important to you for the task at hand.
A good example of this is learning trade language or words you use often in a hobby or vocation. 

To improve your vocabulary quickly, make an effort to learn at least one new word every single day.

How often do you come across words that are unfamiliar as you read? Don’t just gloss over them; take
the time to look them up, and if you don’t have the time right then, write them down and look them up
later.

Journaling won’t just help you develop your writing style, it will also help you improve your vocabulary.
Try to use new or interesting words you’ve learned recently into a journal entry for the day or the week.

You’re probably familiar with empty words in your speech (such as “uh” or “um”), but your writing
probably has empty words as well. Look for these empty words in your writing that do not offer any
substance to your reader and replace them with something more appropriate. 

If you tend to read the same sort of things day in and day out, you may not be exposing yourself to a
wide enough range of vocabulary. Diversify the topics you read to include natural science, Shakespeare,
contemporary literature, politics, history, philosophy or any other topics you think you may enjoy.
Word puzzles in the newspaper or a magazine aren’t just a fun way to fill time, they’re also perfect for
boosting your working vocabulary. Crossword puzzles are a challenge that get your brain working hard
to search your memory for words you do know but don’t use, and this can help you move words from
your memory banks into your working set of vocabulary which will come across in your writing.

Start by saying the new word aloud, then relate it to a word you already know. 

Mnemonic techniques are memory tricks you can use to remember new words. You may remember a
word by sounding it out and thinking of a funny sentence that matches the meaning, such as turning
egregious (extremely bad) into “Don’t let that smelly rotten egg reach us!”

Read, read, and read. The more you read -- especially novels and literary works, but also magazines and
newspapers -- the more words you'll be exposed to.

Engage in conversations. Simply talking with other people can help you learn discover new words.

Go back to your roots. One of the most powerful tools for learning new words -- and for deciphering the
meaning of other new words -- is studying Latin and Greek roots.

Learn a word a day. Using a word-a-day calendar or Website -- or developing your own list of words to
learn -- is a great technique many people use to learn new words.

Use a journal. It's a good idea to keep a running list of the new words you discover so that you can refer
back to the list and slowly build them into your everyday vocabulary.

Keep a dictionary and thesaurus handy. Use whatever versions you prefer -- in print, software, or online.

LISTENING

Paraphrasing and summarizing are both fantastic communication skills that help you to make sense of a
speaker’s points and also allow you to demonstrate that you are listening closely.
During a session, try to listen to your conversation partner or teacher only for intonation. Intonation is
when the voice rises or falls in pitch (high/low sounds) while speaking. In English, intonation
often communicates the emotion or attitude of the speaker.

Stress is another important part of understanding spoken English. When English speakers say words,
they do not put the same force behind each syllable. 

PRONUNCIATION

Speaking fast tends to slur their speech and reinforce bad habits. Speaking slowly, on the other hand,
will give you time to think about what you are saying and how you are saying it. It will also make you feel
more relaxed.

Pay attention to the mouths of native speakers and try to mimic them in front of the mirror.

One of the great things about the Internet is that it provides a wealth of free resources on about any
topic. With a quick search, you’ll see that there are many helpful videos made to help you improve your
English pronunciation.

Tongue twisters are a time-tested method of improving pronunciation. A tongue twister is a phrase that
is difficult to pronounce, because it is made up of many similar sounds. For example, *She sells seashells
on the seashore. *How much wood would a woodchuck chuck?

The only way to learn to discern those sounds and get used to the way they are pronounced is by
listening to a lot of English. This is why it’s important that you try to surround yourself with as much
English video and audio as possible.

There are many diagrams and videos in textbooks and online that illustrate how to use your tongue and
your mouth when pronouncing each sound. Start practicing difficult sounds in front of the mirror by first
learning where to place your tongue and how to shape your mouth.
The reason why pronunciation problems persist is that students are too afraid to make mistakes.
Remember, that it is a skill that gets better only with practice. So, in order to avoid feeling shy, practice
your speech at home. Pretend that someone has asked you questions and create a dialog by yourself.

By shadowing, we mean repeating after native speakers. The way to do this is to listen to any native
English audio or video material in small sections, hit the pause button, and try to copy the speaker.

Reading out loud every day is a wonderful way to improve your skills, but only if you have mastered the
basics of pronunciation. Otherwise, you may be unaware that you are making mistakes, and constant
reading would only make it worse. 

The absolute best way to polish your pronunciation is to immerse yourself in real-life English speech.
The way to do that is by engaging in as much conversation with native English speakers as possible. If
you feel that this is impossible to achieve especially if you don’t live in a non-English speaking country,
I’m here to tell you it isn’t.

The student is still aided by the teacher.

ABSENT

She did not apprise or leave a message in the classroom that she will not be able to attend class today.
Wishing her well!

EVALUATION

Don't forget to evaluate teacher's performance today if I did good or not. Thank you
so much for your time. Can't wait to see you again!

别忘了评价老师今天的表现，看我做得好不好。非常感谢您的宝贵时间。等不及再见到你了!
FT

Please kindly wait for your Course Consultant in the classroom for follow-up. Do not
leave the classroom after our lesson. Ok?

请在教室等待您的课程顾问跟进下课后不要离开教室。好吗?

Don't forget to review what we learned today.

别忘了复习我们今天学的东西。