In this issue you will learn how to make your speech more fluent. You'll also earn some "idioms from the heart" in honor of Valentine's Day, on February 14th. In our Question and Answer Corner, we continue to provide you with answers regarding your questions about our accent reduction programs.
American English sounds can be divided into two main groups: voiced sounds and unvoiced sounds. Voiced sounds are those made by the vibration of the vocal cords, which are located in your larynx (in your throat). Vocal cords are responsible for creating the unique voice you have and for allowing air into your lungs for breathing. Unvoiced sounds are those made without the use of the vocal cords. This means that these sounds are made only with air being pushed through the mouth.
How can you tell if a sound is voiced or unvoiced? Try this simple test. Place your hand on your throat, then say “zzzzzzzz”. When you say this sound, you will feel your hand vibrate. This means the “zzzzz” sound is voiced. Now, place your hand on your throat and say “ssssss”. When you say this sound, you should not feel your hand vibrate. This is because the vocal cords are not used to create the “sssss” sound; it is made only by pushing air through the mouth.
Idioms of the "heart"
Valentine's Day, a special holiday on February 14th, is dedicated to loved ones. All over the country, people exchange candy, flowers, gifts, and cards with people they love. In honor of this special month, we dedicate all our idioms to "idioms of the heart". Let's take a look at some idioms that use the word "heart" in them.
1. "close to one's heart" means loved by or important to someone. 2. "steal someone's heart" means to win someone's affection or love. 3. "take to heart" means to take something seriously and be affected or troubled by it. 4. "to one's heart's content" means to one's complete satisfaction. 5. "with all one's heart" means with deepest feeling or with great willingness or pleasure. 6. "by heart" means to know something word for word or to memorize it by rote.
Are accent reduction classes using video conferencing as effective as learning with someone in person? Learning how to improve your spoken English through video conferencing classes is just as effective as learning with an instructor in person. Everyone who participates in the 12-week Speaking Your Best accent reduction program and practices daily improves a minimum of 60%! Speaking Your Best uses Sightspeed's video conferencing software. With this software, there is no delay between what you see and what you hear. When using other popular conferencing software, such as Yahoo, Skype, or Windows Messenger, you usually see the person's mouth moving in a choppy way and then hear what they say. SightSpeed eliminates this delay, so it is almost like you are in the same room with your instructor.
Do you ever find when you are talking that you sometimes can't think of the word you want to say? This happens to everyone; native speakers and non- native speakers of English alike. If you speak English as a second language, you may naturally notice that this happens more frequently. This is because you most likely don't know as many words as a native speaker.
How can you build your vocabulary so that you can speak more fluently? Try these exercises and games: 1. Play a guessing game where you describe an object or item using as many details as you can think of. Then have someone guess what you are describing. 2. Learn synonyms for common words. A synonym is a word that has the same or similar meaning as another word. For example, large and big have similar meanings. See how many synonyms you can think of for the word "large".
