One HACK to Understand FAST English

Summary

In this video, Keith from the Keith Speaking Academy shares a simple hack to help English learners understand native speakers better. He explains how contractions, where two words merge into one sound, play a crucial role in fluent speech. Keith breaks down common contractions like 'aren't', 'she's', and 'didn't' and provides pronunciation tips. He also offers advice on improving listening skills by turning off subtitles and expanding vocabulary. Keith concludes with suggestions for further practice and mentions a PDF guide and his IELTS Speaking Gold course for those who want to advance their speaking skills further.

Takeaways

• 😀 Keith from the Keith Speaking Academy introduces a simple hack to improve English listening skills.
• 🎧 Native English speakers often contract words, which can make speech faster and harder to understand for learners.
• 📚 Recognizing common contractions can significantly enhance listening comprehension.
• 👂 Practice involves listening for contracted words like 'aren't', 'she's', 'he's', 'I'll', and 'didn't'.
• 📝 The 't' sound in contractions is often dropped unless followed by a vowel sound.
• 📺 To develop listening skills, Keith advises watching films and series without subtitles.
• 🌐 Expanding vocabulary by watching a variety of content like documentaries and news can aid in understanding complex words.
• 📑 A PDF summary of the lesson is available for download, reinforcing the learning.
• 🎯 Keith's IELTS Speaking Gold course is recommended for those looking to improve their speaking skills further.
• 👍 The video encourages active listening and noticing contractions to become a more confident English speaker.

Q & A

What is the main challenge students face when trying to understand native English speakers?

Students often struggle to understand native English speakers because they think native speakers pronounce words one by one or as they are written, which is not the case.

What is the simple hack that advanced students use to understand native speakers?

The simple hack is understanding that advanced or native speakers of English contract words, and mastering the recognition of the most common contractions can significantly improve listening skills.

What is the purpose of the video by Keith from the Keith Speaking Academy?

The purpose of the video is to help viewers improve their English listening skills by teaching them to recognize and understand common contractions used by native speakers.

How does the contraction 'aren't' differ from the way it is often pronounced by Spanish speakers?

Spanish speakers often pronounce 'aren't' with an 'r' sound, making it sound like 'arn't', but the correct contraction is 'ant', similar to 'arm' but with 'n' instead of 'm'.

What is the contracted form of 'she is' or 'she has'?

Both 'she is' and 'she has' are contracted to 'she's', which can be pronounced as 'shiz' or 'she's', with 'shiz' being more common as it is often not stressed.

Why is it important to drop the 'h' sound in 'he is' or 'he has' when spoken quickly?

In fast speech, the 'h' sound in 'he is' or 'he has' is often dropped, making it sound like 'iz', which helps in understanding spoken English more naturally.

What is the contraction for 'I will' and how is it pronounced?

The contraction for 'I will' is 'I'll', pronounced as a single sound, often shortened even further in casual speech.

How does the pronunciation of 'didn't' help in understanding past actions in spoken English?

The pronunciation of 'didn't' as 'dun' helps in quickly identifying past actions in spoken English without having to hear the full phrase 'did not'.

What tip does Keith give for improving listening skills while watching films or series?

Keith suggests turning off subtitles to force the brain to rely on listening skills rather than reading, which can improve understanding of spoken English.

How can building vocabulary help in understanding spoken English?

Building vocabulary, especially with a wide range of topics, helps in understanding spoken English as it provides familiarity with the 'big words' that are often used in conversations.

What additional resource does Keith offer for students looking to improve their English speaking skills?

Keith offers a course called IELTS Speaking Gold, which is designed to help students prepare for IELTS but also to develop their overall English speaking skills.