IMPROVE your LISTENING and SPEAKING skills with this ONE simple method #englishfluencyjourney

Summary

This video aims to enhance viewers' English listening and speaking skills by tackling the challenges of understanding native speakers' fast and casual speech. The host breaks down common contractions and connected speech patterns, such as 'how to' becoming 'Hara', and 'should have' turning into 'Shoulda', to clarify pronunciation nuances. The video also promotes an app called Elsa Speak, which uses AI to help users improve their pronunciation, intonation, and fluency, offering a free trial and exclusive discounts.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video aims to improve viewers' listening and speaking skills in English by addressing common challenges faced by non-native speakers.
• 🎯 The script emphasizes the difficulty of understanding native speakers due to factors like speed, accents, contractions, connected speech, and intonation.
• 🔍 It highlights the importance of training the ear to understand spoken English, especially for shadowing exercises where hearing and repeating are crucial.
• 🗣️ The video provides examples of real-life speech to illustrate common pronunciation challenges and offers explanations to break the cycle of misunderstanding.
• 📚 It explains the concept of connected speech and contractions, showing how they affect the pronunciation of phrases like 'how to' in casual, fast speech.
• 👄 The script includes a practice exercise for viewers to repeat phrases slowly and then at a faster pace to improve their pronunciation and articulation.
• 📱 The video promotes an app called 'Elsa Speak' that uses AI to help users improve their pronunciation, intonation, and fluency by comparing their speech to native speakers.
• 💻 The app allows users to record their speech, receive feedback on pronunciation mistakes, and practice specific words or phrases to master them.
• 🛍️ The video offers an exclusive discount for Elsa Speak's lifetime membership and a one-year membership to encourage viewers to take action and improve their English.
• 📝 The script provides another example of contractions with the phrase 'should have' becoming 'shoulda', illustrating how words blend together for easier and faster speech.
• 📉 It also discusses the reduction of words like 'probably' and 'have' in sentences to make speech more casual and fluent, and the importance of stress and intonation in conveying meaning.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to improve the viewers' listening and speaking skills in English, particularly in understanding native speakers and practicing pronunciation and articulation.

Why can understanding native speakers be challenging?

Understanding native speakers can be challenging due to factors such as the speed of speech, accents, contractions, connected speech, and intonation.

What is the term for the phenomenon where words or phrases sound like a random cluster of sounds to non-native listeners?

The phenomenon is a result of the complexities of native speech, including speed, contractions, and connected speech, which can make words or phrases sound like a random cluster of sounds to those not accustomed to the language.

What is a 'shadowing exercise'?

A shadowing exercise is a language learning technique where learners listen to a recording and repeat what they hear, often used to improve listening and speaking skills.

How does the video help with the issue of contractions in speech?

The video provides examples of real-life speech, explains the contractions used, and breaks down parts of the speech that usually pose problems for English learners.

What is the purpose of practicing saying words even if you don't use these reductions in your speech?

Practicing saying words helps learners understand them better, even if they don't use these reductions in their own speech, by becoming familiar with how they are pronounced in native speech.

What is the app 'Elsa Speak' and how does it help with language learning?

Elsa Speak is an app that helps improve pronunciation, intonation, and overall fluency by comparing the user's pronunciation to that of a native speaker and pinpointing mistakes using artificial intelligence technology.

How does the video demonstrate the pronunciation of 'how to' in casual, fast speech?

The video demonstrates that 'how to' is often pronounced as 'Hara' in casual, fast speech due to the dropping of the 'ow' sound and the substitution with a short 'o' sound.

What is the contracted form of 'should have' used in casual speech?

The contracted form of 'should have' used in casual speech is 'Shoulda', where the word 'have' is reduced to a schwa sound.

How does the video address the reduction of the word 'have' in sentences?

The video addresses the reduction of 'have' by showing how it can be reduced to just the sound 'd' or 'v' depending on the context, making speech more fluent and faster.

What is the significance of emphasizing certain words in speech?

Emphasizing certain words in speech is significant as it draws the listener's attention to what is being said, highlighting the importance of the message being conveyed.