Sep 27, 2017
This week’s episode is a companion to the vocabulary builder video published on YouTube and the website. We discuss more complicated family relationships as well as lots of idioms that use family relationship words like ‘mother’. Do you know what the phrase “mother lode” means? What about...
Sep 20, 2017
In Part 2 of the Vowels series, we discuss the remaining vowels in English: EH [ɛ], UR [ɜ], OO [u], UH [ʊ], another UH [ʌ], and the Schwa [ə]. We discuss one of the main differences between British and American English (the [ɜ] sound), and Rachel's love of Christmas music.
Sep 13, 2017
David and I discuss five of the 11 vowels of American English, and go over the various ways each sound can be spelled. This leads to discussions of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and spelling bees (David won his school spelling bee!). The idioms 'rule of thumb' and 'off the top of my head' come up...
Sep 6, 2017
David and I answer your questions from YouTube. How is ACTUAL actually pronounced? Is it okay to use American idioms and slang during the IELTS speaking test? How do you pronounce 'goal' vs. 'go'? And, a question even Americans want to know: How the heck do you pronounce 'rural'??