The internet is a fantastic invention, which has changed the way we live our lives. While it is fantastic to be able to read the People’s daily or chat with friends online, it is a waste if we don’t use the medium to learn English. Many English schools offer a full suite of blended online learning applications – but, in addition to that, there’s plenty you can do on your own.

1.11 Read English Newspapers

There are numerous newspapers which provide a rich source of interesting and varied reading materials. This is a really good way to improve your reading.

1.12 Listen to Radio

Virtually every radio station in the world is up for grabs with the Internet. Don’t just be content with the VOA or BBC world service. There are many other interesting alternatives. Try listening to radio from around the English speaking world.

1.13 Chat

You can use MSN, Yahoo! and other chat programs to chat in English. Try finding some of your English speaking friends. If you have Skype, encourage your friends to get it too and call them for free using your computer.

1.14 Don’t be Self-conscious

There are a few old-fashioned methods which might sound quirky but can work:

Improve your pronunciation: Use a mirror to practice making difficult English sounds; record yourself speaking English and listen afterward, paying attention to stress, intonation and problem phonemes.

Think in English: Have an imaginary conversation in English. Think through what you’re going to say.

Speak to your friends in English: Encourage yourself to practice by speaking with each other. This doesn’t have to be confined to the classroom. Try speaking to your classmates or friends in English. Don’t worry about picking up bad pronunciation habits-speaking more regularly will give you a much greater level of confidence and you will definitely improve faster.

1.15 For Parents

Kid’s whose parents take an active interest in their child’s education will probably be much more likely to become successful language learners. Let them know you care by communicating with them regularly about what they are learning:

• Check their homework and help them with it as much as you can.

• If they join an English course, make sure they are actually using those tapes that you paid for at the start of the course. Too many kids never even take off the cellophane wrapping on their cassettes. Your child can learn a lot from reviewing material from each unit on the tapes.

• If you can speak even a little English, don’t be afraid to use it with your child. Don’t be afraid that your child will learn bad pronunciation – that’s one of the reasons you want your child to learn English! But the more exposure they have to the language, the better they will become at English.

• Encourage your child to read as much as possible in English. It’s important to choose material appropriate to your child. However, there is a wide range of material available at local bookstores which will be suitable for your child.

• Let them watch cartoons and movies in English. Children love cartoons, and seeing them in English will only increase their desire to learn.

One of the best ways you can help with your child’s education is to take part yourself. Why not sign up for an English course yourself. Come to any English school with your child and learn English together.

A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought. A dependent clause cannot be a sentence. In most cases, a dependent clause is marked by a dependent marker word.

Here is an example:

In this example “when” is the dependant marker word.

When Tony studied in the school canteen for his English Exam . . .

We can see that this is not a full sentence because although it contains a subject and a verb. It doesn’t contain a complete expression.

In most cases a dependent marker word is a word added to the beginning of an independent clause that makes it into a dependent clause.

When Tony studied in the school canteen for his English Exam . . .
Some common dependent markers are: after, although, as, as if, because, before, even if, even though, if, in order to, since, though, unless, until, whatever, when, whenever, whether, and while.

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An independent clause is a sentence that contains a subject, a verb and also a complete expression or statement.

For example:
I can swim very well.
Now as I explained to you before, a comma slice is when you try to join two independent clauses with a comma.

For example:
I can swim very well, you can swim better than me.
So how do we correct this?
Well you can do the following:
You can simply replace the comma with a period/ full stop.

I can swim very well. You can swim better than me.

You can replace the comma with a semi colon.
I can swim very well; you can swim better than me.

Or you can use the comma and add a dependent marker word
I can swim very well, but you can swim better than me.

A dependent marker word is just a word added to the beginning of an independent clause that makes it into a dependent clause.
If you want to learn more about dependent marker words, you will need to subscribe to our site or pod casts.
www.esllearningpod.com

Yossarian provides us with a detailed English lesson on coordinating conjunctions and comma splices.

A comma splice is the use of a comma between independent clauses not joined by a coordinating conjunction.

A run on sentence is a sentence that contains two independent clauses which have not been separated by a semi colon or period/full stop.

For example:
Jim is great at English he is great at French too.

There are actually two ways to fix this run-on sentence:
1) Jim is great at English; he is great at French too.
2) Jim is great at English. He is great at French too.

That was not that difficult, was it?

To learn about independent clauses, listen to our independent clause podcast at www.esllearningpod.com

Vocabulary Share:
Normalcy – When things are normal.
Rioting – An out break of unrest created by a large group or number of people.
Brink – On the edge of…
Creditability – Reputable and trustworthy
Adversity – Times of difficulty and hardship
United – To be together

Remember our English lessons are free! Check out our other pod casts too!

Below is a very

helpful tip to help you gain confidence to speak English more.

Gaining Confidence To Speak English

If you are like most

English mistakes because either:

1. Your English is better

   than theirs, so they cannot comment (they will feel embarrassed if

   they do)

   or

2. They are also learning

   English and understand that learning English is difficult. They

   understand making mistakes are a part of learning, so they will

   not comment,

   In fact they may help you.

Best of luck, study with

Rapid Learning, Instant Results

PS. To receive more hot tips that will help you improve your English by

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