Wadjasay? American English Pronunciation Practice podcast

1:16:09

Send me a text message. Suggestions? Subjects for future podcasts? Let me know--thanks! This podcast is the sound portion of one of my YouTube videos. It describes all my language learning experiences spread over many decades. Personally I think this is just as useful (or useless) as a podcast as it is in video form. In both formats it's just me telling a story. I hope you enjoy it: it includes successes as well as failures. If you'd like to watch me talk for more than an hour, here's the link. I have not attached a transcript. If you desperately want one, let me know and I'll produce one for you. Hope you enjoy the story. Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the show Email me: swift.water3883@fastmail.com You can now support my podcasts and classes: Keep the podcasts coming! Thank you!…

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How I would learn a new language 22:57

6 weeks тому22:57

22:57

Send me a text message. Suggestions? Subjects for future podcasts? Let me know--thanks! Important note: This podcast is the audio portion of a video you can watch on my YouTube channel. So if you hear me say "video", that's why. I have added a transcript if you'd like to read along as you listen. I hope you enjoy it. Barry PS You can watch the original video here: https://youtu.be/cD5SEoif7bs Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the show Email me: swift.water3883@fastmail.com You can now support my podcasts and classes: Keep the podcasts coming! Thank you!…

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The vowel sounds in zoo and book, spooky and flood. 40:13

9 weeks тому40:13

40:13

Send me a text message. Suggestions? Subjects for future podcasts? Let me know--thanks! Listen and repeat. Please do NOT read and repeat. The spelling won't help. Use your ears and your brain. 1. I saw a balloon in a cartoon. 2. It was cool in the swimming pool. 3. The table top was very smooth. 4. The kook lived in an igloo. 5. There was a lagoon at the zoo. 6. Which booze did you choose? 7. He climbed the roof and stood aloof. 8. At school he liked to play the fool. 9. Soon he will snooze in his booth at the fair. 10. The room was dark and gloomy. 11. She stood for a while and read her book. 12. I heard a dog woof in the dark. 13. Boogie woogie is a style of piano playing. 14. He’s a good man with good ideas. 15. The chimney was full of black soot. 16. We brought in some firewood. 17. I dropped a rock on my foot. Ouch! 18. I have a new hoodie with a purple hood. 19. Let’s look in the new cookbook. 20. You look bushed. 21. This coffee is full of sugar. 22. We took off after our friends on foot. 23. I stood outside for an hour. 24. It does no good to say “shoulda, coulda, woulda.” 25. A goat’s foot has a hoof. The plural is hooves. 26. We live in a spooky neighborhood. 27. I put off my doctor’s appointment. 28. If it keeps raining, the river could flood. 29. He fell out of the tree but shook off the pain and ran into the woods. 30. The accountant said he would cook the books for us. Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the show Email me: swift.water3883@fastmail.com You can now support my podcasts and classes: Keep the podcasts coming! Thank you!…

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Verb tenses review lesson 4: the present perfect 33:32

12 weeks тому33:32

33:32

Send me a text message. Suggestions? Subjects for future podcasts? Let me know--thanks! The present perfect and present perfect continuous generally allow us to talk about things which start in the past and continue into the present. 1. I’ve lived in Turkey for three years. I’ve been living in Turkey for three years. 2. She has studied English since 2023. She has been studying English since 2023. 3. He has worked for the French government for twenty years. He has been working for the French government for 20 years. 4. It has rained all day. [ It started this morning and it hasn’t stopped yet.] It has been raining all day. 5. I’m tired. I’ve been working since 7am without a break. 6. I have never studied Arabic. 7. Have you ever heard of the singer, Joan Baez? 8. Have you guys finished your homework yet? No, we’re still working on it. 9. Scientists have not yet discovered a cure for cancer. 10. Where is John? I haven’t seen him for weeks. — He has gone to Berlin for the summer to study German. 11. Have you misplaced your car keys again? Yes, I’ve been hunting for them all morning. 12. She has played guitar ever since she was thirteen. 13. How long have you had that cat? This one? This is Annabelle. I got her about six months ago. 14. Have you ever visited Italy? - Not yet, but I’ve traveled to France many times. 15. Have you seen your mother today? No, I think she’s at the mall with some friends. 16. He’s [he has] been on the phone for two hours. 17. She’s [she has] been waiting to see the doctor for forty-five minutes. 18. We’ve [we have] just finished eating dinner. 19. They’ve [they have] recently moved to Brazil. 20. I’ve [I have] stopped studying French and started learning Czech. 21. The children have been playing outside all day. 22. We’ve been thinking about the future since we were young. 23. Have you read any good books recently? 24. Some professors have said that American college students can’t read serious books any more. 25. Have you ever watched a rocket take off? No, but I saw one blow up on the launch pad once. Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the show Email me: swift.water3883@fastmail.com You can now support my podcasts and classes: Keep the podcasts coming! Thank you!…

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Verb tenses review lesson 3: the present continuous 16:53

13 weeks тому16:53

16:53

Send me a text message. Suggestions? Subjects for future podcasts? Let me know--thanks! Verb tense review: the present continuous (also called the present progressive. The present continuous is mostly used for actions which are happening right now. Sometimes we also use it for future actions. Compare these two sentences: A) We’re going to the zoo. B) We’re going to the zoo on Saturday. The sentences are exactly the same, but adding the word “Saturday” tells the listener that the trip to the zoo will happen in the future. I nstructions: When you're listening and repeating DO NOT READ the sentences. Close your eyes, look away, listen as carefully as you can to the sounds of the words. Train your ears! 1 - I’m doing my homework. 2 - She’s cooking dinner. 3 - He’s walking the dogs. He’s taking the dogs for a walk. 4 - We’re playing tennis. 5 - They’re at the supermarket shopping for food. 6 - I’m taking the bus to work. 7 - We’re surfing in Hawaii. 8 - He’s studying for a chemistry exam. 9 - She’s listening to a podcast. 10 - We’re waiting for the plane to take off. 11 - They’re visiting the Museum of Modern Art. 12 - He’s sleeping late. 13 - We’re going to a birthday party. 14 - I’m cleaning my apartment. We’re having a dinner party tonight. 15 - She’s traveling to Los Angeles next month. 16 - We’re thinking about going to see a movie tonight. 17 - What are you doing tomorrow? 18 - Are you still working? (Or) Are you still at work? 19 - Are you children fighting again? Just stop! 20 - There’s something wrong with the car. It’s making a terrible sound. 21 - He’s coming to visit us in June. 22 - Germany is holding national elections in a few weeks. 23 - She’s giving a piano concert the day after tomorrow. 24 - I’m thinking about what to have for dinner tonight. 25 - Our President is telling lies again, as usual. Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the show Email me: swift.water3883@fastmail.com You can now support my podcasts and classes: Keep the podcasts coming! Thank you!…

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Verb tenses review lesson 2: the simple past 26:54

14 weeks тому26:54

26:54

Send me a text message. Suggestions? Subjects for future podcasts? Let me know--thanks! Verb tense review: the simple past. The simple past is used for actions that took place in the past and are finished. For example: “Yesterday I went to the gym after work.” “Last week I met a woman who is a yoga instructor.” Here are some sentences to practice with: 1 - I lived in Los Angeles for three years. (Then I moved to Miami.) 2 - She studied Turkish when she was living in Ankara. (Then she moved to Berlin and started studying German.) 3 - My mother worked in a hospital for 20 years. Then she retired. 4 - I studied piano when I was a teenager. In college I switched to guitar. 5 - I played basketball a lot when I was in high school. 6 - She spoke Italian as a child, but stopped when she moved to Germany. 7 - My uncle was an Olympic athlete in his youth. 8 - I worked hard today—too hard! 9 - My grandson rode his bike to school this morning. 10 - After school we watched a football game. 11- I rode my motorcycle to work yesterday. 12 - I listened carefully to all the sentences. 13 - We shopped for two hours and bought some new clothes. 14 - Where did you work last year? I worked in Belgium. 15 - Who did you invite to your party? I invited all my favorite people. 16 - Where did you find that lovely painting? I bought it at an art gallery. 17 - When did you get back from Germany? The plane landed early this morning. 18 - How did you learn to speak French? I married a French woman. 19 - Why did you come home so early? The party was really boring. 20 - I quit my old job last month. Yesterday I found a new job and it’s going to be great! Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the show Email me: swift.water3883@fastmail.com You can now support my podcasts and classes: Keep the podcasts coming! Thank you!…

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Past tense of regular verbs AGAIN! 20:15

14 weeks тому20:15

20:15

Send me a text message. Suggestions? Subjects for future podcasts? Let me know--thanks! In writing, regular English verbs add “ed” to the infinitive to show past tense. So hope becomes hoped, grab becomes grabbed, and wait becomes waited. Now close your eyes and listen to the ending sound of these three verbs. Hoped, hoped, hoped. Grabbed, grabbed, grabbed. Waited, waited, waited. The past tense of hope ends with a T sound. The past tense of grab ends with a D sound. The past tense of waited ends with an ‘ed’ sound. There are rules which determine which verbs end with each sound. Basically it has to do with the final sounds of the infinitives. Let’s look at the first case. If a regular verb ends in a voiceless sound, then pronounce -ed as /t/. Listen to the following sentences and concentrate on the final sound of the verbs. I’ll read each one five times. 1) I hoped she would come. 2) He locked the door. 3) I missed you! 4) He touched the baby’s nose. 5) She brushed her hair and left the house. 6) Our boss briefed us on the day’s schedule. 7) My sister mashed the potatoes. 8) We watched a movie. 9) I introduced my father to my new boss. 10) The balloon popped. Many many common verbs end in voiceless sounds and so add /t/ for the past tense: look, cook, walk, talk, peek, fetch, hop, etc. Now the second rule: If a regular verb ends in a voiced sound, then pronounce -ed as /d/. (All vowel sounds—including diphthongs--are voiced, plus b, g, l, m, n, r, w, and v). 11) We agreed that the movie was too long. 12) They carried the boxes to the truck. 13) He grabbed the rope and started pulling. 14) The bridge sagged under the weight of the train. 15) She hummed the melody of the song. 16) We listened to the orchestra. 17) He called me on the phone. 18) They remembered my name. 19) We sawed down the tree with a big chainsaw. 20) They lived in London for many years. 21) Mary played piano very well. 22) She showed us her apartment. 23) He raged at his captors. 24) The train slowed as it entered the station. Finally, the third possible pronunciation.If the verb ends with “D” or “T” sounds, -ed is pronounced /uhd/. 25) I accepted his job offer. 26) We needed some help. 27) He waited for a long time. 28) The doctor wanted to test her blood. 29) We decided not to go on vacation. 30) I reported the fire to the fire department. To conclude this podcast, I’m going to read a random list of regular verbs in the past tense. You can use it for ear training—see if you can hear the ending of each verb. Is it a T sound, a D sound, or UHD? You can try to repeat the words. You can try writing them down. The most important thing is to know that “ed” can be pronounced three different ways and to practice them so that they become automatic. Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the show Email me: swift.water3883@fastmail.com You can now support my podcasts and classes: Keep the podcasts coming! Thank you!…

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Poem: I've lost my mind 3:00

16 weeks тому3:00

3:00

Send me a text message. Suggestions? Subjects for future podcasts? Let me know--thanks! I wrote this poem this morning to use for reading and pronunciation practice in my class on Tandem. I didn't write it deliberately to be good for teaching English, but it turned out that it was. Hope you like it. I’VE LOST MY MIND I’ve lost my mind. I asked my wife. “Look in your jacket pocket,” she said, Like my mind was a wallet or keys to the house. No dice. I asked my son: “Check in the freezer,” he said. “Maybe it fell in there when you were looking for ice cream.” I looked. Not there, But I did find a mango-strawberry popsicle. I asked my daughter. “Did you look in the car?” she asked. “You’re always leaving stuff in the car.” I checked on the seats and under the seats and behind the seats—no luck. I even checked in the trunk. My mind wasn’t there, but I found a lot of trash. I bagged it and tossed it. I even vacuumed Up all the sand from our last trip to the beach. Finally I asked my dog. He stood on his hind legs and looked into my head. Then he barked, licked my ear and VOILA! My mind rebooted! It wasn’t lost at all. Just napping or maybe MIA. Man’s best friend, the dog. Only one thing worries me. Did he find my mind by sight— Or smell? By B. Kahn © 2025 Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the show Email me: swift.water3883@fastmail.com You can now support my podcasts and classes: Keep the podcasts coming! Thank you!…

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simple present tense with 'to be' 14:40

16 weeks тому14:40

14:40

Send me a text message. Suggestions? Subjects for future podcasts? Let me know--thanks! More simple present: the verb “to be” 1- I am from Costa Rica. He is from Cuba. 2- This is my brother. His name is Jack. 3- This is my adopted cat. Her name is Nefertiti. 4- How old are you? I’m twenty-seven. 5- Are you hungry? No, not yet. Well, actually I am a little bit hungry. 6- Are you my new teacher? Yes, I am. My name is Mr. Johnson. 7- The sky is blue, except when it’s cloudy. Then it is white or gray. 8- Her dress is green and blue. 9- This camera is very expensive. 10- All these sentences are in the simple present tense. Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the show Email me: swift.water3883@fastmail.com You can now support my podcasts and classes: Keep the podcasts coming! Thank you!…

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Verb tenses review lesson 1: the simple present 9:27

17 weeks тому9:27

9:27

Send me a text message. Suggestions? Subjects for future podcasts? Let me know--thanks! Another quickie podcast. Over the next week or two or three, I will record short podcasts going through the most commonly used English verb tenses. In this one the examples are from the simple present. This tense is used to describe habits and states of being: I get up early every morning. I go to the gym after work. I like to read after dinner. I have a small dog and two cats. I live in Los Angeles. Verb tense review - part one: simple present 1- I live in Boston. My sister lives in Barcelona. 2- I go to the gym every day. My brother only goes twice a week. 3- My mother is a doctor. She works in a hospital. 4- My daughters take piano lessons. My son studies violin. 5- My wife and I play tennis on weekends. She plays better than me. 6- Bob and Julie like to eat out. They prefer to eat Italian food. 7- I commute to and from work by bus. I listen to English podcasts on my way to work. 8- I admire my uncle. He is a talented athlete. 9- How many languages do you speak? What about your sister? 10- I speak French and German. My sister speaks French and English. If your English is good enough, you can take my sentences, and try to form the negative version. So if I say, "I admire my uncle," you reply, "I don't admire my uncle," etc. Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the show Email me: swift.water3883@fastmail.com You can now support my podcasts and classes: Keep the podcasts coming! Thank you!…

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Do you know where my keys are? 6:22

17 weeks тому6:22

6:22

Send me a text message. Suggestions? Subjects for future podcasts? Let me know--thanks! (This podcast is for Irma who reminded me about this construction.) Note: this podcast has fewer repetitions than usual. That DOES NOT mean you shouldn't play it and practice is many times. It just means my time is limited. In English we can take two questions: a) Do you know….? b) Where are my keys? And combine them into one question: Do you know where my keys are? Let’s practice: 1- Do you know where my brother is? [ where is my brother?] 2- Do you know if she speaks Spanish?[ does she speak Spanish?] 3- Does he know what time he’ll be home? [ what time will he be home?] 4- Does she know where my family lives? [ where does my family live?] 5- Do you know when dinner will be ready? [ when will dinner be ready?] 6- Does his girlfriend know that he’s moving to California?[ is he moving to CA?] * 7- Do you know where my dog is? [ where is my dog?] 8- Do you know which house they own? [ which house do they own?] 9- Did you know he got a new job? [ did he get a new job?] 10- Do you know how she learned so many languages? [ how did she learn so many languages?] *In a conversation, this might be asked as two questions. First, “Is he moving to California?” and then: “ Does his girlfriend know?” Extra practice: See if you can change the questions to negative statements like: "I don't know where your brother is." Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the show Email me: swift.water3883@fastmail.com You can now support my podcasts and classes: Keep the podcasts coming! Thank you!…

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Practice with 5-syllable words. 49:41

21 weeks тому49:41

49:41

Send me a text message. Suggestions? Subjects for future podcasts? Let me know--thanks! 1- I have never seen or met an abominable snowman, also known as a Yeti. 2- I.R.S. is the abbreviation for the Internal Revenue Service. 3- My uncle is an aeronautical engineer. 4- I put the books in alphabetical order. 5- My son doesn’t like to bathe, and as a result, dirt is accumulating in his ears. 6- The doctor told me to take an antidepressant, but I was too depressed to follow his advice. 7- She lives approximately seven kilometers from the office where she works. 8- My uncle does biomedical research. 9- In the cafeteria I sat next to a cardiologist. 10- My fiancee is a computational engineer in New York. 11- He communicates his curiosity about criminology at every opportunity. 12- Have you ever heard of the cosmological constant? 13- Fractions have a numerator and a denominator. 14- Dermatologists study dermatology. (But perhaps their interest is only skin deep…). 15- She was disinterested in the documentary about snails. 16- Mr. Johnson is working on a project involving the eradication of mosquitoes. 17- The doctor gave me an exceptionally thorough examination. 18- The police erroneously accused me of stealing a double decker bus. 19- I am trying to achieve a state of emotional equilibrium. 20- My allergies were exacerbated by a bumper crop of pollen. Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the show Email me: swift.water3883@fastmail.com You can now support my podcasts and classes: Keep the podcasts coming! Thank you!…

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More practice with intonation, rhythm, and word stress. 36:01

23 weeks тому36:01

36:01

Send me a text message. Suggestions? Subjects for future podcasts? Let me know--thanks! Suggestion: Read the sentences first and then put them away. Do NOT try to read the words while you listen and repeat. Reading will NOT help your pronunciation. Train your ears. Repeat: train your ears. 1- The fires in Los Angeles are out of control. 2- She came to my birthday party and ate too much cake. 3- My mother is flying from Miami to New York. 4- My sister got married at the age of twenty-seven. 5- Charlie found a wallet full of money in the street. 6- I’m thinking of buying an E-bike. 7- The damage from the fires will take decades to repair. 8- We are not familiar with the customs of Albania. 9- Her birthday is on the thirteenth of September. 10- Now that I live on an island, I go to the beach every day. 11- Whether you believe me or not doesn’t matter. Everything I said is true. 12- If I come work for your company, you’ll double my pay? 13- He had a great time visiting Ireland and he wants to go back again soon. 14- She wished me a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 15- I’d love to have a dog, but I don’t have time or money to take care of one. 16- I stayed up too late last night and now I’m falling asleep in my armchair. 17- I’ll stay at work until I finish this project. 18- My dog will be my faithful friend until the day he dies. Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the show Email me: swift.water3883@fastmail.com You can now support my podcasts and classes: Keep the podcasts coming! Thank you!…

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2025-01: sentences to practice rhythm, stress, & intonation 28:30

24 weeks тому28:30

28:30

Send me a text message. Suggestions? Subjects for future podcasts? Let me know--thanks! It's okay to read the sentences if you need to, but please do NOT try to read them while you're repeating with the podcast. English spelling is a distraction. It's NOT a useful guide to pronunciation.* Close your eyes (unless you're driving!) and use your ears. Train yourself to really hear the sounds, rhythm, stress and intonation of my speech. 1- I went downtown to pick up some food. 2- He visited his mother in the late afternoon. 3- She cleaned her apartment for most of the day. 4- We drove to the lake and swam for a few hours. 5- I worked on my homework until it was finished. 6- Where did you find such a good book? 7- John takes his dog Rex for a walk twice a day. 8- During the week I work 9 to 5. 9- I started studying English many years ago. 10- Whoever you invite is okay with me. 11- Math and science are my favorite subjects. 12- What kind of pizza would you like to have? 13- Green is not my favorite color. 14- I ate chicken; my mom chose pasta. 15- My father works too much. It’s getting him down. 16- If you don’t understand me I’ll speak more slowly. *(If you have any doubts about this, have a native speaker say these words for you: tough, though, house, pour, group, cousin, loud, fourth... Yeah, what a mess.) Note: the podcast website lets you send me a text message but (WHY???) it doesn't let me text you back. So please use the email link if you'd like to hear back from me. Thanks! Intro & Outro Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Support the show Email me: swift.water3883@fastmail.com You can now support my podcasts and classes: Keep the podcasts coming! Thank you!…

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Plans for November and December 3:55

34 weeks тому3:55