Lisa’s Blog
Why English Is So Hard
If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn't the plural of booth be beeth? The English language has a lot of helpful rules in place that have developed over hundreds of years. This poem demonstrates the challenges of learning English. So many exceptions to the rules....
Is Your Foreign Name Easy to Pronounce?
Many of my foreign-born students have names that are difficult for native speakers of English to pronounce. Some of them decide to change their name to a similar sounding English name, and others prefer to keep their original name and just accept the fact that they...
American vowels and good word stress
Watch this student from India. He's been practicing with my American Accent teaching materials. He just sent me this video. I am impressed. He sounds like he lives in the United States. Don't you agree?He is stressing the words well, speaking clearly and pronouncing...
How does your accent sound?
This student from Brazil practiced his American accent by watching my YouTube lessons. Great job, Wagner! I want to see more videos from you guys. If I think your accent sounds good, I will post your video here on my blog. First, view all...
The Rhythm and Melody of English
Here is a short exercise to help you with word stress and rhythm. First, here are some general rules:Stress key words (content words), which are generally nouns and verbs.In longer sentences, stress the last key word the most. Reduce prepositions, pronouns...
Too old to improve your accent?
Do you think you are too old to improve your accent? I sometimes get phone calls from people in their 30's and 40's who think they are too old to change their accents. No, you are not too old! I currently have three students in their 60's who...
Pronouncing American Names
My students sometimes struggle with knowing the correct pronunciation of American names. One of my students had a problem with the name of her boss, "Doug." She called him "dog" instead! Some names can be confusing because they are similar. For example:"Brett" and...
Easy way to memorize vocabulary?
A student, Mohammad Ali Mohammad, asked me the following question:Madam Lisa, I try to memorize vocabulary but I cannot. What is an easy way to memorize?My answer: 1. Try to use the word immediately by creating your own sentence. Say it aloud. Don't just read the word...
Confusing English Words
When you pronounce a word, do you worry that it sounds like a different word? Have people been confused or have they misunderstood you?Here are some that my students often confuse:can and can'tDoug and dogBrett and Brad (men's names)series and seriousstaff and...