[General] Spoken English - please say a couple of words about my English

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lolowiec

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Welcome everobody!
The aim fo this thread is that I would like you to judge my English. I've prepared a 5-minute monologue in which I just speak English. The link to the recording is below:
https://voca.ro/1b7c7vkzFd5U
I'd be very happy if you commented on my command of English. Don't be politically correct :) Please tell me if you can understand me, jugde my pronunciation, etc.
 

teechar

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[STRIKE]Welcome[/STRIKE] Hello everybody!
Hello there, and welcome to the forum. :)
Note that in English, "welcome" is used by a host to welcome a guest (or in this case a new member).

[STRIKE]The aim fo this thread is that[/STRIKE] I would [STRIKE]like[/STRIKE] appreciate it if you [STRIKE]to judge[/STRIKE] could evaluate my spoken English. I've prepared a 5-minute monologue in which I just speak English. The link to the recording is below:
https://voca.ro/1b7c7vkzFd5U
I'd be very happy if you commented on my command of English. Don't hold back. [STRIKE]be politically correct :)[/STRIKE] Please tell me if you can understand me [STRIKE], jugde my[/STRIKE] and point out any pronunciation issues. [STRIKE], etc.[/STRIKE]

Some comments:
- "script" sounds like "screept", and "speaking" sounds like "spicking".
- in colloquial spoken English, there are features of connected speech that you need to be aware of, so "it is not going to be very long" should sound more like "it's no(t)gonnabe very long".
- "be enough" should be two distinct words, but you say them as one sound unit "benuff".
- "a couple of years" should sound like "a couple-ə-years".
- your "h" sometimes sounds like a "ch" (as in Scottish "loch").
- the two Ys in "anyway" sound a little like Es (anewae).
- "this" sounds a little like "thees".
- "a couple of minutes" should sound like "a couple-ə-minutes" or "a couple-əv-minutes".
- in "vocabulary", the stress should be on the second syllable, not on the fourth. If you look up a word in a reputable online dictionary, you'll see the stress marked (as well as a little icon which you can click to hear its pronunciation).
- "speaking to other people" sounds like "spicking to other people".
- I couldn't make out what you were saying between 1:50 and 1:55.
- the stress in "communicating" should be on the second syllable, not the third.
- "if I do any grammatical mistakes" should be "if I make any grammatical mistakes" (this one is a grammar point).
- "and so and so forth" should be "and so on and so forth" (this is a set phrase).
- "grammar" sounds like "gramore".
- "I very like learning English" uses the wrong adverb. You can use something like "really" instead.
- "I fond of" should be "I'm fond of" (this is a grammar point).
- when you say "thank you very much", "very much" sounds like "vre much".
- "I would be very kind/satisfied" is wrong. Say "I would be very/truly/really happy/obliged" instead.
- Finally, you might want to bookmark forvo. On that website, you can listen to how native speakers pronounce English words.
1- In English, there's what's know as a dark L and a light L. The L in "monol
 

tzfujimino

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I couldn't make out what you were saying between 1:50 and 1:55.

I might be wrong, but he seems to be saying "... as far as my command of English is concerned ..."
 

teechar

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lolowiec

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Thank you very much for the detailed feedback. By and large, how would you "mark" my English? I mean bad/good/very good, etc. Do you think I'm B2?
 

GoesStation

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Thank you very much for the detailed feedback. By and large, how would you "mark" my English? I mean bad/good/very good, etc. Do you think I'm B2?
You are completely understandable but you have plenty of room to reduce your accent.
 

teechar

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By and large, how would you "mark" my English?
I would say between B2 and C1. However, I'd like to see more of your written work in order to have a better idea about your grammar.
 

teechar

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What kind of course are you studying?
 

lolowiec

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Academic English - linguistics
 

teechar

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Is pronunciation an important part of your course?
 

lolowiec

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I guess posting a fragment of my essay might have been treated as "an attempt to receive feedback and receive a good grade", but I didn't mean/intend that; I just wanted you to have a look at it and comment on my quality of written English as well (as one of the users suggested). I don't want any particular corrections; I need your general opinion about my English.

I noticed a new thread had been created (here's the link: https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/threads/283405-Over-the-years-on-the-one-hand) but it's a closed one, so I can't respond to it.
 

teechar

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Your written English is very good. You have no worries there.
 

lolowiec

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Is pronunciation an important part of your course?


I don't think so, the teacher sporadically corrects students' mispronunciations, and that's it.
 

teechar

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I don't think so. The teacher sporadically corrects students' mispronunciations, and that's it.
That's a comma splice error. Do you know what it means?
 

lolowiec

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That's a comma splice error. Do you know what it means?

Yes, I know, but I forgot about it while typing that sentence. Thank you for the correction.
 
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