any advice on how to improve my english which is in trouble!

[lucyarliwu]

hi all

i think i met the most headache trouble on english studying so far since
i m not a native english speaker but still are so interested in it.

ya, i found that,after studying english for a while, i can speak, i can write,
i can read, and even i can talk with native-english friends, but the next
and more difficult thing thrown to me, i can describe something in very simple way, but its not easy to say them in more details, so i m trying to find out the cause for it and owe it to my limited vacabulary. but how to remember all those boring new words in such short time? and its also so easy to forget them totally even after i have looked them up from dictionary from word to word..... and i still canot make it successfully!


any one can help me to overcome those aweful problems for me? and
i ll be appreicate for your suggestions.

lucy ( in great eager to make it)

 

[Red5]

Re: any advice on how to improve my english which is in trou

I think your English overall is quite qood. You obviously have a good grasp of it already.

Can I ask one thing though? Why the rush to learn? It will take time to increase your vocabulary, and the best way to do that is by practising writing, reading and speaking on a regular basis.

You could take a look at an article CitySpeak wrote for our website which might help you out a bit...

Taking Control of English - Tips on how you can speak and communicate better in English.

If you want any help at all, just ask us all here and we'll be pleased to help you.

:wink:

 

[RonBee]

Re: any advice on how to improve my english which is in trou

To: lucyarliwu

Some of your posting isn't exactly idiomatic English, but I can understand what you are saying.

You will have to be patient with yourself. Rome wasn't built in a day. (Do you know that expression?)

It is difficult to learn more than one or two words at a time. It is especially difficult to learn new words if they don't fit neatly into your present vocabulary.

Undeniably, you do have some things to work on. I can help, starting with a critique of your posting. Tell me if you wish me to do so.

I don't know how much opportunity you have to practice the English you do know, but practice as much as you can--the more the better.

Learning a new language takes time. Ask questions. Practice the English you know. Ask more questions. Be patient with yourself.

It is certainly frustrating when you aren't learning something as fast as you think you should, but you have certainly come a long way from when you didn't know any English. It will come, I assure you.

8)

 

[lucyarliwu]

Re: any advice on how to improve my english which is in trou

thank you Red5! thank you RonBee!

oh i m so happy to get your nice replies with wonderful advices so promptly which is really beyond my expections! thanks again!

ya , i found myself start to love this place, i think i find what i really want now,which is the best and proper way for me get my english improved here.

you are right, Red5, why i have to rush to get it, it does need some time with regular work to do bit by bit, i ll read the article recommended by you soon.

its also very kind of you, RonBee , to help my english studying just beginning with the critique of my posting, and it s my honor indeed to get your help, thanks RonBee, i d love you do that to me! and i do know the expression that Rome was built in one day, and now i think i should keep more patient with it!

thanks for you two teachers' encouragement and help to me! i ll do better for sure .......

lucy ^_^

 

[Red5]

Re: any advice on how to improve my english which is in trou

You're welcome. :smilecol:

 

[RonBee]

Re: any advice on how to improve my english which is in trou

i think i met the most headache trouble on english studying so far since i m not a native english speaker but still are so interested in it.

Studying English has been giving me headaches, I have been trying so hard to learn it. I am not a native speaker, but I would like to be able to speak like one.

I took some liberties with the interpretation. Please tell me if you think it is accurate.

ya, i found that,after studying english for a while, i can speak, i can write, i can read, and even i can talk with native-english friends, but the next and more difficult thing thrown to me, i can describe something in very simple way, but its not easy to say them in more details, so i m trying to find out the cause for it and owe it to my limited vacabulary. but how to remember all those boring new words in such short time? and its also so easy to forget them totally even after i have looked them up from dictionary from word to word..... and i still canot make it successfully!

I found that after studying English for a while that I can speak it, read it, and even talk with native speaker friends, but there is one thing that is quite difficult for me. I can describe something in a simple way, but it is not easy to do so in detail, because I lack the vocabulary for it. How can I remember all those boring new words and do so quickly?

I have a suggestion. When you learn a new word use it as often as possible. Following is an example of what I mean using the word bicycle.

Susie told me about getting a new bicycle. I asked her how she liked her new bicycle. She told me that it is a red bicycle and she likes riding her new bicycle. She said that she rides her bicycle to the market. she rides her bicycle to school. She rides her bicycle to the park. She said she likes her new bicycle and she is glad she has a bicycle. I told her that I am glad she likes her new bicycle.

Note that in the preceding paragraph "bicycle" appears ten times; "new" appears five times; "her" appears seven times; and "she" appears ten times. That repetition will reinforce the learning of those words. (It is true that repetition can be boring, but it will certainly help to get the words into your head.)

any one can help me to overcome those aweful problems for me? and i ll be appreicate for your suggestions.

Can anyone help me overcome these problems? I'll be very appreciative for your suggestions.

lucy ( in great eager to make it)

Lucy (an eager beaver *s*)

Please comment on my corrections and suggestions.

8)

 

[RonBee]

Re: any advice on how to improve my english which is in trou

thank you Red5! thank you RonBee!

You are quite welcome.

oh i m so happy to get your nice replies with wonderful advices so promptly which is really beyond my expections! thanks again!

Oh I'm so happy to receive your nice replies and wonderful advice so promptly, which is really beyond my expections! Thanks again!

"Advice" is not normally pluralized. I might return to this one, but I timed out on the previous posting, which was rather irksome. (BTW, your enthususiasm is infectious. )

TTYL

8)

 

[lucyarliwu]

Re: any advice on how to improve my english which is in trou

Thanks Ron!

Its quite a surprise to have received two critiques for my postings
from you. Frankly, i havenot thought i have made so many mistakes
in the writing from none-capitalization of words to less idiomatic ways
of sentences, which were all totally changed by you so carefully into
so beautiful lines.

It seems like i become a seven-year-old pupil of primal school again,
for who it's so common to make mistakes constantly in Chinese studying
and then keep getting corrections from teachers patiently over and
over. Oh, i feel a bit shy for this.

Thank you Ron for all your intensive corrections and new suggestion.
It's the same thing to studying Chinese by repetition at school, so
I'm sure it must work to English,which is so obvious but easy to be
ignored for any foreign language learner. I can tell you are a rich-
experienced English teacher, right? ^_* By the way, does it work if
I use repetition in studying new verbs? It's said that its rather
hard to study verbs full of various forms and with phrases in English.
:-(
So could you give me another example on verbs?

At the secondary posting, I noticed you changed " lucy(in eager to
make it)" into "Lucy(an eager beaver)", then i looked up BEAVER from
dictionary, which means " a fur-coated animal that lives both on land
and in water", it seems mean nothing with me, doesnot it? I guess
that must be something inside, right?

I am appreciative for your help.

(BTW, what's the difference between 'infectious' and 'contagious'?
I couldnot make it clear when both of them are used to describe
disease and laughter)

Thanks again Ron and all!

lucy (an enthusiastic beaver ^_*)

 

[RonBee]

Re: any advice on how to improve my english which is in trou



Thank you for all the compliments. The truth is that I am a teacher only on the forums.

By the way, does it work if I use repetition in studying new verbs?

Repetition is an important learning tool, so yes, I recommend it. Repetition is a way we have of telling our brains that something is important to remember.

It's said that its rather hard to study verbs full of various forms and with phrases in English.

Yes, every verb tends to "partner" with other words to create verb phrases. The same ones tend to be used over and over. Context is, of course, quite important. The same word or phrase used in a different context has a different meaning. In takes practice in usage to train our brains to know what word or phrase to use in what context.

To learn something you should (1) read it; (2) hear it; (3) write it; and (4) speak it. Each one reinforces the other.

So could you give me another example on verbs?

Would you please elaborate on that?

At the secondary posting, I noticed you changed " lucy(in eager to
make it)" into "Lucy(an eager beaver)", then i looked up BEAVER from
dictionary, which means " a fur-coated animal that lives both on land
and in water", it seems mean nothing with me, doesnot it? I guess
that must be something inside, right?

It's an American expression. An "eager beaver" is someone who is enthusiastic about something. such a person doesn't need any external motivation.

(BTW, what's the difference between 'infectious' and 'contagious'?
I could not make it clear when both of them are used to describe
disease and laughter)

Medically speaking, infectious and contagious are two different things. Laughter can be contagious but not, I think, infectious.

TTYL

8)

 

[RonBee]

Re: any advice on how to improve my english which is in trou

Contagious and infectious are certainly similar in meaning, and at some points they are synonymous. For more, go here: http://forums.delphiforums.com/UsingEnglish/messages?msg=4089.1

8)

 

[lucyarliwu]

Re: any advice on how to improve my english which is in trou

Thanks Ron for your so many good explainations one by one according to every my question and mistaken sentence!

I havenot thought i can get your reply on weekend when people usually spend as their own private time!
Hope I didnot take too much of your time!

Thanks again!


Lucy ( a eager beaver)

 

[RonBee]

Re: any advice on how to improve my english which is in trou

You're welcome. I'm glad you find my explanations useful. (Did you try the link?)

*explanations*

8)

 

[lucyarliwu]

Re: any advice on how to improve my english which is in trou

You're welcome. I'm glad you find my explanations useful. (Did you try the link?)

*explanations*

8)

Thanks for the link for the difference of " infectious and contagious", Ron!
I did try to link several times, and I only make it once, it seems it's not easy to get through the link.

 

[RonBee]

Re: any advice on how to improve my english which is in trou

You're welcome. I'm glad you find my explanations useful. (Did you try the link?)

*explanations*

8)

Thanks for the link for the difference of " infectious and contagious", Ron!
I did try to link several times, and I only make it once, it seems it's not easy to get through the link.

I just tried it, and it worked. There are various reasons why a hyperlink might not work. For example, the website might be overly busy, Usually, if you wait a while then click on it again it will work (unless the website is defunct).

8)

 

[Carterlim]

Re: any advice on how to improve my english which is in trou

Carter Lim Says No Pain, No Gain..., No Money No Game]

Hi lucyarliwu

I was :shock: that you will ask this question... but any how.... :lol: your english is quite good.... i really admire your spirit of asking....
Well if is the vocab is limited.... you can try to read more books such as story book, short story newspaper or even Novel. (of course must with the help of dictionary :evil .
Few Years Ago, I'm facing the same problem as you, in fact worse, my grammar is failing me... my vocab is limited. but i read story books, read newspaper\Magazine and even novel (hardcore english version :twisted: )..

Everytime i found a new word or a word that i don't understand, i check the dictionary. --> thats for vocab.

For spoken english... well you have just to talk more.. for example with the native englishmen, your friend, coleague, calssmate, roommate and even your family members.... by the way dun be shy to ask. Spoken English and Written english is 2 different thing. Spoken English you have to speak more often er.. let say--> daily basis.. the more you talk the more you getting better.

Forget about memorise all the english new word, just use it in convesation, essay, thesis(if any) or even wrote a letter. you are no walking oxford english dictionary. if you just use the word more often the more you you can remeber the word.(that's what dictionary is for.. for you the check new words :lol: ) for example: palindrome.. (check this word)

Watching television is also a good way to inprove your language but beware what you watch, some of the television contain slangs that are not proper english. I recommend that you watch er.. :idea: --> "mind you language" (well it really help me to improve my english in such a proper way :twisted: )

Newspaper is also a very helpfull tools for imporving your english language, while you are reading newspaper(english language).. try to speak out or read it out the contents in the newspaper.. you can try it out at first 1 page or 1 article at a time.

In time... your english language will improve in no time, just don't compare you with the native english spoken countrymen, they speak english language from the age of very young. By the way different country have their own kind of accent. Like people come from british and people come from USA speak very differently.. believe me... if you ever australian their accent even more difficult to understand.(No offence) for example: the word IS A GOOD DAY TODAY you will heard that as they are saying IS A GOO DAY TO DIE :lol:

Bottom Line
3 Easy steps--> Read, Listen and Speak So don't worry lucy :lilangel:.... if you follow my steps your english will improve in time... of course there is no SHORTCUT in learning. Learning takes time. No Pain,No Gain. 8)

Yours Truly,
CARTER LIM
01 MARCH 2004
1.05PM (Malaysia Time)


Sorry if there is any typo.... "a programmer's bad habit"... and i emphasize this is only my personal view of opinion.
Plagarism is a crime...

 

[Carterlim]

Re: any advice on how to improve my english which is in trou

hi all

i think i met the most headache trouble on english studying so far since
i m not a native english speaker but still are so interested in it.

ya, i found that,after studying english for a while, i can speak, i can write,
i can read, and even i can talk with native-english friends, but the next
and more difficult thing thrown to me, i can describe something in very simple way, but its not easy to say them in more details, so i m trying to find out the cause for it and owe it to my limited vacabulary. but how to remember all those boring new words in such short time? and its also so easy to forget them totally even after i have looked them up from dictionary from word to word..... and i still canot make it successfully!


any one can help me to overcome those aweful problems for me? and
i ll be appreicate for your suggestions.

lucy ( in great eager to make it)

Susie told me about getting a new bicycle. I asked her how she liked her new bicycle. She told me that it is a red bicycle and she likes riding her new bicycle. She said that she rides her bicycle to the market. she rides her bicycle to school. She rides her bicycle to the park. She said she likes her new bicycle and she is glad she has a bicycle. I told her that I am glad she likes her new bicycle.
Thats your line :shock:

:idea:
For the" Susie told me about getting a new bicycle" --> "Yesterday Susie told me that she brought a new bicycle."
:idea:
"I asked her how she liked her new bicycle."-->"I asked her whether she likes her new bicycle"

:idea:
"She told me that it is a red bicycle and she likes riding her new bicycle."-->note that you repeat the word bicycle 2 times in a sentence. it should be "She said that it's a red bicycle and she like ridding it."


:idea:
She said that she rides her bicycle to the market. she rides her bicycle to school. She rides her bicycle to the park. note that you split the words in 3 sentences. This can be done by link the 3 sentences together She rides the bicycle to the market, park and school.
:idea:
I told her that I am glad she likes her new bicycle. if it's a conversation it's right.. -->
:idea: :idea:
soo it should end up like this....
(assume it's yesterday) :smilecol:
Yesterday Susie told me that she brought a new bicycle. I asked her whether she likes her new bicycle. She said that it's a red bicycle and she like ridding it, she rides the bicycle to the market, park and school. I told her that I am glad she likes her new bicycle.
:twisted:
The above sentences a perfectly suitable for letter writing because the way of writting and the intonation. If it's an essay--> well... different story
:twisted:

yours truly
CARTERLIM :evil:
01 March 2004
1.38PM (Malaysia Time)

Plagarism is a Crime.....

[/quote]

 

[RonBee]

Hi, Carterlin! Welcome to the forum! :hi:

I read your advice about my paragraph.

From the original posting:

I have a suggestion. When you learn a new word use it as often as possible. Following is an example of what I mean using the word bicycle.

Susie told me about getting a new bicycle. I asked her how she liked her new bicycle. She told me that it is a red bicycle and she likes riding her new bicycle. She said that she rides her bicycle to the market. she rides her bicycle to school. She rides her bicycle to the park. She said she likes her new bicycle and she is glad she has a bicycle. I told her that I am glad she likes her new bicycle.

Note that in the preceding paragraph "bicycle" appears ten times; "new" appears five times; "her" appears seven times; and "she" appears ten times. That repetition will reinforce the learning of those words. (It is true that repetition can be boring, but it will certainly help to get the words into your head.)

As you can see, I have I have emphasized the relevant paragraph by highlighting it in red. While it might not be normal to use the same word so often in conversation, it happens. And nobody reading that paragraph will forget that Susie got a new bicycle and that she likes her new bicycle.

:wink:

:hi:

 

[bmo]

Re: any advice on how to improve my english which is in trou

......owe it to my limited vacabulary. but how to remember all those boring new words in such short time?

lucy ( in great eager to make it)

Lucy, I am an advocate of vocabulary roots. Read newspaper, look up the words you don't understand in the dictionary, and while at it, look at its origin. Also pay attention to signs, commercials, etc. I don't know if you know the following words, but you know what I mean:

Occidental and accidental have similar Latin root, cadere, to fall. When a man falls into a ditch, it is accidental; the side the sun falls down, it is the west side. Occidental is Westerner. (And Asians are orientals living on the side the sun rises.)

Impede and expedite. The Latin root is pes, foot, as in pedal and pedestrian. Impede is to hinder and expedite is to speed up. If you have something on your foot, (im or in + ped=impede) you can't move fast; once removed (ex + ped=expedite), you can speed up.

Aft. Lavatory aft - see this sign on an airplane? Aft is the end of an airplane. (Looks like after?)

Beau. The sweetheart of a girl. The root is related to beautiful.

Tiger Balm. The Asian soothing ointment. What is a balmy day?

That's six words (occidental, impede, expedite, balm, beau and aft) for someone learning English words.

BMO

 

[RonBee]

That's quite interesting, BMO. Much of that was new to me. (I knew the words, but not their origins.)

That is some good advice you gave. Unfortunately, Lucy hasn't been here in a while, tho I don't know why.

I have a bright idea. :idea: Maybe your message will bring her back.

 

[bmo]

All great minds think alike; we have something else in common, I lived in St. Louis for 8 years. BMO