English Spelling – When to Double Consonants (“swimming” “stopped” etc.) · engVid

English Spelling – When to Double Consonants (“swimming” “stopped” etc.) · engVid

This is probably an Intermediate/Higher Intermediate level of resource.  Basically, consonants are doubled in some spellings of English words.  When this happens on of the consonants in the double is said to be 'silent' as we don't say the sound twice.

The rules of when consonants are doubled are covered in this video.

The consonant is doubled with comparatives (er endings), superlatives (est endings), with the past tense of verbs (ed endings)and the continuous forms (ing endings).

The rule of doubling the consonant when words end in a consonant, vowel and a consonant is also covered (the CVC rule).  For example - STOP - STOPPED.

Stress is in two syllable words is also noted, the consonant being doubled when the stress lies on the second syllable of a word.

Altogether, an extremely comprehensive resource.

Words With Silent Letters--Impediments to Spelling--Academic Support

Words With Silent Letters--Impediments to Spelling--Academic Support

Full and comprehensive information on spellings with silent letters. The words are assembled into a table and are sorted according to the position of the silent vowel within them. In some vowel digraphs have one silent vowel, some have a silent consonant sound in them and some have silent whole digraphs within them. There is also a list of words that have silent letters but when the form of the word is changed those letters then develop a sound.

Spelling & Pronunciation – Words with Silent Letters · engVid

Spelling & Pronunciation – Words with Silent Letters · engVid

This video very clearly explains silent letters and how to pronounce them.  It starts with words that begin with a silent 'k', 'p' and 'w' and moves on to look at silent letters in the middle of words 'l', 's', 'b' and 't'. An excellent video with oral cues that are reinforced on the whiteboard behind the presenter. Suitable for Intermediate learners and above.

Prepositions – Arrive AT, ON, or IN? · engVid

Prepositions – Arrive AT, ON, or IN? · engVid

This lesson is excellent.  It is clearly presented using a white board.  You can see the written structure of sentences on the board behind the presenter.  The presenter's explanations are very clear, precise and audible.  This lesson looks at the prepositions at, on or in.

Learning English - Quiznet - Weather quiz

Learning English - Quiznet - Weather quiz

As we move towards Autumn the weather is changing again.  In the United Kingdom the weather changes a lot, we have 4 distinct seasons - Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn. This resource is an online weather quiz where you drag the adjective words and paste them on the correct picture.  A good quiz as the words are varied but still everyday ones.  They are a little beyond the basics probably suitable for Pre-Intermediate students.

Speaking Practice

Preparation for Speaking Examinations

Earlier in the week I posted up a board game with topics to practise speaking skills.  Here is another worksheet from the BBC World Service to help you practise further. Get yourself used to speaking for a minute with these topics without stopping or repeating yourself.

BBC Learning English | Pronunciation Tips

BBC Learning English | Pronunciation Tips

Programme 2 gives you practise on connected speech.  In English sometimes words join together.  For example - did you, could you on the Elementary Podcast this week.  If a word ends with a 't' or a 'd', the sound may completely disappear from pronunciation.  This is called elision.  This audio programme covers this as well as a linking 'r' sound and other aspects of connected speech.  It is important to learn about connected speech so that when you speak English it sounds as natural as possible allowing you to be understood.

Here is a video from you tube which helps to illustrate the elision (disappearing sounds) and liaison (joining together of sounds)-

Wild Animal Trivia

Wild Animal Trivia

Learn some interesting and unusual facts whilst doing a reading and listening comprehension.  The resource is from the British Council Learn English website and has a gapfill activity to assess your understanding of the material you have studied.

Animal Conservation

Animal Conservation

British Council reading text on animal conservation with a gapfill exercise (insert the word that best makes sense) to assess your understanding of what you have read.  There is also an exercise on finding opposites.

Endangered Animals Powerpoint Presentation

Endangered Animals Powerpoint Presentation

A very good presentation to get you familiar with animals that are endangered and why.  The geographical vocabulary of habitats and other scientific terminology is developed well. Research other endangered speicies by all means and if you like use the template on the TEFLGlobal ResourcesCommunicativePage to present your work. 

Please note - some of the questions at the end don't really make a lot of sense so don't worry about them!

Describing Animals

Describing Animals

More detail is provided in the vocabulary of this Powerpoint Presentation.  It labels body parts and will allow you to give more informed descriptions of wild animals.

For example:- a giraffe has an extremely long neck and four long legs.  It is therefore very tall approximately the same height of a tree. It has two horns and eyes that are positioned wide apart.

What Are The Wild Animals Doing?

What Are The Wild Animals Doing?

A Powerpoint Presentation on Safari in South Africa, Tanzania or Kenya.  The resource includes sentences in the Present Continuous Tense and at the end useful vocabulary is formed using phonetic symbols to help with pronunciation.