Tuesday 21 September 2010

PHONETICS

This is the first post of the year for APLE2 and it's about phonetics, which we didn't work on last year but I definitely intend to do throughout this school year. We will learn the phonetic symbols and their sound to help you improve your pronunciation in English.


Have you ever wondered what those strange symbols are that appear next to words in the dictionary?

They are a guide to pronounciation called Phonetics. Those symbols represent sounds, of which there are roughly 44 in the English language. Since there are only 26 letters in the alphabet, 44 characters are used to represent them all. Phonics should be a part of every student's tools for learning a language.
There is no end to our study of grammar and vocabulary but phonemic symbols are limited, visual and physical. They may seem challenging at first but it is like learning to swim or ride a bicycle. Once you can do it, it is easy and you never forget.







Watch the following videos from the site we will be using to practice phonetics, BBC Learning English, to know the hows and whys of what we are going to learn about.




Why should you learn the different English sounds? Why should you learn the symbols? Watch the next video to find out:





Let's become familiar with the sounds of English by clicking on the different symbols. Click on each symbol to go to the video with the explanations: Sounds of English 


Start by clicking on the sound /i/ and doing the activities in Unit 1. Then write a comment about the different exercises you have done.
Then go to the Minimal Pair Website and go through the activities there.
Notice the interactive phonemic chart on this blog on the right column as well.

26 comments:

  1. Hector: is it here where we have to comment?

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  2. That's right, Hector. Use the Message Board for clarifications.

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  3. Teacher ive been looking for the exercises but i didn't find them.

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  4. Again, Javier, use the Message Board for further explanations!!! Have a look at it!

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  5. I've tryed to do the activities in unit 1. First I've listened the words with I and i: and then I've done some activities but I've done it very bad because is the first time I see that stranges symbols.

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  6. Hi!, I'm Adri, I've just done the exercise. It's here where he have to comment?
    In any case, the sound of "i:", is longer than "I". That's all?

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  7. Ok, Fran, never mind about mistakes. We'll keep practising.

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  8. I have done the excercise. I have had a bit problems with some words, but I think that was because I didn't kwnow their pronunciation.

    We just have to done unit 1, that's all?

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  9. I’ve done the exercises of unit 1 and I think that they show very well the two pronunciations of the I. As Fran says, the exercises are a bit complicated because we don’t understand most of the symbols.

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  10. Thanks for your comments, Alvaro & Fran A. This time it was only about /i/ and /i:/, so unit 1 was all you had to do.

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  11. That's it, Adri. If you've practised that minimal pair, it's good enough. Thanks.

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  12. hello!I'm Miguel Ángel, I think that /i:/ is like we pronounce ''i'' and /I/ is a sound between our ''e'' and our ''i''

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  13. I've done the unit 1, I think that all the exercises are very useful and is interesting the way in which that page teach us how can we reconize the differents phonetics, even so, in the last exercises I had some problems to identify it. That is all!

    Rocío Luna

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  14. Well done, Miguel Angel and Rocio. It is a good way to put it, Miguel Angel.

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  15. i have finished the exercise a few seconds ago, and i think that at the begining it is a bit difficult to say it right, but when you finally know how to say it correctly it is very helpfull.

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  16. Rigth, thanks for your comment, Hector!

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  17. I 've done the exercise. The exercise for my was difficult because at first i didn't understand her but finally i finished the exercise after i listen the video many times.

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  18. this videos is ok because we are the pronunciation and is a very important when talk in English.
    María.C 3ºB

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  19. Hi teacher, I've already done the unit 1 I couldn't do it before because of my internet connection , I think the activity is very useful if do you want to improve your english pronunciation skills.

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  20. well,i`ve done the activity of unit 1,the exercises of how to pronounce /I/ and /i:/. i think that it is very useful and entetaining page on the internet, other advantage is that it is free, i think that is an interesting page. Mario Lozano 2º aple

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  21. Hello Im victor. I have practised the sounds /i/ and /i:/. I'll try to start with /u/ sounds tomorrow.

    I practised this kind of exercises when I was in an English academy, but I think is very important to remember it. It's easy, too. And not boring.

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  22. Hello i have done activity 1 the exercises were not very difficult, but I am not very good at phonetics so I had some problems...

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  23. well i have enjoyed doing this exercise, i have never liked fonetics!!!!

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  24. Hi! I'm Sebas from 2º bach A, at least I find the link to post the coment I did my homework yesterday but I didn't find the link until tonight, so here I am...I finished my homework!
    by sebas 2º bach A

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  25. Hi teacher, I did this phonetics exercise like a week ago but I forgot to post the comment until today
    I have repited the exercise and a found it easy, probably because it's the second time I do it.
    I can't wait for the next phonetics exercise!...just kidding haha

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  26. ALL RIGTH, THANKS FOR COMMENTING TO ALL THOSE WHO DID.
    FROM THIS DAY NO MORE COMMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED ON THIS POST.
    THOSE WHO HAVEN'T COMMENTED SHOULDN'T MISS NEXT OPPORTUNITIES.

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