I understand the difficulty of pronouncing and remembering names in a foreign language as well as anyone. Today I break down 10 common English names that you're likely to come across at some point,  and we take a clear look at how they're pronounced.
These are names that I've often come across from my own stand-point, and of course don't represent every culture around the United States.  They are certain to come in handy when talking to Americans however, so practice along with me here, and prepare your English for the opportunities to come!

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Words that we use for grammar aren't often keywords. We reduce these grammar words, and link them to surrounding words. "For" is an ideal example of this, and can casually be reduced to a quick and quiet "fer" sound for our speech stress. Listen all the way through to get a confident grasp on this concept for yourself!

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Few languages use the English V sound, and so it's very common to replace it with a sound from one's first language. Most often, I notice students use an English B, W or F sound in place of a V. This can lead to mixing-up one's words altogether, so don't miss a second of this episode, and get a good grasp on the V sound with me here!

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Follow along with these idiomatic Expressions:

1. Live it up Enjoying an experience to the fullest
Enjoy Miami, I hope you really live it up!

2. Liven it up Make something more exciting
Let's liven things up with some better music.

3. Hold out an olive branch To make a gesture of peace
Accept their olive branch and forget about your fight. 

4. Get over something To accept an unpleasant fact
They’re mad about another loss, but they’ll get over it. 

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The spelling of English words doesn't always give us a clear indication of the pronunciation. Many people learned at a young age that |Oo| spelling makes a moving, "ihw" sound 100% of the time. While this is often the case, |Oo| sometimes requires no movement of the lips. We see this with dozens of common, everyday words and expressions. 
Listen along here and better understand the difference between words like "Luke" and "Look", and work this sound into your own daily English words and expressions!


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Follow along with these common phrases:
Football game  |  We misunderstood  |  White sugar  |  Good book  |  Good look

Practice For yourself with these Minimal Pairs
Look v Luke  |  Full v Fool  |  Foot v Food

Work these idiomatic expressions into your daily life!

1. Hit the books Focusing and studying hard
I had better hit the books to get a good grade!

2. A smart cookie An intelligent person
That kid’s a smart cookie, he hits the books often. 

3. Shoulda’, coulda’, woulda’ Wishing to change something
Shoulda’, coulda’, woulda’, there’s nothing we can do. 

4. When push comes to shove Something gets more difficult
When push comes to shove, I’ll get the job done right. 

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Today's episode takes a few words from British Entrepreneur Rob Moore regarding overcoming one's fear of failure, illuminates how we can overcome our fear of failure with language skills! Listen in and get motivated to use what you've learned, and take your spoken English to another level!

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This lesson has no rules, and the only way to fully grasp it is through memorization. That doesn't make this easy, of course, but keep an open mind and you'll accomplish more than you can imagine! Open the google doc at the bottom of the description for more words and expressions where O spelling sounds like U!

Check out my video course on Udemy to master your use of Syllable stress!
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Follow along by reading these Idiomatic Expressions:

A bun in the oven Pregnant
We've got a bun in the oven.

Enough is enough No more will be tolerated
Enough is enough, get upstairs and go to bed!

Money talks People are influenced by money
I gave a few bucks to get out of trouble; money talks.

As tough as nails  An exceedingly resilient person
My dad's as tough as nails, he takes good care of our family!

A dime a dozen Very common with very low value
Those shovels are a dime a dozen, I'll get a new one.


Check out this free google doc with 12 words where O sounds like short U to learn more!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1U0Pu4jWkyyb9hxZdDIaUlNO-CQLurwARzN_Ksq9gBZc/edit

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Quitting is a part of life, so let's consider how to best describe your quitting experience. Whether you're quitting a job, a bad habit, or out on someone, we want to make sure that you communicate your message clearly and effortlessly.

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Listen along for the following idioms with Quit and get ready for your own personal quitting experience!

(Don't) Quit when things get tough
(Don't) Quit while you're ahead
(Don't) Quit your day job
Quit Cold Turkey
(Don't) Quit on yourself
(Don't) Quit out on somebody

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ER and OR word endings often sound the exact same. The flat, unstressed sound produced is a schwa + R, and understanding how to use it will help you take further control over your speech stress.
Today we dive further into the contrast between strong and weak syllables of the American accent. Take the time to repeat these common words and phrases along with me, and feel the difference for yourself!

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Listen closely for these words to boost your own American Accent!

Over  | Answer  | Better | Paper  | Color | Error | Doctor

Overtime
Doctor's office
Much better
Minor changes
Computer monitor

Repeat the following tongue twister after me!
Betty Boughter bought some butter, but she said the butter’s bitter.
“If I put it in my batter, It will make my batter bitter, but a bit of better butter will make it better than the bitter butter!”
So she bought a bit of better butter and put it in her batter and her batter was not bitter.
So Betty Boughter bought a bit of better butter and put it in her batter and her batter was not bitter.

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Colin Vorster is a high school teacher, military veteran, community builder, dedicated rugby coach, and former vagabond. He was raised in South Africa, and has lived in Canada for many years. He speaks a number of languages, traveled much of the world, and has taken the time today to share his thoughts on life and what it means to reach one's potential.


Be sure to listen for some of Mr. Vorster's vocabulary and use them yourself to boost your own English speech!
Getting off of your back side Take action on something
If you can do this, you're off to the races Doing something will direct you towards success
Speaking off the top of my head Speaking without preparation
A bad hair day An unpleasant day
Time management Using one's time most effectively
The bottom line The underlying outcome
Drafted Forced into military service

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When working on language skills, it can be extremely beneficial to focus on key words and phrases which are used often. That way you can maximize your conversation abilities by enhancing the words you'll use the most.
The article "The" is the most commonly used word in the English language, and its pronunciation changes all of the time!
Dive in with me as we practice the different  "The" sounds, and get a good grip on his this is used!

Check out my video course on Udemy to master your use of Syllable stress!
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Follow Along with These Phrases and Idiomatic Expressions
Turn the light on | The car needs gas | Pick the trash up.

Where's the exit?  |  Swim in the ocean  |  The internet cut out on me.

Up in the Air A decision has not been made yet
We’re still up in the air with our vacation plans. 

Under the weather Not feeling well / sick
I’m feeling under the weather and won’t make it in.

The Devil’s in the Details Hidden negative contract detail
The contract sounds great, but the devil’s in the details. 

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