Ann-Marie's English

In this short bonus episode I would like to share the most common pronunciation problems that I hear from my students. 

But before we start I must just say that EVERYONE speaks English differently, there are national accents, regional accents, dialects, and even personal style. I believe there is no right or wrong way to speak English, however if you mean to say one word and it sounds like another word, then that can lead to communication problems. 

在這集短短的加碼單集中，我想和大家分享一些我在教學過程中，最常聽到學生遇到的發音問題。

不過，在開始之前，我想先說明一件事：每個人說英文的方式都不一樣！ 有不同國家的口音、不同地區的口音、各種方言，甚至每個人都有自己的說話風格。

我認為，說英文並沒有絕對正確或錯誤的方式。不過，如果你原本想說的是某個單字，聽起來卻像另一個單字，就可能造成溝通上的誤會。

接下來，你會聽到我用自己平常的發音方式來示範這些單字喔☺️

Here are the words you’ll hear pronounced in my style 😊

1. pronounce 
2. pronunciation
3. women
4. woman
5. can / can’t 

English place names, 

1. The Thames
2. Leicester City and Leicester Square
3. Buckingham palace
4. Beckham
5. Birmingham
6. Greenwich
7. Salisbury 

Syllables 

1. camera 
2. comfortable 
3. January 
4. February 
5. photographer 

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In today’s episode we talk about this spooky time of year, Halloween. I suggest a great way to improve your speaking skills. While staying away from anything truly scary because I’m not a fan of horror movies 😅 We also talk about how the holiday got its name.

Listen to the end for some truly useful phrases. The list is also below 👇

vocabulary & phrases

1. spooky / the spookiest
2. pop culture
3. the weird and wonderful world of...
4. autumnal
5. catchy
6. tune
7. the origin story
8. the Celts
9. a bonfire
10. feasting
11. leaders
12. the Roman Empire
13. Christian holidays
14. evolved over time
15. been commercialised 
16. overconsumption
17. decorate
18. Halloween-themed
19. nowadays
20. to ditch something 

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After a recent trip to Europe the jet lag was so bad that we had to talk about it...

How do you deal with jet lag?

Have you ever experienced really bad jet lag?

What do you do to get over jet lag quicker?

As well as super useful vocabulary and phrases, in today’s episode I share a modern slang phrase ⬇️

Verbing a Noun: In modern slang, turning a noun into a continuous verb ("was jet lagging") acts as an intensifier. Instead of just stating that you had jet lag, it personifies the condition as actively and relentlessly doing its job - making you exhausted, disoriented, brain-fogged, or wide awake at 3:00 AM.

動詞化名詞：在網路和Z世代/千禧世代的俚語中，將名詞變成進行式動詞（例如「was jet lagging」）可以起到加強語氣的作用。它不再只是陳述你經歷了時差反應，而是將這種狀態擬人化，彷彿它一直在積極且持續地發揮作用——讓你感到精疲力竭、神誌不清、頭腦昏沉，或者在凌晨3點依然清醒。

Try to use it in your next English conversation!

vocabulary

1. jet lag
2. a long haul flight
3. a short haul flight
4. a time zone
5. destination
6. in-laws
7. exhaustion
8. terminal

phrases

1. close to my heart 
2. to crash out
3. on the dot
4. to be wide awake
5. to ease s.b back into 
6. to force yourself 
7. the end was in sight

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Here is a bonus episode this week. With the impending storm looming, let's take the opportunity to learn how to talk about typhoons. 

這週加碼推出一集特別篇！🌀 趁著颱風即將來襲，讓我們把握這個機會，一起學習如何用英文聊颱風吧！🇹🇼🇬🇧

中級 level 

vocabulary & phrases to listen out for;

1. a hurricane
2. a typhoon
3. a weather app
4. category 4 storm
5. out at sea
6. strength
7. obviously
8. to make landfall
9. to hit
10. to impact
11. to affect
12. the forecast 
13. predicted to 
14. the eye of the storm
15. strong winds
16. heavy rains
17.  hanging over 
18. looking calmer
19. administration / bureau 
20. extreme heat
21. diagram/ graphic / image
22. the path of the storm
23. better to be safe than sorry
24. batten down the hatches
25. stock up 
26. a power cut 
27. fingers crossed 🤞

History and politics are discussed in today’s episode, as we learn how to talk about the events that are remembered at Taiwan’s National Day events each year on October 10th, aka Double Ten Day. 

Words and phrases to listen out for;

vocabulary

1. to be liken to 
2. nuance ‘to be nuanced’ 
3. abbreviated to 
4. whereas
5. symbolic
6. address (v)
7. to recap
8. the capital
9. second-hand information
   

phrases

1. (idiom) long story short, also ‘to cut a long story short’ = to get straight to the point and miss out any unnecessary details. 
2. 'at the time' or ‘at that time’ 那時候
3. to run from …. to …. 從...到...
4. Don't come after me!  不要在留言區砲轟我！
5. to fall on a …To fall on a particular day means that an event happens or is scheduled for that day.

   指某個活動、節日或事件的日期剛好是某一天。

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初中級 level

With slow speaking speed and clear pronunciation this is a beginner-friendly episode. There is plenty of repetition and spaces for you to think and catch up.

However the vocabulary and phrases might be challenging, so you may have to listen a few times and read the transcript to fully understand the audio. This is perfect for lower-intermediate level students.

I suggest listening once first without reading or checking the words you don't know. After you think you understand about 70% from just listening, then you can listen and read the transcript, and then finally you can translate any new words.

這一集的語速較慢、發音清楚，非常適合初學者學習。內容中也會有很多重複，以及讓你思考、跟上進度的時間。

不過，當中的單字和片語可能會有一些挑戰，所以你可能需要多聽幾次，並搭配逐字稿閱讀，才能完全理解音檔內容。

如果你是初級中階程度的英文學習者，這一集非常適合你！ 🎧🇬🇧

我建議你先完整聽一遍，不要看逐字稿，也先不要查不認識的單字。

當你只靠聽力，大約能理解 70% 的內容後，再一邊聽音檔、一邊閱讀逐字稿。最後，再把不熟悉的新單字查出來、了解它們的意思。

這樣的練習方式可以幫助你更有效地訓練英文聽力，而不是太依賴逐字稿或翻譯。

vocabulary

alone = without any others 唯一，僅僅，只有

stands for = 代表

prospective = 預期,有希望,

psychiatrist = 精神科醫生

introvert = 內向者

extrovert = 外向型

ambitious = 有抱負的人

a caveat = 注意

avatar = 頭像

Thanks for listening. See you next time 👋

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中級 level

沒有完全對等的單一中文字彙，但通常翻譯為溫暖舒適、安逸、幸福安心或愜意。 

這個來自丹麥的詞彙不只是形容詞，更是一種生活態度。它代表在簡單的日常中，與親朋好友相聚，或自己一人享受放鬆、自在與充滿親密感的幸福時刻。例如在寒冬中點上燭光、喝杯熱可可，或裹著毛毯看書，都是一種 Hygge 的表現. 

Today I share a cosy childhood memory and talk about the things that bring me joy.

vocabulary

1. cosy = 溫馨的（美式拼法為 cozy）
2. mood = 心情／情緒
3. atmosphere = 氣氛／氛圍
4. feeling = 感覺
5. harsh = 嚴酷
6. adopted = 已採用
7. nutritious = 營養豐富的
8. beverage = 飲料

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Thinking of travelling to London soon? Overwhelmed with all the amazing sights to see and recommendations on social media? Well, fear not! In this episode we hear some top suggestions for a few days in the capital city. Getting to London, what to eat, and where to go. We also learn these useful phrases;

如果你最近正計畫去倫敦旅行，是不是看到社群媒體上滿滿的景點推薦，反而不知道該怎麼選？別擔心！🇬🇧✈️這一集我們會分享幾個適合在倫敦待上幾天的推薦行程，包括倫敦必訪景點、值得一試的美食，以及可以去走走逛逛的地方。我們也會一起學習一些實用的英文片語：

1. a similar distinction 
2. take-home point
3. it’s worth the trip 
4. to be fooled by 
5. in fact
6. I must just say…
7. to be blown away 
8. book up 

As always the transcript is available on Patreon.
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Today's episode goes over the third and final phrasal verb worksheet. Here we learn 8 super useful daily phrases. Have you heard of them before? 你這些聽過了嗎？

1. tuck away
2. go mad over something
3. go over
4. call to someone
5. break off
6. set off
7. set out
8. rip open

Follow along with me and test yourself with the gap-fill activity 填空練習. 🏆

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Today we have a harder level grammar class full of phrasal verbs that can help you speak about daily tasks and chores 家務 with more confidence and easy.

This episode also has a worksheet to accompany it. It is free to download from Ann-Marie's English Patreon page. There are 10 phrasal verbs and 2 bonus British words in the class today.

Follow along and you'll be speaking like a native in no time 🤩

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