Comments

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  Tanya March 14, 2010 11:35

  Dear Lovely Smile! There are special methods that help accept fluent speech. The best way is to listen to podcasts that come together with scrips. You should listen the same podcast as many times as you need until you get at least the idea. Then, you should read the text, translate all unknown words and listen audio again and again until it starts sounding like you native speech. It always helps. My students say that it may take them a few days to do with the first task. But, the more they exercise, the less time it takes. Here is one of the best sites with podcasts:
  
  http://www.eslpod.com/toefl/scripts/scripts.html
  
  I am also giving you a few references where you will find many listening tests:
  
  http://ead.univ-angers.fr/~menan/cerel/english/toefl_lc1c.htm
  
  http://www.toeflibtcourse.com/toefl-ibt-test-download.htm
  
  http://www.toeflblog.com/2008/06/03/3-free-toefl-ibt-listening-prac...
  
  http://video.google.com/videosearch?client=opera&rls=ru&q=T...
  
  http://www.examenglish.com/TOEFL/toefl_listening.htm
  
  http://www.free-english.com/toefl-ibt-practice-test.aspx#reading

  ESLPod.com's Guide to the TOEFL® Test Podcast
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  lovely smile March 14, 2010 3:49

  Hi Tanya!
  I'm Vietnamese student. I really want to pass TOEFL or IELTS to win the scholarship. Please advice me. Thanks a lot.
  Wait for you.
  P/S: Especially my listening and speaking skills, they're bad.
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  Tanya March 9, 2010 7:25

  Dear Trai Pham! The word "difference" can describe:
  
  1) a point or way in which people or things are dissimilar. In this case we use the preposition "between" and two different objects after it.
  
  There are many differences between men and women .
  
  2) the state or condition of being dissimilar . In this case we use the preposition "from" and one object after it:
  
  
  Men's difference from women is obvious.
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  ¨°o.O (Majid) O.o° March 4, 2010 10:36

  hello . mss tanya
  i name's majid i want your inform me about languge english
  even learn and i can terval .....
  
  best regards ......... majid
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  Tanya March 4, 2010 9:13

  Dear Trai Pham! You are right, those words are synonyms. "Actually" and "in fact" mean the same. However, the first one is an adverb, the second is a noun phrase. So, you should place them correctly:
  
  He actually expected me to be pleased about it!
  In fact, he expected me to be pleased about it!
  
  "Really" is a little different. For example, you can't use it in this sentence. This word is mostly used:
  
  1) in actual fact, as opposed to what is said or imagined to be true or possible
  So, what really happened?
  They're not really my aunt and uncle
  2) to emphasize a statement or opinion
  I really want to go
  I'm sorry, Ruth, I really am
  3) as an exclamation to express interest, surprise, or doubt "I've been working hard."
  "Really?"
  
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  Tanya March 4, 2010 8:56

  Dear Tiger! There are no serious grammar mistakes but there are too many "more" and the sentence, itself, is "clumsy", I would say. It is possible to change it:
  
  "The longer I learn French, the clearer I realize it to be more beautiful and___ more difficult than I thought."
  
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  Tanya March 4, 2010 8:43

  Dear Anothai! Nothing is wrong with you. If you just turn on the radio and listen to it, it will not be very efficient. There are special methods that help accept fluent speech. The best way is to listen to podcasts that come together with scrips. You should listen the same podcast as many times as you need until you get at least the idea. Then, you should read the text, translate all unknown words and listen audio again and again until it starts sounding like you native speech. It always helps. My students say that it may take them a few days to do with the first task. But, the more they exercise, the less time it takes. You can see a few references to the sites with the podcasts above on this page. As to the radio or TV, it can sound all day long and one day you will feel that you accept English speech as your native. It happens with everyone sooner or later. However, if you work with podcasts, it will speed up the process by many times.
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  Tiger Le March 3, 2010 15:15

  Hi Tanya, I have a question. It's hard for me to find the answer. Can you find any mistake in this sentense "The more I learn French, the more I find it more beautiful, and it is also more difficult than I thought."
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  anothai March 3, 2010 14:52

  Hi Tanya,
  Thank again for your answer and you explained it very clearly.you know,I read it two times 'cause my english isn't very well.So about my problem I should let it go on naturally.Right?
  By the way,Please answer me another question.I know I shouldn't ask about this but I think you have much experience in teaching english.How long can I listen english radio understandably if I listen to radio everyday.Because I listen to it one hour a day for 3 months but I think I only understand it about 60%.Are there something wrong with me?
  
  Thank for your kindness ,
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  Tanya March 3, 2010 12:13

  Dear Anothai! The problem you describe is well-known. Multilingual people always feel that. I,too, feel like switching from one language to another but there is nothing bad in that. I will tell you about myself. English is almost my native but it is not! So, it depends on the surrounding. When I am among English speakers, I think English (at least I believe I do). For example, when I am typing my answer now I seem to think English. However, if I can't find a necessary word, I "see" it in Russian by my mind eye. It means there is a Russian text somewhere in my subconsciousness although I don't feel it. When I lived in the US, it was hard for me to stick to Russian because I didn't hear it and didn't speak it. When I called my mom, it was just a torture for me to stick to Russian. But now, when I live in Russian speaking area, I start thinking English only when I enter some English site like EC or deal with translation or talking on Skype. Different languages can't and shouldn't be integrated. The right idea is to find some useful relations between them denying everything that bothers. I learned how to do it but it concerns Slavs only. You see, all European languages have the same basis: Greek and Latin. So, if we analyze our languages, we can find useful and noxious relations. Honestly, I don't think it is possible to get rid of that switching but it becomes unnoticeable when you "dive" into the English speaking surrounding.