A simplified lesson on the history of English and it’s
influence on pronunciation.
LESSON 1 :
1. Warm up exercises (5 min)
2. Sounds of English (handout) (20min)
3. A brief summary of history of English and it’s evolution and influence on
English language (handout) (20 min)
4. List of words that are difficult to pronounce : ough/ promise, compromise
( 30 min)
LESSON 2
5. American English and British English (20 min) Brainstorm
6. Word stress (20 min)
7. Sentence stress and reading texts (20min
Let’s start !!!
Group Discussion
What is standard English?
Does accent matter?
Are all effective speakers of English native speakers?
Which English accent do you prefer? E.g. English, American, Australian...?
Do you want to totally lose your accent?
What do you find most challenging about English pronunciation?
How old were you when you started to learn English?
Were you taught pronunciation?
Do you have a favourite English speaker? E.g. celebrity, politician,
neighbour...
Watch the YouTube clip of Amy Walker introducing herself in 21 different
accents:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UgpfSp2t6k
Which accents did you find difficult/easy?
Which did you like?
1.Warm up exercises (5 min)
Breathe in and out 3 times
BA
LA
BRRRR
Weee ahhhhouuuu
2. Sounds of English (handout)
3.A brief summary of history of English and it’s evolution and influence on
English language (handout) (20 min)
4.List of words that are difficult to pronounce : ough/ promise, compromise
( 30 min)
____________________________________________________________________
LESSON 2
Sound differences ( vowels)
Word stress
Sentence stress
5. American and British English
British English American English
accelerator gas pedal, accelerator
Alsatian German shepherd
American Indian Native American
anorak jacket, parka
at the weekend on the weekend
aubergine eggplant
B
British English American English
bank holiday national holiday, federal holiday
barrister, solicitor lawyer, attorney
base rate prime rate
to bath to bathe
bill check
bin, dustbin garbage can/trash can
biro ball-point pen
biscuit cookie
bonnet hood
boot trunk
braces suspenders
(round) brackets parentheses
C
candy floss cotton candy
car park parking lot
caravan trailer
caretaker janitor
catalogue catalog
centre center
chemist's shop drugstore, pharmacy
chips French fries
city centre downtown, city center
cloakroom checkroom, coatroom
clothes peg clothespin
colour color
British English American English
cooker stove
(bathing) costume swimsuit
cosy cozy
cot (Baby) crib
cotton wool cotton ball
courgette zucchini
crisps potato chips
crossroad (in the country)
crossroads
intersection (town and country)
résumé
curriculum vitae (CV)
curriculum vitae
D
British English American English
dinner jacket tux, tuxedo
directory enquiries directory assistance
diversion detour
double cream heavy cream
draught draft
draughts checkers
drawing pin thumbtack
dressing gown (bath) robe
drink driving drunk driving
driving licence driver's license
dummy pacifier
duvet comforter
E
earth wire ground wire
engaged busy
enquiry inquiry
everywhere everyplace, everywhere
expiry date expiration date
fancy dress costumes
Father Christmas Santa Claus
favourite favorite
to fill in to fill out
film film, movie
fire brigade fire department
British English American English
first floor second floor
fish-fingers fish-sticks
flannel face cloth, wash cloth
apartment
flat
(flat: apartment with a single floor)
flavour flavor
football soccer
fortnight two weeks
fringe bangs
from Monday to Friday
from Monday to Friday
from Monday through Friday (Friday
included)
British English American English
full stop period
garden yard
gear lever gear shift
Gents Men's Room
goods train freight train
ground floor first floor, ground floor (in public buildings)
harbour harbor
headmaster, headteacher principal
to hire to rent
hire purchase installment plan
British English American English
hockey field hockey
holiday vacation
hoover vacuum cleaner
humour humor
icing sugar powdered sugar
indicator blinker, turn signal
inverted commas, quotation
quotation marks
marks
jacket potato baked potato
jewellery jewelery
British English American English
Joe Bloggs Joe Blow
jumble sale yard sale
jumper sweater
kilometre kilometer
ladybird ladybug
to lay the table to set the table
letterbox, postbox mailbox
lift elevator
litre liter
lorry truck
British English American English
lost property lost and found
mackintosh raincoat
managing director CEO (chief executive officer)
maths math
mobile (phone) cellphone
motorbike motorcycle
motorway freeway, highway, expressway, interstate
