Go Natural English Podcast | Listening & Speaking Lessons

Latest Episodes:

How to Understand English Conversation Especially with Fast Native Speakers Apr 30, 2015

Show notes

How good listener are you? Do you easily understand when you listen to conversations of native English speakers? How important is your listening skills in effective English communication?

Hearing is different from listening. Listening is more of understanding the content of a conversation while hearing is not focusing on details and the words just pass by your ears.

Native English speakers speak differently from those who have English as their second language. They have this certain style that is most of the time difficult to comprehend for non-natives. They use expressions or slang words popular from their hometowns and speak really fast.

In this podcast episode, Gabby talks about some tips on how to understand fast native English speakers conversations.

Here are the mentioned tips:

Train your ears - Take time to listen to fast conversation of natives. Do not overwhelm yourself - Start with listening to native English materials with at least two minutes length. Do not listen with your eyes - Understand the conversation with your ears though your eyes can give you hints.

Spend more time listening to native speakers. Choose what you are interested in. It is totally fine that you don't understand each word they say. It is not going to be an easy and short process, it takes time but it is very effective.

Bring the English language to your daily life. Use it as often as possible and see your improvements quickly.

Photo Credit: Paul Shanks

Exposure to English & the right method of learning are keys to fluency Click here to find out how you can get more Go Natural English materials & strategies

To be fluent, you must speak! Try your first premium 1-to-1 live online tutoring lesson with a qualified native English speaker teacher at Verbling. Click here to learn more and try the first one free!

The post How to Understand English Conversation Especially with Fast Native Speakers appeared first on Go Natural English.

Two Tenses in English to Stop Studying Now Apr 28, 2015

Show notes

Why do you study what you study? Why do you study English? How do you choose the things that you want to learn? Is it based on what you like? Importance? Or difficulty? How do you study? What are your methods?

It is important not to waste time on the things that we don't need to study and focus more on the useful ones. Time is important especially when learning a language like English. You need exert much time on practicing or applying what you learn. It is one of the most effective ways to be fluent.

We all know that the most confusing part of the English language is grammar. In this podcast episode, Gabby talks about the two verb tenses in English language that you need to stop studying.

Here are the above-mentioned tenses:

Past Perfect Continuous - He had been studying. Future Perfect Continuous - He will have been studying.

Many English learners are confused on how to use these verb tenses. It is not easy to find a good example to be able to understand them easily. The reason is that they are already outdated, no one uses them nowadays.

Gabby suggests focusing more on basic tenses that most learners use. It will save you much time and will be able to studying the helpful ones.

Basic Tenses

Present Simple Present Continuous Past Simple Past Continuous Future Simple Future Continuous

Mastering these verb tenses will help you a lot in communicating using the English language confidently and comfortably.

Let's focus more on the thing that would help us improve our skills. Make it a habit to use the English language in communicating with people and you will see your improvements in no time.

Photo Credit: Michael Gil

Exposure to English & the right method of learning are keys to fluency Click here to find out how you can get more Go Natural English materials & strategies

The post Two Tenses in English to Stop Studying Now appeared first on Go Natural English.

Does the expression EXCUSE ME mean surprise or complaint? Speak English like a Native Apr 24, 2015

Show notes

There are words and phrases that get different meaning depending on what in intonation and stress you put in to it. This is not always taught in a traditional English classroom.

Learning how to control your intonation and using intonation like an Native English Speaker is even more important than building vocabulary.

Both of them are important but intonation affects the meaning of what you say and how people understand you.

Here in this video, we are going to learn about the expression, "Excuse me."

When you're are walking and bumped on someone,you'll say excuse me in an apologetic or polite way. The words are not that stressed.

When you're trying to catch someone's attention. You will have your intonation go up.and a little bit louder when you say "excuse me."

When you get offended, and you use this phrase, you draw out the syllables and you will make 'cu' of excuse sound like 'kyoo.'

There's one other usage of the expression "excuse me" and you will find it you when you watch the whole video.

Remember, practice and shadow what Gabby's saying and soon you will sound so Natural speaking in English like her!

Click here to watch the video on YouTube

Photo Credit: David Goehring

Exposure to English & the right method of learning are keys to fluency Click here to find out how you can get more Go Natural English materials & strategies

The post Does the expression EXCUSE ME mean surprise or complaint? Speak English like a Native appeared first on Go Natural English.

5 Things to Do in the Morning to Improve Your English Fluency Apr 22, 2015

Show notes

Start your day with these five simple, fun suggestions. These small additions to your a.m. routine will improve your fluency in English. By doing these things in the morning, you will see real progress before other things (and people!) distract you later in your day.

Let's walk through your current morning routine and see where you can add English. These five suggestions are easy to integrate into your existing morning routine. Make these activities part of your regular routine and you will still be on time for work!

These 5 things will become habits for strong, confident English. Like brushing your teeth, they should become a non-negotiable part of your day.

Start with one or two suggestions and work your way up to doing all five suggestions. Make them part of your morning routine. You will see a huge improvement in your English language skills!

Upon Waking

As soon as you wake up, read these phrases aloud to train your brain for learning with a positive mindset. It is important to begin with the right mindset because it will help your brain to receive information.

Don't accept common myths like "it is very difficult for adults to become fluent in English," or "mistakes are bad and should be avoided," or "some people are naturally talented at languages, but most people are not."

These are myths. Let them go. Try reading these positive ideas aloud instead. You'll be amazed at your fast improvement!

You improve every day. You learn every day. You have good intentions and should therefore always be confident in your words and your actions. Don't compare yourself to anyone except the person you were yesterday. Today is a great day to make mistakes!

In the Shower

Listen to music in English while you get ready. Put it on while you shower and get dressed.

By listening to music in English, you will benefit in three ways. First, you are immersing yourself in the sounds of English, which you need in order to become familiar with new sounds and words. Second, if you listen carefully, you can improve your listening skills and vocabulary. Third, you can discover new music you like and even learn about some pop culture.

Sing along for added fun and to improve your pronunciation and vocabulary!

To find suggestions for your playlist, try these sites:

Billboard top 100 Pandora YouTube

Eating Breakfast

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so don't skip it! You will not want to skip it now, especially if you use the time to eat and improve your English.

Listen to, watch or read in English while you eat breakfast. By watching programs in English, you will benefit in many ways: listening comprehension, vocabulary, phrases, and even grammar. Consuming media in English will immerse you in the language and culture. No matter where you live, you need to expose yourself to lots of English.

You probably already check the news in the morning, and why not do that in English?

Try these sites for news by level:

Advanced English speakers - BBC Intermediate English speakers - VOA High beginner English speakers - Breaking News English

If you'd rather watch direct English-learning tips, watch Go Natural English on YouTube.

Commuting to Work

Do you drive, take a train or bus, or walk to work in the morning? Make use of the time you spend going to work (or anywhere). Immerse yourself in the sounds of English with audio on your smart phone or mp3 player device.

This is a great opportunity to explore another form of media in English. Try downloading free podcasts. Put on your ear phones and enjoy. There are two types of podcasts you should download: English-le...

When Will I Be Fluent in English Apr 20, 2015

Show notes

In this tip, Gabby answered the great question, "how long will it take me to be fluent in English?".

As we all know, learning a language is not an easy thing. We need to invest time, effort and sometimes even money.

With this kind of skill that you want to acquire, time is very essential. One must allot plenty of his time to practice and put learning into application.

There are two answers mentioned in this episode, a simple one and a not so simple one.

The simple is, a thousand of hours is needed to become fluent in a language and the not so simple answer is discussed with the following questions:

What is fluency to you? Why are you learning English? What is your current ability? What is your study schedule? Have you studied other languages? What is your native language? What is your current mind set?

Do not concentrate on how long will it take you to become fluent in a language, but focus on your goals that you can fulfill with the help of the English language.

Make English a part of your everyday life, commit on practicing and applying what you're learning and you will see your improvements in fluencly immediately.

Photo Credit: Tobias Mikkelsen

Exposure to English & the right method of learning are keys to fluency Click here to find out how you can get more Go Natural English materials & strategies

The post When Will I Be Fluent in English appeared first on Go Natural English.

Why You Must Change the Way You Learn English if You Want to be Fluent Apr 17, 2015

Show notes

Teacher's often tell their students, be an independent learner, be assertive and be proactive! But what does that really mean?

Gabby wants to encourage and empower you to be an independent English learner. She wants you to teach yourself. So that soon, you won't need help from her.

How can you be an Independent Learner?

Follow your curiosity - What are your interests, naturally? What do you find really inspires your curiosity? What do you know more about? Use English as a tool to pursue your interest. Learning English should not be learning it as a subject, it's just giving yourself power to explore life and connect with people That's how we can use English powerfully.

Know your motivation - Why do you want to learn English? If you can answer that question honestly, they you have a huge advantage over other English learners.

Be proactive - Do not wait for your English teacher to give you English. No one can give you English in a little gift box or even in a textbook. You have to go get your English. If you follow your curiosity and motivation, you'll be more inspired to learn words that is related to your interests.

Click here to watch the video on YouTube.

Photo Credit: SomeDriftwood

Exposure to English & the right method of learning are keys to fluency Click here to find out how you can get more Go Natural English materials & strategies

The post Why You Must Change the Way You Learn English if You Want to be Fluent appeared first on Go Natural English.

"Listen to me" and " hear me out"? Are they the same in English conversation? Apr 17, 2015

Show notes

Proper usage of words or phrases plays a very important role in effective communication. It is very essential that you're aware of the words that you try to use to avoid misunderstandings.

There are English words that may sound the same but have different meanings. It can be a huge challenge to remember or memorize the correct meanings of those words. You might interchange them sometimes, it can't be avoided.

One of the big factors of the confusion is the lack of exposure to communication with native English speaker. In this video tip you will learn the difference between the commonly used phrases, "listen to me" and "hear me out".

LISTEN TO ME - it is commonly use to catch people's attention. HEAR ME OUT - comes with more emotions and you really want people to listen to you.

Utilize these tips as regularly as often as possible. Make the English language piece of your everyday life and notice your speedily improvements!

Click here to watch the video on YouTube

Photo Credit: Jonathan Powell

Exposure to English & the right method of learning are keys to fluency Click here to find out how you can get more Go Natural English materials & strategies

The post "Listen to me" and " hear me out"? Are they the same in English conversation? appeared first on Go Natural English.

What is the Difference Between I Don't Mind and Care in English Conversation? Apr 15, 2015

Show notes

I don't mind and and I don't care are not the same but they can be used in the same situation.

One suggestion is to have more practice speaking with an English native speaker so that it would be easier for you to understand this problem.

" I don't mind" is the same with "it's okay with me."

However, "I don't care" can be very offensive because it could mean that it's not important to me or it's not much of a big deal for me.

For an example:

"Do you want to paint the wall blue or brown?"

"I don't care."

"I don't care. Whatever you like."

Your tone and your expression here is the most important tip in speaking English.

So if you want to be on the safe side, it's recommendable to use, "I don't mind."

But I don't care specifically means, "Whatever is okay, it's not so important for me." You're just expressing your priorities.

Click here to watch the video on YouTube

Photo Credit: Shawn Hoke

Exposure to English & the right method of learning are keys to fluency Click here to find out how you can get more Go Natural English materials & strategies

The post What is the Difference Between I Don't Mind and Care in English Conversation? appeared first on Go Natural English.

What's the difference between "angry at" and "angry with" – Learn to Speak English Apr 13, 2015

Show notes

The difference between "angry at" and "angry with" is nothing at all, they are not different from one another and they are interchange. The fun thing about English is that there are some points that are not black and white. This a great example when it just doesn't matter when you're using "at" or "with."

In some cases, for example with the word "happy," can only be used with the word "with" or we can say, "happy about" but should not be paired with "at."

The real concern here, is learning phrases. Always think about learning word in chunks of two or even three words together.

In the video, Gabby was telling a story subway prank that happened in Brazil. So this TV show actually paid the public subway to be part of the prank to real subway passengers, where they stopped the train and said it was a technical problem. Then came along about 50 people dressed up as really scary zombies attacking the windows, trying to get in. Now, there are two different women who were so scared in the incident.

Even though it was a creative prank, Gabby was "angry with" the company who made it. And for sure those two women were "angry at" them too! Well, who would be "happy with" it anyways?

Click here to watch the video on YouTube

Photo Credit: Alvaro Tapia

Exposure to English & the right method of learning are keys to fluency Click here to find out how you can get more Go Natural English materials & strategies

The post What's the difference between "angry at" and "angry with" – Learn to Speak English appeared first on Go Natural English.

How to Speak English Fluently – Go Natural English Presentation Apr 10, 2015

Show notes

In this episode, join Gabby for a special presentation on how to speak English fluently.

Inside, you'll find out:

Updates with Go Natural English 3 things you think you need, but they may be hurting your English progress! How to be an independent learner The Go Natural English simple 7 steps for fluency How to believe in yourself and your ability

I hope you'll join the special presentation.

Click here to watch on YouTube

Photo Credit: Howard Lake

The post How to Speak English Fluently – Go Natural English Presentation appeared first on Go Natural English.