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Shadowing practice: American Accent and Pronunciation Training

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  1. It's easier to remember new vocabulary when you're studying real English conversation.0:00
  2. Today, we're studying 10 conversations.0:05
  3. You'll chat with my mom, my dad, my uncle John.0:08
  4. We'll visit Colorado, Michigan, and you'll meet some of my very best friends.0:12
  5. Let's get started with our first conversation.0:17
  6. This is my husband, and guess what?0:20
  7. He hates watermelon.0:22
  8. Um, David hates watermelon, he thinks.0:25
  9. I know, but I want to try again.0:28
  10. You said it was the best one you've ever had.0:30
  11. I don't, I didn't say that.0:31
  12. So we start here by debating what I said.0:33
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  1. If someone says you said something that you didn't, you can say, I didn't say that.0:36
  2. I didn't say that.0:41
  3. The N apostrophe T ending can be pronounced several ways.0:43
  4. I think I'm doing a really quick stop T.0:47
  5. I didn't say that.0:50
  6. I say this phrase pretty quickly, don't I?0:51
  7. I didn't say that.0:54
  8. I didn't say that.0:55
  9. I didn't say that.0:56
  10. But it wasn't too fast.0:57
  11. It was the pace of conversational English.0:59
  12. Let's listen again.1:01
  13. The clearest longer word was say.1:02
  14. I didn't say that.1:05
  15. I didn't say that.1:06
  16. I didn't say that.1:07
  17. When you listen to it on a loop, it's easier to hear all the pieces you need to simplify, isn't it?1:08
  18. I did not is, I didn't say is the peak of that sentence.1:14
  19. Say, say.1:21
  20. I didn't say that.1:23
  21. I didn't say that.1:24
  22. I didn't say that.1:25
  23. You can even completely drop the T in didn't if this helps with this simplification.1:26
  24. You'll hear it again five times, then you try it.1:32
  25. Don't think about the words, but think about what you hear.1:35
  26. I didn't say that.1:38
  27. I didn't say that.1:39
  28. I didn't say that.1:40
  29. I didn't say that.1:41
  30. I didn't say that.1:42
  31. Okay, let's go back and listen to the beginning of the conversation again.1:43
  32. Um, David hates watermelon, he thinks.1:48
  33. I know, but I want to try again.1:51
  34. You said it was the best one you've ever had.1:53
  35. I don't, I didn't say that.1:55
  36. You say one of the best.1:55
  37. I probably said that.1:57
  38. I said it's amazing watermelon and if you're going to try it again, now's the time to try it.1:58
  39. So we've said a few words to describe food and if we like that food.2:02
  40. David hates watermelon.2:06
  41. We can say hates.2:08
  42. We can also say it doesn't like, but it's not as strong and David feels very strongly about watermelon.2:09
  43. David hates watermelon.2:16
  44. I called it an amazing watermelon.2:18
  45. Very good.2:20
  46. Don't you love amazing food?2:21
  47. We had an amazing meal.2:23
  48. The wine was amazing.2:24
  49. I said it's amazing watermelon and if you're going to try it again, now's the time to try it.2:28
  50. Oh, you're just going to have bite of mine?2:32
  51. Yeah.2:34
  52. Oh.2:34
  53. So I kept waiting for him to cut a piece of watermelon, but he didn't do it because he didn't want a whole piece.2:35
  54. He decided just to have a bite of mine.2:41
  55. Listen to how I said that.2:44
  56. Oh, you're just going to have bite of mine.2:46
  57. Again, I feel like I'm speaking very quickly and I am, but also that's just conversational English.2:48
  58. It is fast.2:53
  59. Let's listen to this one on a loop and see if we can figure out which words are the most stressed and where you can simplify.2:55
  60. Oh, you're just going to have bite of mine?3:03
  61. Oh, you're just going to have bite of mine?3:05
  62. Oh, you're just going to have bite of mine?3:06
  63. I hear more stress on oh -your and bite and mine.3:08
  64. Oh, you're just going to have a bite of mine?3:15
  65. Oh, you're just going to have bite of mine?3:18
  66. Oh, you's gonna have bite of mine.3:19
  67. Oh, you's gonna have bite of mine.3:22
  68. Notice how all the words run together smoothly with no breaks.3:24
  69. That's an important characteristic of American English.3:28
  70. The contraction you are to your is pronounced your.3:32
  71. That's how it's almost always pronounced in conversational English.3:37
  72. That's a common reduction.3:42
  73. Your, your, oh, your, oh, your.3:43
  74. Oh, you's gonna have bite of mine.3:46
  75. Oh, you's gonna have bite of mine.3:48
  76. Oh, you's gonna have bite of mine.3:50
  77. The words just going to have a.3:52
  78. We have a few reductions there.3:56
  79. The t in just is dropped.3:58
  80. We do that when the next word begins with a consonant.4:00
  81. The vowel reduces to the schwa.4:03
  82. It's not just, it's just.4:05
  83. Going to becomes gonna.4:08
  84. Have a is have a.4:11
  85. All of these words are lower in pitch, flatter, and said very quickly.4:13
  86. Just gonna have a, just gonna have a.4:19
  87. Just gonna have a, just gonna have a.4:21
  88. This is what happens in conversational English.4:23
  89. Oh, you's gonna have bite of mine.4:27
  90. Oh, you's gonna have bite of mine.4:29
  91. Oh, you's gonna have bite of mine.4:30
  92. Bite of mine becomes bite of mine.4:32
  93. The word of is reduced to the schwa.4:36
  94. And the t in bite is a flap t linking the two words together.4:39
  95. Bite of mine, bite of mine.4:42
  96. Again, these changes are typical of conversational English.4:45
  97. They're part of what helps us make English fast.4:48
  98. A t is a flap t when it comes between two vowels or diphthongs.4:51
  99. And that's true even in two different words when the t links the two words.4:55
  100. Bite of mine.5:00
  101. Oh, you's gonna have bite of mine.5:01
  102. Oh, you's gonna have bite of mine.5:03
  103. Oh, you's gonna have bite of mine.5:05
  104. Okay, let's move on.5:07
  105. David will try the watermelon.5:08
  106. Will he be convinced that this is an amazing watermelon?5:10
  107. What?5:17
  108. No!5:19
  109. That's awful.5:20
  110. No, David was not convinced.5:22
  111. He called it awful.5:24
  112. I've also heard him use the term disgusting.5:26
  113. What foods do you think are awful or disgusting?5:29
  114. Put them in the comments.5:32
  115. What?5:34
  116. I don't get it.5:35
  117. The melaniness is...5:37
  118. Is it the texture or the taste?5:38
  119. No, there's a flavor.5:39
  120. Our friend Off Camera asked if it was texture or taste.5:41
  121. The texture of the food is how it feels in your mouth or in your hands.5:45
  122. It can be hard, soft, mushy, crunchy, slippery, smooth, and so on.5:49
  123. Some people might not like a food for its texture more than its taste.5:55
  124. David said, in this case, it was not the texture, it was the taste, the flavor.5:59
  125. Is it the texture or the taste?6:05
  126. No, there's a flavor.6:07
  127. It's like...6:09
  128. I don't know.6:10
  129. It's such a good one.6:12
  130. I know you guys are crazy.6:13
  131. Like you literally had to spit it out.6:14
  132. Let's talk for a second about the word literally and how it's used.6:17
  133. In British English, it sounds more like three syllables.6:21
  134. Literally.6:24
  135. Literally.6:26
  136. In American English, it sounds like four and we flap the T.6:27
  137. Literally.6:31
  138. Literally.6:32
  139. Literally.6:35
  140. Now, this word is overused in American English.6:36
  141. The meaning has morphed as a result.6:39
  142. It's used often for emphasis.6:41
  143. For example, I once heard someone say, I was so tired, I literally slept all day.6:43
  144. Now I know that person didn't sleep all day.6:49
  145. She slept a lot of the day.6:52
  146. Certainly she was very tired, but she did not literally sleep all day.6:53
  147. She did not actually sleep from sun up to sun down.6:58
  148. She slept a lot that day.7:02
  149. So she's using literally here for emphasis.7:04
  150. I can also picture someone saying, I literally fell out of my chair when I heard the news.7:08
  151. This would in no way mean that someone did literally fall out of a chair.7:14
  152. It just adds emphasis to say how amazed they were, how caught off guard they were.7:18
  153. I'm going to put a link in the video description to some articles about the word literally and how its use has changed and its meaning has changed.7:23
  154. Now, how did I use it?7:31
  155. Like you literally had to spit it out.7:33
  156. There I am using it to mean actually.7:36
  157. I'm not just adding emphasis.7:38
  158. I'm asking, you had no other options than to actually physically spit it out.7:40
  159. He claims he didn't.7:46
  160. Like you literally had to spit it out.7:48
  161. Can you do it again without spitting it?7:51
  162. No, I don't want anymore, huh?7:53
  163. Ever.7:56
  164. I'm done trying.7:57
  165. You'll never be convinced again.7:58
  166. No, this is one of the best you've ever had and I had a vomit reaction.8:00
  167. Is there agreement here?8:03
  168. He said he had a vomit reaction.8:05
  169. Another way to say vomit is to say throw up, which is a phrasal verb, which means your food comes back up out of you.8:08
  170. He had a vomit reaction to watermelon.8:15
  171. This guy really hates watermelon.8:18
  172. It's an excellent melon.8:20
  173. It's a tasty watermelon.8:22
  174. It's a tasty watermelon.8:23
  175. So there we just heard two other opinions and two other descriptors.8:24
  176. Excellent and tasty.8:28
  177. Everyone else seems to really like this watermelon.8:31
  178. I thought it was a very good watermelon.8:34
  179. I only like watermelon really this time of year when they're the real sweet, juicy ones.8:36
  180. I find, you know, watermelon in the off season to be pretty terrible.8:42
  181. More descriptors, very good, sweet, juicy, also terrible in the off season in the U .S.8:47
  182. when they're imported from further away.8:53
  183. I'm all in favor of this watermelon.8:56
  184. She is all in favor of watermelon.8:58
  185. She thinks it's a great one.9:01
  186. We often use the term all in favor of when we need to challenge something or part of something.9:03
  187. For example, I'm all in favor of less screen time for kids, but when we're flying, I do let him use my iPad.9:09
  188. Or I'm all in favor of exercising more, but I can't make myself do it five times a week.9:17
  189. I'm all in favor of.9:24
  190. I'm all in favor of this watermelon.9:26
  191. I'm grateful that everyone liked the watermelon.9:28
  192. I bought the watermelon at the Woods Edge Farm Stand, which is about a mile from here.9:30
  193. It started out as a guy just selling stuff that he grew, sort of greenhouse greens and vegetables, but now they also buy things from the produce auction, including from9:34
  194. farther afield.9:44
  195. So this is a Virginia grown watermelon, but from the produce auction.9:45
  196. And I found it pretty delicious.9:50
  197. I thought it was good.9:52
  198. My friend, Jacob, used the phrase farther afield.9:54
  199. You can also say further afield.9:58
  200. This means not the nearest, closest or most obvious place.10:00
  201. For example, we didn't find a solution to the problem with our preliminary research, so we'll have to look further afield.10:05
  202. Or there isn't a pet adoption agency in our neighborhood, so we'll have to look farther afield.10:13
  203. As Jacob used it, the watermelon was not grown there on that local farm, but brought in from somewhere farther afield, somewhere else in Virginia.10:20
  204. But now they also buy things from the produce auction, including from farther afield.10:29
  205. So this is a Virginia grown watermelon, but from the produce auction.10:33
  206. And I found it pretty delicious.10:39
  207. How did you choose it?10:41
  208. I thought it was good.10:41
  209. Two more positive descriptors for the watermelon.10:43
  210. Delicious and good.10:45
  211. So let's review our descriptors.10:47
  212. The people who liked it said it was amazing.10:49
  213. One of the best I've ever had.10:52
  214. Excellent.10:54
  215. Tasty.10:55
  216. Very good.10:56
  217. Words to describe not liking it were hate, awful, vomit reaction, disgusting, and terrible.10:58
  218. Okay, now this video is not over, but since I'm hungry right now, I'm going to ask you one of your favorite foods.11:06
  219. Put it in the comments below.11:13
  220. And if there's a recipe involved, put a link to a YouTube video where someone is making that.11:15
  221. I love watching YouTube videos of people making food like pasta grannies and Joshua Weissman.11:20
  222. Okay, now that we got that taken care of, let's review this whole short conversation again.11:26
  223. Notice the descriptive words for food and think about how you would talk about your very favorite and least favorite foods in English.11:31
  224. David hates watermelon, he thinks.11:41
  225. I know, but I want to try again.11:44
  226. You said it was the best one you've ever had.11:45
  227. I didn't say that.11:47
  228. You say one of the best?11:48
  229. I probably said that.11:49
  230. I said it's amazing watermelon and if you're going to try it again, now's the time to try it.11:51
  231. Oh, you're just going to have bite of mine?11:54
  232. Yeah.11:56
  233. Oh.11:57
  234. What?12:02
  235. No.12:03
  236. That's awful.12:05
  237. What?12:06
  238. I don't get it.12:07
  239. The melaniness is...12:08
  240. Is it the texture or the taste?12:10
  241. No, there's a flavor.12:11
  242. It's like...12:14
  243. I don't know.12:15
  244. It's such a good one.12:17
  245. You guys are crazy.12:18
  246. Like you literally had to spit it out.12:19
  247. Can you do it again without spitting it?12:22
  248. No, I don't want it anymore.12:24
  249. Ever.12:26
  250. Don't try it.12:28
  251. You'll never be convinced again.12:29
  252. No, this is one of the best you've ever had and I had a vomit reaction.12:31
  253. Is there agreement here?12:34
  254. It's an excellent melon.12:36
  255. It's a tasty watermelon.12:37
  256. It's a tasty watermelon.12:38
  257. I thought it was a very good watermelon.12:39
  258. I only like watermelon really this time of year when they're the real sweet, juicy ones.12:41
  259. I find watermelon in the off season to be pretty terrible.12:47
  260. I'm all in favor of this watermelon.12:52
  261. I'm grateful that everyone liked the watermelon.12:54
  262. I bought the watermelon at the Woods Edge Farm Stand, which is about a mile from here.12:56
  263. It started out as a guy just selling stuff that he grew, sort of greenhouse greens and vegetables, but now they also buy things from the produce auction, including from13:00
  264. farther their field.13:10
  265. So this is a Virginia grown watermelon from the produce auction.13:10
  266. And I found it pretty delicious.13:16
  267. How did you choose that?13:18
  268. I thought it was good.13:19
  269. Now a throwback to when my first son was a newborn.13:20
  270. Well, I had a big change in my life this year.13:24
  271. So in this American English pronunciation video, you're going to meet someone very special and we're going to study real life American English.13:27
  272. This is my son, Stoney.13:37
  273. He was born in January, so he's almost four months old.13:38
  274. So far, his life consists mostly of eating and sleeping, although not sleeping too much, which is why I look so tired, and also meeting friends and family.13:43
  275. Here he is meeting his grandma and grandpa, my husband's parents.13:55
  276. Yeah, two fingers.13:59
  277. Oh, you're going to get a mouthful of skin.14:02
  278. Did you notice how my mother -in -law reduced going to to gunna?14:05
  279. Americans do this all the time.14:11
  280. Two syllables, very relaxed.14:14
  281. Gunna.14:17
  282. Do that with me.14:18
  283. Gunna.14:21
  284. Gunna.14:23
  285. Gunna.14:24
  286. Gunna.14:25
  287. You're going to get a mouthful of skin.14:26
  288. Oh, he definitely knows they're there.14:37
  289. Did you notice the contractions, Grandma used?14:42
  290. Americans use contractions all the time in speaking.14:45
  291. First, there.14:48
  292. This is the contraction of they are.14:50
  293. Often in conversation, Americans will reduce this contraction so it sounds like they're.14:52
  294. They're.14:59
  295. But here, Grandma used the full pronunciation, they're.15:00
  296. When it's fully pronounced, it sounds just like two other words, they're and they're.15:04
  297. Here she said they're there, talking about his fingers.15:11
  298. Two different words, but they sound the same.15:15
  299. Listen again.15:18
  300. Oh, he definitely knows they're there.15:19
  301. They're there.15:23
  302. They're there.15:24
  303. So did you guys have good traffic down?15:25
  304. Oh, we did.15:27
  305. Wonderful traffic.15:28
  306. I reduced did here.15:30
  307. So did you guys became so did you guys.15:33
  308. I reduced did to just the ending D.15:37
  309. And when the D sound is followed by you or your, it combines with the Y sound and becomes J.15:41
  310. Did you guys becomes you guys.15:48
  311. You guys have good traffic?15:52
  312. Listen again.15:54
  313. So did you guys have, so did you guys have, so did you guys have, so did you guys have.15:56
  314. Did you is a very common word combination in conversational English.16:00
  315. Pay attention as you study English and see if you notice this reduction.16:04
  316. Try using it yourself.16:09
  317. Do you see that?16:12
  318. Do you know that?16:13
  319. Do you, do you?16:15
  320. It can also be reduced further to J with the schwa.16:17
  321. Just see that.16:22
  322. Do you know that?16:24
  323. How is it to hold them?16:27
  324. Oh, how is it?16:28
  325. Oh, I don't know.16:30
  326. It's beyond description.16:32
  327. How is it to hold them?16:34
  328. What do you notice about the word him in this phrase?16:36
  329. How is it to hold them?16:39
  330. How is it to hold them?16:41
  331. How is it to hold them?16:42
  332. The H was dropped.16:43
  333. Hold them.16:45
  334. Hold them.16:46
  335. And the two words linked together with no gap in between.16:47
  336. This is a very common conversational pronunciation of function words that begin with H, like him, her, his, have, has, and had.16:51
  337. How is it to hold them?17:03
  338. Oh, how is it?17:05
  339. Oh, I don't know.17:07
  340. It's beyond description.17:08
  341. Hi.17:12
  342. Come on in.17:13
  343. You might not have understood this phrase, come on in.17:14
  344. It was all very linked together.17:19
  345. Come on in.17:21
  346. Come on in.17:22
  347. Come on in.17:24
  348. Two consonant to vowel links.17:25
  349. Come on in.17:29
  350. Come on in.17:33
  351. You can use this phrase when welcoming someone to your house.17:35
  352. Come on in.17:39
  353. Listen again.17:40
  354. Come on in.17:42
  355. Hi, baby.17:43
  356. Hi, Stan.17:45
  357. Hi.17:47
  358. Oh, I'm so new to you.17:49
  359. New to you.17:51
  360. Grandpa.17:53
  361. I brought you some toys.17:55
  362. Oh, boy.17:57
  363. I bet you did.17:58
  364. I bet you did.18:01
  365. Earlier in this video, you learned that when D is followed by U, you can combine the D and Y to make a J sound, Jiu.18:02
  366. There is a similar rule.18:12
  367. When T is followed by U or Yor, you can combine T and Y to make CH.18:13
  368. Now U will sound like Chu, or you can leave in the Y sound, Chu.18:19
  369. Also, like I did here, you can reduce the vowel to the schwa.18:26
  370. Ch, betcha, or betcha.18:30
  371. You'll hear this a lot.18:34
  372. Listen again.18:35
  373. I bet you did.18:36
  374. I bet you did.18:38
  375. I bet you did.18:40
  376. In the beginning, he didn't do much, so we just sat around and stared at him.18:41
  377. This was okay with us.18:46
  378. It never got boring.18:48
  379. Are you gonna smile?18:49
  380. Another gunna.18:51
  381. Are you gonna smile?18:53
  382. Are you gonna smile?18:55
  383. Are you gonna smile?18:57
  384. Huh?19:01
  385. We did get a couple of his first smiles on camera.19:02
  386. The first four months have been so fun.19:06
  387. He's changing a lot, kicking, and he has even started talking.19:09
  388. His head's kind of big, so he has a hard time holding it up.19:17
  389. Some people have asked me about his name, Stony.19:21
  390. It's not very common in America.19:24
  391. In fact, most people say they've never heard of it or never known anyone named Stony.19:26
  392. It's just like the word stone with the st consonant cluster.19:32
  393. What do you think about your name?19:37
  394. Do you like it?19:39
  395. I think he's not sure yet.19:41
  396. It has the st consonant cluster, the o diphthong, the n consonant stone, so it's just like stone, and then a little unstressed e at the end, Stony.19:43
  397. You already know Stony if you're subscribed to my mailing list.19:57
  398. If you're not subscribed, sign up now.20:01
  399. You get a free weekly newsletter with English lessons and also photos and stories from my life.20:04
  400. Also, if you're not on the list and you sign up now, you get access to a free 10 -day mini course in Accent Reduction sent right to your inbox,20:10
  401. so sign up here.20:20
  402. That's it, and thanks so much for using Rachel's English.20:22
  403. Can you say bye, Stony?20:27
  404. Do you want to say bye to everybody?20:29
  405. Do you want to say bye?20:31
  406. What do you think?20:33
  407. He likes funny noises.20:36
  408. But not right now because he's too tired.20:43
  409. Bye, everybody.20:47
  410. Bye, everybody.20:48
  411. And now you'll meet my parents on top of a mountain.20:51
  412. Today's topics, words that reduce, at, for, that, can, and, was, and probably.20:54
  413. This...21:06
  414. Oh.21:07
  415. There we go.21:08
  416. So we're at 12 ,335 feet.21:09
  417. Now, yesterday morning when I got on the plane, I was at about one foot there at New York's LaGuardia Airport.21:12
  418. So no wonder I had such a hard time catching my breath on this hike.21:21
  419. So for the metric fans of Rachel's English, this is almost 4 ,000 meters.21:26
  420. It's pretty high.21:32
  421. Americans speak with a mix of long and short syllables.21:33
  422. It's what helps make speech clear to us.21:37
  423. Short syllables are often reductions.21:40
  424. Words where we've changed or dropped a sound to help us say them faster.21:43
  425. Let's discuss three reductions in the passage you just saw.21:49
  426. The first is the word at.21:54
  427. At has the a vowel.21:56
  428. But usually we reduce that in a sentence to the schwa.21:59
  429. I can make that very fast.22:03
  430. It's abrupt because I'm making a stop T.22:07
  431. That's because the next word begins with a consonant.22:11
  432. At 12.22:14
  433. At...22:15
  434. At...22:16
  435. At 12.22:17
  436. We're at 12.22:18
  437. When I make the word at, very short, it makes the word 12 more important.22:20
  438. This is what makes English clear.22:26
  439. Listen again.22:29
  440. At 12.22:30
  441. At 12.22:31
  442. At 12.22:31
  443. At 12 ,335 feet.22:32
  444. Now, yesterday morning when I got on the plane, I was at about one foot.22:36
  445. Another at example.22:40
  446. I was at about one foot.22:42
  447. I was at about.22:45
  448. I was at about.22:47
  449. Do you hear how I and bout are clearer?22:48
  450. The middle three syllables are all less clear.22:53
  451. Was it a?22:57
  452. Was it a?22:59
  453. Though it may seem wrong to make some syllables less clear, it actually makes speech overall more clear to Americans because American English depends on this contrast of long and23:00
  454. short syllables.23:13
  455. Was it a?23:15
  456. Was it a?23:16
  457. Practice that with me.23:17
  458. Was it a?23:19
  459. Was it a?23:21
  460. Was it a?23:22
  461. You really need to simplify the sounds and mouth movements and take some of the energy and volume out of the voice to make these syllables fast.23:24
  462. Yes, do that.23:34
  463. Was it a?23:36
  464. Was it a?23:37
  465. I was at about.23:39
  466. Listen again.23:40
  467. I was at about.23:42
  468. I was at about.23:43
  469. I was at about one foot.23:44
  470. They're at New York's LaGuardia Airport.23:46
  471. So no wonder I had such a hard time catching my breath on this hike.23:49
  472. So for the metric fans of Rachel's English.23:54
  473. The reduction of the word for for in his sentence, you'll usually hear it as for how fast can you make it practice for for for listen again.23:58
  474. For the metric fan for for for for for for the metric fans of Rachel's English.24:14
  475. This is almost 4000 meters.24:20
  476. It's pretty high.24:23
  477. Finally, the word that's was reduced to it's pretty.24:24
  478. It's pretty high.24:30
  479. It's this is the same reduction we would use for what's or it's at the end of the video.24:33
  480. Follow the link for more information on the reduction.24:40
  481. It's pretty high.24:50
  482. It's pretty high.24:53
  483. It's pretty high.24:55
  484. It's pretty high.24:56
  485. Very high.24:57
  486. As you can see.24:57
  487. Very cold and windy.24:59
  488. Yeah.25:00
  489. We just heard two more reductions.25:02
  490. The word can a helping verb here was reduced to can how fast can you make that practice with me can can can can can see listen again can see25:04
  491. can see can can can can can see very cold and windy and the and reduction.25:23
  492. Practice with me.25:32
  493. Make it fast.25:36
  494. Cold and.25:39
  495. Cold and windy.25:42
  496. Very cold and windy.25:45
  497. Cold and cold and cold and very cold and windy.25:46
  498. It's very interesting landscape.25:51
  499. Mom, what did that sign say about this?25:57
  500. Mom reduced was.26:03
  501. She said was instead of was.26:07
  502. It's less clear, isn't it?26:11
  503. Was was that this was once was that's exactly what we want for these unimportant words.26:13
  504. Listen again.26:22
  505. it said that this was this was this was it said that this was this was this was it said that this was this was it said that this was26:23
  506. this was it said that this was it said that this was it said that this was it said that this was it said that this was it said that26:45
  507. this was it said that this was it said that this was it said that this was it said that this was it said that this was it said that26:50
  508. this was it said that this was it said that this was it said that this was it said that this was it said that this was it said that26:51
  509. this was it said that this was it said that this was was that was pushed it was it was it was pushed and thrust upward by tremendous pressures of26:51
  510. the earth wow yeah you can see some patches of snow over there did you catch that can reduction can you can you can see can can yeah you can27:02
  511. can can see some patches of snow you can see some patches of snow over there where right over there they're very dirty right that's all that's left from last27:18
  512. year's snowfall and they'll probably get snow here within the next couple of weeks did you hear how my dad said probably he reduced it to probably probably probably probably27:29
  513. probably and they'll probably get snow and they'll probably get snow and they'll probably get snow a real life example of the word probably at the end of the video27:42
  514. follow the link for more information on reducing this word you can see some patches of snow over there where right over there they're very dirty right that's all that's27:52
  515. left from last year's snowfall and they'll probably get snow here within the next couple of weeks i hope you enjoyed this cold and mountaintop study of real life american28:04
  516. english i know it seems strange to pronounce things quickly not fully but reductions are an important part of american english follow the links here or in the description below28:17
  517. for more information on the reductions we studied today now we'll go from the cold of the mountains to summer vacation this is my uncle frank hey uncle frank brings28:30
  518. his boat every year so that we can did you notice the reductions of the word that and can these two function words will often reduce that becomes the with28:43
  519. either a flap or stop T depending on the next sound and can when not the main verb in a sentence becomes can can so the weekend so the weekend28:54
  520. so that we can try skiing try and skiing the two content words in this sentence are clearly much longer than so that we can so that we can so29:05
  521. that we can these four function words are low in pitch and very fast listen again so that we can try skiing so that we can try skiing so that29:16
  522. we can try skiing sure appreciate that uncle frank i'm glad to bring it glad to bring it here frank reduced the word two to the flap T and the29:26
  523. schwa sound d d d glad to glad to glad to bring it listen again i'm glad to bring it i'm glad to bring it i'm glad to bring it29:36
  524. this boat is 17 years old and i was beginning to wonder earlier in the week if i was going to bring it back again here frank reduced the phrase29:45
  525. going toe toe gana a very common reduction in american anglish if i was going to bring it back gana gana if i was going to bring it back listen29:53
  526. again i was beginning to wonder earlier in the week if i was going to bring it back again if i was going to bring it back again if I30:03
  527. was going to bring it back again, but it seems like people are still kind of interested in skiing.30:09
  528. We love it!30:13
  529. Love it!30:15
  530. Did you hear how I connected the V sound to the word it?30:16
  531. One of the easiest ways to link in American English pronunciation is the case when one word ends in a consonant and the next word begins with a vowel or30:20
  532. diphthong.30:29
  533. You can practice the connection between words by putting the ending consonant on the next word.30:30
  534. Vit, vit, vit.30:35
  535. Love it, love it, love it.30:38
  536. This will help to eliminate gaps between words.30:41
  537. In American English, we want to link all the words in one thought group.30:44
  538. Listen again.30:49
  539. We love it, we love it, we love it.30:50
  540. We'll see if it'll go a couple more years.30:53
  541. Yeah, I hope it does.30:55
  542. So Jace, you gonna go skiing today?30:57
  543. Another gunna.31:00
  544. You gonna go skiing today?31:02
  545. You gonna go skiing today?31:03
  546. You gonna go skiing today?31:04
  547. Yeah.31:06
  548. Have you been before?31:06
  549. No.31:08
  550. This is the first year.31:09
  551. Yep.31:10
  552. Are you nervous?31:11
  553. A little.31:12
  554. Yeah.31:14
  555. It might take a couple tries, so don't be discouraged if it doesn't happen right away.31:15
  556. Right away.31:20
  557. Did you notice how I linked the ending T of right to the beginning vowel sound of away?31:21
  558. This means that the T comes between two vowels, so it becomes a flap T.31:27
  559. Or a D sound.31:32
  560. So right away sounds just like right away.31:34
  561. Listen again.31:39
  562. If it doesn't happen right away.31:40
  563. If it doesn't happen right away.31:41
  564. If it doesn't happen right away.31:42
  565. Okay.31:44
  566. Yeah.31:44
  567. Okay.31:45
  568. Okay.31:46
  569. Meg, are you gonna try skiing?31:47
  570. Another gunna.31:49
  571. Also notice I've reduced the word R to rr, rr, rr.31:50
  572. Listen again.31:56
  573. Meg, are you gonna try skiing?31:57
  574. Meg, are you gonna try skiing?31:58
  575. Meg, are you gonna try skiing?32:00
  576. I don't think so.32:01
  577. I tried it when I was 10 and I was traumatized because I fell and it hurts.32:02
  578. Oh yeah.32:06
  579. I think I'm just gonna stick to a bystander.32:07
  580. Hailey, have you skied before?32:10
  581. I've done sit skiing before when I was like 6.32:12
  582. Wait, yeah, what is that?32:15
  583. What is?32:17
  584. Just like with right away, we're connecting the ending T in what to the beginning vowel of the word is.32:18
  585. So the T turns into a flap T or D sound.32:25
  586. What is?32:29
  587. What is?32:30
  588. Listen again.32:31
  589. What is that?32:32
  590. What is that?32:33
  591. What is that?32:33
  592. It's got the skis.32:34
  593. Yeah?32:35
  594. It's like a chair in the middle and he's just sitting there.32:36
  595. Really?32:37
  596. I've never even heard of that.32:39
  597. Heard of.32:40
  598. Another linking consonant to vowel.32:41
  599. Heard of.32:44
  600. Heard of.32:46
  601. Notice that I am reducing the word of to the schwa V sound.32:47
  602. E -v -e -v.32:51
  603. D -v -d -v.32:52
  604. Heard of.32:53
  605. I've never even heard of that.32:55
  606. I've never even heard of that.32:56
  607. I've never even heard of that.32:58
  608. I haven't either.33:00
  609. I've done it.33:01
  610. Done it.33:02
  611. Another great example of linking ending consonant to beginning vowel.33:02
  612. Done it.33:07
  613. Done it.33:08
  614. I've done it.33:09
  615. I've done it.33:10
  616. I've done it.33:11
  617. So I'm nervous to do this.33:12
  618. I think you'll be just fine.33:13
  619. Thanks.33:15
  620. I'm ready.33:16
  621. Here, Hailey reduced the contraction I'm to simply the M consonant.33:17
  622. I'm ready.33:22
  623. Of course, with that reduction, she linked it to the next word.33:23
  624. I'm ready.33:27
  625. Listen again.33:28
  626. Ready.33:29
  627. Ready.33:29
  628. Ready.33:30
  629. This is my cousin, Brooke.33:32
  630. Brooke, how are you enjoying your vacation?33:34
  631. I'm having a great time on my vacation.33:36
  632. What's the highlight of your vacation so far?33:38
  633. I think the highlight of the vacation so far is spending time with you, Rachel.33:41
  634. Oh, that's so sweet.33:44
  635. Okay, step right up here.33:45
  636. Oni, did you make that necklace?33:47
  637. Can you hold it up for me?33:51
  638. Another reduction of can.33:53
  639. Can.33:55
  640. Can you.33:55
  641. Can you.33:57
  642. Can you hold it up for me?33:58
  643. Can you hold it up for me?34:00
  644. Can you hold it up for me?34:01
  645. This?34:04
  646. Yeah.34:05
  647. It's really pretty.34:07
  648. It's really pretty.34:08
  649. A reduction of it to the TS sound.34:10
  650. It's really.34:14
  651. It's really.34:15
  652. It's really pretty.34:15
  653. It's really pretty.34:17
  654. It's really pretty.34:18
  655. Where'd you make that?34:19
  656. At the craft shop.34:21
  657. The craft shop?34:23
  658. Let me see.34:24
  659. Have you ever heard someone say lemmy?34:26
  660. I've dropped the T in let and connected it to me.34:28
  661. Lemmy.34:32
  662. Lemmy.34:32
  663. Let me see that.34:33
  664. Lemmy see.34:34
  665. Lemmy see.34:35
  666. Lemmy see.34:36
  667. What's it say?34:37
  668. Giggle.34:39
  669. Giggle.34:40
  670. Oh, it does say giggle.34:41
  671. That's a hard word.34:43
  672. It has those good sounds and a dark L.34:45
  673. Giggle.34:48
  674. Hey, Brad.34:50
  675. What are you doing?34:51
  676. I'm doing some advertising.34:52
  677. We're doing a little advertising, yeah?34:53
  678. Hey, Rach.34:55
  679. I love that shirt.34:57
  680. Where'd you get that?34:58
  681. Well, I made it.34:59
  682. Made it.35:00
  683. Linking ending consonant to beginning vowel.35:02
  684. Made it.35:05
  685. Well, I made it.35:06
  686. Well, I made it.35:07
  687. Well, I made it.35:08
  688. Oh, now what is this?35:09
  689. It says I love English and international phonetic alphabet.35:11
  690. Oh my gosh, that's so great.35:14
  691. Where can I get one?35:16
  692. Actually, you can get one right here.35:17
  693. Rachel's English dot com.35:19
  694. Yeah, do you want to be on our website, Brad?35:24
  695. Wanna.35:27
  696. Here I use the wanna reduction for want to.35:28
  697. Do you wanna?35:32
  698. Yeah, do you want to be on our website, Brad?35:33
  699. Yeah, do you want to be on our website, Brad?35:36
  700. Yeah, do you want to be on our website, Brad?35:38
  701. Kinda.35:41
  702. Kinda.35:42
  703. Here Brad reduced kind of to kinda.35:43
  704. So, the word of is pronounced with just the schwa, no consonant sound.35:47
  705. Kinda.35:53
  706. Kinda.35:54
  707. Kinda.35:56
  708. Kinda.35:57
  709. Okay, this is my cousin, Brad.35:58
  710. Hi.36:01
  711. Brad, B -R -A -D, it has the a as in bat vowel.36:02
  712. And remember, cousin, spelled with an s, pronounced ss, like a z.36:07
  713. Now it's game time.36:14
  714. Here we'll all tell the scorekeeper if we made our bet or not.36:16
  715. Made it.36:20
  716. Listen for how we all link those two words together.36:21
  717. Made it.36:25
  718. No gap.36:26
  719. Okay, who made it?36:27
  720. I made it.36:29
  721. Roberta.36:30
  722. I made it.36:31
  723. Rachel.36:33
  724. Oh, Rita.36:34
  725. I made it.36:35
  726. Cut me out.36:36
  727. Made it.36:39
  728. Made it.36:41
  729. Yes, I also made it.36:43
  730. Uncle Dale, did you make that fire?36:47
  731. I helped with it.36:50
  732. It's a nice looking fire.36:51
  733. Thanks.36:52
  734. Hey everybody, this is my Uncle Dale.36:53
  735. He lives in Texas.36:55
  736. Houston, Texas.36:58
  737. And from summer vacation, we're jumping into fall.36:59
  738. Hey guys, it's fall and I'm here with my friend Laura.37:04
  739. Hey.37:07
  740. You've probably seen some of our other baking videos.37:08
  741. Every fall I come up to Massachusetts where Laura lives.37:11
  742. And we make a variety of things.37:13
  743. One year we made a pumpkin pie, which we're making this year but not in a video.37:16
  744. But this year, we're going to focus on apple dumplings.37:20
  745. Not apple fritters.37:25
  746. So if you want to learn how to make apple dumplings, you should probably look it up because this is not really a recipe video, but this is a real37:26
  747. life English video where you get to study English conversation happening as it actually does.37:34
  748. So you're going to do the apples?37:40
  749. Yeah.37:42
  750. Okay.37:42
  751. I'll make the pastry.37:43
  752. As always, there are lots of reductions to study in American English.37:45
  753. Did you notice, gunna?37:50
  754. This is how Americans pronounce going to much of the time.37:53
  755. Listen again.37:58
  756. So you're going to do the apples?37:59
  757. So you're going to do the apples?38:01
  758. So you're going to do the apples?38:03
  759. Yeah.38:06
  760. Okay.38:06
  761. I'll make the pastry.38:07
  762. I used this reduction with another reduction, year.38:08
  763. The you are contraction, your, is reduced this way in a sentence.38:14
  764. Year.38:20
  765. You're gunna.38:21
  766. Repeat that.38:22
  767. You're gunna.38:25
  768. You're gunna.38:26
  769. Let's hear it again.38:28
  770. So you're gunna do the apples?38:30
  771. So you're gunna do the apples?38:32
  772. So you're gunna do the apples?38:34
  773. Yeah.38:36
  774. Okay.38:37
  775. I'll make the pastry.38:38
  776. The I will contraction, aisle, is often reduced.38:40
  777. Then it sounds more like all, all, I'll make.38:44
  778. Repeat that with me.38:49
  779. All.38:50
  780. I'll make.38:52
  781. Listen again.38:53
  782. I'll make the pastry.38:55
  783. I'll make the pastry.38:57
  784. I'll make the pastry.38:58
  785. Wait, is this a cup?39:01
  786. Yes.39:03
  787. It is.39:05
  788. You sure?39:06
  789. Yeah.39:07
  790. Okay.39:07
  791. I'm using this one.39:08
  792. Just, just let me see him.39:10
  793. A couple of things to notice about this sentence.39:12
  794. The T in the word just was dropped.39:16
  795. We often drop the T when it comes between two consonants as it does here.39:20
  796. Just let.39:26
  797. Just let.39:28
  798. Next, let me became lemmy.39:30
  799. The T was totally dropped.39:35
  800. The two words let me are often pronounced together this way.39:38
  801. Let me see.39:44
  802. Let me try.39:45
  803. Repeat that with me.39:47
  804. Lemmy.39:49
  805. Lemmy.39:51
  806. Lemmy see.39:52
  807. And finally the reduction of them to um.39:54
  808. This is another common reduction.39:59
  809. Repeat that with me.40:02
  810. Um.40:04
  811. Um.40:05
  812. I have a video on this reduction.40:07
  813. See it by clicking here or in the description below.40:10
  814. Let's do this sentence slowly together.40:14
  815. Just lemmy see him.40:19
  816. Just lemmy see him.40:23
  817. Just lemmy see him.40:27
  818. Listen again.40:30
  819. Just lemmy see him.40:32
  820. Just lemmy see him.40:33
  821. Just lemmy see him.40:34
  822. Yeah, they're the same.40:37
  823. The they are contraction.40:39
  824. They are can also be reduced rather than fully pronouncing they're it's the.40:43
  825. The TH sound and the R sound.40:51
  826. The.40:54
  827. Try that.40:55
  828. The.40:57
  829. They're the same.40:58
  830. Listen again.41:00
  831. Yeah, they're the same.41:02
  832. Yeah, they're the same.41:03
  833. Yeah, they're the same.41:04
  834. Okay, I just feel more comfortable using the one that says it's a cup.41:05
  835. Okay.41:09
  836. The word comfortable looks like it should have four syllables, but most Americans pronounce it with three.41:11
  837. I pronounced it comf -dur -ble.41:20
  838. I made a video on this word already.41:24
  839. You can see it by clicking here or in the description below.41:27
  840. Comf -dur -ble.41:32
  841. Listen again.41:35
  842. I just feel more comfortable.41:37
  843. I just feel more comfortable.41:38
  844. I just feel more comfortable using the one that says it's a cup.41:39
  845. Okay.41:43
  846. Now, Laura, for how many years did you train as a pastry chef?41:46
  847. 15.41:51
  848. Wow.41:52
  849. Yeah.41:53
  850. That's a lot of training.41:54
  851. Oh, wait, 15.41:55
  852. Mine's the 15 years that I didn't train.41:56
  853. Neither of us are professionals here.41:59
  854. No, I know it looks like we are.42:01
  855. With our methods.42:03
  856. Neither.42:06
  857. Neither.42:07
  858. This word can be pronounced both ways.42:09
  859. Sometimes people think one way is British and one way is American, but either one sounds just fine in American English.42:12
  860. Okay, where is the new flower?42:22
  861. In the back.42:26
  862. Here it is.42:27
  863. I had a fan write it and tell me that I don't follow the rules for the pronunciation of the word the.42:29
  864. Oh, really?42:36
  865. What are the rules?42:37
  866. Well, I noticed just then that I did not use it correctly.42:37
  867. The rule is if the word after the begins with a consonant sound, pronounce it the with the schwa vowel.42:41
  868. Uh, uh, the.42:51
  869. If the word after the begins with a vowel or diphthong, then pronounce it the with the e as in she vowel.42:53
  870. E, e, the.43:03
  871. The, it should be a schwa before a consonant.43:06
  872. So I said where's the new.43:11
  873. But I said where's the new?43:13
  874. And I said the.43:15
  875. Oh.43:16
  876. I'm not only supposed to do that before vowels, but since that person pointed out, I noticed that I.43:16
  877. You do that quite a bit.43:22
  878. So it's not like it would be strange.43:24
  879. It's not strange because no one has ever said Rachel.43:26
  880. Shouldn't that be the like no native speaker has ever noticed.43:30
  881. And I didn't even think about it when you just said it.43:34
  882. No one thinks about it.43:36
  883. If you ever say the instead of the people probably won't notice.43:37
  884. Also, make sure to always keep this word short, whether it's with the schwa or the e vowel.43:43
  885. The.43:51
  886. The.43:53
  887. This is a very large bag of flour.43:54
  888. Okay.43:57
  889. Now I'm just curious how much of it can I spill?43:57
  890. I'm guessing quite a bit.44:02
  891. We have a vacuum.44:06
  892. Okay.44:07
  893. Oh crap.44:08
  894. Crap.44:10
  895. This is a word you can use when you mess something up.44:11
  896. To mess something up is an idiom meaning to do something the wrong way or to cause an outcome other than what you intended.44:15
  897. I turned left instead of right.44:26
  898. I messed up.44:28
  899. Crap is like a cuss word, but less offensive.44:30
  900. Still, you don't want to use it in a professional setting and some people might be offended by it.44:34
  901. I think it's fine to use in a casual setting among friends.44:40
  902. Crap.44:45
  903. Crap.44:46
  904. This is the less offensive version of the word shit.44:48
  905. Oh crap.44:52
  906. Oh crap.44:54
  907. Oh crap.44:56
  908. What was the article in that Mark was reading about trans fats?44:58
  909. I don't know.45:03
  910. The Atlantic?45:04
  911. I don't think so.45:05
  912. He's been on this kick for a while, so okay.45:06
  913. Let's go back and study the phrase I don't know.45:10
  914. I don't know.45:14
  915. Notice how Laura dropped the T all together.45:16
  916. I don't know.45:20
  917. I don't know.45:22
  918. In the phrase I don't think so, there was a little break in the sound before think.45:23
  919. I don't think so.45:30
  920. The sign of a stop T.45:32
  921. But in I don't know.45:35
  922. There was no stop, no T at all.45:38
  923. This is a common pronunciation of this phrase.45:40
  924. I don't know.45:44
  925. I don't know.45:47
  926. Listen again.45:48
  927. I don't know.45:50
  928. I don't know.45:52
  929. I don't know.45:53
  930. The Atlantic?45:55
  931. I don't think so.45:56
  932. He's been on this kick for a while, so okay.45:57
  933. I like how you just use the idiom to be on a kick.46:01
  934. The idiom to be on a kick means to be enthusiastic about something for a period of time.46:03
  935. I'm on a yoga kick means I don't typically do a lot of yoga, but recently I've done it a lot and enjoy it.46:11
  936. Or you could say I'm on a salad kick.46:21
  937. I've been eating a lot of salad lately.46:25
  938. Here Mark is on a trans fat kick.46:28
  939. He's careful not to eat trans fats.46:32
  940. Listen again.46:35
  941. He's been on this kick for a while, so he's been on this kick for a while, so he's been on this kick for a while, so okay.46:37
  942. I think you're...46:44
  943. Oh whoops.46:45
  944. Before I said crap when I messed up.46:48
  945. Here I said whoops, which just like oops, is an exclamation for recognizing a mistake.46:51
  946. This term is not offensive in any way and can be used in any context.47:01
  947. Oh whoops.47:06
  948. With the same vowel as book or could.47:08
  949. Whoops.47:13
  950. Whoops.47:14
  951. Listen again.47:16
  952. Oh whoops.47:17
  953. Oh whoops.47:19
  954. Oh whoops.47:21
  955. How's it going Laura?47:23
  956. It's going.47:25
  957. Last half.47:25
  958. Nice.47:27
  959. And we're done.47:31
  960. Look at those beauties.47:32
  961. So Laura you're working on the sauce.47:35
  962. Another you are your reduction.47:37
  963. I dropped the NG sound and made an N sound on the end of working.47:41
  964. So Laura you're working on the sauce.47:48
  965. So Laura you're working on the sauce.47:51
  966. So Laura you're working on the sauce.47:53
  967. Working.47:56
  968. Working.47:57
  969. Native speakers do this quite a bit, especially with the most common ING verbs.47:59
  970. But I do caution my students against overuse.48:06
  971. Pronounce ING words with the NG sound most of the time.48:11
  972. So Laura you're working on the sauce.48:16
  973. Yeah it's a syrup for the top of the dumplings.48:18
  974. A little butter in there.48:23
  975. A lot of sugar.48:26
  976. So I'm rolling the pastry and then we'll put an apple inside.48:29
  977. Another reduction of a contraction.48:35
  978. We will.48:38
  979. We'll.48:39
  980. Pronounce this as will in a sentence.48:41
  981. It's faster than we'll.48:45
  982. And we want an unstressed word like this to be very fast.48:48
  983. Will.48:53
  984. Repeat that with me.48:54
  985. Will.48:56
  986. Will.48:57
  987. And then we'll put an apple.48:59
  988. And then we'll put an apple.49:00
  989. And then we'll put an apple inside.49:02
  990. They're not as pretty as they're supposed to be.49:06
  991. But I think the flavor will be just as good.49:10
  992. As you listen to the next section, listen for all the reductions and to N or N.49:15
  993. No D sound.49:25
  994. This is how we usually say this word in a sentence.49:28
  995. Cinnamon and sugar.49:32
  996. Then an apple half.49:37
  997. And then more cinnamon and sugar.49:41
  998. And then fold it up.49:45
  999. It's a little sticky.49:47
  1000. It's been a half hour.49:57
  1001. It has reduces to its.50:00
  1002. How was it pronounced in that sentence?50:04
  1003. It's been a half hour.50:07
  1004. It's been a half hour.50:09
  1005. It's been a half hour.50:10
  1006. Simply the TS cluster.50:13
  1007. It's been.50:16
  1008. It's been.50:17
  1009. Repeat that with me.50:18
  1010. It's been.50:20
  1011. It's been a half hour.50:21
  1012. It's, that's, and what's all reduced to the TS cluster.50:24
  1013. Check out the video I made on this topic by clicking here or in the description below.50:30
  1014. It's been a half hour.50:36
  1015. Oh wow.50:41
  1016. Bubbling.50:42
  1017. Oh my God.50:45
  1018. Those look good.50:46
  1019. I've never made this before.50:47
  1020. Wow.50:49
  1021. Yummy.50:51
  1022. Real.50:52
  1023. Sure smells good.50:56
  1024. It tastes just like apple pie.51:03
  1025. Mm -hmm.51:04
  1026. Really good.51:06
  1027. Thanks guys.51:07
  1028. All right, Laura.51:09
  1029. Thank you so much for helping me make this video.51:12
  1030. You're welcome.51:14
  1031. And until next year with Laura at our baking weekend, that's it guys and thanks so much for using Rachel's English.51:15
  1032. We'll keep going with food.51:23
  1033. In this one you'll meet my uncle John.51:25
  1034. In this American English pronunciation video, my uncle John is going to teach you how to make a peach melva.51:28
  1035. In this scene, my uncle is going to be listing things.51:36
  1036. He's going to be giving steps.51:39
  1037. Listen to how he introduces each step.51:41
  1038. Well to make peach melva, you make a raspberry current sauce.51:45
  1039. That's what this is.51:50
  1040. And you start with the current sauce, and then you add some peaches.51:52
  1041. And then if you want ice cream, you add some ice cream.52:03
  1042. Was that vanilla?52:09
  1043. Yep, vanilla.52:10
  1044. And then a little more sauce.52:12
  1045. Another layer, huh?52:15
  1046. Ooh.52:17
  1047. Two more peaches.52:18
  1048. Wow, many layers.52:19
  1049. A little whipped cream.52:23
  1050. Ooh.52:25
  1051. Voila.52:28
  1052. A lot of and, and, and then.52:29
  1053. Let's look at the pronunciation.52:33
  1054. Well to make peach melva, you make a raspberry current sauce.52:36
  1055. That's what this is.52:42
  1056. And you start with the...52:44
  1057. And you start, in, in.52:46
  1058. The word and reduced, in.52:49
  1059. Schwa, in.52:52
  1060. And you start, and you start, and you start with the current sauce, voilem.52:54
  1061. Bonus reduction, the word at, at the, at the, at the bottom.53:01
  1062. At the quick schwa stop tea.53:07
  1063. Current sauce, voilem, voilem, voilem.53:11
  1064. And then you add.53:17
  1065. And then you add.53:18
  1066. And then, and then.53:20
  1067. And, and, and again, the word and reduced.53:23
  1068. And then you add, and then you add, and then you add some peaches.53:27
  1069. And then.53:35
  1070. And then, and then.53:36
  1071. Again schwa, in.53:39
  1072. And then.53:42
  1073. And then, and then, and then.53:43
  1074. And then, you want ice cream, you add some ice cream.53:45
  1075. Is that vanilla?53:50
  1076. Yep, vanilla.53:52
  1077. And then a little more sauce.53:54
  1078. And then, and then.53:56
  1079. And then a little more sauce.53:58
  1080. Another and reduction.54:00
  1081. And then a little more sauce.54:02
  1082. And then a little more sauce.54:04
  1083. And then a little more sauce.54:06
  1084. Notice the word little is pronounced with a flap T.54:08
  1085. little.54:12
  1086. Little.54:12
  1087. Little.54:13
  1088. This is a tricky word and I do have a video on how to pronounce this word.54:14
  1089. So check the description below or click here.54:19
  1090. And then a little more sauce.54:23
  1091. Another layer.54:25
  1092. Two more peaches.54:28
  1093. Wow, many layers.54:29
  1094. A little whipped cream.54:33
  1095. Voila.54:38
  1096. Voila.54:40
  1097. Voila is a French word but we do use it sometimes in American English.54:41
  1098. Voila or voila.54:47
  1099. And when we use it in American English, the pronunciation is changed a little bit so it fits in more with American sounds.54:50
  1100. Voila.54:58
  1101. Voila.55:00
  1102. With that lower American placement.55:01
  1103. And it means there it is, here it is.55:03
  1104. And you might say that when you're finished with something and you're showing it to people.55:06
  1105. Voila.55:12
  1106. Or as some Americans may pronounce it, voila.55:13
  1107. Voila.55:16
  1108. And what's the name in French?55:17
  1109. Peshmelba.55:20
  1110. Voila.55:22
  1111. Wow, look at that.55:24
  1112. I had a Peshmelba at Rick's Cafe in Morocco that was to die for.55:27
  1113. That was to die for.55:33
  1114. Okay, to die for.55:35
  1115. This is an idiom we use when something is just exceptional.55:37
  1116. So good.55:43
  1117. We use it a lot with food, tastes.55:44
  1118. Oh it was to die for.55:48
  1119. It was so delicious.55:50
  1120. Was to die for.55:52
  1121. Was to die for.55:53
  1122. Was to die for.55:54
  1123. Now she does not reduce the word to.55:55
  1124. To die for.55:59
  1125. She is clearly pronouncing each word, stressing it, bringing even more emotion in so that we understand just how good this Peshmelba was.56:00
  1126. And you can reduce that word to.56:14
  1127. To die for.56:18
  1128. To die for.56:19
  1129. We usually reduce the word for, but we don't here because it's going to be the final word in the thought.56:20
  1130. So we don't want to reduce it to for, like we so often do in conversation.56:27
  1131. Leave it for.56:33
  1132. To die for.56:35
  1133. Was to die for.56:36
  1134. Oh really?56:38
  1135. It was wonderful.56:38
  1136. Yeah.56:40
  1137. Is that what gave you the idea to make it?56:41
  1138. Is that what gave you?56:43
  1139. Is that what gave you?56:44
  1140. Notice I dropped the TH in that and connected it to the word before.56:46
  1141. Is that?56:52
  1142. Is that?56:52
  1143. Is that what gave you?56:53
  1144. Is that what gave you the idea to make it?56:54
  1145. No, we've been making it from a long time.56:57
  1146. Okay, well, there you go Teresa.56:59
  1147. He made a monster.57:02
  1148. He made a monster.57:04
  1149. What do I mean by that?57:06
  1150. We can use the word monster to mean really big.57:08
  1151. Have you ever heard of a monster truck?57:12
  1152. When I say he made a monster, I mean he made a very big portion of Peshmelba.57:14
  1153. He made a monster.57:20
  1154. Let me see.57:21
  1155. You want that one?57:23
  1156. Yep.57:24
  1157. Thank you.57:25
  1158. In Casablanca in the movie, there is a fixed cafe and people kept coming to Morocco.57:27
  1159. And, and, there's another word and reduced.57:34
  1160. The D is dropped.57:39
  1161. We almost never say the D in the word and.57:41
  1162. And, and, and, people kept coming to Morocco.57:45
  1163. Coming to Morocco.57:49
  1164. To Morocco.57:51
  1165. The word to reduced.57:52
  1166. Coming to Morocco.57:54
  1167. Coming to Morocco.57:55
  1168. Coming to Morocco.57:57
  1169. Coming to Morocco.57:58
  1170. Coming to Morocco and asking for Rick's cafe.58:00
  1171. There's another and reduction.58:02
  1172. And asking.58:04
  1173. And asking.58:05
  1174. And asking.58:06
  1175. And asking.58:07
  1176. And asking for Rick's cafe.58:08
  1177. In Casablanca.58:09
  1178. But Casablanca was filmed in the United States.58:10
  1179. So a rich American woman decided she was going to make her Rick's cafe.58:13
  1180. She was going to make.58:17
  1181. She was going to make.58:19
  1182. Going to reduced to gunna.58:20
  1183. She was going to make.58:23
  1184. She was going to make.58:24
  1185. She was going to make.58:25
  1186. She was going to make a Rick's cafe.58:26
  1187. And it's very nice.58:28
  1188. Oh really?58:30
  1189. Oh it's great.58:31
  1190. That's fun.58:32
  1191. Maybe a few more peaches.58:34
  1192. Hello pork.58:36
  1193. Actually no, no more peaches.58:37
  1194. Actually, actually.58:39
  1195. This word is supposed to be pronounced with the C -H sound, actually.58:41
  1196. And four syllables, actually.58:46
  1197. But you will notice that very often the C -H sound is changed to the S -H sound.58:51
  1198. This is because we often drop the T when it comes between two other consonants.58:57
  1199. So the C -H sound changes to the S -H sound.59:02
  1200. Actually, actually.59:06
  1201. So I'm reducing it to three syllables.59:09
  1202. This is a common and an easier pronunciation.59:11
  1203. I encourage you to try it.59:14
  1204. Act -shul -ly.59:15
  1205. So the middle syllable is the S -H sound and then the dark L -shul -shul -shul.59:20
  1206. Actually, actually.59:27
  1207. Actually, no, actually, no, actually, no, no more peaches.59:29
  1208. No more peaches.59:32
  1209. Just a little more sauce and then a little cream.59:33
  1210. Little, little, little.59:36
  1211. That word's popping up a lot in this conversation.59:38
  1212. A little more, a little less, a little bit.59:41
  1213. Just a little more sauce and then a little cream.59:44
  1214. I'm getting pretty bossy here, aren't I?59:47
  1215. Pretty with a flap T.59:49
  1216. I'm getting pretty bossy.59:51
  1217. What does that mean to be bossy?59:53
  1218. Notice I'm not saying please or thank you.59:55
  1219. I'm just telling him what to do.59:58
  1220. That's pretty bossy.60:00
  1221. That's pretty rude.60:02
  1222. Luckily, I noticed I was doing it.60:03
  1223. I'm getting pretty bossy here, aren't I?60:06
  1224. Everyone, this man right here is my cousin Kent.60:09
  1225. His daughter, Louisa.60:12
  1226. And you've met Stoney before.60:15
  1227. Kent, do you have anything you want to say?60:17
  1228. Voila.60:20
  1229. You just want to make faces.60:21
  1230. Want to make faces.60:24
  1231. Want to reduced to wanna.60:25
  1232. You just want to make faces.60:28
  1233. Also the word just.60:31
  1234. I dropped the T there.60:33
  1235. Why?60:34
  1236. Because it came between two other consonants.60:35
  1237. Just want to.60:39
  1238. Just wanna.60:42
  1239. Dropping that T between two other consonants makes a smoother transition between sounds and we love connected speech in American English.60:44
  1240. You just want to make faces.60:53
  1241. Thank you so much, John.60:58
  1242. You're welcome.61:00
  1243. That looks amazing.61:01
  1244. Delicious.61:05
  1245. Thanks so much to my family for being in this video.61:06
  1246. If you're interested in making a peach melba, I noticed my good friend Hilah over at Hilah Cooking has a recipe.61:10
  1247. Click here or see the description below.61:18
  1248. And now let's travel.61:21
  1249. Today we'll study some travel vocabulary phrases together as you come with me for a weekend at the Standard Hotel in New York City.61:24
  1250. You'll learn phrases and vocabulary that you might use at a hotel like amenities or incidentals.61:31
  1251. We'll order room service together and enjoy some amazing views.61:38
  1252. First let's check in.61:43
  1253. Hi, I booked online.61:45
  1254. Rachel Smith.61:48
  1255. And then about an hour after I booked, I booked an upgrade.61:50
  1256. I'm using the verb here to book.61:53
  1257. I'm sure you're very familiar with the noun version of this word, book.61:55
  1258. But it's also a verb, which means to reserve something.61:59
  1259. I booked a hotel room.62:02
  1260. You could also book a table at a restaurant.62:03
  1261. This means you've made a reservation.62:06
  1262. You could book a venue for your wedding or a concert venue could book an act or a band.62:09
  1263. The bar around the corner booked my friend's band for Friday.62:15
  1264. Here, OO makes the uh as in push vowel.62:19
  1265. Book, uh, book.62:23
  1266. So both the noun book and the verb book are pronounced exactly the same.62:26
  1267. Hi, um, I booked online.62:32
  1268. Uh, Rachel Smith.62:35
  1269. And then about an hour after I booked, I booked an upgrade.62:36
  1270. I used the term upgrade.62:40
  1271. This means to improve on something, to get a higher quality.62:42
  1272. For example, if you've had your cell phone for a while and it's a bit slow, you might want to get an upgrade.62:46
  1273. Here I'm using it as a noun.62:51
  1274. On a flight, you might be upgraded from an economy to a first class seat.62:53
  1275. Here I'm using it as a verb.62:58
  1276. Upgrade.63:00
  1277. In this case, I booked a hotel room and then the system asked me if I wanted to upgrade.63:00
  1278. The offer seemed like a good deal to me, so I did upgrade.63:06
  1279. I paid a bit more money for a bigger, better room.63:10
  1280. And then about an hour after I booked, I booked an upgrade.63:13
  1281. Because it sounded very enticing what was being offered.63:17
  1282. Do you see how pregnant I am here?63:23
  1283. I'm eight months pregnant.63:25
  1284. And this was the last weekend that my doctor said that I could travel away from home.63:26
  1285. So we took stony to my in -laws, that is David's parents, and took this short trip.63:31
  1286. In the US, you might hear people call this a baby moon.63:36
  1287. That is a relaxing trip you take before it's harder to travel because you have a baby.63:40
  1288. This is related to the term honeymoon, which is a trip you take alone with your partner right after you get married.63:46
  1289. You booked for a water view deluxe catering, right?63:53
  1290. Yes, self -facing.63:56
  1291. Here we're using some terms that you might use when describing a room.63:57
  1292. We booked a king, which means it has a king -sized bed in it.64:01
  1293. King and California king are the two largest -sized beds.64:05
  1294. She used the term water view.64:10
  1295. This simply means what you can see from your room.64:12
  1296. You might have city view, park view, water view, ocean view, garden view, street view.64:16
  1297. This hotel is close to the Hudson River.64:23
  1298. I used the term south -facing.64:26
  1299. This means when you're in your room looking out the window, which direction are you looking?64:29
  1300. I knew I wanted to be south -facing because just north of the hotel are some taller buildings.64:33
  1301. I didn't want to look directly at another building, so I upgraded to a south -facing room.64:38
  1302. You might also see a room described as a corner room, which of course means you're on the corner of the building, and you might get views in two different64:43
  1303. directions.64:51
  1304. So you booked for a water view deluxe king, correct?64:51
  1305. Yes, south -facing.64:56
  1306. She's not here if I could just see a former ID and a credit card for the rest of the house.64:58
  1307. Sure.65:03
  1308. When checking into a hotel, there's a good chance that they'll ask for a form of ID like she did.65:03
  1309. That would be something official with your picture and name on it like a driver's license or passport.65:09
  1310. ID is short for identification.65:14
  1311. They'll also usually want a credit card from you so they can make charges to the room if you damage or take anything.65:17
  1312. Yep.65:24
  1313. I'm sure if I could just see a former ID and a credit card for the rest of the house.65:24
  1314. Sure.65:29
  1315. So I see that initially you put a deposit down for the room, so we would just leave the card for incidentals.65:29
  1316. Okay, no problem.65:35
  1317. Incidentals.65:37
  1318. This is a word they use for anything in addition to the cost of the room.65:38
  1319. For example, if you eat or drink from the mini bar in your room, they'll keep track of that and charge it to your card after you leave.65:41
  1320. So we would just leave the card for incidentals.65:48
  1321. Okay, no problem.65:50
  1322. And it doesn't, it's not ready yet by chance, is it?65:53
  1323. It is.65:58
  1324. Oh, perfect.65:58
  1325. She asks, have you stayed here before?65:59
  1326. Oh no, I've not.66:02
  1327. It's been on my bucket list.66:02
  1328. Bucket list.66:04
  1329. Have you heard this term before?66:05
  1330. It means something you want to do within your lifetime.66:07
  1331. For example, visiting Paris is on my bucket list.66:10
  1332. Oh no, I've not.66:14
  1333. It's been on my bucket list.66:15
  1334. So I'm glad that it's happening.66:16
  1335. Just launch it out.66:18
  1336. Yes.66:19
  1337. Just initial here, here, and a signature there, and if you could just add this gentleman's name right.66:20
  1338. Sure.66:24
  1339. There might be something you have to initial or sign when checking into a hotel.66:25
  1340. Initial, of course, means you just put RS instead of your whole signature, Rachel Smith.66:29
  1341. Just initial here, here, and a signature there, and if you could just add this gentleman's name right.66:34
  1342. Sure.66:39
  1343. We finish checking in and head up to our room.66:39
  1344. Room number 814, we have a card as a key.66:42
  1345. Very dark elevator.66:47
  1346. See, this is why I didn't want to be north facing.66:52
  1347. It's because then you're just looking at a building.66:55
  1348. North facing, south facing.66:59
  1349. It can be very handy to know the details of the room you want when booking a hotel.67:01
  1350. Let's go find the room.67:06
  1351. There's the river.67:07
  1352. And there's the city.67:09
  1353. And there's the highline.67:19
  1354. How cool is that?67:21
  1355. The Highline is a park in NYC that was built on top of an abandoned raised train line.67:24
  1356. I'll also talk about the Whitney, which is an art museum.67:30
  1357. That's the Whitney right there.67:33
  1358. Have you ever been to the Whitney, David, the new one?67:35
  1359. Yeah.67:37
  1360. And that's their little rooftop spot there.67:39
  1361. Maybe we should go.67:41
  1362. They have pay -as -you -wish entrance on Friday evenings.67:43
  1363. All right, well, let's settle in.67:49
  1364. Settle in is a phrase that means to unpack, to get comfortable, to arrange your things in a new place.67:52
  1365. After a big move, it can take some time to settle in.67:58
  1366. Whenever we stay somewhere, even if it's just for a night or two, I like to spend some time settling in when we first arrive to make this stay more68:01
  1367. comfortable.68:09
  1368. All right, well, let's settle in.68:10
  1369. That night, our friend Renee dropped by and we ordered room service.68:12
  1370. Generally, you can reach the front desk by pressing zero.68:16
  1371. The front desk is there in the lobby where we checked in.68:20
  1372. You can call them with your needs and questions.68:23
  1373. Room service is for the restaurant in the hotel that can make and bring food to your room.68:26
  1374. Good evening, good services.68:31
  1375. Hi, is this where I call to place a room service order?68:33
  1376. Please hold on.68:37
  1377. Thank you.68:38
  1378. It was the front desk, not room service.68:42
  1379. Thank you for calling room service.68:46
  1380. This is Yuli.68:47
  1381. How can I help you?68:48
  1382. Hi, I'm in room 814.68:49
  1383. And I'd like to order two orders of fries.68:50
  1384. Okay.68:55
  1385. And does that come with ketchup?68:56
  1386. Yeah.68:58
  1387. Okay.68:59
  1388. And also two orders of a good pickle.69:00
  1389. Okay.69:03
  1390. Did you want anything to drink with us?69:05
  1391. Um, anyone thirsty?69:08
  1392. No, I think we're good.69:10
  1393. If you ask someone if they want something or offer them something and they say, I'm good or we're good, that's like saying, no, thank you.69:12
  1394. That person does not want it.69:21
  1395. Anyone thirsty?69:23
  1396. No, I think we're good.69:24
  1397. They told me it would be a 30 minute wait.69:26
  1398. Okay.69:29
  1399. I am eight months pregnant if that helps boost me forward.69:29
  1400. Okay, not a problem.69:33
  1401. Okay, I'm just kidding.69:34
  1402. Thank you.69:35
  1403. Bye.69:36
  1404. I mean, I'm not kidding.69:38
  1405. I am eight months pregnant if that makes a difference.69:39
  1406. Luckily the food came quickly.69:43
  1407. Wow, that's a lot of fries.69:45
  1408. That is a lot of fries.69:46
  1409. Ooh, I didn't expect them to be so little.69:48
  1410. I think I could have gotten by with one order.69:50
  1411. Nope.69:52
  1412. No?69:53
  1413. No.69:54
  1414. So glad we have two.69:54
  1415. Mini mayonnaise.69:56
  1416. All the best to go with the mini ketchup.69:58
  1417. Mini ketchup and then two good pickles.70:01
  1418. Okay, what did you think of yours?70:04
  1419. I think I'm at an eight out of 10.70:06
  1420. I think I'm going to give it a six or seven.70:08
  1421. Oh, so low.70:10
  1422. Do you do this too?70:12
  1423. We rated how much we liked the pickle on a scale of one to 10.70:13
  1424. One is always the lowest and 10 the highest.70:17
  1425. The very best of the best.70:20
  1426. So I didn't love the pickle.70:23
  1427. Still, there's something very luxurious about eating French fries in your hotel room at 1030 at night.70:25
  1428. Many hotels have an ice machine.70:31
  1429. This one was labeled an ice dispenser.70:33
  1430. So almost every hotel room in America has an ice bucket that you can take to the machine to fill up.70:35
  1431. This one also had tongs to serve ice into glasses.70:42
  1432. David and I had such a relaxing stay here enjoying slow days.70:46
  1433. Before we leave, let's go over a few more words and phrases that might be useful to you as you travel, as you stay in hotels.70:51
  1434. First, when you check into hotel, you'll find the front desk in the lobby and you can probably find a luggage cart there to help you get all your luggage70:58
  1435. to your room.71:08
  1436. The opposite of checking in is checking out.71:09
  1437. Check out, of course, is when you leave the hotel room and you give back your key.71:12
  1438. Two phrasal verbs for your travel vocabulary.71:16
  1439. Check in, check out.71:19
  1440. Here, I called the front desk to ask what time check out was.71:21
  1441. I also had to report an issue about the room.71:25
  1442. Good.71:29
  1443. Hi, Freddie.71:30
  1444. I am wondering what time check out is tomorrow morning.71:32
  1445. It's at 12pm.71:35
  1446. Okay, perfect.71:36
  1447. My other question is I'm in room 814 and the drain to the bathtub doesn't seem to close all the way.71:38
  1448. Okay, I'm about it.71:47
  1449. Let me put someone up here.71:48
  1450. Is that okay?71:48
  1451. That's great.71:49
  1452. We're actually going to head out in a minute.71:50
  1453. Is it okay if we're not here?71:51
  1454. That's definitely yes.71:52
  1455. Okay.71:53
  1456. Thank you so much.71:54
  1457. I used the phrasal verb head out.71:55
  1458. This means to leave.71:58
  1459. We were just getting ready to leave our room for a walk.72:00
  1460. Head out.72:03
  1461. That's great.72:04
  1462. We're actually going to head out in a minute.72:05
  1463. Is it okay if we're not here?72:06
  1464. That's definitely yes.72:08
  1465. Okay.72:09
  1466. Thank you so much.72:09
  1467. We don't even need to try to get a late check out because check out's noon.72:10
  1468. That's perfect.72:14
  1469. This particular hotel does have a mini bar.72:15
  1470. So, that is a place where they're going to have some food and snacks for you.72:18
  1471. They have some glasses for us.72:24
  1472. Nice.72:26
  1473. And there's also a refrigerator.72:27
  1474. Mini bar usually refers to a refrigerator.72:29
  1475. Refrigerator.72:32
  1476. And this one is fully stocked.72:33
  1477. That means it came with all sorts of goodies ready for us.72:35
  1478. Now, usually if you eat or drink what comes here in the hotel, it's quite expensive.72:40
  1479. Much more expensive than just running out and buying it yourself.72:47
  1480. Another neat thing that this particular hotel room has is a shower bath room.72:51
  1481. So, it's this whole room floor to ceiling.72:59
  1482. It doesn't matter if you get the whole thing wet.73:02
  1483. A big bathtub.73:04
  1484. And then there are some flats that look out into the room so you can still see the view as you take your shower.73:06
  1485. This hotel room also has a safe.73:13
  1486. Many, many hotel rooms do so you can put passports or money, valuables, whatever in the safe when you leave.73:17
  1487. One thing that people are often interested in when choosing a hotel is the list of amenities.73:27
  1488. Amenities would be things like a gym or a pool or room service.73:34
  1489. Other things that you get in addition to your room or special things that you might get in your room.73:39
  1490. Many hotels come with a little card like this.73:46
  1491. This one says Privacy Please and you hang this on your doorknob to let them know I don't want anyone to come in and work on my room.73:49
  1492. Or on the other side, I do want someone to come in, change out my towels for clean towels, maybe vacuum.73:57
  1493. So this card says Privacy Please but you might also see Do Not Disturb.74:04
  1494. Thank you guys for traveling with me to New York City this weekend.74:11
  1495. I also have a video that I made on travel phrases that you may use when checking in at an airport.74:15
  1496. Be sure to check that out.74:20
  1497. Are there other travel vocabulary or phrases videos that you'd like to see?74:22
  1498. Please let me know in the comments below.74:26
  1499. Big thanks to David and Renee for being in this video with me.74:29
  1500. And now let's go on a road trip together.74:33
  1501. Today we'll study phrases and idioms and we'll do a little listening comprehension quiz as we study conversation that came up on a road trip I took with my two74:36
  1502. kids, my husband, and our friend Steve.74:46
  1503. Did everybody buckle up?74:54
  1504. Yep.74:57
  1505. Steve?74:57
  1506. I did buckle up.74:58
  1507. Buckle up.75:00
  1508. That's a phrasal verb that means to put on your seat belt.75:01
  1509. I noticed with my kids' car seats, sometimes I use the phrase buckle in.75:04
  1510. Hold still so I can buckle you in.75:09
  1511. Then I'll buckle up.75:11
  1512. Did everybody buckle up?75:12
  1513. Yep.75:15
  1514. Steve?75:15
  1515. I did buckle up.75:15
  1516. Buckle up.75:18
  1517. Buckle down.75:19
  1518. The meaning of the phrase buckle down is completely unrelated.75:20
  1519. It means to really focus on something, to work hard on it.75:24
  1520. I need to buckle down and study for this exam.75:27
  1521. I don't feel like doing my homework.75:31
  1522. Just buckle down and get it done.75:33
  1523. Now, about four minutes into the car ride, Stoney started asking if he could watch a video.75:36
  1524. He knows he gets to watch one with his headphones when Sawyer needs to take his nap to help keep the car quiet.75:42
  1525. The next 20 seconds of video won't have subtitles, so see if you can understand what we're saying.75:49
  1526. There's going to be a one -question quiz at the end of the 20 seconds.75:54
  1527. How long is the car ride?75:59
  1528. You can watch after lunch.76:01
  1529. No.76:04
  1530. What?76:05
  1531. After lunch and the car.76:05
  1532. Yes, after lunch we're still going to be in the car.76:07
  1533. It's a long car ride.76:09
  1534. Because it's a really long trip, Stoney, how many miles do you know, David?76:11
  1535. 271, that's all.76:16
  1536. So 271 miles.76:17
  1537. That's why we're going to still be driving after lunch.76:18
  1538. Okay, do you know the answer?76:22
  1539. How long is the car ride?76:23
  1540. David said it once more clearly, and then I repeated it less clearly.76:25
  1541. I said it faster.76:30
  1542. 271, that's all.76:32
  1543. So 271 miles.76:33
  1544. That's why we're going to still be driving after lunch.76:34
  1545. 271 miles.76:39
  1546. Oh, I hope this slowdown doesn't last too long.76:41
  1547. One thing you hope you never have on a road trip with two small children is a delay.76:44
  1548. I hope you don't hit many delays.76:49
  1549. The GPS says that it's clear sailing, knock on wood.76:52
  1550. It'll stay that way.76:57
  1551. Okay.76:59
  1552. Clear sailing, knock on wood, guys.77:00
  1553. David used two phrases there, clear sailing and knock on wood.77:03
  1554. Clear sailing.77:07
  1555. We use this not just with sailing, but also driving to mean nothing in the way, no obstacles, nothing to delay us on a trip.77:08
  1556. But we also use it in general to mean no problems or obstacles with the situation.77:16
  1557. It doesn't just have to be transportation.77:22
  1558. It could be something like completing a project.77:25
  1559. For example, now that we got the new budget approved, it should be clear sailing to finish the project.77:28
  1560. That is, we foresee no problems, no issues, and no obstacles arising.77:34
  1561. The other phrase he used was knock on wood.77:40
  1562. Both of these phrases are really common.77:42
  1563. Have you heard them before?77:44
  1564. Knock on wood is a superstitious expression.77:46
  1565. If you comment out loud on something that's going well, you might say, knock on wood as a way to say, and I hope things keep going well.77:49
  1566. I hope my having mentioned it doesn't mean it ends.77:58
  1567. For example, hey Rachel, how's the baby sleeping?78:01
  1568. He sleeps through the night, knock on wood.78:05
  1569. I have run out of gas more than once on a road trip.78:08
  1570. Actually, years ago, I made a video on another road trip where I did run out of gas.78:11
  1571. I'll link to that video at the end of this video.78:16
  1572. There's a lot to learn about American English in that lesson.78:19
  1573. David and I have also run out of gas on a road trip before.78:22
  1574. Run out is a phrasal verb with more than one meaning.78:26
  1575. It can mean to do an errand that won't take very long.78:29
  1576. Can you run out and get some milk?78:32
  1577. Or, I'm going to run out and pick up the kids from school.78:34
  1578. But it also means to deplete something, to have nothing left.78:37
  1579. I ran out of time.78:42
  1580. I couldn't finish the test.78:44
  1581. We ran out of gas on the highway.78:45
  1582. So now I pay more attention to how much gas we have.78:48
  1583. How we doing on gas?78:51
  1584. Just over three quarters.78:54
  1585. Okay.78:55
  1586. How we doing on?78:56
  1587. I dropped the word R there.78:58
  1588. This is somewhat common in casual English after how?79:00
  1589. How you doing?79:04
  1590. How we doing on gas?79:05
  1591. How we doing on gas?79:06
  1592. How we doing on gas?79:08
  1593. Have you ever taken a road trip with two small kids?79:10
  1594. So, Soonie's asking when we're getting out of the car.79:13
  1595. How long have you been in the car?79:15
  1596. We've been in the car for about 12 minutes.79:17
  1597. 10?79:19
  1598. 10 minutes.79:20
  1599. We have about five hours.79:21
  1600. Five hours?79:23
  1601. Yeah.79:25
  1602. So we have three hundred minutes.79:26
  1603. After, are we there yet?79:28
  1604. Maybe the most common thing a kid says on a road trip is, I'm hungry.79:31
  1605. I gotta eat lunch in here.79:37
  1606. We'll probably eat lunch somewhere outside the car.79:39
  1607. Where are we gonna eat?79:44
  1608. Because I'm very hungry.79:46
  1609. You're very hungry?79:48
  1610. Well, you'll probably, we're probably not gonna eat for about an hour.79:49
  1611. And that will be a quick, quick bite.79:53
  1612. So we can get back on the road.79:56
  1613. Quick bite.79:58
  1614. Have you ever heard the word bite?79:59
  1615. To mean meal or snack.80:01
  1616. A bite is singular.80:02
  1617. It's a noun.80:06
  1618. Mmm, this is so good.80:08
  1619. Do you want a bite?80:10
  1620. It's also sometimes a verb.80:12
  1621. I have to tell my one year old, don't bite me.80:14
  1622. But we also use it to mean food in general.80:17
  1623. I said it'll be a quick bite so we can get back on the road.80:20
  1624. A quick bite, a meal that you hope doesn't take long.80:24
  1625. I'm going to grab a quick bite and then stop by.80:28
  1626. You might also hear in the phrase, a bite to eat.80:31
  1627. Hmm, it's almost lunchtime.80:35
  1628. Do you want to get a bite to eat?80:37
  1629. I don't mean one bite of food, of course.80:38
  1630. I mean a meal.80:40
  1631. David, remember we were in Italy and you couldn't figure out the gas pump.80:42
  1632. What was the deal with that?80:49
  1633. It's just different from what we're used to and you finally finally some other guy pulled up to fill up the video.80:51
  1634. Yeah, you had a video on me.80:58
  1635. But I don't remember what was so different.80:59
  1636. I don't either, but we should take the camera out when we fill up and explain how it works.81:01
  1637. Because that's intimidating, I feel like.81:08
  1638. When you're in another country, you're not totally sure how something like that works.81:09
  1639. Yeah.81:14
  1640. Okay, so a quick rundown about getting gas in the U .S.81:15
  1641. Rundown, one word, this is a noun.81:20
  1642. It means an analysis, a summary.81:22
  1643. As two words, it's a phrasal verb with various meanings.81:25
  1644. But I said, let's do a quick rundown about getting gas in the U .S.81:28
  1645. Let's do a quick summary.81:32
  1646. There are two kinds, self and full.81:34
  1647. Self means you pump your own gas and full means someone else pumps your gas for you and you don't have to get out of your car.81:37
  1648. It's short for full service and the gas pumps will be marked self or full.81:45
  1649. Now almost everywhere in the U .S.81:51
  1650. is self serve except for New Jersey, where it's all full and also some spots in Oregon and a few towns elsewhere.81:53
  1651. If you're at a self serve spot and you use a credit or debit card, you just insert it, you'll usually have to enter your zip code, select the grade82:00
  1652. that is the quality or purity of the gas you're using and sometimes you have to flip up part of the pump.82:09
  1653. If you're paying cash, you usually have to do that before you start pumping.82:15
  1654. So you'll find the cash here inside, tell them how much you want and what is your pump number.82:19
  1655. You can say something like $20 on four.82:25
  1656. Now when you're on a long road trip, there's a chance you're going to have to stop for food.82:28
  1657. We found a service plaza.82:34
  1658. That's something that caters only to people coming on and off the highway and the idea is that it's faster than getting off at an exit and driving to a82:36
  1659. restaurant.82:44
  1660. But it's pretty easy to get pretty terrible food there.82:44
  1661. Oh, your beans and rice are good?82:48
  1662. How's your burrito?82:51
  1663. Honestly, the first bite was really bland.82:52
  1664. Oh no, okay.82:54
  1665. Bland.82:56
  1666. That is tasteless, not flavorful, not very good.82:57
  1667. You can also use this to describe a person.83:01
  1668. He's got a bland personality.83:04
  1669. That means he's not very interesting, pretty boring.83:06
  1670. Luckily, I made Sawyer some really tasty corn puree so he was happy.83:09
  1671. Now if we're not eating food, often we're talking about food.83:15
  1672. We tried to go to Loco Pez last night and it was so on fire.83:19
  1673. I don't know, but it was something.83:25
  1674. They were slammed.83:28
  1675. Yeah.83:29
  1676. So we had to bail and we went to Cedar Point, which was totally empty.83:31
  1677. Did you enjoy it?83:39
  1678. It was okay.83:41
  1679. I didn't think it would.83:42
  1680. We were not blown away, were we, babe?83:43
  1681. What's that?83:46
  1682. We weren't blown away, were we?83:46
  1683. I wasn't.83:48
  1684. Loco Pez.83:49
  1685. That's a local restaurant in Philadelphia, Mexican -inspired food, Spanish -inspired name with the old American twist and pronunciation.83:51
  1686. Did you hear some of the words we used to describe this restaurant?83:59
  1687. And it was so on fire.84:04
  1688. On fire.84:07
  1689. No, the restaurant was not burning down.84:08
  1690. It was very, very busy, very popular.84:11
  1691. We can use this term to mean really good.84:14
  1692. Maybe you're at a family wedding and your uncle is dancing all night.84:16
  1693. He's got great moves.84:20
  1694. You could say, he's on fire.84:21
  1695. You could say this in sports too, basketball.84:24
  1696. Someone just keeps making shot after shot.84:27
  1697. You could say, she's on fire.84:29
  1698. We tried to go to Loco Pez last night and it was so on fire.84:31
  1699. It was like a dollar.84:37
  1700. I don't know, but it was something.84:39
  1701. They were slammed.84:40
  1702. David said they were slammed.84:42
  1703. So that means really busy.84:45
  1704. Actually, you may have already learned that in a video I did earlier this month on ways to say you're busy.84:47
  1705. That was one of the terms we learned, slammed.84:53
  1706. So we had to bail.84:56
  1707. I said we had to bail.85:00
  1708. That means we had to give up.85:02
  1709. We had to do something different than what was planned.85:04
  1710. We were going to eat there, but it was so busy, we had to bail and go somewhere else.85:06
  1711. And we went to Cedar Point, which was totally empty.85:11
  1712. It was okay.85:17
  1713. I didn't think it would.85:19
  1714. We were not blown away.85:20
  1715. Were we there?85:21
  1716. What's that?85:22
  1717. We were blown away.85:23
  1718. Were we?85:24
  1719. I wasn't.85:25
  1720. And the place we went, we were not blown away.85:26
  1721. Blown away is a good thing.85:30
  1722. You get blown away by something that exceeds expectation.85:31
  1723. Just dropped off our friend, gonna head home the final three minutes of the drive.85:37
  1724. Went well.85:43
  1725. Everyone's in one piece.85:45
  1726. No blown out tires.85:46
  1727. One tipped camera, however.85:49
  1728. What's that?85:54
  1729. What's her name?85:54
  1730. What is her name?85:55
  1731. If you can't think of someone's name, you can call her what's her name.85:59
  1732. Notice I'm dropping the H there.86:04
  1733. What's her name?86:05
  1734. Or what's his name?86:07
  1735. Again, dropping the H, what's his what's his name?86:09
  1736. What's her name?86:13
  1737. What's his name?86:15
  1738. Who's that?86:17
  1739. What's her name?86:18
  1740. What is her name?86:18
  1741. We made it.86:23
  1742. Good road trip, everybody.86:24
  1743. Yay.86:25
  1744. Two more conversations now.86:26
  1745. Come as I do a workday on a farm.86:28
  1746. In this American English pronunciation video, you're going to come to a workday at this beautiful farm.86:31
  1747. We'll also study pronunciation of the letter T using kinder and the reduction of the words because and to.86:38
  1748. In this video, we're going to take a look at some stop T endings.86:49
  1749. When a word ends in a T, that's not a part of a consonant cluster.86:54
  1750. That T will often be a stop.86:59
  1751. For example, the word out will often be out, out.87:02
  1752. But when that word is followed by another word that begins with a vowel, it will often be a flap T because now it comes between two vowels when linked87:08
  1753. together.87:17
  1754. So for example, in the phrase out of, out of, that T will go from being a stop in the word out to being a flap in the phrase out87:18
  1755. of.87:29
  1756. These are general guidelines.87:30
  1757. You will hear people clearly pronounce the full true T at the end of the word out sometimes.87:33
  1758. It all depends on the habit of the speaker and how clearly the speaker is enunciating.87:40
  1759. What is the assignment today?87:46
  1760. What is flap T?87:48
  1761. Listen again.87:51
  1762. What is the assignment today?87:52
  1763. What is the assignment today?87:54
  1764. What is the assignment today?87:55
  1765. Oh, you can pull up some landscape fabric.87:58
  1766. Or take this, break this down.88:01
  1767. Uh huh.88:03
  1768. Or carry some wood or the trees.88:03
  1769. Okay.88:08
  1770. Or help take the structure down.88:09
  1771. Okay.88:11
  1772. Great.88:13
  1773. Snip some herbs.88:14
  1774. Snip some herbs.88:15
  1775. That sounds like the most fun out of everything that you just said.88:16
  1776. Did you notice how I dropped the T sound in the phrase just said sometimes will drop the T when it comes between two other consonant sounds.88:19
  1777. For example, the word exact, we will say an ending true T there.88:29
  1778. But when we add L Y, it's not uncommon to drop the T.88:34
  1779. Exactly.88:39
  1780. Exactly.88:40
  1781. Just said.88:41
  1782. Listen again.88:43
  1783. Everything that you just said, everything that you just said, everything that you just said.88:44
  1784. Hi, Michelle.88:49
  1785. Hi, Rachel.88:51
  1786. What project are you working on there?88:51
  1787. Tearing this down.88:53
  1788. And destroying it.88:56
  1789. You're doing a good job.88:57
  1790. Thanks.88:59
  1791. Kind of fun.88:59
  1792. You should join it.89:00
  1793. I should help instead of videotape, right?89:01
  1794. It's okay.89:04
  1795. We're doing a pretty good job.89:05
  1796. Did you notice how Michelle said kind of she reduced the word of to just the schwa vowel and attached it to the word kind.89:07
  1797. Kind of kind of listen again.89:16
  1798. For the record, I didn't only make a video.89:23
  1799. I did also help.89:27
  1800. Michelle, let me help you with that.89:31
  1801. Hey, thanks, Rachel.89:34
  1802. Wait, it looks like I'm really doing something.89:37
  1803. Yeah.89:40
  1804. It's a good thing I've been working out lately.89:43
  1805. Working out.89:46
  1806. Stop T.89:47
  1807. Working out lately.89:48
  1808. Listen again.89:50
  1809. Working out lately.89:52
  1810. Working out lately.89:53
  1811. Working out lately.89:54
  1812. Edgar is documenting me documenting.90:00
  1813. You're documenting me.90:04
  1814. There's a meta documentary going on there.90:06
  1815. Notice how Quinn leaves off the teeth and documentary.90:09
  1816. Do you know why you're doing that?90:13
  1817. Why am I doing it?90:14
  1818. Am I reducing it?90:15
  1819. Well, it's T is a weird letter and sometimes after N, we do drop it like in words like center.90:16
  1820. We'll say center.90:21
  1821. Interview.90:23
  1822. Interview.90:24
  1823. Interview.90:25
  1824. Documentary.90:26
  1825. Documentary.90:27
  1826. Exactly.90:28
  1827. Rachel, why'd you take off your hat and jacket?90:30
  1828. Because I got hot.90:32
  1829. Did you notice how I reduced the word because to cause, cause, cause I got hot?90:33
  1830. Listen again.90:41
  1831. Cause I got hot.90:43
  1832. Cause I got hot.90:44
  1833. Cause I got hot.90:46
  1834. Also, did you notice that stop T?90:47
  1835. Hot.90:51
  1836. Hot.90:52
  1837. Cause I got hot.90:53
  1838. Cause I got hot.90:55
  1839. Cause I got hot.90:56
  1840. Do you remember that awesome video I made on hot back in the summer?90:58
  1841. Uh, no, I don't.91:01
  1842. You actually don't need to respond.91:04
  1843. I'm going to put a link to it then.91:05
  1844. How can I help Rachel?91:08
  1845. Well, we're about to need to take all of the plants that have grown on this out.91:10
  1846. Did you notice how I said about to and I reduced the word to to the true T and the schwa sound.91:16
  1847. The reason why I didn't make it a flap T is because the word before ended in a T.91:24
  1848. So in this case, when we reduce the word to, we need to keep the true T about to about to.91:29
  1849. Listen again.91:37
  1850. We're about to need to take, we're about to need to take, we're about to need to take all of the plants that have grown on this out.91:39
  1851. Edgar, how much time did we save you by coming to the workday?91:48
  1852. Saved at least a month.91:51
  1853. Oh wow.91:53
  1854. That's great.91:54
  1855. Great.91:56
  1856. There I released the T, making the ending T a true T sound.91:57
  1857. Listen again.92:02
  1858. That's great.92:03
  1859. That's great.92:04
  1860. That's great.92:06
  1861. What are you going to do with that extra month?92:07
  1862. I think I'll work some more.92:09
  1863. Get other stuff done.92:11
  1864. Get other stuff done.92:12
  1865. Thanks for having us out.92:14
  1866. Out.92:15
  1867. There I made the ending T a stop T.92:16
  1868. Listen again.92:19
  1869. Thanks for having us out.92:20
  1870. Thanks for having us out.92:22
  1871. Thanks for having us out.92:23
  1872. Yeah, thank you for coming.92:24
  1873. You guys were great.92:25
  1874. Our pleasure.92:26
  1875. Ready?92:27
  1876. That's it and thanks so much for using Rachel's English.92:29
  1877. He was quiet for the whole take.92:35
  1878. I can hardly believe it.92:42
  1879. Thank you.92:43
  1880. In this one, I'm making some Vietnamese food with friends and you'll see a lot of contractions.92:45
  1881. In this American English pronunciation video, we're going to learn some Vietnamese cooking and you're going to study contraction of the verb to be.92:51
  1882. One thing to note about these contractions is that no extra syllable is added.93:01
  1883. We'll go over the pronunciations.93:07
  1884. You'll notice that some of them have two different pronunciations.93:08
  1885. That's because there can be a reduced pronunciation.93:12
  1886. I do recommend that you use the reduced pronunciation.93:15
  1887. Anytime you can make a short word shorter, it's going to add better rhythmic contrast to your speech.93:19
  1888. So I am, I'm, I'm, you are.93:26
  1889. This can be your or better yet.93:31
  1890. Let's reduce it.93:34
  1891. Your, your, your.93:35
  1892. Notice how quick it is.93:37
  1893. When we reduce it, it's going to be very, very fast and it must be linked to the next word.93:39
  1894. We are can be where or we're or better yet, work, work, work, reduced.93:44
  1895. They are can be there or reduced, th, th, th.93:55
  1896. He is, she is, it is.94:02
  1897. This will become he's, she's, it's.94:06
  1898. Notice that the s in it's is pronounced as an s sound unvoiced.94:09
  1899. That's because the sound before is the t also an unvoiced sound.94:15
  1900. It's, it's.94:19
  1901. However, the s in he's and she's is a z sound.94:21
  1902. That's voiced because the sound before a vowel was voiced.94:25
  1903. He's, she's, it's.94:30
  1904. T s can be a tough sound and I do have a video on how to make that sound.94:33
  1905. So let's take a look at some contractions in everyday conversation.94:38
  1906. All right, so after you you're going to slice the cucumber into your rounds and then you're going to flatten the rounds and slice them lengthwise again to make it94:42
  1907. into nice julienne.94:50
  1908. Did you notice the contraction of you are to your, your, your gonna.94:51
  1909. Listen again.94:58
  1910. All right, Annie.94:59
  1911. So after you peel the cucumber, you're gonna slice the cucumber into your rounds and then you're gonna flatten the rounds and slice them lengthwise again to make it into95:00
  1912. the tenacious julienne.95:08
  1913. How's the sequin?95:09
  1914. It looks good, it looks good, it's good.95:10
  1915. How's this?95:12
  1916. How's, how's, z, z, z with a z sound.95:13
  1917. It's good.95:18
  1918. It is, it's, it's with that T -S sound.95:19
  1919. Listen again.95:26
  1920. How's the sequin?95:28
  1921. It looks good, it looks good, it's good.95:29
  1922. Well, if we look at the way Mark's chopping his mushrooms, we can see that he's doing quite a good job of it.95:31
  1923. Thanks, sequin.95:37
  1924. Mark's, Mark's.95:40
  1925. The last sound of Mark's name is the K sound, unvoiced.95:41
  1926. So the apostrophe S is also unvoiced.95:46
  1927. Ks, ks, marks, marks.95:50
  1928. We also heard he's, where the apostrophe S is a z sound.95:55
  1929. He's, he's, he's doing.96:00
  1930. Listen again.96:03
  1931. Well, if we look at the way Mark's chopping his mushrooms, we can see that he's doing quite a good job of it.96:05
  1932. Thanks, sequin.96:11
  1933. That's because she's a good teacher.96:12
  1934. Here, Natalie, speaking of Haquen, said that's, that's, that's because with the T -S sound, she's, she's a good teacher.96:15
  1935. She's a, she's a, where the apostrophe S is a z sound.96:27
  1936. Listen again.96:32
  1937. That's because she's a good teacher.96:33
  1938. Well, I'm gonna dice up this cucumber as I was instructed.96:36
  1939. I'm gonna keep dicing the mushrooms.96:41
  1940. Here, both Annie and Mark said, I'm gonna.96:45
  1941. So they have contracted I am and also reduced going to, to gonna, I'm gonna.96:49
  1942. Notice how I'm is the most stressed syllable in that fragment, I'm gonna.96:57
  1943. That's because going is a helping verb here, not the main verb.97:03
  1944. The main verb is stressed.97:07
  1945. For example, Annie said, I'm gonna dice.97:10
  1946. I'm gonna dice, stressing dice.97:14
  1947. Listen again.97:18
  1948. Well, I'm gonna dice up this cucumber as I was instructed.97:19
  1949. I'm gonna keep dicing the mushrooms.97:24
  1950. Hey, Annie, what in the news is gonna be ready?97:28
  1951. They're gonna be ready in about 10 minutes.97:30
  1952. They're gonna.97:33
  1953. Did you notice how Annie reduced there to they're, they're, they're, they're gonna.97:34
  1954. They're gonna be ready.97:41
  1955. Listen again.97:43
  1956. Hey, Annie, what in the news is gonna be ready?97:45
  1957. They're gonna be ready in about 10 minutes.97:47
  1958. I think we're all set with the basil.97:49
  1959. Thanks, Laurie.97:51
  1960. We're all set.97:53
  1961. Did you hear Laurie's reduction of we're to were, were, were.97:54
  1962. We're all set.98:00
  1963. All set is a common idiom meaning ready or not in need of anything.98:02
  1964. Here she is saying the basil is ready for the dish.98:08
  1965. I use it often at a restaurant, for example, when a waiter asks if there's anything more I need.98:12
  1966. Nope, I'm all set, I'll say.98:18
  1967. Listen again.98:21
  1968. I think we're all set with the basil.98:22
  1969. Thanks, Laurie.98:24
  1970. I love Hakuen.98:25
  1971. She's such an effective teacher.98:26
  1972. That's true.98:28
  1973. Hakuen, thanks so much for teaching us how to make all this amazing food.98:29
  1974. Thanks for coming and joining me to eat all this wonderful food.98:32
  1975. Anytime.98:35
  1976. We will eat your food anytime.98:36
  1977. Yes, we will.98:38
  1978. Love it.98:38
  1979. She's, she's, she's such with the apostrophe S pronounced as a Z.98:41
  1980. That's, that's true with the T -S sound.98:47
  1981. Listen again.98:51
  1982. I love Hakuen.98:52
  1983. She's such an effective teacher.98:53
  1984. That's true.98:55
  1985. Hakuen, thanks so much for teaching us how to make all this amazing food.98:56
  1986. Thanks for coming and joining me to eat all this wonderful food.98:59
  1987. Yes.99:02
  1988. Anytime.99:02
  1989. We will eat your food anytime.99:03
  1990. Yes, we will.99:05
  1991. Love it.99:06
  1992. I'm crushing it over here, as you may be able to see.99:07
  1993. He's crushing it.99:11
  1994. I'm adding noodles.99:12
  1995. I'm adding tofu.99:15
  1996. I'm waiting for shrimp.99:17
  1997. I'm adding beansprouts.99:19
  1998. I'm.99:22
  1999. Lots of I'm in this clip.99:23
  2000. Also, Mark used the idiom to crush, meaning he thinks he's doing an excellent job of making a summer role.99:26
  2001. There are lots of different ways to use the word crush.99:35
  2002. For example, to say you have a crush on someone means you like that person.99:38
  2003. You have romantic interest in that person.99:43
  2004. Let's listen again to all these I'm contractions.99:47
  2005. I'm crushing it over here, as you may be able to see.99:51
  2006. He's crushing it.99:54
  2007. I'm adding noodles.99:56
  2008. I'm adding tofu.99:59
  2009. I'm waiting for shrimp.100:01
  2010. I'm adding beansprouts.100:03
  2011. That chicken's looking good.100:06
  2012. All right.100:07
  2013. That chicken's looking good.100:08
  2014. Natalie contracted chicken is to chickens.100:10
  2015. That chicken's looking good.100:14
  2016. And it was good.100:16
  2017. It was delicious.100:18
  2018. Listen again.100:20
  2019. That chicken's looking good.100:21
  2020. All right.100:23
  2021. There is no onion in there.100:23
  2022. I love onions.100:26
  2023. Wait, where's the onion?100:28
  2024. Go into the oil.100:29
  2025. Oh, spring onion.100:30
  2026. There's no onion in there.100:31
  2027. Where's the onion?100:34
  2028. There's, where's.100:36
  2029. Both of these words end in the R sound, a voiced consonant.100:38
  2030. So the apostrophe S is a Z sound.100:43
  2031. There's, there's, where's, where's.100:46
  2032. There's no onion.100:50
  2033. Where's the onion?100:52
  2034. Listen again.100:54
  2035. There is no onion in there.100:55
  2036. I love onions.100:58
  2037. Wait, where's the onion?101:00
  2038. Go into the oil.101:01
  2039. Oh, spring onion.101:02
  2040. Annie, hold it up.101:03
  2041. Is, look at that.101:05
  2042. That's absolute perfection.101:06
  2043. It does look great.101:08
  2044. You've got to love Annie's enthusiasm.101:10
  2045. That's absolute perfection.101:13
  2046. That's, that's again with the TS sound.101:16
  2047. Listen again.101:21
  2048. Annie, hold it up.101:22
  2049. Is, look at that.101:23
  2050. That's absolute perfection.101:25
  2051. It does look great.101:26
  2052. Oh God, my dogs are barking.101:28
  2053. Why is that, Hillary?101:30
  2054. We've been walking around all day.101:31
  2055. Not to mention all the dancing you did last night.101:33
  2056. It was amazing.101:36
  2057. My dogs are barking.101:37
  2058. This is a great idiom to mean your feet are tired.101:39
  2059. My dogs are barking.101:43
  2060. Notice how the word R is reduced to er, er, er.101:45
  2061. My dogs are, my dogs are, my dogs are barking.101:50
  2062. Notice also the I -N -G is pronounced as an I -N.101:54
  2063. My dogs are barking instead of dogs are barking.101:59
  2064. You may find this happening sometimes with certain phrases or idioms.102:04
  2065. Listen again.102:08
  2066. Oh God, my dogs are barking.102:10
  2067. Why is that, Hillary?102:12
  2068. We've been walking around all day.102:13
  2069. Not to mention all the dancing you did last night.102:15
  2070. It was amazing.102:17
  2071. I hope this has made you more aware of just how often we use this kind of contraction.102:18
  2072. Watch this video a time or two.102:24
  2073. Then watch an American TV show or movie and see if you can notice these two B contractions.102:27
  2074. Write them down as you watch and practice the phrases.102:34
  2075. Using contractions will really help your speech sound more natural.102:38
  2076. That's it.102:43
  2077. And thanks so much for using Rachel's English.102:44
  2078. Guys, that was fantastic.102:49
  2079. Which one of these conversations was your favorite?102:51
  2080. Let me know in the comments below.102:54
  2081. I love sharing my life with you, sharing the English language with you.102:56
  2082. Be sure to subscribe with notifications on so you never miss a lesson.103:01
  2083. I love being your English teacher.103:05
  2084. That's it and thanks so much for using Rachel's English.103:07

American Accent Training, One Sentence at a Time

This clip is a lecture from Rachel's English, a channel built around american accent training, and it works because it strips one sentence down to nothing else. The debate starts with David hates watermelon and lands on a single reply, I didn't say that, and the recording plays that reply again and again so you hear only the sound, not the story.

The level is B1 and the pace runs at 191 words per minute, faster than 53% of the catalogue, so this is not a slow drill. Rachel talks through the conversation first, a mild disagreement about how good the watermelon actually was, before she isolates the one line and works through how it really gets said at that speed.

How to Pronounce I Didn't Say That

Three lines in this clip do most of the teaching. "The N apostrophe T ending can be pronounced several ways" sets up why didn't sounds different depending on the speaker. "You can even completely drop the T in didn't if this helps with this simplification" gives you permission to skip a sound most learners fight to keep. "I did not is, I didn't say is the peak of that sentence" tells you where the stress actually sits, which is not on the word that.

  • "The N apostrophe T ending can be pronounced several ways." A stop T instead of a full T, which is why didn't can sound closer to didn.
  • "You can even completely drop the T in didn't if this helps with this simplification." The T disappears and the N takes over, so the word gets shorter without getting sloppy.
  • "I did not is, I didn't say is the peak of that sentence." The stress lands early, on didn't, not on say or that, which changes the whole rhythm if you get it wrong.

Shadow This B1 Clip in Order

Work through this one in the order Rachel builds it, not by jumping straight to the repeats. It is short, so run it more than once.

  • Listen to lines 6 through 14 first, David hates watermelon through the first I didn't say that, so you hear the line inside its actual argument before you isolate it.
  • Play line 29, "When you listen to it on a loop, it's easier to hear all the pieces you need to simplify, isn't it?", once through without repeating anything yet.
  • Shadow the run of identical repeats around lines 38 to 42, five copies of "I didn't say that", matching the dropped T each time instead of reading the letters.
  • Return to line 43 and listen to lines 44 through 50 again, the full exchange, to hear the same line sitting back inside real conversation at natural pace.
  • Say the line on its own five times in a row before moving to the next clip. A B1 clip this short is meant for daily english speaking practice, not a single pass.
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