I’m talking about the type of progress that allows you to communicate with others in a comfortable and low-stress manner.
While it is essential that you understand how to use English in a structured and formal environment, it is equally important for you to be able to make small talk with colleagues before a conference or ask for directions on the streets of a city you are visiting for the first time.
The good news is there are ways to improve your accent and pronunciation as an adults. Here are a five things you can do to make you accent sound more native:
There are three things every English student must do to take their skills to the next level.
These things are all FREE
You just need practice!
Join English Speaking Practice
Speak slightly slower
If you are a non native English speaker with an accent, try speaking slightly slower than you are used to.
When you speak slower your accent will reduce automatically. You will improve pronunciation at no cost!
Also, the listeners would have a little bit more extra time understand what you say.
Think about it this way – do you want someone with an accent you find hard to understand speak very fast?
Also, remember that most languages around the world are spoken at a faster speed than English.
If your first language is Spanish, Russian, Chinese or Tamil you would feel this difference clearly. English cannot be spoken at the same speed that you speed these languages.
Slowing yourself down by a notch will make your accent sound more native and clear.
You lose nothing by slowing down a bit.
More people will understand you and that is a great way to communicate with more people, more often.
Absorb English like a child
Have you been studying English for years but still can’t speak with a clear accent?
Do native English speakers find it hard to understand your accent?
Are you worried you are pronouncing some words differently than native English speakers?
Do you want to get rid of those awkward “R” sounds in your accent?
Think of how children learn to speak English. They do not study phonetic charts. Instead, they just listen to how English is spoken and mimic that.
In order to truly master the English language you need to practice using it all the time.
If you are a beginning student this means memorizing new vocabulary and building simple sentences.
For an intermediate student this means learning more verb tenses and talking or reading about more complicated subjects.
An advanced student this means focusing on high-level topics and mastering idioms, phrasal verbs and English expressions.
But, at each level, practice is key. English is a tool to help you at work, in school, or for personal reasons.
Like any tool, you must keep it sharp and ready to use at all times. Practice is essential to improve pronunciation when learning English.
Can you improve your accent and pronunciation by practicing with a non native English teacher?
No.
A non native English teacher can help you with grammar and vocabulary but if you want to really improve pronunciation you need to practice speaking with a Native English Teacher.
Want to sign up for a trial English Class with a Native English teacher?
Don’t waste time on Phonetic charts
Most English teachers try to use Phonetic charts when helping students with pronunciation improvement and accent reduction.
The English language has a very specific rhythm to it and you will not understand this without listening carefully to your voice and comparing that to Native English speakers.
The good news is you can very easily record your voice using your phone or computer.
So how should I compare my voice with Native English speakers?
1.) Find a YouTube video where a Native English Speaker is talking. Write down what they are saying or find the transcript.
2.) Record your voice saying the same content.
3.) Now compare the 2 recordings side by side and make notes of the differences.
This very simple methodology will give you a clear baseline of where exactly you need to improve in terms of accent and pronunciation.
And finally, the most important thing you need to do if you are ready to take your skills to the next level is to accept that you are going to make some mistakes.
The goal of speaking any language is communication. So, communicate!
Say what you want to say and don’t worry about whether everything that comes out of your mouth is right or wrong. Once you do this you will begin to make real, substantive progress.
Learning English can be challenging, but it is something you can do.
If you practice frequently, speak with native English speakers, and stop worrying about every mistake you will be amazed at how much you can learn. And, hopefully, you’ll have some fun using your new English skills at the same time.
Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline.
Starburst Visuals and Symbols
The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors.
Starburst XXXTreme Features
Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.
The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity.
What We Think About The Game
The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement.
That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level.
Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet.
In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.
Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.
With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.
Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”
“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.
The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.
When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.
“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”
MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.
MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.
The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.
The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.
Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.
STUDIO SHORTAGE
The film industry is cramped in Montreal.
According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.
With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.
Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »
« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.
She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.
« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.
There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.
« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.
Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.
For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.