【PV】今日の学び_20101229

Private Lesson

年末に関わらず、Keep to improve English!

うーん、相変わらず、、見事な修正です。John先生！

【News Lesson】

・ The last time I felt lonley was when I moved to this house.
× I felt lonely when I moved to this new house.

・ I help a lonely person by writing e-mail to him/her.
Actually, I usually write e-mail in English to people who live in other contries.
We can also connect and chat using Facebook or other SNS.
× For example, I can help a lonely person to write e-mail.
Actually, I usually write e-mail in English to people who live in other countries.
We can meet on Facebook or other SNS.

・ I am not really that scared of being lonely because I like being alone.
× I don't scare being lonely so much. Because I like being alone.

・I think he should resign his job before getting some punishment.
× I think he should resign his job before having some punishment.

・ The last time I had a lapse of judgement was when I selected my boyfriend when I was younger…
But I haven’t regretted anything from that relationship.
× I had a lapse of judgment to select my boyfriend when I was younger...
But I haven't regretted.

【PV】今日の学び_20101225

Private Lesson

クリスマス休暇でほとんどのオンラインレッスンが休み…ってことで、
今日はコツコツとこれまでのまとめをしてみる。

【Sound Like A True Native Speaker】

●Reducing Pronouns
  ・I love her : I lover
  ・I knew her : I newer
  ・stuff he knows : stuffy nose
  → When we reduce the pronouns, the first letter is often silent.

●Contractions
  ・I’ll : aisle , We’ll : whell , they’re : there , we’d : weed
  ・he’ll : heel / heal , you’re : your , we’ve : weave , he’d : heed

●Conditional Tense and Contractions
  ・would have : would’ve : woulda
  ・would not have : wouldn’ve : wouldna
  ・could have : could’ve : coulda
  ・could not have : couldn’ve : couldna
  ・should not have : shouldn’ve : shouldna

●Casual Versus Formal Speech
  ・Do you want to go? : Wanna go?
  ・You’d better do it. : You better do it.
  ・probably : probly
  ・I don’t know : I dunno
  ・remember : member
  ・going : goin
  ・until : til
  ・because : cuz

●Rules and Patterns on Casual Speech
  ・you : ya : I’ll call ya. See ya.
  ・because : ‘cuz : I did it ‘cuz I wanted to.
  ・I don’t know : I dunno : I dunno why.
  ・let me : lemme : Lemme do it.
  ・give me : gimme : Gimme a call. Gimme a break!
  ・did you : joo : Joo call me? Why joo do it?
  ・do you want to? : wanna..? : Wanna go?
  ・have got to.. : gotta.. : I gotta go. You gotta do it.
  ・going to : gonna : I’m gonna go. It’s gonna rain.
  ・what do you..? : wadda you..? : Whadda you want? Whadda you think?
  ・a lot of : a lotta : That’s a lotta money. I’ve got a lotta friends.
  ・kind of : kinda : It’s kinda hot. What kinda car is that?
  ・out of : adda : Get adda here. You’re adda your mind.
  ・go to : goddu : I go to work.
  ・Yes : Yeah, Yup : Yeah. It’s good. Yup. I did it.
  ・no : nope : Nope. I’m not goint.
  ・-ing : in’ : What are you doin’?

【PV】今日の学び_20101221

Private Lesson

…随分久しぶりな気がする？

相変わらず週イチの朝レッスンはやっているが、
久々ライティングの添削に、SO Excited!

・I used to be thick, but I’m no longer thick now.
  I don’t do diet. Maybe it’s because I don’t eat too much in the evening.
× I used to be thick, but I'm not thick now.
   I don't do diet. Maybe, I don't eat too much in the evening.

・But it’s changing these days.
  But it is getting to change these days.

この、「NO LONGER」の使い方がミソ！

さー、明日からSpecial Lessonだ。

【PV】今日の学び_20101130

Private Lesson

ラフマニノフを聴きながら…、TOEIC明けのLessonはまずこれから。

- Sleep means good health to me.
× Sleep means to me that I spend my life to be health.

- I only had very short sleep 2 or 3 years ago because of my job.
× My sleeping was very short 2 or 3 years ago because of my job.

- I usually slept on the floor of my office where I used to work.
× I have usually slept on the floor of my office that I used to work.

- I feel sleepy.
× I feel sleeping.

- But my best friend is a babysitter so that I can hear/listen about her babysitting exprience.
× But my best friend is a babysitter so that I can here her experience.

- The bad thing is that I have to take care of them all the time.
× The bad thing is that I have to take care of them anytime.

- I don’t also feel like having my own babies, to be honest.
× I don't also feel like having my babies, to be honest.

【PV】今日の学び_20101118

Private Lesson

講師のJohnがItaly旅行のため、今週のレッスンは休み。

メインコースのDMEはGeneral Reviewのため先にすすまず。

ということで、TOEICの過去問と最近出来た友人たちと英語生メール。

【News Lesson】

・ My greatest treasure is the people around me. :)
× My greatest treasure is everyone around me. :)

【PV】今日の学び_20101108

Private Lesson

Dogネタ2本のライティングまとめ。

うぅーん、、どんな発想をしたらこんな文章が書けるんだぁー！？とわめいてみた。

Johnの一言はこうだった。

FOCUS is very important! :)

Thank you!

【News Lesson】

・ I think we can keep dogs as pets if we can take care of them.
× I think we might keep dogs as pets if we can take care of them.

・ I think some of Japanese have talents of making things and they also like studying.
× I think some of Japanese have talents of making and they like studying.

・ Vets can encourage pet owners by telling them that they could not only wash pets but also find illness when they take their pet to them.
× Vets can encourage that they could not only washing to pets but also finding to illness when pet owners take their pet to them.

・ If I feel this machine is cheep, I would buy it.
× If I feel this machine is cheeper, I would buy it.

・ Recently there is a sharp yen apprenciation against the dollar. Now, I can buy things made in foreign countries cheper than before.
× Recently a sharp yen appreciation against the dollar so that I can buy things made in foreign cheeper than before.

【PV】今日の学び_20101103

Private Lesson

ひと波乱あったPrivate Lessonも通常再開。

先週送ったクレームメールが響いたのか、やたら気を遣ってくれるJohn…。

It’s OK. I think you are one of best teacher who I have met before!

【Rules for Linking】

●Linking Consonant to Vowel
  ・hold on : “whole Don”
  ・I like it : “I lie kit”
  ・deep end : “depend”
  ・get up late : “get a plate”
  ・picked out : “pick doubt”
  ・this guy : “the sky”

●Linking Consonant to Same Consonant
  ・She speaks Spanish : “She speak Spanish”
  ・turned down : “turn down”
  ・help Paul : “help all”
  ・well lit : “well it”
  ・black cat : “black at”
  ・foreign name : “foreign aim”

●Linking Vowel to Vowel
  ・go out : “go – wout”
  ・How are you? : “how ware you”
  ・I am : “I yam”
  ・they are : “they yare”

●LInking Vowels Within a Word
  ・client : “cli  y ent”
  ・science : “sci y ence”
  ・serious : “seri y ous”
  ・quiet : “qui y et”
  ・appreciate : “appreci y ate”
  ・museum : “muse y um”
  ・cooperate : “co w operate”
  ・diet : “di y et”
  ・furious : “furi y ous”

【PV】今日の学び_20101101

Private Lesson

11月はじめは、プライベートレッスンのライティングから。

今日のトピックはドイツの移民問題。

ちなみに、ちょっとしたいざこざから、講師のJohnにクレームのメールを書くことに…。

英語でクレーム文章を書けるほど上達できたのは、君のおかげだよ、John…。

【News Lesson】

・ I think there aren’t so much multicultralism in Japan because there are fewer immigrants in Japan than other country.
× I think there aren't multicultral so much in Japan. Because in Japan there are fewer immigrants than other country.

・ I don’t understand why the plan of multicultral society in Germany had “utterly failed”.
× I don't understand why a multicultural society in Germany is " utterly failed ".

・ I think the people who lived longer in Germany can’t accept other cultures from the new immigrants.
× I think people live longer in Germany than immigrants can't accept other cultuer.

・ We can know many things from other culture and our life would be more fun.
× We can know many things from other culture and our life would be fun.

・ I have not met such kind of person, but there might be people have anti-immigrant feeling in my country.
× I didn't meet such a person, but there might be people who have anti-immigrant feeling in my country.

・ I think  most of Germans want to have economic success all by themselves.
× I think most of German want to success of economic by themselves.

・ I think some people are being hysterical when it comes to immigration.
× I think some people will be hysterical when it comes to immigration.

【PV】今日の学び_20101025

Private Lesson

10月も終わり…。英語を勉強し始めて3ヶ月が経とうとしている…。

まだまだ先は長い…。ということで、

今日はGoogleが人がいなくても走る自動車を開発したというニュースから。

【News Lesson】

・ Google believes that they are testing a car which is the future of motoring.
× Google believes about the car they are testing is the future of motoring.

・ I think it’s OK that thers cars are being tested on public roads if they are surely safe.
× I think it's OK that these cars are being tested on public roads if it's surely safety.

・ I’m not sure about artificial intelligence, but I think it is increasing now.
× I'm not sure about artificial intelligence, but I think it is getting increasing now.

・ Before I go to somewhere, I ueually check and use them in advance.
× Before I go to somewhere, I usually check it by using them in advance.

・ I think that some of the world’s big problems are emvironment, increasing population and poverty.
× I think that some of the world's big problems are emvironment, increasing people and poverty.

・ If the computer breaks, it will be out of control.
× If the computer break, it will be out of control.

文法にやや難有り…。

【PV】今日の学び_20101024

Private Lesson

DMEが相変わらず鬼のようなレビューをしている間、
他サイトを利用して英語でメールのやり取りをしてみる。

そんな中、Privete Lessonで利用しているテキストに
世界の名言集みたいなものがあったので注目。まとめてみる。

【名言集 in English】

・Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.  ( Ernestine Ulmer )

・You must do the thing you think you cannot do.  ( Eleanor Roosevelt )

・Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.  ( Gndhi )

・Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. ( ? )

・Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.  ( Mark Twain )

・There's as much risk in doing nothing as in doing something.  ( Trammell Crow )

・Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourselg.  ( Henry Ward Beecher )

【PV】今日の学び_20101017

Private Lesson

今日のwrittingトピックスは「人工授精」について。

ノーベル化学賞をとったという、このトピックスからの出題。

・I think IVF is a great scientific advance, because it is now possible to have children without sex.
×I think IVF is a scientific advance, because it is possible to have a
children without a sex...

・No, I don’t think so. I have friends who are concerned about their infertilty or being infertile.
×No, I don't think so. Because I have friends who are concerned about
their infertile.

・Yes, there should be limits to where IVF should go next.
×Yes, there are limit to where IVF should go next.

【PV】今日の学び_20101013

Private Lesson

TVで見ると、「花のパリ」って場所だけど、実際はそうでもないらしい。
労働者のストで会社や学校が休業。電車もバスも止まっていて、街が静か。
日本だとびっくりするような話も、ここでは日常茶飯事とのこと…。

そんなパリの片隅から、今日のLessonコールがなる。

● Phrasal Verbs : a verb ＋preposition

・ He picked up the box. (lifte)

・He put out his cigarette. (extinguished)

・He looked over the material. (reviewed)

・Turn it off. (stop, extinguish)

・Turn it up. (increase the volume) – The car needs a tune-up. (noun)

・Turn it on. (to light, to start)

・That turns me off. (disgust)  - That’s such a turnoff! (noun)

・Turn it down. (decrese the volume)

・She turned him down. (reject a request or a person)

・He didn’t turn up. (uppear, arrive)

・They turned me away. (reject, refuse)

● Abbreviations and Numbers : the last letter has stress

・MBA, CNN, FBI

・1997, 11:45, 911

【PV】今日の学び_20101010

Private Lesson

Syllable Stress を勉強したあとは、Word Stress へ。

これわ、、、かなーり大事だわ。

For example:

・I’ll see you later.  × I’ll see you later.

・Have a nice day.  × Have a nice day.

● Compound Nouns

・Stress the first word and pronounce the two word as one.
  ex: Parking lot, book shelf, credit card, football, bookmark

・Stress the first word in these compound nouns withn compound nouns.
  ex: cell phone number, high school girl, website address, taxi driver, airline pilot

● Proper Stress with Adjectives

・When an adjective is followed by a noun, the noun is stressed.
  ex: nice day, small room, blue eyes, old man

・When two adjectives precede a noun, stress the first adjective and the noun, the noun gets the more stress.
  ex: big blue bus, nice old man, short black hair, big brown eyes

【PV】今日の学び_20101008

Private Lesson

今日のwirtingはcomputerについて。

John君に訂正してもらった英語表現。絶妙すぎるわ。。。

【News Lesson】

・I can know what is happening all over the world by searching the internet.
  × I can know to what is happening over the world by searching the internet.

・I could use this time more productively if my computer starts faster.
  × I could use this time more productively if my computer starts more faster.

・But I like waiting / to wait while my computer is starting because I can shing a song.
  × But I like waiting for starting my computers by shinging a song.

・I think it is because computers are complicated.
  × I think it because of being complecated with computers.

・Creating sentences in English can make me pull my hair out.
  × I put my hair out when I’m making sentences in English.

・I think my computer is better if it’s lighter, faster, and more comvenient!
  × I think my computer would like to better if it’s lighter, faster, and more convenient!

・I would be happy if it is instant-on, because I can use my computer sonn.
  × I would be happy if it is with instant-on, because I can use computer soon.

・I like tapping my finger on the desk. But I sometimes feel it is bothersome…
  × I like tapping my finger on the desk. But I sometimes feel it is a bother…

・I think computers have become better compared to the past few years.
  × I think computers have got a lot of better thing in the past few year.

【PV】今日の学び_20101006

Private Lesson

American Accent のレッスンも、いつの間にか「Syllable Stress」へ。

● Noun : Stress the first syllable, Verbes : Stress the second syllable
   ・addict, conduct, contest, insult, object, present, record, subject etc..

● Verbs thae end in –ate : Stress is on the first syllable,
   Nouns ending in –tion : Strss is on the syllable that precedes the suffix –tion
   ・activate/activation, clebrate/celebration, demonstrate/demonstration etc..

○ separate : /eit/ when it is a verb, /it/ when it is a noun.
   ・alternate, graduate, estimate etc..

● Prefix ＋ root word = NOUN : Stress the prefix,
   Prefix ＋ root word = VERB : Stress the root word.
   ・preview/prevent, object/obtain, discount/diecuss, access/agree etc..

【PV】今日の学び_20101002

Private Lesson

今回のWriting Lesson。テーマは「なぜ、英語を話す国の人間は太ってる人が多いのか」。

…そうなの？なんでだろ。

それについて英語で語るなんて…難しいわぁ。

【News Lesson】

・What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘obese’?
  - It made me remember that I used to be obese when I was a child.
  × I’ve just rememberd that I used to be obese when I was a child.

・Are you surprised about the slimmest countries?
  - No, I was not surprised so much because I live in Japan and I think that most of the Japanese are slimmer than the people living in other countries.
  × No, I’m not surprised so much. Because I live in Japanese and I think most of Japanese are slimmer than people live in other countries.

・Why do you think people in English-speaking countries are so overweight?
  - I think it is because there are many fast food shops there. Of course there are fast food shops also in Japan, but we don’t eat so much and we eat at smaller size fast foods.
  × I think it because there are many fast food shops there. Of course they are also in Japan, but we don’t eat so much and we eat smaller size’s fast foods.

・Are you worried about your weight?
  - I used to be worried about my weight, but I’m no longer worried about it now.
  × I used to be worried about my weight, but I’m not worried about it now.

・What health problem does obesity create?
  - If we are obese, we won’t be able to move smoothly.
  × If we are obesity, we won’t move smoothy.

・What is the relationship between education and weight?
  - If we have health knowledge, we can easily take care of our health. But for the people who don’t have knowledge, it will be hard for them how to take care of their health.
  × If we have knowledges for health, we can take care about our health. But people who don’t have knowledges it, they can’t take care about their health.

・Now we are better educated, why don’t we learn about eating healthily?
  - I think we now know about eating healthily, but some people still like unhealthy foods because most of the time they taste good.
  × I think now we know about eating healthily, but some people like unhealthy foods.

・What’s the best way to lose weight?
  - The best way to lose weight is to do sport and not eat so much.
  × The best way to lose is to do sport and not to eat so much.

・What problems do you think obese people have on a daily basis?
  - I think obese people always like eating so they need to find some hobbies.
  × I think obese people always like eating something so that they need to find some hobbies.

横文字の嵐だー。

「ああ、ここでこの表現がくるかーー！」と唸る。

【PV】今日の学び_20100922

Private Lesson

5分遅れてコールしてきた講師のJohnが、珍しく落ち込んでいた。

励ましの言葉をかけてあげたかったが、とっさにさっぱり言葉がでてこなかった。。。

ごめんよ、John。…てことで。

●Long Vowels ＋ L

・When a long vowel is followed by an l , place an extra /e/ (schwa) in between.
  For word feel, say ‘fee-el’. It’s almost as if you are adding an extra syllable.
  - i ＋ el : feel, steal, deal, real
  - ei ＋ el : sale, mail, wheal, peal
  - ai ＋ el : mile, while, style, smile
  - oi ＋ el : oil, toil, spoil, foil
  - u ＋el : tool, school, rule, fool

日本語で書くと「スクール」。

でも、英語だとそうじゃないんだな、これが。

【PV】今日の学び_20100920

Private Lesson

いつもニュースLesson。
日本、中国とフランスにまつわる題材が多いのだが、今日は英国のお話。

【News Lesson】

・What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘alcohol’.
  - I like drinking alcohol. In fact, I drink it every weekend.
  × I like ‘alcohol’. I drink it every weekend.

・How is it that a country can let young people get so out of control?
  - Drinking can make us feel very happy therefore making it difficult for the country to control young people to stop.
  × I think we feels so happy with drinking when we are young, theregore a country can’t control young people.

・Do you have any experience of dealing with very drunk people?
  - I don’t have any experience of dealing with very drunk people, but I have experienced being drunk.
  × I don’t have any experience of dealing with very drunk people, but I have an experience being drunk.

・Do you think alcohol should be banned as a dangerous drug?
  - I don’t think so, but we should watch out for people drinking too much.
  × I don’t think so, but we should look for drinking too much.

・What do you think the ‘Life, Live it’ campaign is all about?
  - I think the ‘Life, Live it’ campaign is good to edification / education to young people.
  × I think the ‘Life, Live it’ campaign is good to edificiation to young people.

・What can we do to stop kids drinking?
  - We can share to young people about failure stories related to drinking. I have a lot of failure stories related to drinking!
  × We can talk with young people about failure stories with drinking. I have alot of failure stories with drinking!

・Why do you think so many teenagers are drinking these days?
  - I think it because there are many easy ways to drinking these days, for example in Japan, there are more pubs or bars compared to the past year.
  × I think it because there are many easy ways to drinking these days, for example in Japan, there are more pubs or bars than past year.

・What would you do if you had young children and they kept getting drunk?
  - I wouldn’t scold my children, but I let them think and realize why drinking alcohol isn’t good for them.
  × I wouldn’t scold my children, but I let them thinking what drinking an alcohol is wrong for them.

・Should underage drinking be made a criminal offense?
  - I think it shouldn’t be made a criminal offense, but I think older people should teach younger people about the dangers of drinking alcohol.
  × I think it shouldn’t be made a criminal offense, but I think older people should teach a danger of alcohol to young peole!

Hmmm…かゆいところに手が届く、というか。

「あぁ、この言葉はこう使うのか！」と目からウロコ。

【PV】今日の学び_20100919

Private Lesson

昔から洋楽を聴いていたが、ほとんど歌詞がわからず、
ノリがいいからいいやーと思っていた。

ここにきて、聞きながら自然と英語の歌詞が理解できるようになっている。

すごいなー。びっくり。勉強続けよ。

【News Lesson】

・What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘pension’?
  - I’m interesting with the word ‘pension’
  × I’m interesting in the word ‘pnsion’.

・What are you doing with your pension?
  - I’ll spend my pension when I get older.
  × I’ll spend on much time on my older life.

・Why are pensions important?
  - Pensions are important because once we retire, we need enough money to live.
  × Because, if we retire, we need to enough money for living.

・What do you think of the government’s plans.
  - I think the government should protect both the lives of younger and older people.
  × I think the government should protect younger people’s lige, on the other hand they protect older people’s life.

・What is the best age to retire?
  - I think people should work as long as they can and as long as they are able to.
  × I think people would work until they can continue to work.

・Do public or private workers cause more trouble when they go on strike.
  - Of course! I think they should work more because we get tax from their salaries.
  × Of course! I think they sould work more because theire salaries are our tax.

・What kind of pension is there in your country?
  - We have different kinds pensions such as ‘old-age pension’, ‘disability pension’, and ‘survivor’s pension’ in Japan.
  × For example, ‘old-age pension’, ‘disability pension’, ‘suvivor’s pension’ are in Japan.

・Why French government’s pension plan controversial?
  - The French government’s pension plan controversial because, French people can retire early and can get their pensions earlier compared to other countries.
  × Because, French people have given their pension younger then other countries.

・What will you do in your retirement?
  - I think I will challenge myself to get my own business like an online store owner.
  × I think I will challange to do my own business like online store’s owner.

・What wuestions would you like to ask French president Nicholas Sarkozy?
  - Have you been wasting your / our pension?
  × Have you been wasting of pension?

…いやぁ、すごいね、John先生。

「そうそう、それが言いたかったんだよ！」てことを文章にしてくれる。

それにしても、フランスって年金もらうの早いなー。財政破綻するわ、そりゃ。

【PV】今日の学び_20100918

Private Lesson

Lessonの前にちろっとフリートークをしていて発覚したのが、
講師のJohn、なんとLinuxを使っているとのこと…。

よくわからんが、Windowsじゃないらしい。

やるなぁ…。てか、結構マニアックなんだな、君は。

●The th sound

・Voiceless th Versus t
  - thank – tank
  - bath – bat

・Voiced th Versus d
  - they – day
  - breath – breed

・Word Contrasts for s Versus th
  - mass – math
  - sing –thing

・Word Contrast for z Versus th
  - close – clothe
  - Zen – then

●The Amrican r

・Americans say – British say
  - morning – moning
  - first – fist
  - modern – moden

British Rock Music 好きの私、John曰く、
「君はいつもBritishを聞いているから感化されてるかと思ったけど、
　結構 ‘r’ 使えてるよねー」
とのこと。

確かに、Liamのまねしてると感化されちゃうよね。

そこがBritishのイイトコなんだけどね。