English Native language accent

All people who were born in their own country and learned to speak their native language will develop an accent.  Even native English speakers have their own accents like the British, Australian and American people.  In the U.S., they also have their own accents or way of speaking English depending on the locality where they learned to speak it.  It might also be the same for the UK and Australia.

Non-native English speakers would have learned more on American English especially if they were educated in their own country.  The Philippines has Tagalog as its official language but still uses English basically as medium of instruction in schools.  There are several countries that have English as their official language and have it as their language of instruction in schools.

Here is a nice video:

Short video

Cafetalk is an online language tutorial that has tutors from different countries.  Around 75% of students are taking up English lessons.  Other language lessons are like French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese.  There are also lessons of interest like hobbies, music, arts, health and fitness, and the like.

Please CLICK HERE to find out more.

Improve your English online

In English speaking countries, they still have quite a high number of people who could not write and spell properly.  For example, many of them are still poor in using the correct spelling of the words, "their, they're and there".  Also there are many English words that are pronounced differently from their spelling.  A good example is the city of Kansas that is pronounced exactly as it is spelled.  But, the state of Arkansas is pronounced as "Arkansaw"! Look at the word 'silhouette' which is a French word, it is pronounced as 'sil-uh-wet'!  It is correct in French (I presume), but is it correctly pronounced in English? Tell me!

So, that's how the English language is.  It might also be the same for other languages and we do not understand why the words are not pronounced as how they are spelled.  Take note though, there are not really many English words used in daily conversation where words are pronounced differently than how they are spelled.  

You can achieve better English by learning online at Cafetalk.  There are several online tutors in English That can help you improve your English in speaking and writing it.  The most important thing though is being able to understand it when you hear it being spoken.  Both listening to and understanding English are the keys in improving your English.  Do not worry about your accent because it is natural mostly for those who were born, raised and educated in their own language.

On my next post, I will try my best to explain why pronunciation in English is difficult for most nationalities for those who were born, raised and educated in their own language.  It is mainly because of the form of the mouth and the use of the tongue to do it correctly.  Also, there are several letters or a combination of letters that makes it more difficult.  Mind you though, native English speakers have also difficulty in learning foreign languages.

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How to think in English

More and more of people from non-English speaking countries are learning the English language.  This is especially true for Asians like the Japanese, Chinese and South Koreans.  Learning English has been in high demand for more than a decade now.  The Philippines has a high number of Filipino online English tutors because of their proficiency, if not fluency, in English.  Most of them are contractors or employed by online English tutorial outfits.

As an online English tutor myself,  I have been teaching English to mostly Japanese and some  Brazilian students for more than three years now.  During my first year of teaching, I observed that students think in their own language on what they want to say before saying it in English.  For beginners or starters that would be alright because their limited English vocabulary makes it difficult for them.  On my second year of teaching, I have been telling my students to try their best to think in English because it is just like practicing how to speak it.  The video below shows basic words and how to pronounce them.

In my estimate, I have had around 500 students and most of them appreciated their improvement by thinking in  English.  It is not that easy for beginners because of lack of vocabulary and comprehension.  There is a process on how to think in English .  For those who are on the intermediate level in the English language, it will be quite easy to do and follow.  Please click HERE to learn more.  Thank you!

Cafetalk - Most economical way to learn English

Learning languages online has become popular because learning or education in school has become expensive.  Not only that, it makes students committed to a regular schedule and number of hours to take lessons, especially to learn English.  If the student fails to attend a lesson, he or she loses part of the tuition that was paid.  Also, most schools teach languages academically, meaning, you have to learn all the parts of speech that will take years, at least two (2) years, 5 days a week.

With Cafetalk, you can learn several languages (and others like hobbies, art, etc.) with very competent tutors at the comfort of your home or at any place you have access to the internet.  It will also be at the convenient time you want to take lessons.  The best things with this online platform are:

• The money you spend is for every lesson you take.  If you do not request or reserve a lesson, you don't pay for anything.  Just make sure you attend each lesson you request.  Otherwise, there could be some cost or penalties on failure to attend a lesson.
• You are not bound or committed to take only one type of lesson.  You have many options on the type or kind of lesson you want to take.
• For the number of points you purchase, you have five (5) months to consume all of it.  It will be a matter of time management not to waste your investment in learning.
• Best of all, you can choose any tutor of any nationality to take the lesson you want.

It will be worth to visit the online platform know the most economical way to learn English and see the benefits it offers to students.  Get a BONUS on signing up and huge DISCOUNTS when taking lessons! Please click HERE to directly go to the site and signup.

blistered and blessed

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More Chinese than Japanese want to learn English

Interest in learning English in Asia has grown so much that there have been several online learning of English on the internet offered in the past decade  In the past decade, South Koreans flocked to the Philippines to learn English.  Most of them were young students that could finish college in the Philippines while learning English.  It was cheaper for them to get a degree and learn English at the same time.

In the case of Japan, those who are taking up English lessons are mostly above 20 years of age.  For that, they have to settle with learning English online as a high percentage of them are employed.  They save more money than attending schools.  Only a few high school and college students are taking English lessons online.  Kids in primary schools  are also starting to take online English but there are only very few of them Japanese students.

China is the country that suddenly had a high demand on learning English.  So many online tutorial platforms have cropped up to cater to them.  The surprising thing is that there are a lot of Chinese kids taking those lessons.  There are even some western people who have set up schools in China just to cope up with the demand.  One school is recruiting teachers from native English speaking countries and offering them relocation with hard to refuse benefits.

China currently has more of its citizens learning English online than Japanese.

English online for Japanese students

For more than 3 years now, I have been teaching English online for Japanese students.  From the site where I was having daily lessons with them, more than 200 students have bookmarked me.  Unfortunately, I am able to accommodate only a maximum of 8 students a day.  All of the students who bookmarked me like the way I conduct my lessons.  They noted how I am able to conduct my lessons in an enjoyable atmosphere.

In correcting their mistakes, I always try to add some humor so they will not feel bad about mistakes.  I always tell them that the important thing is being able to communicate in English and express themselves well.  I like students to be asking questions because they get to understand what we talk about more.

When using lesson materials, I often deviate from the material to give more time to the student to talk and exchange thoughts with me.  There were some students in the intermediate level that I was able to help in transacting their business or do better in their work because of their improved knowledge in English and business terms.  Some of them have also improved their earnings or income on how I guided them in their profession or work.

I hope to sign up a few more Japanese students with me in my new online teaching platform.  Mind you, this is not exclusively for the Japanese, any nationality  wanting to learn English can sign up. Please click HERE for more information.

オンラインで英語を学んでいる日本学生 - Japanese students online learning English

In the past, more than 3 years now, I have been teaching conversational English to Japanese students online.  More than 200 students have bookmarked me as tutor because they enjoyed how I teach them English.  One thing they really liked is how I make learning in a happy atmosphere.  The experience was with a previous online teaching platform where I would have had lessons with probably around 1,000 students or more.

It was not easy to teach English especially to those who had very little knowledge of the language.  I always tell my students not worry about their accent and should focus more on pronunciation.  Also, grammar should not be a concern for them because the most important thing is being able to communicate and express themselves in the right way.

Currently, I have moved on to a better online English platform where both students and tutors have more freedom and options in learning something and not just language.  I am sure many nationalities would be interested in this online English tutorial platform because they will get a BONUS for just signing up and get BIG DISCOUNTS for each lesson.

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Learn English Online - 英国のオンラインを学びなさい

One does not need to attend regular school classes to learn conversational English.  One of the best ways to learn English is via the internet or commonly known now as Online tutorial of the language. It is a lot easier and more convenient because:

• You choose the time, day and date you want to have the tutorial lesson. 
• You do not have to learn the complicated parts of speech of English.
• It can cost as low as 300 Japanese yen.
• Homework or assignments are not required.
• There is no compulsory attendance.
• Being little late for the lesson is tolerable.
• Lesson time can be as short as 15 minutes only.

Click on the link above to register for FREE. Once you sign up, you get a BONUS of 500 points (500 JPY) that you can use for a lesson.  Also, once you start taking lessons you can get BIG DISCOUNTS for each lesson.

                                                                             ---o0o---

Engine Oil Correct Use

Motor oil in vehicles play a big role in keeping an engine operating under the right temperatures. The viscosity numbers will tell immediately the range of temperatures it should be ideally used. Lower numbers, especially those with a "W", means those are for extreme cold weather like winter which the "W" represents after the number. Normally, those in the cold regions where they have winter season, they use motor oils between "0" to 15 or 20 variable viscosity. The "0" means the oil will be in this viscosity during cold starts. The oil turns more viscous as the engine runs to operating temperatures on that weather condition. The lower viscosity allows for the engine to crank with ease under extreme cold weather. It follows, therefore, that in warmer climates or regions, motor oils being used range between the variable viscosity of 10 to 30 or 40. Engines that operate under higher temperatures should be using higher viscosity oils.

Another consideration to be noted when using motor oil is the letters that you find, sometimes before or after the viscosity numbers. Commonly, two letters that would either start with an “S” or a “C”. The letter “S” stands for spark combustion, meaning it is for vehicles that have Spark Plugs that make for spark combustion in Gasoline Engines. The letter “C” stands for Compression Combustion which is the case for Diesel Engines. Diesel engines do not have spark plugs but instead compresses air then injects diesel to initiate combustion. Why is there a distinction between gasoline and diesel engine motor oils? Generally, diesel engines run hotter and a little bit ‘dirtier’ than gasoline engine. Diesel engine motor oils have more ‘detergents’ or cleaning agents in them. So using gasoline engine motor oil for diesel engines is not advisable. You can only do this under emergency situations.

As for the letters after the first “S” or “C”, depends on the cleaning ability and protection ingredients with the motor oil. Usually, those with an “A” are the least, like SA or CA, has the least ingredients. Those with B, C, D, and the succeeding letters after, will mean having better cleaning and protection ingredients in them.

How do you deal with High gas prices
Driving with Automatic Transmission

The Chinese Zodiac

When I came to learn about the Chinese Zodiac signs, it seemed that it was more believable than the Western Zodiac, except for some observations difficult for me believe in. The Chinese Zodiac signs are as follows with the corresponding years they would fall or fall into:

1. Rat - Born in 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
2. Ox - Born in 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009
3. Tiger - Born in 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
4. Rabbit - Born in 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
5. Dragon - Born in 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
6. Snake - Born in 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
7. Horse - Born in 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954,1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
8. Sheep - Born in 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
9. Monkey - Born in 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
10. Rooster - Born in 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
11. Dog - Born in 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
12. Pig - Born in 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019

Then the numbers ending for each year has a corresponding element, and it would be as follows for the last digit of each year:
For years ending 0 to 1: Metal; 2 to 3: Water; 4 to 5: Wood; 6 to 7: Fire and 8 to 9: Earth (reference: http://www.chinatownconnection.com/chinese_zodiac.htm)

What I have observed is all the 12 zodiac signs are animals, except for one where I have doubts, if it is or were a real animal, the Dragon. Some say there is the Komodo Dragon but I am not convinced that it is the kind of dragon most people have in mind. Many people who would see a Komodo dragon might still refer to it as a large lizard.
Another thing that aroused my curiosity is that a Chinese Zodiac birth year sign comes only every 12 years. Also for the element corresponding to the years ending digit comes on two consecutive years every 10 years! So if a person does not live until 9 years old, he or she does not get to the first anniversary of the element. The same thing with the Chinese Zodiac sign if a person does not live to the age of 12.

It is very amusing to read the legend about the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac sign and why the Rat is the first in the 12 year cycle with the Ox coming in second.

Asking a person's Chinese zodiac, if you know the years they fall on, would give a good idea on their age because of the 12 year cycle.

Your Chinese Zodiac