Do you every think "I want my English to sound more natural..."

Then wonder, but how the heck do I do that? What does that even mean?

You feel like something sounds a bit "off" in your speech but you're not sure exactly what that is and you're completely clueless as to how to fix it.

Well...

I am easily overwhelmed. 

I have always been this way. I can remember, growing up, when big projects would be looming for school, I would make myself almost sick with thoughts and feelings of “I have to get this done” and “how am I going to get this done?”

The result...

I absolutely love this time of year- the decorations, the gatherings, the traditions and the excitement in the air.

It’s a special time for many and I enjoy hearing about different holiday celebrations. 

I don’t know about you, but there are several “tiny traditions”...

Consider this sentence:

Terror gripped her heart as she peered into the mirror- the horror of the days events apparent in her reflection.

Do you feel an inkling of terror at the thought of speaking this sentence out loud?

This sentence is heavy on the R sounds and these sounds are challenging for...

The other day my son comes to me and asks:

"How do you say this, mom?"

And he points to "GIF" on his tablet screen.

"Well, buddy, that's a tricky one," I shared. "There's actually a wide debate!"

So we begin discussing the Letter G and how it's pronounced differently in different words,...

I LOVE chocolate chip cookies.

All other cookies could disappear off the face of the earth forever and I wouldn’t bat an eye but take away my chocolate chip? Never!!

The kids and I made some chocolate chip cookies (or CCCs as we call them  ) over the weekend. It had been awhile...

How hard is it, really, to change the way you speak?

Actors do it all the time, right? Admittedly, some better than others. :)

There’s a difference, though, in the way a performer approaches voice training. It’s a completely different mindset than the way you’re probably...

The letter C can be a little tricky.

Sometimes is sounds like /s/ as in "decide" and "cycle."

Other times it sounds like /k/ as in "cut"and "account."

The good news is, there is actually a pattern that is very consistent that helps you to know when the letter C will sound like /s/ and when...

Where were you?

Were you here?

Just this past week, one of my students in The Clear English Academy brought these words to my attention.

These words look so similar! There each have the "e-r-e" spelling pattern, but in each word, these letters sound different.

Just another example how...

"Fifty, nifty United States from thirteen original colonies; Fifty, nifty stars on the flag that billows so beautifully in the breeze!"

These are the first lines of a song I learned and LOVED way back in second grade. It's one of those that sticks with you. Even though I'm now 43, I...