Lesson 8: Speaking
- Pronouncing [ai] [ei] diphthongs
Look at the following examples:
[ai] : lye /lai/, write/rait/ , night /nait/, find /faɪnd/, bite /baɪt/, tiger /ˈtaɪ.ɡə/
[ei] : lace/leis/, lane/lein/, day/dei/, place /pleɪs/, late /leɪt/, dangerous /ˈdeɪn.dʒə.rəs/
II. Pronouncing different consonants
The consonant [p] and [f] are sometimes difficult for some Ethiopian students.
[P] is pronounced by bringing your upper and lower lips together and sending out the puff of air. Now say out the following words after your
teacher: press, potato, stop, premium, pregnant
[f] is pronounced by putting your upper teeth on the lower lip. Now say out the following words after your teacher: first, flavor, figure, final, rough, laugh [la:f].
III. Giving Advice and Warnings
Giving advice to people who need it is one way of solving social problems. Accordingly, we give advice to people using different words or expressions. In addition, to protect people from possible danger or penalty, we give them warning.
We use “must”, “have/ has to” to give strong warning or advice and we use “should” or “ought to” to give weaker form of warning or advice. We use “suggest” and “had better” when we want to give advice in a polite way”.
Examples:
- Obang, you are not feeling well today. Your pain is aggravating seriously. You must visit a physician immediately.
- Cheating on examinations is a very serious academic crime, so you have to always work by your own and never let others copy your answers.
- Life is always dependent on the existing situations; so when you face a problem, you ought to avoid frustrations and adjust yourself with the realities.
- The weather condition is foggy; it seems to rain very soon. Hence, you had better carry an umbrella.
- If you want to pass the entrance exam successfully, I suggest reading this book between lines.
Summary: Modal Auxiliaries are helping verbs that
A. Whether someone is able to do something( Ability-can, could, is/ are able to…)
–Fred can speak Spanish fluently.
–My sister could walk by the time she was 8 months old.
–Fifth graders are able to write a fairly detailed compositions.
B. How likely something is:( Possibility-may, might, can, could, must..)
–Janet is eating black pudding. She must be very hungry.
–It’s getting windy and damp; it may rain soon.
–We should save some of the money. Something we didn’t expect could happen.
C. To give advice/make suggestions( should, ought to, had better..)
–You should finish reading your book by Monday.
–Sisay ought to avoid being late if he is to keep his job.
–You had better see a doctor before your wound gets infected.
D. To ask for or give permission( may, can, might..)
–May I go to the toilet?
–Once you finish your work, you may go out with your friends.
–Can I be excused? I need to see the nurse.
–Might I trouble you to close the window. It’s terribly draughty in here.