Think with pictures - common verbs

Can you identify the verb for each image? 

say

get up

go

leave

know

to take a shower

see

come

think

look

want

give

find

tell 

ask

work

feel

try

call

put on

Think with pictures - Walking the dog

Start with this video, then try the lesson that follows.



What can we say about each picture in English?

To walk 

To take a walk

To go for a walk

To walk around

To walk the dog

To take the dog for a walk

The dog
A dog

His dog

Her dog

The man  
A man   

He 

   

  

The woman
A woman
She

   

   

What can we say in a full sentence about these pictograms?

1)

Now: 

Yesterday:
Tomorrow:


2)

Now:
Yesterday:
Tomorrow:

3)

Now:
Yesterday:
Tomorrow:

4)

Now:
Yesterday:
Tomorrow:

Thinking in pictures - 3

These pictures are a bit more complicated. 
Can you describe what is happening or what happened in the photos?

Thinking in pictures - 2

More pictograms and photos to get you...
THINKING with PICTURES!



Now - ________________ / Every day - ________________ / Yesterday - ________________

Now - ________________ / Every day - ________________ / Yesterday - ________________

Now - ________________ / Every day - ________________ / Yesterday - ________________

Now - ________________ / Every day - ________________ / Yesterday - ________________

Now - ________________ / Every day - ________________ / Yesterday - ________________

Now - ________________ / Every day - ________________ / Yesterday - ________________

Now - ________________ / Every day - ________________ / Yesterday - ________________

Now - ________________ / Every day - ________________ / Yesterday - ________________

Now - ________________ / Every day - ________________ / Yesterday - ________________

Now - ________________ / Every day - ________________ / Yesterday - ________________

Now - ________________ / Every day - ________________ / Yesterday - ________________

Thinking in pictures

Thinking in pictures, or how to avoid translating from your mother tongue into English...

It is hard not to translate from our mother tongue when we learn a new language. But that can create a lot of problems.

Some languages, such as French or Russian, are more flowery than English. If you translate directly from FR to ENG your English will sound unnatural.


Let's look at an example from a closing of a business communication in French:

Veuillez croire, Monsieur, en l'expression de ma considération distinguée.

Translated directly to English:

Please believe, Sir, in the expression of my highest consideration.

Wow! See how crazy that sounds in English? If you speak like this in English you will sound phoney. It simply will not sound English to a native English speaker.

English is informal and plain in comparison to French. What you should say instead is:

Yours,

or

Regards, 

Some languages are more earthy and direct than English, such as Azerbaijani, Irish, or Arabic. If you translate literally from AZ to ENG, you will sound stilted and crude.

Let's look at an example:

O, pis adam.

Translated directly to English:

He, bad man.

Again, this doesn't sound like English. What you should say is:

He's not a very nice guy.

So, as much as possible, you should try to THINK IN PICTURES. Go directly from the picture to the English, without allowing your mother tongue to influence your choice of English vocabulary.

Let's try an example:


The man -----------------------------------his dog--------------------------taking a walk

Express this pictogram in a full sentence -

It is happening now:

___________________________________________________________________

It happens every day:

Every day __________________________________________________________

It happened yesterday:

Yesterday __________________________________________________________

Can you think of other ways these sentences could be expressed?

Stay tuned for more THINKING with PICTURES posts!!

TH sounds

That terrible TH sound

Yes, it's that terrible sound that French people hate to make. But, let's face it, those things turn up more often than you think. (Just count the TH's in that last sentence!)

Here's a video intro to this topic. I've asked my husband to help me with some videos to demonstrate pronunciation since he has such a clear voice and lovely mid-Atlantic accent. (Ireland + Canada = great accent!)


TH sound with air only

Here are some TH sounds that do not use your vocal cords. 

You just use air to make this TH sound.

Remember to stick your tongue out between your teeth.

Examples:

At the beginning of the word - 

Thanks

Thin

Think

Third

Thirteen

Thirty

Three

Thursday

Thumb

In the middle of the word - 

Anything

Athlete 

Bathtub

Birthday

Healthy

Something

Toothpick

Worthwhile

At the end of the word - 

Breath

Earth

Fifth

Math

Mouth 

Ninth

North 

South 

Teeth

Tenth

Tooth

Worth

TH sounds that use your vocal cords.

At the beginning - 

That

The 

Their 

There 

Them 

These 

They 

They’re 

This

Those 

In the middle - 

Another 

Brother 

Clothes [exception to the rule! This is pronounced CLOZE, as in "Close the door."]

Clothing 

Either 

Father 

Feather 

Mother 

Other 

Weather

At the end - 

Bathe 

Breathe

Smooth 

Try to read some sentences:

The meeting will take place this Thursday.

My brother is thirteen today. He wants some cool clothes for his birthday.

My father always picks his teeth with a toothpick after he eats. 

The weather in the south of France is very stormy this week, while the weather in the north is calm.

Those brothers are always misbehaving. They are always into something or another. Last Thursday I told their mother I didn’t want them to play with my son anymore. 

That clothing line is very expensive, but my mother thinks it is not worth it. 

Thanks for inviting me to lunch. The food was healthy and tasty. 

Math is my least favorite subject. I think literature is much more interesting. 

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You can find all of these videos and more on my YouTube channel.