Instantly improve your English with 3 easy words!

Improve how you sound in English by mastering when these three words are used! I've met thousands of English learners at all levels. Most of them, even the advanced students, make mistakes with the words "a", "the", and "to". These are some of the most common words we use, so in this lesson I'm going to teach you how we use these words. I don't want to look just at grammar; I want you to understand these words and why we use them. If you're an advanced English student, this will be a great review for you. If you're a beginner, try to understand this and save yourself years of English mistakes.

TRANSCRIPT

Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo. The things I do for love. There's not a thing... Hi. James from engVid. Today's lesson is about instantly improving. Now, I know... "Instant", what does that mean? People say it all the time. I want to show you a little trick that will make your English sound better instantly, and I will give you a technique that you can use after to help practice this. What I have found are students have a mistake or make a mistake when they drop these three words, and because of that I know you're not a native speaker. But today I'm going to address that, show you the three words... Okay? Explain why, and then I will give you a technique that you can use at home soon as you go back over this video or any video to practice it, and you will get instantly better. 10-20%. Okay? Want to know what I'm talking about? Let's go to the board and look at something you've learned, but today you're going to understand. You ready?

So, Mr. E said: "Which three words can help you sound like a native speaker?" I'm going to help you a little bit by doing this, and then we're going to go to the board. The words I'm talking about, and you might not consider them words but they are words are: "a" or "an"... Okay, and I consider that one word because it's modified. Right? "The" and "to". Of course you're going to say: "Yeah, James, we know all these. We learned this at beginner, so how does that instantly help me improve my English?" The problem is this: When a person knows something they will talk, when they understand they will change their behaviour or they will use the information. Many students know about articles and the preposition "to", but they actually don't use them in sentences. Many times I've heard students go... Say: "I need to go work tonight." Soon as you say that I know you're not a native speaker. Or if they say: "I bought car yesterday" or "I bought food..." Not "some food". "I bought apple yesterday at the store." I'm like: "A-... You mean an apple, right?" They don't think to say it, because they know: "Teacher, you know what I'm saying." And I go: "Yeah, I know what you're saying, but the way you said it I know English is not your first language." So what I want to do is get you to come back to understanding, not just knowing why these words are important, the fact that, especially with the articles we're going to talk about, they are in most of the sentences. You can almost not get by a sentence without using them.

So let's go to the board and take a look. First, what is an article? Well, you'll see an article is the letter "a" or "an". Quickly on that one, "an" is used when we have a vowel sound, sound... Not a... Not just a vowel. So when you say: "A apple", we know "a" and "a" make it difficult for us to actually get it out and for you to understand, so we add: "an" to put a consonant to make it easier for the listener. "I want an apple." Oh, okay, cool. How about "hour"? Teacher, that has an "h" in front of it. I'm like: "Enh?" But we say: "hour", we don't say: "h-our", because with "a" we have to say: "an hour", and that once again tells me one hour. You keep noticing I keep saying "one". I'll explain in a second.

Now, this is what we call and indefinite article. I.e. it's not special. When I say to you: "I want a marker", a marker. All right? I'm talking about this. See this? They're all basically the same. I don't care what type of marker. "A" just means generally speaking marker. That's why it's indefinite; it's not special. When we look at the word "the", "the" is special. In this case, when I say to you: "I want the marker", which one do you think I'm talking about? Can you see the difference? Clearly. Even if you don't know, you would look and see four, and see this and go: "He's probably talking about this one." So with a definite article what's happening is someone is being very specific. Well, there are two things. They could say something is special or something is specific. Okay? And here we have definite article is "the". "Tell the man I like him." Okay? "Tell the man", in this case both of us have to know what you're talking about, because if there are 10 men you'll go: "Which man?"

[jacobgaddis]

I don’t know why I was recommended this when I’m a native English speaker, but I can’t stop watching for some reason.

[karenjantv]

This teacher is the best teacher in the world!

[annase]

He always starts the lesson natural way. Its more like a conversation than a normal class. Thank you so much

[wesbrown]

I'm a 55 year old native speaker and did not realize how much I had forgotten and or did not know until I found your channel. Thank you for providing such a valuable learning tool!!!

[Rahel-qtem]

You are such a superb teacher. I wish you were my teacher when I was at school, my life would have been in different place right now. Thank you

[MissE.onthemove]

If there’s an honor for people who are able to educate people, something like the hall of fame… James is the one to be honored. Thank you James

[miladveeraa]

The best teacher I've ever seen in my life, thank you
keep it up 😊

[inislgn]

"its not about grammar, its about understanding"

[jovial]

"A good artist borrows, a great artist steals." I've stolen this and my students love it. Thanks James!

[noii]

"I'm just trying to teach some people to understand instead of have knowledge without understanding"
If only all teachers was like him 🛐

[bombassthicklife]

All my years in school, not a single teacher made me understand English as much as he. This is teaching.

[AnyDayNow]

"Have knowledge without understanding, " is one example of why you are a great professor. You inspire me to complete my Master's degree and help me use my quirky personality to benefit those around me. Thank you for these lessons!

[LP-symd]

This is so spot on. It took me 20 years to realize the importance of using articles properly in spoken English. Wish I had a good teacher like you. Thanks!

[akowedeborah]

I'm telling you, mahn, you're the best teacher. As a teacher in Nigeria, I learn from you every time

[Теди-вя]

Me while watching James' videos - 50% admiring my teacher and 50% being interested and learning. Thank you, James, for making those interesting videos. You are a really good teacher - I understand everything you say! :)

[clevs_brazil]

7 years ago, I started studying English, and I always watch your videos to help me. Today I live in the US, and I can see how your classes improved my English level. Thank you. Your methods are really efficient to make people understand better!

[MongorJames]

Hi Mr.James, you've been a blessing in my life, my English speaking has improve tremendously as a result of taking your lessons. God bless you.

[dorothywelsh]

Dear Mr James, I speak English. I have learned more from you than any of my English teachers.
The time I spend with JamesELS English lessons is the best. Thank you!

[tonitozhimo]

Finally I have found the good teacher who can shape me out...
Thank you so much dear( sir)
May God bless you long life with good health...

[Kobix]

Finally someone explain why a/an is usually on the beginning of the statment and then "the". Thanks a lot!