Fix these 3 common pronunciation mistakes in English!

TRANSCRIPT

So, the first one is this word "bow", which can be pronounced in two different ways. Okay? If it's this, it's a bow. Either a bowtie or a bow, a ribbon with a bow in your hair. Or if you tie your shoelaces in a bow. Okay? So that's a bow. So, for example, you can say: "She has a bow in her hair." And it's this... This sort of shape. Maybe a ribbon tied into a bow. Or: "He is wearing a bowtie." So, instead of a long tie, a bowtie like that. Okay? So that's "bow". So that's pronounced like "oh", "bow". Okay? But then there's another kind of word spelt the same but pronounced differently: "bow". Okay? So, it's like this here, if you do this. Usually men bow. Women curtsy. If this is when you meet the Queen, men bow, women curtsy. So, men do this, bending. "Men often bow when they meet the Queen." So, this one is like "ow", if that helps. "Ow". So: "bow", "bow", and they're spelt exactly the same. So, you can only tell... If you're reading it, you can only tell from the context which one it is. If someone is speaking, you can tell from the pronunciation. Okay. Bow, bow.

Right, so moving on to the second example, completely different, but there's one little confusion with this one. Words that end "atch". Okay? So, usually it's just one letter in front of "atch". So, we'll have words like: "batch", "catch", "hatch", "latch", "match", "patch". You may not know the meaning of those; I'll tell you in a second. But they all have this short "ah" sound, like with "apple". Okay? When you say: "Apple", "ah" like that. "Batch", "catch", "hatch", "latch", "match", "patch". But this with the time on it is a "watch". So it's not a watch; it's a watch, so it's short "o" sound, "aw", as in "orange". So it's apples and oranges, really. So, "ah" and "aw", so a watch. I realized this when a student of mine who is in Russia said: "Catch", and I thought: "Catch and..." When she typed it, wrote it via Skype, I saw it was "catch", so I realized then: Ah, she was thinking of "watch", and saying "catch". But it's wrong. It's "catch". So "watch" is the only one I can think of that has the short "o" sound. Okay, so we know what a "watch" is.

A "batch", if you don't know what a batch is, it's like a set of things, like bread... Bread rolls in a batch, a batch of six or a batch of 12 rolls of bread. A batch that go into the oven to be baked all together. That's a batch. "To catch", if someone throws a ball to you, you try to catch it. Oh. "Hatch", if there's an egg and the bird is sitting on the egg, keeping it nice and warm, and then one day the shell starts to break and a little beak comes out, and the little bird... Little baby bird is hatching. That's "to hatch", when the egg breaks and the little baby bird comes out. That's "to hatch". A "latch" is on a door to close the door. And sometimes it's just something that goes over, and it closes the door. That's the latch. Okay?

A "match" is something you... If you're... Oh, hope you don't smoke cigarettes, but to light a cigarette, people often use a match, a little wooden... It's got a red or brown tip on it, and a piece of wood, and you go like that with it, and you get a flame, and you light the cigarette. Or you may be lighting a fire, you strike a match and you light the fire with it. Okay? "Match". "Match" can also mean putting two things together that are the same, or colours that match. The purple and blue, maybe, you think: "Oh, yes, purple and blue, they go together well. They match." So, two totally different meanings of "match".

[tatianageorgiesh]

I learn so many words with you and you explain the meanings in so understandible way! Thank you so much! Love your channel!

[finik]

Thank you very much for this useful pronunciation lesson! All was really clear.

[rauvenrod]

This lady is the teacher I should have had in Portugal during the 12 years I studied English at school. Explain accurately and clearly. Thank you so much for these classes.

[oscaros]

Madame, you are such a great teacher. I found you randomly, and it was a nice discovery. I am from Chile and one of the most difficult things for me to learn are phrasal verbs... It is incredible how a preposition may modify the meaning of a verb (give, give up / let, let sb down, etc.) Thanks a lot for your help and your kindness.

[dr.fatimahuthman]

Please do more lessons, I admire your lessons 😍💖

[AprendeMedicinaconCristianMoya]

Thank you Mrs. Gill! Your explanation is very good and clear!

[haridanjhon]

Well done, I really love learning English from your lessons.
Thank you.

[AndyUrologist]

wish all native speakers speak like this. I understand each word!

[AlekVen]

I came to this video because it appeared in my recommendations.
And I actually learnt something.
Never knew the word "trough". Now I do. Thank you.

[diahvivre]

It's an excellent explanation! I just love it. Thanks a lot, teacher Gil!

[ProgMerolKid]

I just found your channel!!! I love how you explain :) very easy and clear! thank you Gill

[mariagutierrezacevedo]

Very good lesson. I have learnt more watching these videos than in the school. Thank you very much

[ukaszs]

i`ve learnd more with you then in my school, i love yo gill <3 you are an amazing teacher

[Ravisri]

The way of your teaching is very useful and understandable. keep it up...god bless you

[maatiash]

I really like the way you are explaining the things. It's so clear :)

[santiagomarcosfull]

Thanks Prof. Gill! You are awesome! congrats!

[ayeshabt]

Gill I just love your way of teaching. I feel like you tend to speak to make everyone understand.

[lauraineshidalgo]

Such a clear lesson!!! Don´t you want to come to live in Buenos Aires, Argentina?? You would have lots of students...

[giuliascalori]

Thank you so much Gill! It is a pleasure to listen to your lessons.

[nadiaer]

Dear GillThank you a lot for making all these helpful video lessons for those who learn English. And thank you in advance for better understanding of one of the most interesting languages.Nadia from Russia