Learn English: How to understand native speakers

Do you find it hard to understand casual English conversations? It's not your fault! Native speakers don't speak clearly, but you still need to understand them. In daily conversation, we take shortcuts in our speech. This is usually done by "dropping" consonant sounds. In today's video I'll explain why this happens, and how you can improve your understanding of native speaker pronunciation. You'll get to hear some of the most common words and expressions that English speakers drop consonants from so you'll be prepared when you hear them. I'll also teach you strategies to improve your English listening skills and recommend some listening exercises you can do while listening to music and watching movies.

TRANSCRIPT

Now, before I get into this lesson, I want you to understand: I don't want to teach you how to speak like this. Okay? I don't want you to speak like this. I want you to speak good, clear, strong English, just like I'm speaking to you now. But I also want you to understand that when I am with my Canadian friends, for example, I speak a little bit more like this. It's just natural, it's habit. It's not a good habit, but it's habit. Okay?

So, I did actually do a lesson about how to speak like a native speaker before. You can learn how to make elisions, how to connect sounds, how to... When you have two sounds that are the same, to drop one of them. This is a little bit different. We're going to look at dropped sounds inside words.

Now, these words, for example: "listen", no "t"; "plumber", no "b"; "dumb", no "b". These words are not dropped sounds words. These are just the way these words are constructed; we are supposed to make the "t" silent, we are supposed to make the "b" silent. That's just how the word is built.

But native speakers, native English speakers... And I'm sure this is the same in your native language if you pay attention carefully to how you speak and how your friends speak, we like to take shortcuts. Okay? We don't like too many syllables. We like to have fewer and fewer syllables to make the speech go faster. We don't want to think too much about what we're saying.

So, for example, here are a few words. Now, I'm looking at consonant clusters. Does everybody remember what a consonant is? B, c, d, f, g, etc. Vowels: a, e, i, o, u. All the other letters, consonants. So when we have consonant clusters, these are groups when you have consonants bunched together; you have a few of them together. When we have words with this situation, we tend to drop one, maybe two of those consonants.

So, for example, the word "probably". Pro-bab-ly, pro-bab-ly-. I have three syllables in this word, but when I'm speaking in natural speed, I say: "Probly". -"Are you coming to the party tomorrow night?" -"Yeah, probly." Now you're watching me on a TV or you're watching me in a movie, and you're thinking: -"What?" -"Probly." -"What?" -"Probly." Okay? All I'm saying is "probably", but what I'm doing, because I have "b, b, l", I have a little cluster of consonant sounds, I'll just drop this one; I don't need it. You'll understand me without it, right? I think with another native speaker. "Probly". "Good bye", even two consonants, ah, too much. "Gobye. Gobye". I barely even say the o's, I just say like: "Gobye". Okay?

"Old friend". Now, in the other video, I told you if the letters... The very last letter and the first letter are the same, you can drop one, but we do it anyway, even if they're not the same. "I have an ol' friend. Ol' friend who I met for dinner last night. Oh, I met an ol' friend from high school."

[gsammp]

Adam is absolutely the best teacher I have ever met!

[garryverdier]

Adam is a good teacher, he makes everything clear to understand

[wilkmathiu]

Adam, I find your lessons amazing for several reasons: 1. You keep it simple, 2. You don't beat around the bush 3. You have excellent sense of humour 4. The overall impression is so good as far as your lessons are concerned 5. You just seem to be a nice person So... Keep doing what you do, because you are one of the best teachers and have a good luck!

[dellobina]

Adam is the best teacher for me. i'm in a call center industry and my coworker and sometimes my trainer or supervisor having a hard time understanding me when i speak to them in English saying that i have a problem with my enunciation. well most of my caller don't have a problem understanding me tho cause i'm speaking native like they do and go with their own pace. it's the people around me that have a problem cause they're bunch of perfectionist, i mean who need to enunciate every word when you're just having a normal conversation, it's not like you're on an interview. Adam is right, you can do all the shortcuts when you're having a normal conversation but never do it in a formal or like in an interview situation.

[suhedacelik]

This is the actual teaching English method. We non-native speakers need this. Learning formal English doesn't get us somewhere. I really appreciate your efforts and wish you all the best..

[babakahmadi]

All teachers are the bright segment of every society, especially Adam who is teaching with his heart.I appreciate him.

[stalinengoma]

Hi, Adam I’m constructing my English very well since I’m learning from your YouTube channel. My native language is French and you really help me to improve even if you don’t know. Thanks for this amazing channel.

[themainmansteve]

it's weird knowing people don't understand what he's saying, when I have heard these terms my whole life. This is a real eye opener for just how expansive language/culture is around the world.

[unionbayisa]

I am proud of you Adam i haven't ever seen a teacher like you, you're second to none .

[jegirsherwani]

The same for me it’s the same issue I can understand you easily but when it’s comes to tv show or movies I can’t understand well .I reckon English is a powerful language and they don’t wanna express everything clearly…..you rock madam 👍

[michaelvarela]

Wow Thank you Adam.. I thought I was the only person with that problem .. often I watch Netflix and I don't understand what the actors are saying but I already I understand why.. Thank very much again ..

[Александр-шшп]

I wish everyone spoke like Adam) He sounds very clear. As I watch his lesson I start to think that I'm native English speaker)))) thank you for a nice work

[CrownAcademyEnglish]

Interesting lesson. It's true that many English learners struggle with speaking with natives. :)

[ibrahimalotaibi]

The only one who explain clearly how non native can pronounce correctly. I'm lucky I found your videos. AMAZING!!!

[jackyyang]

Adam, you know, my poor english couldn't sustain me once until I met you, from whom taught us in a very easy understanding way. Thanks a lot.

[marcos]

Wow, finally someone gave a good explanation of this.

[Margarita-hfef]

Thank you for your lessons! Could you, please, make a video where you talk to us not as a teacher but just as a native speaker? It would be interesting to compare :)

[handrick]

From Korea, of course South Korea, I do appreciate your helpful lucture on understanding fast spoken English

[raimundosepulvedav.]

Hello Adam... I am a Chilean Engineer and I am a teacher too. I found your channel days ago and I think that I have learnt a lot of English due to your clear method. Congratulations from South America...

[ajenjerang]

I am from Northeast Indian I Wana share my experience about learning English in schools it was like what you see in the book just memories it or do writing prectices if you have any questions you have to deal it with it by your own 😅😅😅 I don't know whether those teacher's excuses or really they don't know good English but when ever they feel it's tough to teach Grammers they excuses
Lot of thanks to adam sir we learn lot watching your video
Thanks ..