Time for Winners!

Dear Friend,

As the title of this email suggests we are talking about winners today. In the last part of this session you will be able to read the introduction to "English For Winners", an effective guide to self-confidence and success through learning English.

But before we get to that, let's review some grammar items again. You probably remember that we have already covered the 'question tags' or 'tag questions', don't you? Yes, a tag question is usually used to ask for confirmation. You can also use a tag question to elicit an opinion from another person. Here is an example: 'Practising sports on a regular basis really helps you keep fit, doesn't it?' In this sentence, "doesn't it" is called the 'question tag' because it was attached to the question. When you look up the word 'tag' in your dictionary you will see that it describes a label that is attached to an item or product. Usually the tag contains information regarding the item or product it has been attached to. That's why the part that is added to a question is called 'question tag'.

So how good are you at using question tags or tag questions? You can practise and improve your skills with Alan's second Question Tag Test. The test is a dialogue between Sarah and Paul, a married couple arguing about a variety of daily situations. As usual, you can pick up several new phrases and idioms such as 'I hate the sight of him' or 'I can't take it any more' as well as phrases with modal verbs such as 'You mustn't eat' or 'It's not allowed'. In case you have any questions regarding this test, simply click on the 'Click here for Explanation' link next to each question. Here is an example: Question Tag Explanation.

Friend,
A lot of people ask me how they can improve their pronunciation. The following link leads you to an MP3 audio interview I have recorded with Dimitar, a successful English learner from Bulgaria. Dimitar has been able to obtain an accent that sounds very American and in this interview you will be able to learn how exactly he did that: How to improve your pronunciation?

It's amazing to hear that Dimitar has achieved such an excellent pronunciation just by practising by himself. You, Friend can follow Dimitar's example and start practising and improving your speaking skills, too. All you need to do is record your own online voice messages on our forum. If you have Java installed and enabled in your browser, you can use our voice recorder to respond to Dimitar's recordings with a voice message too. For more details, please read How can I record voice messages on the forum?

And finally it's time for you to find out whether or not you are winner. What do you need to do? Read the following introduction and post your comments on the forum using the link on the page below: Are you a Winner?

Best regards,
Torsten Daerr