Can You Use This Spoken English Story to Improve Your Listening Skills?

Stories read aloud are similar to spoken English and are a great way to study English. In fact, this is how humans learn language: we listen to stories.

There are, however, several basic differences between spoken and written English. 

First, the grammar is different.  Written English is more formal, and usually complex.  Spoken English has simple grammar, usually with simpler ideas in each sentence. 

Second, the sounds are different.  If we read written english aloud, it sounds like written English.  People reading aloud usually make the sounds clearer, and do not join the sounds as much as they do in normal conversation. 

Third, the vocabulary is different.  Written English tends to have more precise words, and often a more difficult vocabulary.  If we use the same vocabulary for normal conversation, it may sound pretentious or condescending.

Finally, another difference is that spoken English contains more repetition, and usually shorter blocks of ideas.   There are also hesitations, and false starts (start, then stop and re-start saying with different words), as well as self-interruptions in normal conversation. 

One great way to master spoken English is to Listen and Speak. This is close to the proprioceptive language learning method. 

There are many ways to do listen and speak.  You may use the stories I wrote and recorded on this site.  First listen to the story.  The next step is to repeat the story, exactly.  That will also help you to hear the target vocabulary in other conversations. 

My stories are not conversation, but stories are close to converstation; they come from a storytelling tradition which is oral.  

Listen Many Times

Children love to hear stories again and again.  These days, they watch DVDs.  My neices and nephews always surprised me because they could watch the same DVD so many times (even more than a hundren times!). 

You can study English the same way.  You will find the listen and speak method great with DVDs.  Watch the movie, and then try to repeat sections of the spoken English in the movie. 

But Movies are Very Long

You may not have much time to watch DVDs.  I understand,  so I made my stories short. Each has a different set of phrasal verbs.  Study the phrasal verbs, and listen to the stories to hear them again and again. 

Another advantage to my stories is that you have the script to read, so you can be sure you understand the story as you study it. 

The Golfer

Verb list

1. Tell off: scold, or rebuke somebody, especially in anger

2. Burn up: to destroy something by intense heat or fire

3. Make clear: if you make something clear, you say something in a way that makes it impossible for there to be and doubt about your meaning, wishes, or intentions

4. Make good: to become successful, often after an unpromising start

5. Hear from: to recieve a communication such as a letter or telephone call from a person, place or organization.

The man in the red jacket is Tiger Woods’coach. In the picture he is having so much trouble that he got angry at the photographer and told him off. He burned up a lot of energy golfing in the rough that day. He wants to make good in the coach's tournament so he practices a lot. If he wins he'll hear from Tiger Woods in person. He wants to make it clear that he's an excellent golfer and not just a good coach.

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You can get your own copy of this recording in mp3 format here - (at no charge).

Just right click here. 

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You can also sign up for my free newsletter Common English  in the form and get access to five free downloads of stories, here: 

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