English conversation, REAL English conversation, is tricky. Why?
Because real conversation is unlike what you learned in school. In fact, it often feels totally different.
One key difference is the fact that real speech very rarely uses full complete “grammatically correct” sentences. Of course, in school, those are the only kinds of sentences you learned. You learned about Subject-Verb-Object. You learned to avoid sentence fragments.
Then you hear a real English conversation, with real native speakers– and you discover that they MOSTLY use sentence fragments!
This is something I immediately noticed when I read the transcripts for our new Learn Real English lessons. I knew that we tend to use a lot of fragments in normal speech, but even I was surprised at just how often we do this.
We constantly speak in partial sentences. We constantly use “run-on” sentences. We constantly interrupt our own sentences and change our thoughts in the middle of speaking. A transcript of a real conversation– that is, a totally spontaneous and natural conversation– is totally different than anything you will find in a textbook.
And that is only one difference– there are many other major differences between real English conversations and textbook-school conversations.
This helps to explain why even “advanced” English students have such trouble when they come to the United States. While these students may have good individual vocabulary (usually formal), they have absolutely no exposure to real spoken syntax or structure.
Worse, they know very little slang and don’t understand the common idioms that native speakers constantly use.
We designed our Learn Real English lessons to fix these problems. We used only spontaneous, totally natural recorded conversations. These conversations were not planned.
Every conversation is between two native speakers– talking naturally. The vocabulary used is casual and natural– with a lot of idioms and slang. The syntax is also natural– lots of sentence fragments, lots of run-on sentences, lots of interruptions, lots of filler words.
This is one of the strengths of the Effortless English system in general– we always focus on REAL speech– the kind that is actually used by native speakers. We don’t care what academics think about how people “should” speak English– we teach you how real people actually DO speak English.
February 16th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Hi A J,
Just like so many people around the world i’ve needed to learn english.I’m happy i’ve found your method becouse is funny and powerful. I really like it becouse i could learn english easy and naturally just like a child.
Admirations : Kamelia
Bulgaria
February 26th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Hi A J,
i loved your lessonns and want to say thank you very much! you`ve helped so many people! i have a business propasal for! how can i discuss it with you?
February 27th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Hi, teacher
I’ve started the Effortless English class today and I am expecting my speaking skill to improve a lot more than before
If i feel better in speaking English and listening to it, I will leave my message for the recommendation of this class to everybody
Thanks TH from S.K.
February 27th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Hi, I am happy, with the progress I have reached with my english skils, I think you are a great teacher, and you know how to give out all your knowledge.
March 5th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Yeah, you are totally right. For me, English is just a tool for communicaiton. I don’t care grammer rules and how scholars thing we should use language.
Only thing I’d like to aquire is how to use it. That’s it.
Your method is really effective I think.
March 8th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
i’ve started learning english with A J’S system since one week i feel that iwill succees thank you AJ
March 10th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Hi A J.
You are the best teacher and your halping have been very important for me.Iam an military officer from Albania. Your method is very fanny and powerful.
The best regards
Halil vata Albania
March 12th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
With Effortless System I feel like a new..I am succeing to be again confidently. I bless A.J.Hoge.
March 13th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Hello A.J., I’m thingking about your philosophy of learning a foreign language. I listen to your lessons day and night, even during my sleep, I hope I’ll speak English in my dreams. I’ll join your comunity soon.Bye.
March 18th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
what’s up A.J i find this course very very helpful thanks
March 21st, 2009 at 5:37 am
Learn English!!!
Effortless English is the best way to improve your English!!!
When I started, I was on pre-intermediate level, this courses helped my to advance to the intermediate level!!! Im sure I ll be fluency in English!!!
Thanks for your help!!!
March 21st, 2009 at 11:24 am
Dear Mr. A J Hoge you are great. i improved my English skill with your given lessons. Thanks so much.You know Bangladeshi people are use to speking english grammertically. But i never follow this kind of
March 29th, 2009 at 7:42 am
thank you Mr.A.j i’m arabic person i didn’n know alot of english but when I am registor in your web site begin understand some word when anyone talke althoug I didn’t listen everyday thak you very much
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:05 am
I want to learn english.
April 8th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Hi. THANKS YOU ARE A GREAT MASTER .I USED TO IMPROVE MY ENGLISH BY DIFFERENT WAYS WHICH WAS USELESS .WITH YOU I AM READY TO CHANGE IT INTO USEFUL RULES. Effortless English IS THE BEST FOREVER.
April 11th, 2009 at 5:46 am
It’s simply superb!!!!
April 12th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
THANKS ALOT FOR YOUR AMAZING WEBSITE, I FEEL ALL MY DREAMS COME TRUE ABOUT ENGLISH .
April 13th, 2009 at 4:45 am
iam very excited ididnot yet practice your lessons but iam enthusaistic to do that thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaank you ver much you are agret master
April 16th, 2009 at 8:57 am
Dear A J Hoge,
Effortless English is the best way to improve our English!!!
When I started, I was on pre-intermediate level, this courses helped my to advance to the intermediate level!!! Im sure I ll be fluency in English!!!
Thanks for your help!!!
With Best Regards,
Khawaja Nezamuddin
Kabul – Afghanistan
April 18th, 2009 at 9:44 am
Hi A.J.
I’m very like your English teaching system you know why? because your English teaching system make me speaking English faster, as I started your English lesson after a month its very work I can understand more from native speaker and i really hope that i will speak English very very well in 6 month
Thanks Again.