English for Vietnamese Speakers – Lesson 3

Focus: Pronunciation Drills for Vowels and Diphthongs & First 20 Common English Words

Welcome to Lesson 3 of English for Vietnamese Speakers! This lesson will focus on pronunciation drills for English vowels and diphthongs, as these sounds are crucial for building good pronunciation habits. We’ll also introduce the first 20 common English words typically taught in beginner English books.

1. Pronunciation Drills for Vowels and Diphthongs (Luyện tập phát âm nguyên âm và nguyên âm đôi)

English vowels and diphthongs can be challenging for Vietnamese speakers because they often differ significantly from Vietnamese vowel sounds. This section will help you get familiar with each sound and practice it effectively.

Vowels (Nguyên âm đơn)

There are 5 main vowel letters in English: A, E, I, O, U, but they can make multiple sounds. Here are the most common sounds for each vowel and some practice words.

Diphthongs (Nguyên âm đôi)

Diphthongs are combinations of two vowel sounds in a single syllable. English has eight common diphthongs. Here are a few key ones with examples:

Practice with Google Translate for Listening (Thực hành với Google Dịch để luyện nghe)

To improve your pronunciation, listen to these sounds and practice repeating them. You can use Google Translate to listen to each word’s pronunciation by following these steps:

1. Go to Google Translate.
2. Type the English word (like “Cat” or “Go”).
3. Select “English” as the language.
4. Click the speaker icon to listen to the pronunciation.
5. Repeat the sound, trying to mimic the pronunciation as closely as possible.

Other useful tools for listening practice include YouGlish (to hear words in context) and Forvo (for authentic pronunciations from native speakers).

2. First 20 Common English Words for Beginners (20 từ tiếng Anh thông dụng đầu tiên)

Here are the first 20 words commonly introduced in English textbooks for beginners, along with Vietnamese translations and pronunciation guides. These words are simple but essential, forming the basis of many daily conversations.

3. Practice Sentences with First 20 Words (Câu thực hành với 20 từ đầu tiên)

Here are some simple sentences using the first 20 words. Practicing these sentences will help you remember the words and get comfortable forming sentences.

Examples (Ví dụ):

1. I am happy.
   • Vietnamese: “Tôi vui.”
2. You are my friend.
   • Vietnamese: “Bạn là bạn của tôi.”
3. He is tall.
   • Vietnamese: “Anh ấy cao.”
4. She is kind.
   • Vietnamese: “Cô ấy tốt bụng.”
5. It is a cat.
   • Vietnamese: “Nó là một con mèo.”
6. We are ready.
   • Vietnamese: “Chúng tôi đã sẵn sàng.”
7. They are here.
   • Vietnamese: “Họ ở đây.”
8. This is my book.
   • Vietnamese: “Đây là sách của tôi.”
9. That is your house.
   • Vietnamese: “Đó là nhà của bạn.”
10. Yes, I understand.
    • Vietnamese: “Có, tôi hiểu.”
11. No, thank you.
    • Vietnamese: “Không, cảm ơn.”
12. Please sit down.
    • Vietnamese: “Làm ơn ngồi xuống.”
13. Thank you for coming.
    • Vietnamese: “Cảm ơn bạn đã đến.”
14. Hello, how are you?
    • Vietnamese: “Xin chào, bạn khỏe không?”
15. Goodbye, see you later.
    • Vietnamese: “Tạm biệt, hẹn gặp lại.”
16. This is good food.
    • Vietnamese: “Đây là đồ ăn ngon.”
17. It is a bad day.
    • Vietnamese: “Đó là một ngày xấu.”
18. Good morning!
    • Vietnamese: “Chào buổi sáng!”
19. Good night!
    • Vietnamese: “Chúc ngủ ngon!”
20. I am sorry.
    • Vietnamese: “Tôi xin lỗi.”

4. Additional Practice Tips (Mẹo thực hành bổ sung)

• Use Google Translate or YouTube: To practice pronunciation and listening, type each word or sentence into Google Translate and click the speaker icon to hear it spoken aloud.
• YouTube Video: Watch a pronunciation video to hear these words in context and improve your understanding.

5. Homework (Bài tập về nhà)

1. Practice Sentences: Write five sentences using the words from this lesson.
2. Listening and Speaking: Use Google Translate to practice saying each word. Listen to the pronunciation and repeat each word three times.
3. Translate: Translate the following sentences into Vietnamese:
   • “This is a good book.”
   • “They are friends.”
   • “Goodbye, see you tomorrow.”

Conclusion (Kết luận)

In this lesson, you’ve learned essential pronunciation drills for vowels and diphthongs, along with the first 20 common English words and how to use them in simple sentences. Keep practicing, especially with pronunciation tools, and you’ll make great progress!