Speaking: Pronunciation A1
Numbers and Common Greetings
Listen to the examples here.
Part 1: English Numbers 🔢 (Click 🔊)
Let's learn how to say common English numbers. Click 🔊 to hear each number. Pay attention to the ending sounds!
Pronunciation Focus: "Teen" vs "Ty"
The biggest challenge with numbers is hearing the difference between numbers like 13 (thir-TEEN) and 30 (THIR-ty). The secret is the word stress! Listen carefully.
Stress is on the END (stronger) for numbers 13-19.
Stress is on the START (stronger) for 30, 40, 50, etc.
Part 2: Common Greetings 👋 (Click 🔊)
Now let's learn the 'music' of some common greetings. Click 🔊 to hear how the voice goes up ↗ or down ↘ (intonation).
- Hello, how are you?↗
- Good MORN-ing.↘
- Good af-ter-NOON.↘
- Good EVE-ning.↘
- What's your NAME?↘
- Nice to MEET you.↘
- Good-BYE.↘
💡 The Music of Greetings
Remember these simple rules for greeting intonation:
- Rising (↗) for Yes/No & Checking Questions: "How are you?" is like checking if someone is okay, so your voice goes up.
- Falling (↘) for Statements: "Good morning" and "Nice to meet you" are statements, so your voice goes down at the end.
- Falling (↘) for Wh-Questions: Questions starting with Who, What, Where, When, Why, or How usually ask for information and have falling intonation. That's why we say "What's your name?↘".
Practice Your Pronunciation 🎯
Activity 1: Number Dictation (Self-Check)
Click the 🔊 button to hear five numbers. Write them in the boxes below (e.g., 14 or 50). Click "Check Answers" when you are finished.
Activity 2: Greeting Role-Play
Work with a partner or practice alone. Read the conversation aloud. Pay attention to the stress and intonation (↗↘). Click 🔊 to hear the lines.
Person A: Hello, how are you?↗
Person B: I'm fine, thank you. And you?
Person A: I'm good. What's your name?↘
Person B: My name is [Your Name].
Person A: Nice to meet you, [Student B's Name].↘
Person B: Nice to meet you, too.↘
Vocabulary
- Number A word or symbol that represents an amount (e.g., 1, 2, 3).
- Greeting Polite words you say when you meet someone (e.g., "Hello").
- Morning The first part of the day, from sunrise to noon. (Stress: MORN-ing)
- Afternoon The part of the day from noon until the evening. (Stress: af-ter-NOON)
- Evening The part of the day between afternoon and night. (Stress: EVE-ning)
- Intonation The rise and fall of the voice when speaking (the 'music').
Your Speaking Mission ⭐
This week, use your new English skills!
- When you buy something at a shop or market, try to say the price in English (e.g., "Fifteen dollars", "Thirty thousand riel").
- Greet one person. It can be a friend, teacher, or tourist. Say "Hello, how are you?↗" and try to have a short conversation using the greetings you learned.