If you want to sound like someone from an English speaking country, you have to work on your pronunciation skills all the time. Pronunciation is often seen by many students as something they don’t have to get right but nothing could be further from the truth.

Native speakers sound good because they pronounce the words perfectly and every student’s goal should be to sound as much like them as possible. The best way to learn good pronunciation is to learn how to sound out each word by breaking it into smaller parts and then pronouncing it correctly. Learn this and most of your pronunciation problems will be over.

The process is called Basic Syllable Rules and it works like this:

• A syllable is a unit of sound contained in each word. English words must be divided into units of sound before you can pronounce them correctly because English is a Vocal language. That means each word will contain a vowel or a vowel sounding letter that gives the sound to the word. To find the units of sound, you start by:

1. Counting the vowels in a word (a,e,i,o, u and sometimes y and w),
2. Subtract any silent vowels, (like the silent “e” at the end of a word or the second vowel when two vowels a together in a syllable)
3. Subtract one vowel from every dipthong, two vowels together pronounced as a single sound, (diphthongs only count as one vowel sound and usually the first vowel is the one you pronounce.)
4. The number of vowels sounds left is the same as the number of syllables.

The number of syllables that you hear when you pronounce a word is the same as the number of vowels sounds heard. For example:
The word “came” has 2 vowels, but the “e” is silent, leaving one vowel sound and one syllable.
The word “outside” has 4 vowels, but the “e” is silent and the “ou” is a diphthong which counts as only one sound, so this word has only two vowels sounds and therefore, two syllables.

• Divide between two middle consonants.

Split up words that have two middle consonants. For example:
hap/pen, bas/ket, let/ter, sup/per, din/ner, and Den/nis. The only exceptions are the consonant digraphs. Never split up consonant digraphs as they really represent only one sound. The exceptions are “th”, “sh”, “ph”, “th”, “ch”, and “wh”.

• Usually divide before a single middle consonant.

“o/pen”, “i/tem”, “e/vil”, and “re/port”. The only exceptions are those times when the first syllable has an obvious short sound, as in “cab/in”.

• Divide before the consonant before an “-le” syllable.

When you have a word that has the old-style spelling in which the “-le” sounds like “-el”, divide before the consonant before the “-le”. For example: “a/ble”, “fum/ble”, “rub/ble” “mum/ble” and “thi/stle”. The only exception to this are “ckle” words like “tick/le”.

• Divide off any compound words, prefixes, suffixes and roots which have vowel sounds.

Split off the parts of compound words like “sports/car” and “house/boat”. Divide off prefixes such at “un/happy”, “pre/paid”, or “re/write”. Also divide off suffixes as in the words “farm/er”, “teach/er”, “hope/less” and “care/ful”. In the word “stop/ping”, the suffix is actually “-ping” because this word follows the rule that when you add “-ing” to a word with one syllable, you double the last consonant and add the “-ing”.

Good pronunciation is the first thing people notice when you speak English. Pronunciation is like singing, it is either good or bad, in tune or out of tune. Someone said, “Imagine a person who sings, but one cannot listen to that person with pleasure. He or she is losing the rhythm, sometimes sounding more like a wolf than a human being. I could describe this as singing out of tune.

So I think that we can liken a person who doesn’t sing well to somebody who can’t pronounce words properly. Sometimes people may say that they don’t have to learn pronunciation because they don’t realize how important it is. If only they tried to imagine how unpleasant it is to be listening to a person who is singing really bad then they would know what it is like to be listening to a person with terrible pronunciation.” (Antimoon.com)

• Simple Present: They walk.
• Simple Past: They walked.
• Future: They will walk.

• Present Perfect: They have walked. (began in the past, continues into present)
• Past Perfect: They had walked. (action is completed in the past before another begins)
• Future Perfect: They will have walked. (action will have been completed by specific time in the future)

Problems in sequencing tenses usually occur with the perfect tenses, all of which are formed by adding an auxiliary or auxiliaries to the past participle, the third principal part.

ring, rang, rung
walk, walked, walked

The most common auxiliaries are forms of “be,” “can,” “do,” “may,” “must,” “ought,” “shall,” “will,” “has,” “have,” “had,” are the forms we shall use in this most basic discussion.

Present Perfect

The present perfect consists of a past participle (the third principal part) with “has” or “have.” It designates action which began in the past but which continues into the present or the effect of which still continues.

1. Betty taught for ten years. (simple past)
2. Betty has taught for ten years. (present perfect)
The implication in (1) is that Betty has retired; in (2), that she is still teaching.

1. John did his homework. He can go to the movies.
2. If John has done his homework, he can go to the movies.

Infinitives, too, have perfect tense forms when combined with “have,” and sometimes problems arise when infinitives are used with verbs such as “hope,” “plan,” “expect,” and “intend,” all of which usually point to the future (I wanted to go to the movie. Janet meant to see the doctor.) The perfect tense sets up a sequence by marking the action which began and usually was completed before the action in the main verb.

1. I am happy to have participated in this campaign!
2. John had hoped to have won the trophy.

Thus the action of the main verb points back in time; the action of the perfect infinitive has been completed. (Notice present, present perfect sequence in the comment.)

Past Perfect

The past perfect tense designates action in the past just as simple past does, but the action of the past perfect is action completed in the past before another action.

1. John raised vegetables and later sold them. (past)
2. John sold vegetables that he had raised. (past perfect)
The vegetables were raised before they were sold.

1. Renee washed the car when George arrived (simple past)
2. Renee had washed the car when George arrived. (past perfect)
In (1), she waited until George arrived and then washed the car. In (2), she had already finished washing the car by the time he arrived.

In sentences expressing condition and result, the past perfect tense is used in the part that states the condition.

1. If I had done my exercises, I would have passed the test.
2. I think George would have been elected if he hadn’t sounded so pompous.

Notice: There can be only one “would have” action group in a sentence.

Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect tense designates action that will have been completed at a specified time in the future.

1. Saturday I will finish my housework. (simple future)
2. By Saturday noon, I will have finished my housework. (future perfect)

Review

1. Judy saved thirty dollars. (past)
2. Judy will save thirty dollars. (future)
3. Judy has saved thirty dollars. (present perfect)
4. Judy had saved thirty dollars by the end of last month. (past perfect)
5. Judy will have saved thirty dollars by the end of this month. (future perfect)

Russ, you have come to Bulgaria via a circuitous route: first some years in Amsterdam , then more years in Russia and now here. It is a long way from Texas in every way, is it?

Texas is a long way from Bulgaria but I don’t think much about things back there because my life and home are here in Bulgaria . I first came to Europe via Amsterdam in 1974 and realized in a matter of days that Europe was where I wanted to be for the rest of my life. There was an atmosphere and excitement in Europe and a place for me that I had never found in my own country. At first Europe was just a fascination, some place different than Texas where I grew up but then it became my passion. In 1992, while still living in Texas, I had the privilege of visiting Russia and it was on this trip that my mind became firmly set on living outside the USA permanently. In 1993, I moved to St. Petersburg and spent six of the most wonderful years of my life teaching and caring for the Russian people. I returned to Texas to live at the end of 1999 but I no longer felt connected to life there. In 2001, I met my wife to be for the first time here in Sofia and we were married the next year. For the past two years, we’ve called Sofia home and are enjoying beautiful Bulgaria one day at a time.

You spent many years working in radio, was that a good way of honing your communication skills?

Believe it or not, it takes a lot of talent to do a daily radio show and attract listeners to just your voice and the music you play. There’s a lot of competition and people have always had many choices when it comes to radio stations in the USA . Radio was a wonderful training ground for me because I was able to develop my communication skills both on the air and off. Of course, in the USA in the radio business you have to speak and write very good English or you don’t last very long. My communication skills which were honed in the radio industry have allowed me to speak to a broad range of people across all spectrums of life in many different places. Studies show that successful people everywhere are the ones who can communicate the best. I believe this is absolutely true for everyone.

You have a passion for teaching English and you believe the teaching of it should be innovative, and utilize the creativity of both teacher and student?

My wife and I are both English teachers here in Sofia . We want people to live the English language and our passion for it constantly pushes us to share what we know with others. I believe that creativity should be encouraged and taught on the same level of importance as reading and writing because without creativity people never realize their full potential. In my language classes, I use everything at my disposal to make the English language appealing and attractive to those who are learning it as a second language. The students need to be encouraged to find every way possible to learn the language and make it a part of their life. The Internet provides me with a wealth of information and videos that keep the classes I teach interesting and informative. Also I am thrilled to have Business Spotlight to use along with all the other innovative things available today. Your magazine has a real finger to the pulse of the English speaking world. I find it very helpful with business students, as well as any others that need good materials to help them learn.

Do you feel that real life scenario based lessons are often the most useful way for students to get the best from their language training?

Yes, I feel that lessons using examples of real life scenarios are the most useful ways of getting students to open up and join the conversation. After all, the goal of every language teacher is to get the students to speak in the language they are learning. If we use subjects or situations that students are not familiar with, they tend to say very little when in class. It’s too much to ask of people who still have inhibitions speaking the language, especially when in the presence of a native teacher. When I open up the discussion in class using real life scenarios that I’ve developed from here in Bulgaria , there is an immediate openness and response.

Is it a problem here that many people get to a certain level with English and no longer feel they need to work at it?

I don’t think it is so much an issue of students getting to a certain level and then deciding they don’t need to work at it anymore. Most realize that they need a lot of work and practice to ever achieve real success with the language. The problem here in Bulgaria seems to be one of language learning burnout. Many language students get to a certain place in their studies when they realize that they are at just about the same level in speaking as they were when they started. This is very discouraging and causes many to stop studying. Perhaps they were never really taught how to actually acquire the language and develop their language skills. It’s important to teach the students how to immerse themselves in the language and use every tool available to improve their skills. Otherwise they never understand what it takes to improve their performance in the language and they often stop working at it. I try to correct this by telling the students that they must do a great deal of self study outside the classroom to be successful. This includes reading books and repetitive listening, both of which are fundamental to learning any language.

Is there much difference, culturally, between Russia and Russia?

There is definitely a difference between the Russian and Bulgarian cultures. Of course, the language, the religion, the bureaucracy and the buildings are similar but the people are very different. I have found the Bulgarians to be a warm and kind people; not given to some of the excesses that you sometimes find in the lives of many Russians. There seems to be a greater connection to family and friends here than in Russia. Individualism is a big thing in both countries and the concept of being part of a team is just about as foreign to the average person here as it is in Russia. There is still a big emphasis on self rather than community in both countries. Perhaps it’s the Slavic personality that makes people in both places the way they are. One thing for sure the Bulgarian culture is a very distinct one and very separate from that of the Russians or even most other Balkan countries.

What frustrates you most about Bulgaria?

The things that frustrate me the most about Bulgaria are the things that frustrate everyone who lives in this country. There is too much traffic and the drivers seem to have little respect for the pedestrians. There are too many holes in the roads and of course, not enough laws being enforced to make the country always an appealing and pleasant place to live. These are things that we all like to complain about and complaining seems to be a cultural thing among the Bulgarians. It’s probably just their way of venting about problems they can do nothing about. I would say that we all are very blessed to be living here and enjoying the many benefits and beauty of this country. I often point out these things to my students because I don’t want the young people here to leave their own country for greener pastures without considering the advantages of life here in Bulgaria. It’s true we have some frustrations to deal with here but this is life everywhere. At least here people are among friends and family and there’s a support network that most would find hard to duplicate anywhere else in the world.

Do you feel you could settle back in America ?

The word settle is an interesting word because that’s what you have to do if you are going to live in a country. Personally, I don’t think I could ever be comfortable back in America because I am accustom to a different life and system now. I have been away from the USA about ten years now counting my years in Russia and that’s a long time. Something happens when you don’t live in a place everyday. You don’t have a sense of connection anymore. When I am in the States my thoughts are always on returning here and continuing my life in my adopted country, Bulgaria . Going to the USA occasionally for the sake of seeing my family is always nice but not for the purpose of settling there again.

Have you made Bulgaria your home?

My wife says I am Bulgarianized. I think that means I have become more Bulgarian than American and I am sure that is true. A person’s motherland is not necessarily the place they call home. Home is where the heart is and even if you attempt to leave your home; your heart will never go with you. It will always say to you, “Go if you must, but I’ll be here waiting for you when you get back.” I have found that to be very true here in Bulgaria . Anytime I am out of the country even for a few days, I cannot wait to board the plane or the bus or whatever and head back to Bulgaria. My life is here and I have found a home here in Bulgaria amongst the Bulgarian people.

Business Spotlight magazine is one of the best ways to learn English for Bulgarians. It is published every other month and will greatly advance the readers knowledge of the language and the world of business. It’s a great investment in your future.

In Bulgaria, there are 249 towns and cities and 5,081 villages. Most people in this country have a village connection either because they were born in a village or their grandparents still live there. Bulgaria is still a rural nation in many ways. Hundreds of thousands of people have moved to the cities for work but they return the villages as often as possible. It is there that they can reconnect to their Bulgarian soul.

Many would tell you that life today in Bulgaria takes a village to survive. If there were no villages, life for many would be much harder. This is perhaps more true for the older generation than the younger one. However, in time the younger generation will become the older generation and they too will feel the way their parents do today.

During the last 15 years, life in Bulgaria has become somewhat more difficult for most people. Before this, people had time to relax with friends and to enjoy the beautiful nature of the country. This is not the case in Bulgaria today for many people who are working harder and longer with less time for relaxing. It is increasingly more difficult to stay connected to people. Most of the money earned on the job has to be spent on food and other things other than having a good time with friends and family.

This is where village life differs totally from city life. It is cheaper to live in the village. Friends are always there working in the yard or garden. In the village, people grow almost everything they eat. Bread, sugar and a few other things are bought at the store but most things are homemade. Rakia, the national drink, is made from the grapes or other fruits grown in the gardens in the villages. It’s not uncommon for a village family to make 100 liters of rakia for their own use. They wouldn’t think of buying this in a store or offering anything but the home made stuff to visitors.

Time in the village is as important to people as it is in the cities but in a different way. City people work eight hours a hour and then they go home or go out. Village people work from sunup to sundown and they never go anywhere. At the end of the day, when all the work has been done, you will see people sitting on the street in front of their houses or in the yard around a table. City people often have time to waste but this is never the case in the village. There is always something to do. They must always remind themselves that winter is coming and they must be prepared.

To many Bulgarians, the village is not an appealing life style on a permanent basis. It offers very few of the nice things that have come to enjoy. However, it does offer something different for a few days. A break from the hectic pace of the city and their stressful jobs. It is there that they reconnect to the real Bulgaria. It is there they find what they cannot find anywhere else. Traditional things, while not as popular or important as they once were in the past, can still be found. In the village, grandparents and friends still embrace the old ways of doing things and life is good. It’s a place to offer a “наздраве,” over a glass of rakia and a shopska salad. A moment in time to forget the stressful life that awaits them back in modern Bulgaria.

USA education level required to read this post: 6th grade

Questions for Group and Pair Discussion

• In your opinion, what are the most stressful things about living in a city like Sofia?

• What do you like or dislike about village life in Bulgaria?

• Do you think the villages will survive the modern trends in Bulgaria today?

• Would you consider living in a village at some point in your future?