The List
At this point, these are all free downloads in
the form of PDF files, to which I will progressively be
adding audio.
I am looking for a publisher.
See Teach Spoken English
A proper explanation of how verbs are conjugated in English, based on Grammar of Spoken English by the brilliant Harold Palmer, with extensive use of S4 simplified phonetic script.
See English Verbs Are Easy…
One of the most important things for the student of English to know is what to say on encountering a native speaker. Confidently saying the right thing at the right moment is the way to make a good first impression, and it is first impressions that are the ones that are remembered. The questions and answers that are exchanged in meeting and greeting are basically ritualised: they need to be learnt.
This book covers introductions, visiting people`s homes, small talk, going out in the evening and socialising at work.
This new version of Social English by Ken Wilson is written in S4 phonetic text so that the learner knows not only what to say but also how to pronounce it. The dialogues correspond to British English, hence the crown symbol on the pages.
See Social English Live
Forty eight Aesop's fables written in phonetic text.
See Aesop's Fables
Poem The Aged, Aged Man by Lewis Carroll in phonetic text. This poem is a parody by Lewis Carroll of "Resolution and Independence" by William Wordsworth. Its full text in conventional spelling and information about its background can be found in Wikipedia. Carroll’s choice of words and rhyme is masterly. And the theme of not listening to other people’s problems, until they mention something that interests the listener directly, is a bittersweet and powerful one. If English is not your native language and you would like to improve your pronunciation of the sounds of English and your flow of speech, read the phonetic text until your delivery is smooth and accurate. This text can also be profitably used in a teaching situation.
See poem The Aged, Aged Man by Lewis Carroll
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This book covers all the sounds used in standard English, using Simplified Standard Sound Symbols (S4) to present them. Four audio clip examples are given for each sound.
S4 is a cut-down version of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). Its target is Pan-English, with the ability to accommodate both mainstream British and standard American pronunciation.
Using standard pronunciation is like using standard spelling: if you don't use it you won't be understood.
Every student of English as a foreign language needs to master the 47 sounds listed here.
This version is for Spanish speakers.
See Learn English Pronunciation (for Spanish Speakers)
This book is designed to help young children learn the sounds of the English language, from the outset.
An adult can read to a child from the iBook, or play the recordings of the nursery rhymes, showing how the phonetic text corresponds to speech. The goals are:
to familiarize the child with sounds of English, showing the phonetic text as the rhyme unfolds, to learn the nursery rhymes by heart. The conventional spelling of the rhyme can be displayed by pressing the ABC button.
All the rhymes are narrated in mainstream British pronunciation.
See Classic Nursery Rhymes, Volume 1
This contains the first few chapters of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory just to show what can be done. All Roald Dahl's excellent books should be available in S4 phonetic text.
See Charlie and the Chocolate Factory text
This contains the Chapter 1 of the first Harry Potter book just to show what can be done. All the Harry Potter books should be available in S4 phonetic text.
See Harry Potter text