LJS Traduções e Curso de Inglês - Level Up English Course

 

* Lesson 1   Appearance and First Impressions The way we dress and present ourselves has always played a significant role in how others perceive us. Whether we like it or not, people form opinions about us within seconds of meeting, often based purely on our appearance. Studies suggest that these snap judgments can influence everything from job interviews to romantic encounters. While many argue that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, the reality is that clothing choices communicate messages about our personality, social status, and even our values before we've spoken a single word. The importance society places on looks creates both opportunities and challenges. On one hand, dressing appropriately for different occasions demonstrates respect and social awareness. A well-chosen outfit can boost confidence and help us fit into professional or social environments. On the other hand, this emphasis on appearance can lead to unfair treatment and discrimination. People who don...

  Lesson: Pronunciation of /s/ in Plurals and 3rd Person Singular (Simple Present) 1) Brief foundation: Voiced vs. Voiceless sounds Voiceless sounds : vocal cords do not vibrate Examples: /p t k f θ s/ Voiced sounds : vocal cords vibrate Examples: /b d g v ð z m n ŋ l r j w/ and all vowels Quick test : put your fingers on your throat and say /s/ → no vibration (voiceless). Say /z/ → vibration (voiced). Mini-exercise Mark V (voiced) or VL (voiceless): /f/ ___ /b/ ___ /t/ ___ /m/ ___ /s/ ___ /z/ ___ 2) The plural and 3rd person -s / -es : the three pronunciations English spelling uses -s / -es , but pronunciation depends on the final sound of the base word , not the letter. Rule A — /s/ (voiceless) Use /s/ after voiceless sounds (except /s ʃ tʃ/). Sounds : /p t k f θ/ Examples cap → caps /kæps/ book → books /bʊks/ laugh → laughs /læfs/ month → months /mʌnθs/ 3rd person stop → stops /stɒps/ work → works /wɜːks/ Connected speech ...

List of Common English Weak Forms *Weak forms occur only in unstressed positions   1. Articles a Strong: /eɪ/ Weak: /ə/ Example: I saw a /ə/ dog outside. an Strong: /æn/ Weak: /ən/ Example: She bought an /ən/ apple. the Strong: /ðiː/ Weak: /ðə/ Example: Open the /ðə/ door. 2. Prepositions of Strong: /ɒv/ Weak: /əv/, /v/ Example: A cup of /əv/ tea. to Strong: /tuː/ Weak: /tə/ Example: I want to /tə/ go. for Strong: /fɔːr/ Weak: /fə/ Example: This is for /fə/ you. from Strong: /frɒm/ Weak: /frəm/ Example: She’s from /frəm/ Italy. at Strong: /æt/ Weak: /ət/ Example: I’ll see you at /ət/ six. 3. Pronouns him Strong: /hɪm/ Weak: /ɪm/ Example: I saw him /ɪm/ yesterday. her Strong: /hɜːr/ Weak: /ə/, /ər/ Example: Give it her /ə/. them Strong: /ðem/ Weak: /ðəm/ Example: Tell them /ðəm/ later. us Strong: /ʌs/ Weak: /əs/ Example: Send us /əs/ a message. you Strong: /juː/ Wea...

  PRONUNCIATION LESSON: VOICED × VOICELESS SOUNDS + -ED ENDINGS 1. Voiced vs. Voiceless: the foundation English consonants fall into two categories: Voiced sounds Your vocal cords vibrate. Put your fingers on your throat → you feel a buzz. Voiceless sounds No vibration. Air flows without vocal-cord voicing. Important note All vowels are voiced. This is why vowels can “carry” the sound in a syllable. 2. Lists of English voiced and voiceless consonants VOICED CONSONANTS b, d, g v z, zh (as in measure ) j (as in job ) th (as in this ) m, n, ŋ (ng) l, r w, y All vowels: a, e, i, o, u → always voiced VOICELESS CONSONANTS p, t, k f, s, sh ch th (as in think ) h These categories determine the pronunciation of -ed in regular past verbs. 3. How -ED is pronounced General rule : voiced sounds are followed by a voiced sound /d/, and voiceless sounds by a voiceless sound /t/. Exception:  final /t/ and /d/sounds take an extra /i/ sound. There are three pro...

Causative Have – Grammar Note and Exercise Causative “Have” Difference between doing something yourself and having it done 1. Meaning We use causative have to say that someone else does something for us . We don’t do the action ourselves – we arrange it or tell someone to do it. Compare: I cut my hair. = I do it myself. I have my hair cut. = a hairdresser cuts it for me. 2. Forms Have + object + past participle (service – focus on the result) I had my hair cut. (A hairdresser cut it.) She is having her car repaired. We had the report rewritten. Have + person + bare infinitive (instruction – you tell someone) I had the plumber check the pipes. The teacher had the students redo the exercise. ...

Grammar Notes: Be in / Go to / Be out / Be away English quick notes — "be in" vs "go to" & "be out" vs "be away" Short, copy-ready explanations and examples you can drop into a Blogspot post. Includes a tiny interactive quiz for readers. 1 — "be in" vs "go to" Meaning & use " be in " describes someone's current location (they are already inside/at a place). " go to " describes movement toward a destination (action of traveling there). When to use each Phrase Function / Example be in Describe where someone currently is. (state) go to Describe moving toward a place. (action) Clear examples I'm in the kitchen. (I'm already there.) She's in New York for a conference. (Her current location.) I'm goi...

Mastering Present Perfect vs Simple Past Simple Past The Simple Past is used to describe completed actions in a finished time in the past . The time can be explicit or clear from the context. Formation: Regular verbs: verb + -ed (worked, played, studied) Irregular verbs: special forms (went, saw, ate) Usage: Actions completed at a specific time in the past (yesterday, last year, in 2010, two days ago) Sequence of actions in the past Finished situations or habits in the past (used to, always, often, etc.) Finished time periods: yesterday, last week, last month, when I was a child → I visited Paris last summer. → She studied English for three years when she was a teenager. → They went to the beach yesterday. → I finished my homework and went to bed. Present Perfect The Present Perfect connects the past with the prese...

Marks of a Brazilian Accent in English Marks of a Brazilian Accent in English The Brazilian accent in English is distinct and easily recognizable, even though it varies slightly depending on the region of Brazil. Brazilian Portuguese influences many aspects of English pronunciation, and these traits often mark the way Brazilians speak English. Below are some key features of a Brazilian accent when speaking English. 1. Pronunciation of Vowels One of the most noticeable features of a Brazilian accent in English is how vowels are pronounced. Many of these vowel sounds are closer to the sounds found in Brazilian Portuguese. The "i" sound: The short "i" sound, as in "sit" , is often pronounced more like the Portuguese "i" /i/ (as in "see"). This makes the word sound like "seet" in English. The "e" sound: The "e" sound in words like "bed...