How much English vocabulary is still Germanic? Answer by Peggy Tharpe: Found this on the internet…so it must be true. The study, published in 1973, offered this breakdown of sources: Latin, 28.34 percent; French, 28.3 percent; Old and Middle English, Read More …

Quora Question: How do stressed and unstressed syllables differ? Answer by Peggy Tharpe: Here are the ways stressed and unstressed syllables differ in American speech. Duration: stressed syllables are longer; unstressed are shorter. This forms a contrast in duration that Read More …

My answer to Should you use a student's native language when teaching English? Answer by Peggy Tharpe: Here are some times when I incorporated home language into ESL teaching (students were living in the U.S.). I was teaching elementary school Read More …

My answer to How can I figure out the pronunciation rules in US English? Answer by Peggy Tharpe: English pronunciation is governed by patterns, not rules. I’ll start with the smallest pieces of sound and work up to larger ones. Read More …

Question: What is the best way to learn English for kids? Answer by Peggy Tharpe: I taught English as a Second Language to children for many years…decades, in fact. Children’s brains are programmed to learn language. Begin exposing them to Read More …

Q: I speak too quietly and don't pronounce words clearly. How do I improve my diction? This happens both … Answer by Peggy Tharpe: Use your whole body to speak, not just your mouth. Put your reading material on a Read More …

My answer to If a person can pronounce every word accurately, can he be fluent in connected speech? Answer by Peggy Tharpe: Connected speech is a skill that is learned once you can pronounce words accurately. It decreases the accuracy Read More …

Quora: Why is the pronunciation of “X” different in the words "exist" and "maximum"? Answer by Peggy Tharpe: I can try to answer this from an American English perspective. It’s likely that the reasons are the same for British English Read More …