The vocabulary used in everyday conversations is often radically different from the written language with which you are probably more familiar. Therefore, frequently listening to American English conversations is invaluable to you as it will help accustom your ear to what you would hear if you visited America. It is much more beneficial for you to speak more familiar, colloquial phrases, and concentrate on Anglo-Saxon (everyday English), rather than a Romance (Latin-based) vocabulary.

　　Intensive listening practice for phrasal verbs, idioms and colloquial language is a very effective means of enhancing your conversational English. Test your listening skills this way: In a given passage, listen for phrasal verbs, idioms and slang, then attempt to replace them with more formal one-word alternatives.

　　Here are a couple of common phrasal verbs used in everyday American English:

　　1.“Look forward to” means “anticipate.” Conversational examples: I look forward to seeing you again. I’m looking forward to our date on Friday.

　　2.“Come up with” means when you “think” of an idea, plan, or solution. Conversational examples: Last night I was thinking about your problem and I came up with a solution. That’s a great idea. How did you come up with it?

　　 (To be continued)