Today we’re focusing on just one of the steps to train your mind to think in English.
This is not a video where I tell you how to do something.
We’re actually going to do it, together.
The real training.
We’ll use flashcards, practicing thinking in English from interesting photographs.
An object will be highlighted, name it.
If you don’t know it, don’t worry, we’ll go over everything so you can learn new vocabulary
and memorize it.
Then, watch the video again.
You’re going to see the object, recall the word in English.
You can do this anytime, anywhere, because you’re not speaking out loud.
Here’s the first one we’ll look at.
You’ll see something highlighted like this, and think the name of what it is.
You might have thought light, or fluorescent light, or light fixture.
So you’ll name a bunch of objects in your head.
It will go sort of fast, if you don’t know it, don’t worry, we’ll cover everything.
After that, we’ll come up with some adjectives and verbs as well.
Let’s start.
Now I’ll give you 10 seconds to come up with as many adjectives as you can.
If your mind goes to your own native language first that’s okay, but try right now to
set the intention for your mind to think in English.
Ready?
Adjectives.
There are so many you could have said.
You could have gone with colors: blue,
brown
green
gray.
You could have said bright, because of all those lights.
Maybe you said ‘wet’, or ‘slippery’ because of the floor.
Or maybe you said ‘empty’ because no one is there.
Or ‘deserted,’ that’s another word to describe a place with no people.
Or ‘open’ to describe some of the machines, or ‘closed’ to describe the others.
Now, I’ll give you 10 seconds and have your mind go to verbs and action.
There are no people in this scene, it’s a still scene with no action currently.
Think of action words that could happen here.
Again, there are so many verbs your mind could have come up with.
Wash clothes, load the machine, fold laundry.
We usually use the verb ‘do’ with laundry.
I have to do laundry tomorrow morning.
The floor looks wet, maybe you thought ‘mop’ or ‘clean’.
I think I see a duster here.
Maybe you said ‘dust’.
Ok, let’s go over the objects we saw.
Washer.
Door.
When the door is on the front like this, it’s called a front-load washer.
Floor.
Table.
Bench.
Duster.
Light.
Button.
Vent.
pipes.
Window.
Reflection.
Latch.
Platform.
Poster.
Valve.
Screw.
Wheel.
Shelf.
For this you might have said ‘number’ or ‘placard’.
Some pretty very basic vocabulary there, but also maybe a few advanced words that you didn’t
know like placard.
So that was our first photo, let’s continue.
Look at what’s highlighted, and think the word in English.
Here’s the photo.
Now, any adjectives that come to mind in 10 seconds.
What adjectives did you think?
I thought clean,
new
expensive
luxury
British because I’m used to seeing the steering
wheel on the left.
Black, the color of the interior.
German, for the car company.
And now any verbs.
Drive, that’s a pretty obvious one.
Maybe you thought: sit, buckle up, shift, navigate or steer.
Let’s go over the objects.
driver’s seat.
Cushion, or maybe you said leather.
steering wheel.
Horn.
gear shifter.
emergency brake.
Gas gauge.
Map, navigation, or gps.
air vents,
window controls,
glove box or glove compartment,
control panel or maybe you said
buttons,
rear view mirror,
windshield,
odometer,
tachometer,
thermometer,
door handle/lever.
windshield wipers,
passenger seat.
Emblem.
Is your mind orienting towards English?
Let’s keep going. Here’s the photo.
Did you go to college, and if so does this look familiar?
Let’s come up with some adjectives.
Maybe you thought of the students and you thought focused, studious, or maybe bored.
Or you thought of the space and you though, large, big, cavernous.
Maybe you saw this chair and thought ‘empty’, or this hat and thought ‘backwards’. or
you saw the slides and thought ‘difficult’.
Now, verbs.
You could have said teaching, lecturing, note-taking, listening, learning, typing, to name a few.
Let’s go over the objects.
The full space is called a lecture hall.
Podium.
Stage.
Notes, notebook.
Laptop.
Overhead projector.
Screens, or maybe you thought ‘wall’,
‘image’, or ‘projection’.
fire extinguishers.
Professor or lecturer.
Coffee, or to-go cup.
Audience, students,
or maybe you thought stadium-style seating or tiered seating.
flip-down desktops.
Formulas,
office chair.
Water bottle,
pencil case.
Let’s do another one.
Here’s the photo.
And now 10 seconds for adjectives.
This one is full of colors, so maybe that’s all you thought of when you were thinking
about adjectives.
This pattern in the back is called ‘houndstooth’, or maybe you thought in shapes: circular,
rectangular, cylindrical.
Or maybe you thought open.
Now 10 seconds for verbs.
There is no movement, no people here, so think of verbs that come to mind because of the objects.
Maybe you thought of what you do with makeup: apply, put on, touch up.
If you touch up makeup, you’re already wearing it, but it’s been a few hours and you need
to fix it just a bit.
You touch it up.
Or maybe you thought, organize, sort.
Let’s go over the objects.
Remember, you might have had a different thought on something, or a different opinion of what
to call something.
That really doesn’t matter.
What matters is the exercise of thinking in English.
Seeing an object, and naming it in English.
Organizer,
tray,
palette,
case or pouch,
zipper,
eye shadow,
blush, powder, or you could call
powder, or you could call
this foundation. I think I’m not in any way a makeup guru.
mascara,
canister,
heart,
lip gloss.
Oo, this is a fun photo.
Let’s start with naming objects
Now 10 seconds for verbs.
I thought of a lot: jumping, swimming, starting, racing, competing, watching
Now, 10 seconds for adjectives.
If you’re having a tough time with this, just let your mind identify one color.
Red, yellow, blue.
You could have said ‘numbered’, an adjective to describe things with numbers on them.
Maybe you thought of the mood, it doesn’t look like anyone is cheering so maybe you
said ‘quiet’ or ‘tense’, competitive.
You could have said wet, humid.
Let’s go over those objects: swimmers, or maybe you said athletes or competitors,
platforms,
audience,
judges,
pool,
goggles,
swim caps,
uniforms,
lanes,
lane dividers,
arms,
hands,
feet,
backs,
knees,
barrette,
laundry bin.
This is a great way to not only start thinking more in English, but also to build your vocabulary.
Keep your learning going now with this video, and be sure to subscribe with notifications on.
Also, check out my online courses that focus on listening comprehension and spoken English
skills at rachelsenglishacademy.com.
That’s it, and thanks so much for using Rachel’s English.