Tips to Improve Your English Pronunciation

These days, the English language is being used as a secondary or second language by many non-native speakers around the world. Since English has gone on to become the language of choice for communication between the people of different countries, it is a good decision to learn English as a second language.

The primary benefit of English language is that it is easy to learn. The task is made easier if you're able to find good resources to learn English.

Many people face a lot of difficulty while trying to learn English word pronunciation. The biggest reason for this is that many words of the language are not pronounced the same way as they are spelt. Hence, you may have to concentrate on learning the correct pronunciation of words while learning English. However, by regular practice, you will be able to get a good hold on the words.

To do your best in the shortest amount of time possible, you can follow the following tips.

Keep the grammar part as easy as it could be. Start by leaning and following basic grammar rules. Do not opt for learning long and complex sentences to begin with as they make the language appear more complicated than it really is. Your primary objective in the beginning is to speak English as fast and as fluently as possible.

Secondly, as I told you before, not all words are pronounced as they are spelt. Hence, lay emphasis on learning the right pronunciation for every new word that you learn. Polish your English speaking skills by pronouncing each and every word clearly and correctly until you memorize it by heart. Remember, proper speech is the next logical step after you've grasped the basics of English properly.

Finally, find a person who has good English. Preferably, find someone who is a native English speaker and who can speak the language fluently. Practice by communicating with him or her. Use all your knowledge and experience that you've gained till now and try to make sure you speak as fluently as possible. One thing to remember is that it's perfectly alright to mispronounce a word or two or even more. This is quite normal when you're just starting out and will go away with regular practice. Make mental notes of where you go wrong while communicating and correct those mistakes the next time you speak.

Do not feel uncomfortable even when you are talking to a native English speaker. Stick to the basic rules of English grammar and use proper sentences and word forms. This is the best way to speak flawless English. Avoid complex sentences which may confuse you and make things even more

difficult. Only when you've cleared your basics and practiced speaking with native English speakers a lot should you move to complex sentences. Focus on improving your English speaking capabilities and then move to other areas.

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Janson

Benefits of Sujood

For thanking the Creator, for preventing a crisis, for healing sickness and diseases, for eliminating a problem, a Muslim prostrates, makes Sujood, to Allah (swt). A Muslim thanks Allah (swt) daily and regularly. A Muslim's methods of thanks and appreciations could be the minimum, saying verbally: "Subhana Rabbil ah'lah (Praise be to Allah)," (swt) or the maximum, i.e. of prostrating to Allah. During prostration, a person glorifies Allah, exalts Him, praises Him, and surrenders to Him.

Prostration is to Allah (swt) alone. No prostration is to be performed in front of any king, royal highness, president, or any other leader. Those individuals should also make sujood to Allah alone, and they should not allow anyone to bow to them or to prostrate to them. There are many medical benefits of prostration. As Muslims, one must pray five times a day. During the process of prayer, a Muslim must first stand erect; then bow forward; then prostrate on the floor where the whole body is bent; and then sit down on the floor to recite Tashahhud, Salat- Ibrahim, and other Du'as. All of these movements help the Muslims to have the least amount of arthritic problems on their bodies.

Salat postures corresponding to the word Adam

Another interesting feature of the salat (prayer) is that the course of assuming three main positions (qiyam, rukuh, and sajdah) one makes the physical shapes of the Arabic Alif, Dal, and Mim. These spell the word Adam, the name of the first created human and the first prophet (a.s.).

People are exposed daily to many different problems. They may also be exposed to many electrostatic charges from the atmosphere. These charges are affect the central nervous systems (CNS) supersaturating it. One has to rid themselves of these extra charges, otherwise, they will have headaches, neck aches, muscle spasms, etc. The best way to get rid of these extra electrostatic charges is by dissipating them and discharging them from the body. In as much as an electrical appliance is in need of grounding (or "earthing") by the use of an electric cord, a human being has to "earth" him/herself to the ground as well. By putting, his/her forehead on the ground, because the thinking capacity of the brain is in the forelobe and not the topmost portion of the brain, one dissipates the extra electrostatic charges from the brain and the central nervous system to the ground. Therefore, one will receive piece of mind and soul. By doing prayer five times a day, with each prayer having several prostrations in it, a person will undoubtedly feel more peace, happiness, and relaxation. This type of approach does not cost money and does not have any side effects. It is very natural. This is the best method for allowing a person to continue to live in peace, harmony, obedience, and happiness for the rest of his/her life.

Above all, a Muslim who performs prostration on the floor as a sign of obedience will attain tremendous rewards and blessings from our Creator, Allah Almighty.

http://www.islamicbulletin.com

Ramadhan

ASSALAMU ALAIKUM!

Ramadan is one of the most important events in Islam. It is also one of the most anticipated and exciting holidays of the year. Just like any other large holiday, excitement starts to build weeks before the month actually begins! It officially begins when the first silver crescent of the calendar 9th month's moon is spotted in the night sky. What if we made a resolution to Allah that this Ramadan is the beginning of the new me? As others make their resolutions for New Year, Ramadan would be a starting point as a new resolution for Muslims.

During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking and smoking during daylight hours. Fasting in this way allows Muslims and their families' time to revitalize many of the teachings of the Qur'an in their lives. By fasting, Muslims have an opportunity to focus on many lessons that make up the very tenets of their religion; some of the most important lessons are self-control, inner reflection and the importance of charity. Muslims often make a special effort to donate money, food, and goods to charities or people in their community during the month of Ramadan.

Just as fasting is an opportunity to learn the lessons of Qur'an, so is the daily ritual of breaking the fast. Suhoor (breakfast) and Iftar (evening meal) are times to bask in the importance of community and family, and to experience thankfulness for the good things that are in their lives. During Ramadan, the morning and evening meals are treasured because they offer the chance for family and friends to eat and celebrate together. People meet at the Mosque or in each other's homes and appreciate the unity of Islam.

Of all the deeds we keep ourselves busy with, it is only fasting which Allah considers purely for Himself. This means that fasting is a gift from you to Allah! When you give a gift to someone you love, you make it as special as you can ... even choosing the best wrapping paper. What about giving a gift to Allah!

Try to make each day you fast as special as you can. How? Pray on time, give a charity each day, DON'T COMPLAIN, fill your day with deeds that you know Allah loves. And stay away from the things you know He hates such as backbiting, gossiping, lying, etc. Instead let us reflect people who are actually starving without a meal at the end of the day.

People need to understand that we are brothers one of another in our faith. There is only one God no matter what. No matter how you relate to Him, Our God is your God.

Make your "wrapping paper" taqwa (God-Consciences) and fast a day that you can be proud of. Remind yourself that you are not just fasting to get to maghrib and eat, your are not just fasting because everyone else is, you are not fasting to lose weight. You are fasting for ALLAH. (And be sure Allah knows exactly why you are fasting). This is your time to give Him something back for all He gave you. You give such nice gifts to your friends. But He is Allah. Why not give Him the best gift that you can?

We would like to ask each of our readers to remember us in your Duhas. May Allah strengthen our remembrance in Him, and help us strive to become better Muslims, Ameen.

info@islamicbulletin.org

Writing Your Marketing Blog

What makes blogs so special? Why do the search engines seem to like them so much? The answer is content. A good marketing blog is updated all the time, quickly and easily. Content is king. We've heard that stated time and time again, but repetition does not make the statement invalid. Search engines love content, and good marketing blogs keep feeding them exactly what they crave. Who wouldn't get bored with the same old static pages? But as you write your blog, and if you write it well, you'll be able to impress both your clients and the search engines.

And now for the one qualifier. Content may be king, but content alone is like a figure-head king who talks a lot but doesn't get anything done. For the monarchy to be effective, you have t actually write good and appropriate content.

The first step to write a marketing blog is to set your goals and know why you blog. What this means is that you have to understand that a blog is not an open invitation to post sales material and self congratulatory tripe. The purpose of your blog should certainly be to inform, but it is also an opportunity to communicate with your clients. Search engines may like blogs because of constantly updated content, but customers have come to trust blogs because they feel like this is a chance to “get to know” the company – not subject themselves to more mindless sales material.

When you are writing content for your marketing blog you need to keep a few things in mind. First of all, a business blog, while not exactly creative writing, is not really technical writing either. Everyone has their own style and, depending on the subject matter of the blog, different styles are appropriate for different industries. But in general, a blog should be written in a more conversational tone. This will help you avoid the marketing-speak that can otherwise creep into a valid article.

Next, make sure that your grammar, punctuation, and spelling skills are regularly exercised. All you have to do is spend some time visiting forums or reading blog replies to know that most Internet users don't have the best grammar or vocabulary in the world. This does not, however, mean that you can allow your blog to slip down to the same level. You are being held to a higher standard as a content publisher than you would be as a normal visitor. And visitors will recognize poor grammar in others, even when they don't practice it themselves.

Now, what do you write about? Obviously a marketing blog is going to be heavy with articles about products or services. This is the perfect place to discuss your new endeavors, as long as you remember to keep it a discussion. People can get advertisements anywhere. They don't need them and, more importantly, they don't want them from your blog.

So now you've got some keyword-rich content. That's good for search engines. But have you got interesting content. Because that is good for actual visitors.

Studies have shown that the number one reason for reading a blog is the quality of the reading. Simple popularity isn't enough to attract and/or keep you readers coming back.

So what constitutes interesting content? That's a very subjective question and can be determined by the industry you're in or the audience you are targeting.

News items are a good choice, whether company news or industry news. Just make sure you're presenting something of value, not just a retelling of someone else's post. How does it relate to you? How does it relate to your customers.

“How To” articles are also a good idea. Let your clients know how to best use your product or service. Or you could even present new uses they may not have thought of.

Lists are popular additions in blogs. Whether it's 10 ways to use the product or seven weird things about your industry, they are a useful addition because they are easy for visitors to scan and enjoy and often attract linking or bookmarking.

There are countless other possibilities for a well maintained marketing blog, but it is equally important that you maintain a high level of writing quality if you want your blog to be a truly effective marketing tool.

Source: Free Articles