Vowels in Limericks from Adam to Ursula
Levels: Middle School, High School, and adult students
Advanced beginners to low intermediate proficiency
Pronunciation practice is made fun and effective using:
⋅ 16 comical limericks illustrated by witty cartoons
⋅ Varied activities involving different skills and creativity
⋅ Individual, pair, and group work.
⋅ This is an integrated skills student text involving speaking, listening, reading, and writing in each unit.
The students work on the 40 different significant sounds of English (segmentals).
⋅ The 16 units focus on the sound and spelling of the 16 vowel sounds of English.
⋅ Students also practice the 24 English consonant sounds, although the work stresses the vowels, which are the most difficult segmentals to master.
The students learn about the rhythm, phrasing, and melody(suprasegmentals) of ordinary English speech.
⋅ By working with verse, the students naturally learn to distinguish and produce stress, reduction, linking, intonation, and rhythm.
For the teacher and the students:
⋅ A summary of the basic features of English pronunciation
⋅ Suggestions for using the text
⋅ Answers to all the exercises
A cassette tape with the limericks and other readings
◆ Contents
"Let verse run smoothly, polished with fine pumice." - Propertius
Introduction ... v
Table of Characters ... vii
Unit Outline ... ix
Special Note ... x
Acknowledgments and Sources ... xi
1. Adam ... 1
"A canner exceedingly canny ..." — vowel focus /ae/
2. Edna and Edward ... 15
"Edna and Edward, the elves ..." — vowel focus /e/
3. Amy ... 27
"Amy the grape was her name ..." — vowel focus /ey/
4. Rita ... 39
"There was a young lady from Crete ..." — vowel focus /iy/
5. Billy ... 51
"A carrier pigeon named Billy ..." — vowel focus /i/
Review Lesson ... 66
6. Gus ... 67
"A glutton who came from the Rhine ..." — vowel focus /u/
7. Oscar ... 81
"An ostrich named Oscar would try ..." — vowel focus /a/
8. Paul ... 93
"There was a young fellow named Paul ..." — vowel focus /O/
9. Joe ... 105
"Joe'd rather have fingers than toes ..." — vowel focus /ow/
10. Roy ... 119
"There was a young fellow from Boise ..." — vowel focus /oy/
Review Lesson ... 132
11. Brooke ... 133
"There was a young girl from Asturia ..." — vowel focus /u/
12. Louis ... 147
"Louis made quite a to-do ..." — vowel focus /uw/
13. Ulysses ... 159
"Ulysses, a mule from Cathay ..." — vowel focus /yuw/
14. Ms. Brown ... 173
"A gal who weighed many an ounce ..." — vowel focus /aw/
15. Ivy ... 185
"There was a young lady from Niger ..." — vowel focus /ay/
16. Ursula and Ernie ... 199
"She frowned and said, "Now, Mr.!" — vowel focus /ur/
Review Lesson ... 212
Appendixes
Basic Features of English Pronunciation ... 213
Suggestions for Using the Text ... 218
For the Student ... 218
For the Teacher ... 219
Answers to Exercises ... 220
Vowels in Limericks from Adam to Ursula
Levels: Middle School, High School, and adult students
Advanced beginners to low intermediate proficiency
Pronunciation practice is made fun and effective using:
⋅ 16 comical limericks illustrated by witty cartoons
⋅ Varied activities involving different skills and creativity
⋅ Individual, pair, and group work.
⋅ This is an integrated skills student text involving speaking, listening, reading, and writing in each unit.
The students work on the 40 different significant sounds of English (segmentals).
⋅ The 16 units focus on the sound and spelling of the 16 vowel sounds of English.
⋅ Students also practice the 24 English consonant sounds, although the work stresses the vowels, which are the most difficult segmentals to master.
The students learn about the rhythm, phrasing, and melody(suprasegmentals) of ordinary English speech.
⋅ By working with verse, the students naturally learn to distinguish and produce stress, reduction, linking, intonation, and rhythm.
For the teacher and the students:
⋅ A summary of the basic features of English pronunciation
⋅ Suggestions for using the text
⋅ Answers to all the exercises
A cassette tape with the limericks and other readings
◆ Contents
"Let verse run smoothly, polished with fine pumice." - Propertius
Introduction ... v
Table of Characters ... vii
Unit Outline ... ix
Special Note ... x
Acknowledgments and Sources ... xi
1. Adam ... 1
"A canner exceedingly canny ..." — vowel focus /ae/
2. Edna and Edward ... 15
"Edna and Edward, the elves ..." — vowel focus /e/
3. Amy ... 27
"Amy the grape was her name ..." — vowel focus /ey/
4. Rita ... 39
"There was a young lady from Crete ..." — vowel focus /iy/
5. Billy ... 51
"A carrier pigeon named Billy ..." — vowel focus /i/
Review Lesson ... 66
6. Gus ... 67
"A glutton who came from the Rhine ..." — vowel focus /u/
7. Oscar ... 81
"An ostrich named Oscar would try ..." — vowel focus /a/
8. Paul ... 93
"There was a young fellow named Paul ..." — vowel focus /O/
9. Joe ... 105
"Joe'd rather have fingers than toes ..." — vowel focus /ow/
10. Roy ... 119
"There was a young fellow from Boise ..." — vowel focus /oy/
Review Lesson ... 132
11. Brooke ... 133
"There was a young girl from Asturia ..." — vowel focus /u/
12. Louis ... 147
"Louis made quite a to-do ..." — vowel focus /uw/
13. Ulysses ... 159
"Ulysses, a mule from Cathay ..." — vowel focus /yuw/
14. Ms. Brown ... 173
"A gal who weighed many an ounce ..." — vowel focus /aw/
15. Ivy ... 185
"There was a young lady from Niger ..." — vowel focus /ay/
16. Ursula and Ernie ... 199
"She frowned and said, "Now, Mr.!" — vowel focus /ur/
Review Lesson ... 212
Appendixes
Basic Features of English Pronunciation ... 213
Suggestions for Using the Text ... 218
For the Student ... 218
For the Teacher ... 219
Answers to Exercises ... 220