VOA · Ask a Teacher
Beginner · A2learner speed4:552024-06-26public domain
In Ask a Teacher, real learner questions about English grammar and usage get short, clear answers. Episodes are only a few minutes long and use simple classroom English — a gentle entry point if you are new to dictation practice.
Hit "Start dictation practice" — all 5 minutes are already sliced into sentences, so practice starts immediately. No wait.
Replay each sentence as many times as you need — beginner episodes use short sentences and simple vocabulary.
Switch to Dictation mode, type each sentence, and get a word-by-word diff with your accuracy score.
01Hello!
02This week on Ask a Teacher, we continue to answer the question from Edilson in Brazil about the difference between though and however.
03Hi!
04This is Edilson from Brazil.
05I follow Ask a Teacher and I love the way you approach explanations.
06I have a question.
07Could you please explain?
08What is the difference between the use of the words though and however?
09Last week, we said though and however are words that show a relationship between ideas.
10They express a difference in two or more things.
11We explained some differences in how and when we use the two words.
12Their use in a clause is another difference between though and however.
13This is one of the biggest problems English learners have using words like though and however, so it is important to talk about.
14First, let's review some terms and their meanings.
15A clause is a grammar unit organized around a verb phrase.
16A clause is made of two parts, a subject and a verb.
17For example, we laughed is a verb.
18In the morning is not a clause because it does not have a verb.
19There are two main kinds of clauses.
20Independent clauses are not dependent on any other clauses.
21They are sentences on their own.
22We laughed is an independent clause.
23A dependent clause depends on an independent clause.
24It cannot be a sentence on its own.
25Before I went, for example, a dependent clause is a dependent clause.
26While it has a subject and a verb, it requires additional information to be a full sentence or thought.
27Now, let's return to though and however.
28We only use however to show a relationship between independent clauses.
29This means it must be used with two full thoughts.
30For example, climate change affects every part of the world.
31However, it affects some countries more than others.
32The school can receive two million dollars for improving attendance.
33However, the staff may not be able to keep records.
34In writing, we must always use a period or a semicolon between the two clauses.
35Though can be used with a dependent or independent clause.
36Using though at the beginning of a clause makes a dependent clause.
37Though Ava does well in school.
38Although this clause does have a subject and a verb, it requires additional information to be a full thought.
39It must be used with an independent clause.
40For example, Though Ava does well in school, she is not sure if she wants to go to university.
41As we learned last week, though can also be used at the end of an independent clause.
42For example, Mohamed makes me angry sometimes.
43I like him, though.
44We hope this explanation helps you, Idil-san.
45Do you have a question about American English?
46Send us an email at learningenglish at voanews.com.
47And that's Ask a Teacher.
48I'm Andrew Smith.
49I'm Andrew Smith.
50I'm Andrew Smith.
51I'm Andrew Smith.
52I'm Andrew Smith.
53I'm Andrew Smith.
54I'm Andrew Smith.
55I'm Andrew Smith.
56I'm Andrew Smith.
57I'm Andrew Smith.
58I'm Andrew Smith.
59I'm Andrew Smith.
60I'm Andrew Smith.
61I'm Andrew Smith.
62I'm Andrew Smith.
63I'm Andrew Smith.
64I'm Andrew Smith.
65I'm Andrew Smith.
66I'm Andrew Smith.
67I'm Andrew Smith.
68I'm Andrew Smith.
69I'm Andrew Smith.
70I'm Andrew Smith.
71I'm Andrew Smith.
72I'm Andrew Smith.
73I'm Andrew Smith.
74I'm Andrew Smith.
75I'm Andrew Smith.
76I'm Andrew Smith.
77I'm Andrew Smith.
78I'm Andrew Smith.
79I'm Andrew Smith.
80I'm Andrew Smith.
81I'm Andrew Smith.
82I'm Andrew Smith.
83I'm Andrew Smith.
84I'm Andrew Smith.
85I'm Andrew Smith.
86I'm Andrew Smith.
87I'm Andrew Smith.
88I'm Andrew Smith.
89I'm Andrew Smith.
90I'm Andrew Smith.
91I'm Andrew Smith.
92I'm Andrew Smith.
93I
// transcribed with Whisper AI — reading it is easy; catching it by ear is the skill
Practice it by ear
