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Global English This page accompanies the MOOC English Pronunciation in a Global World, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Global English is an FB-page that accompanies the online course English Pronunciation in a Global World https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/english-pronunciation

📣 SPREAD THE NEWS! English for Everyday Life: From A1 to A2 Communication Skills. We would like to share that a new cour...
04/10/2026

📣 SPREAD THE NEWS! English for Everyday Life: From A1 to A2 Communication Skills.

We would like to share that a new course became available this week! English for Everyday Life: From A1 to A2 Communication Skills is now on FutureLearn.

Learners will develop practical English skills for work, study, and life while building confidence speaking with others. The course is free and will take 8 weeks to complete.

Spread the news with people you know who might be interested in developing more confidence in spoken English!

A PRONUNCIATION JOKEA pony goes to the doctor and says,“Doctor, please help me. My throat hurts and I can barely talk!” ...
27/09/2026

A PRONUNCIATION JOKE

A pony goes to the doctor and says,
“Doctor, please help me. My throat hurts and I can barely talk!”
The doctor looks at the pony and says,
“Don’t worry, you are just a little hoarse.”

If you did not get the joke, here is a hint:
HORSE and HOARSE (having a weak or raspy voice because of a cold or due to screaming) and pronounced exactly the same!

Want to learn more?
Follow us on Instagram and check out the English Pronunciation in a Global World FutureLearn course.

SHHHHHH SILENT LETTERSWhat do THUMB, COMB, NUMB, CLIMB & LAMB have in common?THE SILENT BThe ‘b’ in words such as ‘thumb...
20/09/2026

SHHHHHH SILENT LETTERS

What do THUMB, COMB, NUMB, CLIMB & LAMB have in common?

THE SILENT B
The ‘b’ in words such as ‘thumb’, ‘comb’, ‘numb’, ‘climb’ and ‘lamb’ is silent.

‘Thumb’ is pronounced as /θʌm/ or “thuhm”.

Other words with a silent ‘b’ that end in -mb are ‘crumb’, ‘dumb’ and ‘limb’.

Want to learn more?
Follow us on Instagram and check out the English Pronunciation in a Global World FutureLearn course.

SAME BUT DIFFERENT: BASS and BASSMUSIC 🎵 🎸 The music instrument that produces low tones is called a ‘bass’ or a ‘bass gu...
13/09/2026

SAME BUT DIFFERENT: BASS and BASS

MUSIC 🎵 🎸
The music instrument that produces low tones is called a ‘bass’ or a ‘bass guitar’.
If you turn up the music really loud, you can feel the ‘bass’.
The lowest male singing voice is also called a ‘bass’.

These examples of ‘bass’ are pronounced as /beɪs/ and rhyme with ‘base’.

FISH 🐟
There is also a fish called a ‘bass’.

This ‘bass’ is pronounced as /bæs/ and rhymes with ‘gas’.

Want to learn more?
Follow us on Instagram and check out the English Pronunciation in a Global World FutureLearn course.

Surprising pronunciation. Draught is pronounced how?!‘Draught’ can mean a subtle flow of wind indoors. B**r that comes t...
05/09/2026

Surprising pronunciation.
Draught is pronounced how?!

‘Draught’ can mean a subtle flow of wind indoors.

B**r that comes the bar tap instead of in a bottle, is called ‘draught beer’.

The spelling of the word ‘draught’ can be quite misleading. ‘Draught’ is pronounced as /drɑːft/ or “draft”.

Want to learn more?
Follow us on Instagram and check out the English Pronunciation in a Global World FutureLearn course.

It’s back to school time!It is never too late to learn something new. It is back to school time in many parts of the wor...
29/08/2026

It’s back to school time!
It is never too late to learn something new.

It is back to school time in many parts of the world.
If you have always wanted to work on your English pronunciation, now is the perfect time to do it!

The English Pronunciation in a Global World course is free for anyone and offers a community of learners from all over the world.

Want to learn more?
Follow us on Instagram and check out the English Pronunciation in a Global World FutureLearn course.

Surprising pronunciation:Drought is not pronounced as (you) thought! ‘Drought’ means a period of dryness.Judging by the ...
22/08/2026

Surprising pronunciation:

Drought is not pronounced as (you) thought!

‘Drought’ means a period of dryness.
Judging by the spelling of the word ‘drought’, you might think it rhymes with words such as ‘thought’ or ‘brought’.

But ‘drought’ is pronounced as /draʊt/, which rhymes with ‘out’ and ‘about’.

Want to learn more?
Follow us on Instagram and check out the English Pronunciation in a Global World FutureLearn course.

15/08/2026

Trevor Noah is his grandmother’s favourite grandchild because of his accent.

Walking from France all the way to Atlanta? A funny miscommunication between Trevor Noah and a Frenchman in the audience...
08/08/2026

Walking from France all the way to Atlanta? A funny miscommunication between Trevor Noah and a Frenchman in the audience.

Everyone’s talking about The Odyssey but how is it pronounced? 🎬🍿‘The Odyssey’ is difficult to spell and the spelling ca...
02/08/2026

Everyone’s talking about The Odyssey but how is it pronounced? 🎬🍿

‘The Odyssey’ is difficult to spell and the spelling can also make it difficult to figure out how it is pronounced.

Here is how Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson and Tom Holland pronounce “The Odyssey”.

Want to learn more? Follow us on Instagram and check out the English Pronunciation in a Global World FutureLearn course!

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