Pete Smissen

Quick tip.

Now, this expression can sound a bit harsh if you say it directly to someone's face.

Like if somebody says, I'm really trying to change, and you reply, yeah, nah, leopard can't change its spots, that probably won't go down too well.

So, usually this expression gets used jokingly, sarcastically, or when talking about someone rather than directly to them.

That social nuance is really important.

Okay, so it's time for a speaking and pronunciation exercise.

We're going to try something a little bit different from what we normally do here, okay?

I have been trying to work out how to jazz these episodes up a bit and make them more effective and more advanced for you guys, okay?

So, all right, let's practice this naturally.

Repeat after me.

I'm going to say a series of sentences using different tone in English.

See if you can match the tone as well as the sentences that I say out loud, okay?

Listen and repeat after me.

All right, so the first one here, frustrated tone.

Okay, so now let's go through a little pronunciation tip.

So, listen to how Aussies squash all this together in fast speech.

Instead of hearing a leopard can't change its spots, you'll often hear something more like a leopard can't change its spots.

So, notice how a gets reduced to a, a leopard.

Can't change.

You'll hear that T at the end of the word can't get softened or even muted.