Learn how to use and pronounce ‘On Fire’ comfortably in conversational English: what words or syllables to reduce, how to link everything together, and the melodic shape of the phrase.
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Video Text:
Today I’m going to go over the idiom ‘on fire’. This means to be doing something very well. For example, you’re at a basketball game, and there’s a guy who keeps hitting 3-pointer after 3-pointer after 3-pointer, and making them. You might say, man that guy’s on fire. It can also apply to a social situation. For example, let’s say you go to a party with a friend. And your friend is talking to everyone, making everyone laugh, everyone wants to be around him. You can say, ‘Man, you were on fire at that party.’
On can be pronounced with the ‘aw’ as in ‘law’ vowel, or the ‘ah’ as in ‘father’ vowel. I pronounce it with the ‘aw’ as in ‘law’. It’s a little further back in the face than the ‘ah’ as in ‘father’, which is a little further forward. On, the N consonant sound, so the tongue will raise into that position. On, ff, fire begins with the F consonant sound, so you’ll raise the bottom lip, ff, to the top teeth and let air come through. On ff, on fi-, the ‘ai’ as in ‘buy’ diphthong, on fi-re. And finally, the schwa and R sound, er, er. On fire, on fire.
Hear the difference immediately.
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