Exactly. That's what I tell my students again and again. Spoken English has only the slightest connection to how it's written down. I teach them both listening and speaking, and I try to bring their attention to common speech patterns, y'know?
BTW, American Accent Training by Ann Cook is a helpful book. Have you ever used it?
Thanks
Yep, I know.
No, I haven't used that book but I have seen it online. I have gotten away from using books and gone to teaching strictly with audio. Of course reading is important too, but I find most students don't do enough listening so I try to get them into the habit. Saves me on printing costs too.
Nice