If you can pronounce correctly every word in this poem, you will be speaking English better than 90% of the native English speakers in the world. After trying the verses, a Frenchman said he’d prefer six months of hard labour to reading six lines aloud.

Dearest creature in creation,
Study English pronunciation.
I will teach you in my verse
Sounds like corpse, corps, horse, and worse.
I will keep you, Suzy, busy,
Make your head with heat grow dizzy.
Tear in eye, your dress will tear.
So shall I! Oh hear my prayer.
Just compare heart, beard, and heard,
Dies and diet, lord and word,
Sword and sward, retain and Britain.
(Mind the latter, how it’s written.)
Now I surely will not plague you
With such words as plaque and ague.
But be careful how you speak:
Say break and steak, but bleak and streak;
Cloven, oven, how and low,
Script, receipt, show, poem, and toe.
Hear me say, devoid of trickery,
Daughter, laughter, and Terpsichore,
Typhoid, measles, topsails, aisles,
Exiles, similes, and reviles;
Scholar, vicar, and cigar,
Solar, mica, war and far;
One, anemone, Balmoral,
Kitchen, lichen, laundry, laurel;
Gertrude, German, wind and mind,
Scene, Melpomene, mankind.
Billet does not rhyme with ballet,
Bouquet, wallet, mallet, chalet.
Blood and flood are not like food,
Nor is mould like should and would.
Viscous, viscount, load and broad,
Toward, to forward, to reward.
And your pronunciation’s OK
When you correctly say croquet,
Rounded, wounded, grieve and sieve,
Friend and fiend, alive and live.
Ivy, privy, famous; clamour
And enamour rhyme with hammer.
River, rival, tomb, bomb, comb,
Doll and roll and some and home.
Stranger does not rhyme with anger,
Neither does devour with clangour.
Souls but foul, haunt but aunt,
Font, front, wont, want, grand, and grant,
Shoes, goes, does. Now first say finger,
And then singer, ginger, linger,
Real, zeal, mauve, gauze, gouge and gauge,
Marriage, foliage, mirage, and age.
Query does not rhyme with very,
Nor does fury sound like bury.
Dost, lost, post and doth, cloth, loth.
Job, nob, bosom, transom, oath.
Though the differences seem little,
We say actual but victual.
Refer does not rhyme with deafer.
Foeffer does, and zephyr, heifer.
Mint, pint, senate and sedate;
Dull, bull, and George ate late.
Scenic, Arabic, Pacific,
Science, conscience, scientific.
Liberty, library, heave and heaven,
Rachel, ache, moustache, eleven.
We say hallowed, but allowed,
People, leopard, towed, but vowed.
Mark the differences, moreover,
Between mover, cover, clover;
Leeches, breeches, wise, precise,
Chalice, but police and lice;
Camel, constable, unstable,
Principle, disciple, label.
Petal, panel, and canal,
Wait, surprise, plait, promise, pal.
Worm and storm, chaise, chaos, chair,
Senator, spectator, mayor.
Tour, but our and succour, four.
Gas, alas, and Arkansas.
Sea, idea, Korea, area,
Psalm, Maria, but malaria.
Youth, south, southern, cleanse and clean.
Doctrine, turpentine, marine.
Compare alien with Italian,
Dandelion and battalion.
Sally with ally, yea, ye,
Eye, I, ay, aye, whey, and key.
Say aver, but ever, fever,
Neither, leisure, skein, deceiver.
Heron, granary, canary.
Crevice and device and aerie.
Face, but preface, not efface.
Phlegm, phlegmatic, ass, glass, bass.
Large, but target, gin, give, verging,
Ought, out, joust and scour, scourging.
Ear, but earn and wear and tear
Do not rhyme with here but ere.
Seven is right, but so is even,
Hyphen, roughen, nephew Stephen,
Monkey, donkey, Turk and jerk,
Ask, grasp, wasp, and cork and work.
Pronunciation (think of Psyche!)
Is a paling stout and spikey?
Won’t it make you lose your wits,
Writing groats and saying grits?
It’s a dark abyss or tunnel:
Strewn with stones, stowed, solace, gunwale,
Islington and Isle of Wight,
Housewife, verdict and indict.
Finally, which rhymes with enough,
Though, through, plough, or dough, or cough?
Hiccough has the sound of cup.
My advice is to give up!!!

English Pronunciation by G. Nolst Trenité

Azurlingua, French language school, situated in the heart of Nice in the French Riviera, has been providing quality French courses in France since 1990. As one of the first schools in France to be awarded the FLE QUALITY LABEL by the French Ministries of foreign affairs, education and research, we offer the best possible conditions to study French.

All of the class rooms are spacious and air-conditioned. The large welcoming interior garden offers free-Wi-Fi connection. The school is located 10 min from the beach and 3 min from the main train station. Each year we teach over 4 000 students and professionals from all over the world.

The school offers the following tailored lessons and workshops for youth, adults, and teaching professionals:

French for teens:
• All-inclusive programs in Nice for 13-17 year olds.
• Two additional summer campuses specifically for Teens.
• July and August (junior Summer camps)
• Tennis and Diving Program

Adult French courses in Nice:
• Standard, Intensive, Executive and Private Lessons
• Cinema Workshop at the Cannes Film Festival
• Senior 50+ workshops including cooking lessons

DELF Preparation:
• DELF & DALF preparation courses for both school groups and individuals
• One of the most reputable test centers in France
• Examination centre for La Sorbonne
• Other specialized courses: medical and law exams.


Azurlingua is a member of:
• SOUFFLE: Association of French as a foreign language teachers and holders of the label 'learning French in France
• ELITE: European federation of Foreign Language Schools

Azurlingua offers courses in conformance with:
• The EUROPEAN COUNCIL: European languages frame, Comenius European program

24 Week Package

£236 per week

General English with Residential Accommodation

Contact our office now!

International Qualifications

BLS English is running the Key English Test (KET) and Preliminary English Test (PET) in December. Both exams are part of the University of Cambridge ESOL suite and are recognised by United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA).

What are the exams?

The KET and PET are General English Language Exams that cover Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. The main papers are on the same day whilst the Speaking element can be on a different day.

Why take these exams?

The University of Cambridge Exams are a great way to prove your language level for work, further education or for immigration purposes. The level equates to the Common European Framework (CEFR) so prospective employers or colleges can understand.

When are the exams?

At BLS we organise these exams every 6 months.
The next exam is Friday 2nd December - Reading, Writing and Listening
Speaking Window - The Speaking part could be any day between 25th November to 11th December

How can I book an exam?

Email us Now

Come to BLS for Both Your Course and Exam

BLS English has been an authorised University of Cambridge Exam centre for more than 10 years. During this time we have seen hundreds of students achieving success from KET through to CAE.

Students can study the exam technique necessary to get the scores they need and then stay with BLS for the actual exam itself. There is no need to travel to another centre!

December (paper-based exams)

Tuesday 06 December (0100)

Paper 1 (Reading)
Paper 2 (Writing)
Paper 3 (Use of English)
Paper 4 (Listening)

Window for Paper 5 (Speaking)
18 November–11 December

Book your place before 1st October. Late bookings are possible with a late fee charged.
Cost £100

Summer Activity Programme

On Saturday 16th July BLS is going to London to see the sights!

We are going to see the following places:

Buckingham Palace for Changing of the Guard
Big Ben & Westminster
Trafalgar Square
Covent Garden
British Museum

Each of our teachers and activity leaders will take a group of 15 students and supervise closely for the day. This is a safe way to see our wonderful capital city.

Next Saturday is Norwich Castle and the fascinating Dungeon Tour!

10 students in a class

Currently our adult classes have only 8 - 10 students per class. This is very good for the students because it enables them to have more time to speak and ask questions.

There is also a very good nationality mix. Our adult students come from approximately 16 different countries with all nationalities under 1%. This encourages lots of natural English conversation and so another reason to choose BLS!

Adults can book and start any Monday and you can now book online.

Week 4 is looking like fun!

Summer Term activities for both our Adults and Teenagers are a great way to socialise and improve your English. The activity courses deliver a great combination of intensive study with culture and fun. Our students have already made friends with students from other countries and are speaking lots and lots of English.

The activities this week are tennis, ultimate frisbee, roller skating, basketball, volleyball, Duxford Air Museum and of course lots of football!

There is no time to miss family or friends here at BLS.

Still to come this week is Film Night and a full day in London seeing the sights and visiting the British Museum with a little time for souvenir shopping.

We still have a few places left for July or August - ...email BLS now!

FCE Class with Home Study Programme

Dates: Start any week Mondays 6-7.3pm Cost: £60 per month
This course can be added to full-time intensive programmes.

This is not any ordinary evening class, it is intended to motivate and give results quickly whilst being extremely affordable. Students will learn the grammar rules and practise using them. Each lesson will give students something real they can take away and use in everyday situations to help with their jobs or family life. All students receive a certificate. Classes will start at 6pm and will be mixed nationality groups.

Fast Progress for Busy People
The course is designed for fast progress in a short time.

Fully Qualified and Accredited
You will be in small groups and learning with fully qualified English Language Teachers.
We are a British Council school so you get a guaranteed high level of education.

Home Study Programme
All students receive a study at home study programme to help boost your level quickly. Teachers check
extra work and writing and will give advice on how to improve.

Certificate
All students are awarded a course certificate at the end of the course.

BLS Social Club
When you register you will also become part of the BLS Social Network so you can join us for our parties,
sports or other social events - many free.

Extra costs
£5 registration once only at the start. No hidden costs. Lesson materials are included.

Registration Procedure
Please fill out a registration form and make fi rst payment to book your place.

Which Student Visa?

If you are a EEA / EU national, there is no visa required to visit or study the UK, things are very simple to register with BLS English. If you are from outside the EEA / EU, you should read this page. Here is a quick and simple to follow guide for all students considering studying English in Britain.

Click here to see which nationalities need a visa for study in the UK

Student Visitor Visa

18 years +
180 days maximum
No work allowed
You will need a course confirmation letter from you school
The letter must show an address
The letter must state how much the course and accommodation is paid
A SVV will allow you to travel to the UK up to one week before your course commences.

General Student Visa

18 years +
No minimum length of course, though it is more acceptable to study for 6 months plus
10 hours per week work allowed
You must prove your level of English to be level B1 CEFR or higher (low intermediate)
The UKBA approved English-language tests are: IELTS, Cambridge PET, Cambridge BEC, Cambridge FCE, Cambridge CAE, Cambridge CPE, Cambridge ICFE, Cambridge ILEC, TOEFL (IBT), Pearson Test of English (PTE).

Child Visitor Visa (CVV)

If you are under 18 years old and plan to study in the UK for a period of up to 6 months, you will be required to submit a letter from your parents with your application stating that they agree to your travelling to the UK and living independently. This letter must be written in your own language.
A CVV will allow you to travel to the UK up to one week before your course commences.
For further details please contact BLS English.

How do I apply for a visa?

You can download official visa application forms from the UKBA website as follows:

General Student Visa: Tier4 (General) Application Form.
Student Visitor Visa: Application form VAF1D - Student visitor.
Child Visitor Visa: Application form VAF1A - General visitor.
To apply for your visa you will need the following:

* Passport.
* Visa fee.
* Your biometric details, ie fingers scans and a full-face digital photo (the British Embassy/British Consulate will arrange this process).
* A recent passport-sized (45mm x 35mm) photograph in colour on a white background, not framed, on normal photographic paper, full face without a hat or sunglasses.
* Proof from your bank that you have enough money to cover your Tuition fees, accommodation and expenses while the UK.
Documentation. Should you not have the correct documents, it is unlikely that your application would be successful.

Visa Application Centre (VAC). In some countries the UK Border Agency works with a local VAC, which acts as a collecting and processing facility. The VAC will assist you with preparing your visa application and be responsible for sending your application to the British Embassy/British Consulate for processing.

What will I need to support my visa application?

UK Sponsor. BLS English will be your Sponsor. We are licensed by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) to enrol international students. Our UKBA Sponsor Licence Number is N32D0B6Y2 and we feature on the UKBA website as a Highly Trusted Sponsor (HTS).

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). Once you have completed a BLS English Enrolment Form, paid for your course and provided the necessary information and documents (see below), BLS English will provide you with a document confirming the details of your course, which will include your CAS reference number. Please note that the CAS is not an actual document; it exists only as a number on the UKBA database. The CAS reference number must be quoted on your visa application. For BLS English to provide you with a CAS, we will require the following information and copies of all documentation:

* Your full name (as it appears on your passport).
* Your home address (full postal address).
* Your date of birth.
* Your city or town of birth.
* Your nationality.
* Your passport number.
* A copy of your Passport (e-mail or fax is acceptable).
* Confirmation of the type of visa for which you will applying for, e.g. GSV.
* Proof of your current English language level, which must be Council of Europe Framework

Reference (CEFR) Level B1 or above. To apply for a GSV, you must already have studied English and be at least at Pre-Intermediate level (CEFR B1)
Financial Details. Visa applicants will need to prove to the UK Border Agency on application that they possess sufficient money to cover all their costs while in the UK: tuition, accommodation, living expenses and travel costs. Moreover, should you plan to apply for a General Student Visa, you will need to demonstrate that you have access to at least GBP 600.00 per month in accommodation and spending money.

How much will my visa cost?

General Student Visa: The General Student Visa currently costs GBP 220.00.
Student Visitor and Child Visitor Visas: The Student Visitor and Child Visitor Visas both currently cost GBP 70.00.

Where can I get more information about visas?

For information and assistance regarding visas for studying in the UK, please visit the UKBA website at http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/. The site provides a 'Quick Guide' for students, which you might be helpful.