Two songs to help students remember the -s or -es in the 3rd person singular of the Present Simple

I had never used Artificial Intelligence to create songs, but had listened to some produced by Joe Dale using Suno. The workflow he suggested was ask ChatGPT to write the lyrics and copy them into Suno.

But, I was using Gemini at that moment to see if it could sort these words ending in -es into Only nouns, Only verbs and Can be both. (It was about as good as me. We both made mistakes!) So, I decided to add in a prompt. I asked, "Can you write some lyrics for a song that use as many of the verbs as possible in that form"

And it produced a song! Apparently when I asked for 'lyrics', Gemini decided to create the song itself using Lyria 3 and Music

But I wasn't satisfied with what Gemini produced and asked, "Can you restrict the -es endings to verbs, make it in British English and think of A2 level learners?" because it used some nouns ending in -es and it used the word 'faucet'. This is the 30-second song it created:

I had imagined Gemini would provide the lyrics to a song, not produce a song, however short!

I then went back to Joe Dale's original plan. So, I asked ChatGPT, "I want a list of verbs that end in -es suitable for A2 learners. Don’t include goes and does as the -es is not syllabic" Then I asked, "Can you create the lyrics for a song that includes a lot of these verb forms" and ChatGPT provided the lyrics below, which I pasted into Suno asking for a 'Catchy ear-worm song'

Every Day She... Verse 1 Every morning she washes her face, Then she brushes her hair with grace. She finishes breakfast and leaves on time, She passes the park and starts to climb. She watches people walking by, She wishes she could learn to fly. She catches the bus at half past eight, She never misses because she's never late. Chorus She watches, she washes, She brushes, she finishes too. She passes, she catches, There's always something to do. She wishes, she teaches, She works and she studies each day. She fixes problems when she can, Then smiles and goes on her way. Verse 2 At school she teaches with a smile, The children listen all the while. She fixes mistakes in every line, And mixes learning with a good time. She never misses a chance to help, She relaxes later by herself. She kisses her family when she's home, And never feels she's all alone. Chorus She watches, she washes, She brushes, she finishes too. She passes, she catches, There's always something to do. She wishes, she teaches, She works and she studies each day. She fixes problems when she can, Then smiles and goes on her way. Outro She washes, she watches, She passes and catches the bus. She teaches, she finishes, And life keeps moving for all of us.

Improving the pronunciation prompt in my Language Coach Gem (and my Prompt for Gemini)

 

While attending the Automated L2 Speaking Assessment (AL2SA) International Workshop 2026, I asked Gemini to give me a verbatim transcription of a recording and there ensued a conversation about how Gemini could help learners with very specific pronunciation problems. I liked what I read and asked Gemini to design a prompt to apply the ideas we had discussed to improve my Language Coach prompt for use with Gemini. This is Gemini’s suggestion:

3 Pronunciation (The Sound Spotlight): Identify the top 2 issues.

Show the "Sound Spotlight": Pick a word I said and show how I said it vs how a native speaker says it (e.g., "You said 'so' but it sounds like 'saw'").

Give a "Physical Tip": Use simple descriptions of how to move the mouth or tongue (e.g., "Keep your jaw low and your mouth open wide") instead of technical terms.

 

This was to replace the previous version’s section on pronunciation, which was:

3 Pronunciation: Identify the top 2 issues. Use simple descriptions (e.g., "The 'H' sounds like a breath") instead of technical terms.

Here are three examples of the feedback Gemini produced with this improved pronunciation step:

1 Rob and Jenny and the chocolates
https://youtu.be/o-6RzZqxskU

Pronunciation (The Sound Spotlight)

Here are the top two areas to focus on from your recording:

The "S" at the end of words: In English, we use the -s for plurals (chocolates) and third-person verbs (she says). Sometimes this sound was missing in your recording.

The "O" in "Chocolates": This word can be tricky because we don't pronounce every letter.

 

The Sound Spotlight: "Chocolates"

What you said: It sounded like you were trying to say every syllable, like "chock-oh-lay-tes."

How a native speaker says it: It sounds like "chock-letz." The middle "o" is silent, and the "a" sounds like a short "e" or "i."

Physical Tip

To say "chock-letz" naturally:

The first part: Open your mouth wide and drop your jaw for the "chock" sound.

The jump: Quickly move your tongue to the roof of your mouth for the "l" and don't make any sound for that middle "o."

The end: Keep your teeth close together and blow air out for the "ts" sound at the end. It should sound like a little hiss.

2 Bargain Sweater

https://youtu.be/TL1nkW0s9YY

Let's look at how you pronounced some of the words. Overall, you were very clear, but here is your Pronunciation Spotlight.

3. Pronunciation (The Sound Spotlight)

• The Issue: Many Spanish speakers add an "e" sound before words starting with "s," and I noticed this with "sweater" and "sales."
• The Issue: The word "bought" was a bit tricky. It sounded a little like "boat."

---

Sound Spotlight: "Bought"

·         You said: It sounded like "boat" (with a long 'o' sound like in "no").

·         A native speaker says: /bɔːt/. It should have a deep, open "aw" sound, like in the word "law."

Physical Tip

To get the "aw" sound in bought:

·         Drop your jaw down low.

·         Keep your tongue flat at the bottom of your mouth.

·         Make your mouth into a tall O-shape (not a wide one).

·         It should feel much "deeper" in your throat than the word "boat."

Sound Spotlight: "Sweater"

·         You said: "Es-weater" (adding an 'e' at the start).

·         A native speaker says: /ˈswetə/. It starts directly with the "s" sound, like a snake hissing.

Physical Tip

To avoid the extra "e" in sweater:

·         Close your teeth and let the air hiss out (sssss) before you move your lips to make the "w" sound.

·         Don't let your throat vibrate until you get to the "w."

·         Try saying "ssss-sweater" very slowly to practice.

3 My Plans for the Weekend
https://youtu.be/AlwycCUTQ4I

Great choice! Let's focus on the sounds of your speech. Here is your Sound Spotlight for the recording:

Top 2 Issues

·         The "th" sound: In the word "this," the beginning sounded a bit more like a "d" or a "z."

·         The "-ing" ending: In the word "staying," the end of the word was a bit short.

---

Sound Spotlight: "This"

·         How you said it: You said something like "dis."

·         How a native speaker says it: The "th" is soft and uses air.

·         Physical Tip: Put the tip of your tongue between your front teeth. Blow a little bit of air out while you make a sound with your throat. It should feel like a small vibration on your tongue.

---

Sound Spotlight: "Watching"

·         How you said it: You said "watch."

·         The "-ing" ending: In the word "staying," the end of the word was a bit short.

·         How a native speaker says it: We add a "ing" sound at the end.

·         Physical Tip: To make the "ng" sound, lift the back of your tongue to touch the top-back of your mouth. The air should come out of your nose, not your mouth.

 

Language Coach Prompt - letting students decide what kind of feedback they want

 

This is the prompt that is referred to in the video. It works with any language and the Listen or Read  Aloud option works well for English, Spanish and Italian, but not for Catalan, but there are workarounds. I cannot say how well Listen or Read Aloud works with other languages,  but would love to hear either way.

Language Coach Prompt

I am a language learner. I will upload audio files for you to analyse. Your goal is to be a helpful coach.

Core Communication Rules (Apply to EVERYTHING you say):

• Match My Level: You must use vocabulary and sentence structures that match the CEFR level of the audio I upload. If the audio is A2, your explanations and instructions must be A2.
• Language: If the audio is in English, use British English spelling and vocabulary at all times. If the audio is in another language, all responses should be in that language at the level of the recording from the very beginning
• No Jargon: Do not use academic or formal words (e.g., avoid "transitioned", "lexical", or "syntax"). Use simple, natural words a native speaker uses in daily life.
• Scannability: Use bullet points for clarity. Never use tables. Avoid long walls of text.
• Wait for Audio: Do not give any feedback or assessments until I upload a file and you know which language I speak and have heard my level.

The Process: When I upload a file, first ask if I want "Quick Feedback" or the "7-Step Sequence." If I choose the sequence, ask which step I want first. After every step, list the remaining options as briefly as possible.

The 7 numbered Steps:

1 Verbatim Transcript: Provide a transcript of exactly what I said in continuous prose.

2 Error Identification: Rewrite my text exactly as it is, but put brackets [ ] around any errors. Do not correct them yet.

3 Pronunciation: Identify the top 2 issues. Use simple descriptions (e.g., "The 'H' sounds like a breath") instead of technical terms.

4 Natural Correction: Provide a corrected version that is natural but NOT more sophisticated than my original.

5 Colloquial Version: Create a version that is slightly more casual/conversational. It should be less than half a CEFR level higher than my original. List 3 changes and explain them simply.

6 Advanced Version (Level +0.5): Create a version that is roughly half a CEFR level higher than my original. Focus on natural spoken language. List 3 specific changes and explain why they are a better "bridge" to the next level.

7 More Advanced Version (Level +1.0): Create a version of spoken language that is roughly half a CEFR level higher than the previous "Advanced" version (one full level above my original). List 3 changes and explain how they help me reach this higher level.

But if you want to see if there have been any updates, use this link:

Feel free to copy and paste this prompt into a free account with Gemini or experiment with your own variations. All you will need then are some audio files in one of these formats:

• MP3 (The standard format for most phones and voice recorders)

• WAV (High quality, but larger file sizes)1

• AAC / M4A (Common for iPhone "Voice Memos")2

• OGG

• FLAC

If a student records themselves on camera, these formats are supported:

• MP4 (The most common format for smartphones)

• MOV (Standard for Apple devices)

• AVI

• WMV

• WebM

Key Technical Limits

• File Size: Generally, files should be under 20MB for the best performance. If a video is too large, it is often better to convert it to audio (MP3) before uploading.

• Duration: For a detailed analysis, recordings between 1 and 3 minutes are ideal. This gives the AI enough data to find patterns without becoming overwhelmed.

Can Gemini act as a supportive personal tutor? Grammar Workshop page of "Feel English"

I wondered if students could take photos of a page of grammar or vocabulary exercises and ask Gemini to act as a supportive personal tutor. As I didn't want to use a page from a copyright book like "English File", I asked Gemini to create a suitable page for an imaginary coursebook called "Feel English"!

It produced a "Grammar Workshop" page about the third conditional and a "Vocabulary Workshop" page about food and nutrition.

I tried asking Gemini to design a suitable prompt, but that didn't work well, so I ended up uploading the page below to Gemini and then saying, "Can you act as a supportive personal tutor and go through the material on the page showing me how to pronounce the words and asking me to do the exercises and providing hints to help me get the answers right?"

Here is the Grammar Workshop page followed by a screen recording of me using Gemini on my iPad:

Page 1: Grammar Workshop

Level: B1 | Topic: The Third Conditional (Regrets and Past Hypotheticals)

Presentation: The Third Conditional

We use the Third Conditional to talk about "imaginary" situations in the past—things that did not happen and their hypothetical results.

Condition (If-Clause)	Result (Main Clause)
If + Past Perfect	would have + Past Participle
If I had studied harder,	I would have passed the exam.
If they hadn't missed the bus,	they would have arrived on time.

Note: We can also use could have or might have instead of would have to show possibility.

Exercises

Exercise 1: Match the sentence halves.

1. If I had known it was your birthday...
2. We wouldn't have gotten lost...
3. If the weather had been better...
4. She could have won the race...

• A. ...if she hadn't tripped near the finish line.
• B. ...we would have gone to the beach.
• C. ...I would have bought you a gift.
• D. ...if we had used the GPS.

Exercise 2: Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

1. If you ________ (tell) me the truth, I wouldn't have been so angry.
2. They ________ (save) more money if they hadn't eaten out every night.
3. If he ________ (not/fall) asleep, he wouldn't have burned the dinner.

Can Gemini act as a supportive personal tutor? Vocabulary Workshop page of "Feel English"

I wondered if students could take photos of a page of grammar or vocabulary exercises and ask Gemini to act as a supportive personal tutor. As I didn't want to use a page from a copyright book like "English File", I asked Gemini to create a suitable page for an imaginary coursebook called "Feel English"!

It produced a "Grammar Workshop" page about the third conditional and a "Vocabulary Workshop" page about food and nutrition.

I tried asking Gemini to design a suitable prompt, but that didn't work well, so I ended up uploading the page below to Gemini and then writing, but it would have been better to have used Voice on my Android phone to say, "Can you act as a supportive personal tutor and go through the material on the page showing me how to pronounce the words and asking me to do the exercises and providing hints to help me get the answers right?"

Here is the "Vocabulary Workshop" page and below an extract from the screen recording I made on my mobile phone.

Page 2: Vocabulary Workshop

Level: B1 | Topic: Food & Nutrition

Visual Dictionary: In the Kitchen

Item	British English	Phonemic Script
🥦	Broccoli	/ˈbrɒkəli/
🍆	Aubergine	/ˈəʊbəʒiːn/
🥒	Courgette	/kɔːˈʒet/
🥬	Lettuce	/ˈletɪs/
🍐	Pear	/peə(r)/
🍍	Pineapple	/ˈpaɪnæpl/
🧄	Garlic	/ˈɡɑːlɪk/
🍗	Poultry	/ˈpəʊltri/

Exercises

Exercise 1: Odd One Out. Circle the word that doesn't fit the category.

1. Pear — Pineapple — Garlic — Courgette
2. Aubergine — Poultry — Lettuce — Broccoli
3. Beef — Lamb — Chicken — Pineapple

Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the correct food word.

1. I’m going to make a salad, so I need to buy some crisp green ________.
2. In America, they call an ________ an "eggplant."
3. You should add a clove of ________ to the sauce to give it more flavour.

I want to build a web app where i can upload an audio file and get feedback on my speaking including my pronunciation

SpeakSmart AI

Try it here your self

Try uploading an audio file made by a student and see what you think of the feedback.

My prompt for Google's AI Studio was, "I want to build a web app where i can upload an audio file and get feedback on my speaking including my pronunciation"

You can upload all these file types to Gemini to get feedback on your speaking, including your pronunciation MP3, WAV, AAC, M4A, OGG, FLAC, MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, WebM

I asked Gemini, "What audio and video file formats can be uploaded here to ask for feedback on pronunciation and speaking in general?"

To help you and your students use this workflow effectively, here is a breakdown of the supported formats.

Since your focus is on analyzing speech patterns and pronunciation, audio files are usually the most efficient, but video files also work well if the student wants to show their facial expressions or mouth movements.

Supported Audio Formats

These are the most common formats for voice recordings:

• MP3 (The standard format for most phones and voice recorders)
• WAV (High quality, but larger file sizes)¹
• AAC / M4A (Common for iPhone "Voice Memos")²
• OGG 
• FLAC

Supported Video Formats

If a student records themselves on camera, these formats are supported:

• MP4 (The most common format for smartphones) 
• MOV (Standard for Apple devices) 
• AVI 
• WMV 
• WebM

 Key Technical Limits

• File Size: Generally, files should be under 20MB for the best performance. If a video is too large, it is often better to convert it to audio (MP3) before uploading.
• Duration: For a detailed "Half-CEFR Level" analysis, recordings between 1 and 3 minutes are ideal. This gives the AI enough data to find patterns without becoming overwhelmed.

---

Pro-Tip for your Students:

If a student is using a smartphone, I recommend the following:

1. iOS: Use the Voice Memos app (saved as M4A).³
2. Android: Use the built-in Voice Recorder (usually saved as MP3 or M4A) 
3. Environment: Remind them to record in a quiet room. Background noise (like a TV or wind) can cause the AI to create an incorrect transcript, which will ruin the bracket [ ] error-finding step.

More details on File sizes 

Here are the upload limits for audio and video files in the standard Gemini web app (gemini.google.com) and mobile app:

Video

• Maximum File Size: 2 GB per file.

• Length Limit:

  • Free Version: Up to 5 minutes total duration per prompt.

  • Gemini Advanced: Up to 1 hour total duration per prompt.

Audio

• Maximum File Size: Generally up to 100 MB (often treated under the general file limit).

• Length Limit:

  • Free Version: Up to 10 minutes total duration per prompt.

  • Gemini Advanced: Up to 3 hours total duration per prompt.

Key Notes:

• You can upload up to 10 files in a single prompt.

• The limits apply to the total duration in a single conversation turn (e.g., if you are on the free plan, you could upload two 2.5-minute videos, but not two 3-minute videos).