1. Four main tones - Hear what an English native speak says about tones
Watch the video below to get a general idea of what the four main tones sound like. Take notes if necessary.
2. Plus one neutral tone - Associate tones with English words
When it gets challenging and confusing, associate Chinese sounds with English words saves your life. Chinese tones can be associated with the following English words: "maybe", "what", and "no". How? Check the following video out.
Before you watch the video, take your note book out. You will be required to take a picture of your notes and submit it as one of the assessments for this lesson. Also, think about how you pronounce the three English words mentioned above before you start.
Note: The video is a bit long, but it's worth it. Make sure you have enough time to watch the whole thing.
3. Pinyin spelling rules - Where do I put tone markers?
The short answer is: On the finals.
bù nǐ hā
But what about compound finals? There could be more than one letters in a compound final. Which letter do tone marks fall one? Watch the following video from 3:45 tp\o 4:47 to find the answer yourself. Don't forget to include this in the notes that you will be uploading.