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The English language is a tricky one. While the pronunciation of some words can be challenging, others are just plain confusing—and some may even be impossible to pronounce! Whether you want to improve your English speech or simply learn what it means to have "good" diction, this guide will help you navigate each challenge with ease.
How do I pronounce the letters?What's the difference between /e/ and /i/?How do I pronounce the letter 'r'?
The difference between the two sounds is subtle, but it's important to be able to recognize them. The /b/ sound is made by pressing your lips together and blowing air through them while keeping them closed. The /p/ sound is made by pressing your tongue against the top of your mouth and blowing air through it while keeping your lips closed.To practice these sounds, say "bubble" or "bubble gum." For each word, pay attention to how much space there is between each vowel: does it feel like you're making a bubble with your mouth? If so, then that's what we call an open-mouthed vowel--and if not...well...you get the picture!
In English, there is a difference between /h/ and /t/. The former is a voiceless sound made in the back of the throat (like an "eh"), while the latter is produced by touching the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth (like an "eh").To make this distinction clear, try saying these two words: hat vs. hot. The first one has an /h/, while the second one has no /h/.
If you're having trouble with the pronunciation of short vowels, try to think about how they differ from their long counterparts. Vowels can be either short or long in English; this refers to how much time it takes for your mouth and lips to move from one sound to another (the difference between "ee" and "eee"). Short vowels are said quickly--in fact, many people tend not even realize that they make these sounds!Long vowels are longer than their shorter counterparts because they require more movement through space: when we say a long vowel such as 'i', our tongue moves forward toward our front teeth; when we say a short vowel like 'a', there's no movement at all beyond opening our mouths wide enough so that air passes through comfortably without obstruction. You can practice expressing these sounds by saying "eee" instead of "a". It may seem strange at first but try it out!
There are a number of different saying for the letter 'th'. The sound of 'th' can vary depending on its position in the word. For example, when it comes before a vowel sound (a, e, i), it sounds like an "s" as in "so". However, when it is followed by another consonant (b-c-d-f-g-l-) and then another vowel sound (a-e-i), this results in a "th" sound similar to that found in father or moth.
If you are unsure about whether a vowel is long or short, ask someone else to listen and give their opinion. If you still cannot tell, look up the word in a dictionary. You may be able to find another word that uses the same vowel sound and try expressing it out loud to see how it sounds in context (e.g., "I want this pen." vs "I want these pens.").
As you learn English speech, you'll want to learn about common challenges and solve them before they become obstacles.For example:You may be worried that your accent is too strong and makes it difficult for others to understand what you're saying. The good news is that this isn't necessarily true! Your accent might be strong now, but as long as it's not hindering communication or causing confusion for people around you (like when an "r" sound sounds more like a "w"), then it's okay. The more practice speaking in English with native speakers who understand the difference between an "r" sound and an "l" sound (or whatever challenge applies), the less likely these problems will happen again in the future.Another common challenge is trying to practise pronunciation of words correctly without knowing how they're actually pronounced; instead of using context clues when speaking out loud (e.g., looking at someone else while talking), learners often rely solely on their own understanding of the written text which isn't always accurate since there aren't any audio cues available while reading silently through textbooks/notes etcetera."
Pronunciation of individual sounds in English is a little more complex than in other languages. While there are sounds like /a/, /e/, and /o/ that can be expressed in the same way by nearly everyone, there are many more sounds that require some practice to master.Let's take a look at some common challenges and how to overcome them:
The vowel sound in 'ough' is a diphthong, which means it has two parts to it. It's also a central diphthong, meaning that both parts of the sound occur in the middle of your mouth (not at the front or back). Finally, this vowel is long and open; this means that both parts of its sound are pronounced for longer than usual.
The pronunciation of the vowel sound in 'tion'.The difference between /sh/ and /zh/ sounds.The difference between /ch/ and /j/ sounds.The difference between /th/ and /z/.
The pronunciation of silent letters (e.g., b, d, h, k, t) can be a challenge for people learning English. The reason is that these sounds are not always intuitive and may not even have an equivalent in your native language. For example, if you're learning French as your first foreign language and then decide to learn a new English later on as a second language, it's very likely that you will pronounce "h" at the beginning of words like "house" or "half". However, this is incorrect because these words begin with the vowel sound [a] instead!So how do we overcome this problem? The best way is by listening closely to native speakers and imitating their speech patterns until they become second nature. You might find yourself sounding strange at first but don't worry! It takes time for every English learners -- and even native speakers sometimes make mistakes when speaking English!
The letter/sound 'y' is pronounced differently depending on what vowel follows it. When the letter 'y' follows another vowel, it is pronounced as a vowel sound (e.g., "happy" or "yellow"). However, when the letter 'y' follows a consonant (e.g., "city"), then it is pronounced as a consonantal sound with its own unique pronunciation rule:The 'y' sound at the end of words like "dance" or "myself" can also be written as an apostrophe ('). This apostrophe must be included in order for you to pronounce these new words correctly; otherwise, you will end up saying something else entirely! For example:I love dancing! - I love dancing!
There are many different kinds of consonants. In this section, we'll look at some common examples and compare them.The difference between b and p is that b is pronounced with your lips rounded, while p is pronounced with your lips spread apart.The difference between d and t is that d sounds like a hard "d", while t sounds like an unrounded "t".The difference between f and v is that f sounds like an unvoiced labiodental fricative (v), while v sounds like a voiced labiodental fricative (/v/).
There are 5 vowel sounds in English:/a/ (as in "father")/e/ (as in "bed")/i/ (as in "bit")/o/ (as in "boat")/u/ (as in "boot").
It's important to practice with a friend or family member. If you don't have anyone who can help you, there are plenty of apps that make it easy to record yourself and review your progress. Check out my favourite voice trainer app in the links below!
With practice and feedback from others, you can improve your English pronunciation. If you would like to know more about Learning English, check out our website as well!
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