0Pronunciation is a key part of speaking English. Here are the first ten pronunciation corrections to help reduce your Mother Tongue Influence (MTI).
- "Th" Sound (θ, ð)
Many languages do not have this sound. The trick is to place your tongue between your teeth and blow air out for the unvoiced 'th' in words like "think," "three," and "bath." For the voiced 'th' in "the," "they," and "mother," your tongue is in the same position, but you make a humming sound.
- Short "i" (ɪ)
This sound, as in "sit," "pin," and "live," is often confused with the long "ee" sound (i:). Your lips should be relaxed and your jaw slightly dropped, not spread wide like for "ee."
- Vowels in Unstressed Syllables (ə)
The "schwa" sound is the most common vowel sound in English. It's a very short, neutral "uh" sound. It appears in unstressed syllables in words like "about" (ə-bout) and "banana" (bə-na-nə). Mastering it helps you speak with a more natural rhythm.
- "R" Sound
The English "r" is a soft sound. Do not roll your tongue as in Spanish or Italian. The tip of your tongue should curl back slightly without touching the roof of your mouth. Practice with words like "red," "run," and "car."
- Long "oo" (u:) vs. Short "u" (ʊ)
The long "oo" is in "moon" and "food." The short "u" is in "book" and "put." The long "oo" sound requires your lips to be tightly rounded, while the short "u" sound has more relaxed lips.
- "L" Sound
The English "l" has two variations. The "light l" at the beginning of words like "light" and "love" has the tongue tip behind the upper front teeth. The "dark l" at the end of words like "call" and "ball" has the back of the tongue raised.
- "P" Sound
The English 'p' at the beginning of a word (like "pen" or "paper") is aspirated, meaning you should feel a small puff of air on your palm when you say it. This is different from the 'p' sound in many other languages.
- "V" Sound
Make sure to bite your bottom lip with your top teeth to produce the "v" sound in words like "vote" and "very." This is different from the "w" sound where your lips are rounded.
- "W" Sound
The "w" sound is made by rounding your lips into an "oo" shape and then quickly un-rounding them. The 'v' sound involves your teeth on your lower lip, while the 'w' sound does not. Practice with "wet" vs. "vet."
- Silent Letters
English has many silent letters. This is a matter of memorization and practice. Common examples include the 'k' in "know," the 'p' in "psychology," and the 'b' in "debt." The best way to learn these is by paying attention to the pronunciation of new words as you encounter them.
