English pronunciation
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English Pronunciation



The 5 Step Method -- You can learn pronunciation by focusing on the 5 most important points: reducing sounds, blending sounds, vowels, consonant changes and rhythm.

L -- This sound is generally made the same way as in other languages, but in American English it is spoken quickly and lightly. 

R -- This sound is trilled in many languages. It is also silent in the middle and at the end of words in some languages, like British. The American R is not trilled and it is always pronounced.

T -- The T sound often becomes a light "d" sound when it is between vowels and a light, stopped sound at the end of words. It can also be left out entirely. So water sounds like "wader," hot sounds like "ho(t)" and interview sounds like "innerview." Many other languages sound out the T always.

Th -- This sound is not in every language. Americans have 2 sounds for Th: a soft, vibrating sound as in "the" and a more forceful, popped sound as in "think."

V and W -- Some languages have one or the other, but not both. In American English, the V is a vibrating sound with the upper teeth lightly on the lower lip. The W is made with the lips moving outward in a circular way.

A -- Americans have 3 sounds for A, the sound in "cat," the sound in "late" and the sound in "all."

I -- In other languages, it is often pronounced like the American long e, as in "see." In American English, I has two sounds: the I in "sit" and the I in "kite."

To avoid having a heavy accent, it is important to learn these basic sound differences as early as possible when studying English. The sounds that you speak are also the sounds you expect to hear. If you are living in America or planning to live in America, you need the American version of English, not the British form that is often taught overseas. Americans and British people can understand each other, but when you combine British and Japanese or British and Ethiopian, the result is a complex accent. This leads the learner to struggle both with being understood by Americans and understanding what Americans are saying.

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