Every language has its tricky sounds, and for English learners, there are a few that tend to cause the most trouble. The first step to improvement is knowing what your troublemakers are!
Know Your Enemy
Do you find yourself struggling with any of these common problem areas?
- The ‘th’ sounds: These don’t exist in many languages, so /θ/ (think) and /ð/ (this) take extra practice.
- ‘R’ and ‘L’: These sounds can be easily mixed up, especially if they’re not distinct in your native language.
- Vowel variations: English has many close vowel sounds – the difference between “ship” and “sheep” can be subtle!
Don’t Despair, Repair!
Let’s use the “th” sounds as an example:
- Feel the Buzz: Place your tongue gently between your teeth. Push a light stream of air out. That little buzz is the base of the “th” sound!
- Voiced vs. Unvoiced: Now add your voice – a small hum – to create /ð/. Without the voice, you have /θ/.
- Practice Pairs: Choose words like “thin/then”, “bath/bathe”. Exaggerate the difference, then gradually speed up while maintaining the distinction.
How to Find Your Problem Sounds
- Record yourself: Speak freely for a few minutes. Listen back for words you stumble over or feel unsure about.
- Feedback forums: There are online communities where you can get help from other learners or native speakers.
- Targeted Resources: Search for pronunciation help specifically related to your native language; common patterns often emerge.
Tongue Twister Time!
Here’s one for /θ/ practice: “The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.”
Start slowly, focus on accuracy, not speed!
Find more here: Tongue Twister Collection – A great place for lifelong learners (nhutly.com)
Next Time
In our final post, we’ll tackle putting it all together in real speaking situations and how to maintain the pronunciation progress you’ve made.
Minh Nhut (Brian)