Pronuniciation of English Sounds

Here is a great application from the BBC Learning English website. It is a pronunciation chart that says the sounds when you click on them. You can download a PC or a Mac version.

But there is something strange about the chart. What are these weird symbols? You may have noticed them in a dictionary. e.g. Cat=

You should learn how these symbols represent a sound in English. Here is a good description from antimoon.com

A good dictionary must give phonetic transcription for every word. Phonetic transcription tells you how to pronounce a word. Ideally, the transcription should be based on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), which is the standard phonetic alphabet used by linguists all over the world. Here is what IPA-based phonetic transcription looks like:

Here, the phonetic transcription is marked in yellow. It tells you that image is pronounced like this. (sound recording requires Flash)

Final Sounds in Words

/f/ and /v/ Pronunciation

Th pronunciation

Souuunnnndz, STRESS!!! and INTONation...

This is the BEST website of seen on speaking. It might look like a kid's game but it is great! Click on the section you want to practice. Then use the controls to practice. You MUST repeat after the website speaks (otherwise you aren't practising your speaking!).

Howjsay: Making you speak clearer

This website is a really good resource for any student studying English. It is called howjsay. It works the same way as a dictionary. You enter a word you want to find. Instead of giving the meaning of your word, it will show your word in a pink font. If you put your mouse cursor on the pink word the website will say that word.

How can this website help you improve your English?

You should look up words that are difficult to pronounce. Listen to the pronounciation a few times. Then start trying to pronounce the word as close to the website as you can. This might take you a few tries.

You will need some speakers or headphones to use howjysay.

Linking your words in English

Have you ever wondered why native English speakers sound difficult to understand? Or why it is hard to make your English sound natural?

The answers to these questions is probably linking. Native speakers often link words together. e.g. She likesssstrawberry ice cream. They often do this because it is easier to say and it creates a smoother rhythm.

This website has some great examples. Click on the icon of the little man to hear the example. Try to repeat the sentence using the same linking.

Better Speaking

Do you want to improve your speaking skills? Here is a great website for you. The website has a series of interviews with advice on how to improve your speaking skills.

"Better Speaking is all about how you can become a fluent, confident speaker of English. In the programmes we hear from learners of English from around the world and also from someone who specialises in teaching speaking, trainer Richard Hallows. Better Speaking is presented by Callum Robertson".

You can stream the interviews off the internet or download them. You will need a pair of headphones or some speakers to listen to the interviews.