Contents
- Learn English in a fun and straightforward way
- English pronunciation: start with phonetics!
- How to fix it?
- Listen to English to improve pronunciation English
- Chat via Skype
- Conclusions
"Understanding English is one thing; understanding an English speaker is another. " Aleister Crowley.
Is it important to improve pronunciation in English? The answer is obviously yes, so I have collected some strategies to make language learning more effective and improve pronunciation.
If you think that speaking English with your friends and colleagues is enough for studying the language, you are very wrong. When it comes to understanding dialogue, dealing with English is certainly not easy! For this reason, if you do not mind the pronunciation, you are at serious risk of seeing all those hours spent memorizing grammar rules shipwrecked in the void.
So, how to improve the effectiveness of your English study? I wanted to summarize some ideas that will be useful to you, so take a few minutes to read them carefully.
Learn English in a fun and straightforward way
The first step I recommend is to read this in-depth on how to learn English. I am not talking about reading a thousand pages, no video lessons. You will only find many practical tips for learning English without studying. Also, keep an eye on the eng. Phonetics Facebook page, you can also access the official group, where you will find lots of videos and resources in English.
English pronunciation: start with phonetics!
A piece of advice that you will have heard repeated dozens of times by many English teachers is to concentrate a large part of the study of English on phonetics.
The reason is straightforward: if you don't pronounce English correctly, people might not understand you. And they probably won't make the slightest effort to accommodate you!
Watch out because the nuances of phonetics are rather delicate. For example, the word ship must be pronounced like "scip" because if you slightly lengthen the "i" while saying "sciip", you are talking about a sheep!
The same goes for a very common gaffe. For example, the word sheet (paper) must be pronounced as "sciit", with the "i" lengthened. On the other hand, if you pronounce "scit", the meaning is something much less pleasant (in short, it is the thing you step on from time to time).
It would be best if you understood that wrong pronunciation can generate misunderstandings and can sometimes lead to unintentional awkward moments.
How to fix it?
I recommend getting a phonics book or using a vocal pronunciation dictionary, such as the Cambridge Dictionary. Alternatively, you can use the excellent English Phonetics Academy portal, which allows you to hear the same word spoken by people of different nationalities (American English, British English, Australian English, etc.).
Listen to English to improve pronunciation English
Another way to learn the correct English pronunciation is to sharpen your ears.
At the same time as studying phonetics, you will also need to improve hearing, training it to perceive the right sounds. Also, in this case, there are many methods to do some healthy training (which is pronounced: treiining)!
For example, you can watch an English-language film, connect to English web radio, talk to English-speaking friends, and so on. Therefore, it is imperative to find a pleasant and fun system. Listening to a person who speaks English the first few times could be pretty frustrating. That's why looking for an activity that involves you will make a real difference.
Do you like contact with people? There are certainly talk groups in your city as well. Do you like the cinema? Check out the original language films (in English, of course!). Do you love music? Try listening to some albums by songwriters/bands in English.
Use the power of Podcasts to learn English Among the thousands of opportunities that the internet offers us is being able to listen to online radio through podcasting.
Try doing a Google search, and you will find hundreds of sites that might be right for you! However, if you want to go without fail, BBC Learning English is probably one of the most valuable resources, especially if you are beginning your English language learning. Here you will find many audio files facing text: ideal for training and improving your English pronunciation.
If, on the other hand, you want to seek satisfaction with some program in English, you will be spoiled for choice. So, again, I recommend that you look for a program that talks about a topic you are passionate about: in this way, you will make listening more engaging!
Chat via Skype
One of the best ways to train your English is to make conversation. In addition to local groups, you can also take advantage of Skype!
Don't be discouraged if you don't have any English friends or contacts to engage in online conversations. There are services like Fluentify that allow you to have live conversations with certified mother tongue tutors.
Leverage apps
Whether you have a smartphone with Android or an iPhone, I am sure that you will find hundreds of apps and audiobooks useful for your learning in your respective store.
An example? One of the best apps is Duolingo. This is just one example, and there are many and suitable for all needs. Considering that a good part of these is free, why not try them?
Conclusions
These tips will concretely help you improve your English pronunciation. I recommend never giving up, even in the face of obstacles that will make your learning more torturous.
Spend some time every day (or several times during the week) to practice your pronunciation and train listening and conversation skills. After a few weeks, I am sure you will be surprised at the great results you have achieved!
On the other hand, if you want to change your English and move on to the next level, that is, to become truly fluent in English. You must know that Eriberto Do Nascimento, the founder of the English Phonetics web app, has had developed the complete online English course ever. Chek it here!
