How to Improve Your English Pronunciation.

So you want to work on improving your pronunciation of English words. Let’s be honest: compared with most other languages, English is difficult to pronounce. And unlike most other languages, you can’t always tell what a word should sound like just by looking at it. However, don’t worry! If you want to sound like a native English speaker, there is hope for you. These eight steps will help you perfect your English pronunciation.

1. Observe and imitate native English speakers

Believe it or not, your ears are an important tool to help you sound like a native English speaker. Listening to people speak is one of the most important things you can do to improve your English pronunciation. Just as babies learn from listening to their parents speak, you learn from listening to people around you speak.

Ears are a little bit like muscles. When you listen to someone speaking English, you are working out your ear muscles. They get to practice hearing the unfamiliar sounds that English speakers make. The better you get at hearing certain sounds, the easier you can make them yourself. This is an essential step in language learning.

2. Decide which kind of English is right for you

When you practice listening to English speakers, listen for accents. People speak English all over the world, and every region has a slightly different way of speaking English. Can you tell where people are from by listening to them talk? Do you want to sound like you’re from England, the United States, Canada, Australia, Pakistan, or somewhere else?

Every English-speaking country pronounces some words a little differently. They also use different types of inflection for making statements or asking questions. There are even differences in how lax the vowels are from one place to another. Pay close attention to accents and pronunciations of people who speak the kind of English you wish to adopt.

For these reasons, you have to pick which kind of English is right for you before you start working on your pronunciation. Once you’ve selected a region, you might even look into different accents you wish to practice. For example, in the United States, the Texas accent and the Minnesota accent are very different. In England, people who belong to different social classes have different accents. Deciding which accent you prefer will help you refine your goals. If you think American English is right for you, check out this article

3. Write things down

Keep a notebook to record any English pronunciation problems you have. This will make a good practice guide. You can also use it to ask others how they would say a particular word. You can turn it into a game: write down the words that give you trouble, and cross out the ones you’ve mastered. The proof of how you are progressing will be right in front of you.

Keeping a notebook of hard-to-pronounce words has another use: it’s a good way to see patterns. You might find that the long ‘o’ sound gives you trouble. Or maybe a certain group of consonants is tough for you. Perhaps you struggle with telling the difference between the voiced and unvoiced ‘th’. Knowing where you need help the most allows you to focus your learning. If you also want to improve your English grammar, check out

4. Learn how to pronounce vowels correctly

It’s usually possible to tell how a consonant will sound in English, but vowel sounds are a bit more tricky. The same vowel can sound different in different words. And it’s possible to make the same sounds with different vowels. This can be very confusing! But don’t worry: here are some tips to help you pronounce vowels correctly.

English has lax and tense vowels. These vowels are sometimes called long and short vowels. Lax vowels are long, and your jaw moves while you’re making a law vowel sound. Tense vowels are shorter, and your jaw stays still when you’re making a tense vowel sound.

Each word has one stressed syllable. The other syllables get reduced. That means that they are less pronounced than the stressed syllable. For example, look at and listen to the words

Pay attention to the syllables that are not stressed in each word. Do you notice anything? The unstressed syllables all sound almost the same, like uh. That uh sound is called the schwa.

In many words in English, unstressed a and o sounds are schwas. For example, banana is pronounced buh-NA-nuh; potato is pronounced puh-TAY-tow

Rules around pronouncing vowels in English can seem very complicated and confusing. Don’t worry! You can learn them without trying by listening to English-language music and podcasts and by watching English-language movies and shows.

Vowel sounds can be a challenge to English learners because you can’t always tell what they’re supposed to sound like just by looking at them. That’s why it’s important to practice. Make sure that you pick which kind of English you want to speak before you start working on vowel sounds. Different countries pronounce vowels differently, and you want to make sure you learn the correct pronunciation! If spelling gives you trouble,

5. Move your mouth right to create lax vowel sounds

Have you noticed that English vowel sounds tend to be looooong? That’s because many English vowels are lax. The sound of the vowel changes as it’s being made. Making sure your vowel sounds are lax will help you improve your English pronunciation.

Here’s an example of the same sound (may) made using lax vowels and tense vowels:

Lax vowels

Tense vowels

When your vowels are lax, your jaw and your mouth keep moving when you pronounce the vowels. This changes the sound of the vowel as you make it. English is full of these sounds, and learning to relax your jaw when you’re speaking English will help you sound more natural.

Here are some examples of English words that use lax vowels: todAY, bAby, cOAt, and mOUntain.

In any language, there are two types of vowels: tense and lax. If you want to find out which type of vowel your native language uses, simply put your hands over your jaw and feel how it moves when you’re speaking. Does your jaw stay still while you’re making vowel sounds? Then your language uses tense vowels. Does your jaw move at any point while you’re making vowel sounds? Then your language uses lax vowels.

If your native language doesn’t use lax vowels, then you might find them difficult to say at first. But don’t worry! You’ll get used to it. To practice, stand in front of a mirror, and place your hands on your jaw. Find a short word that has a lax vowel. Many people find that it’s easiest to start with the ‘ay’ sound. Watch your mouth, and feel your jaw as you say the word.

6. Learn how to find and use word stress

Word stress is what we call the emphasis we place on a certain syllable of a word. For example, in the word banana, the middle syllable is stressed: ba-NA-na.

Word stress is an important part of English pronunciation. Having this information is a big help in pronouncing words that are long or scary-looking, such as isosceles (i-SO-sce-les) or Episcopalian (e-pis-co-PA-li-an).

When you’re creating a list or flashcards of English vocabulary, it’s a good idea to mark where the stress is on each word. Doing this will help you learn the pronunciation at the same time as the meaning of new words.

One of the hardest things about learning English pronunciation is figuring out where the stress is on words, but don’t worry! You can do it. Here are some tips that can help:

Word stress is one of the things that makes English a difficult language to learn. There are rules, but there are also a lot of exceptions. So don’t be too hard on yourself if you say a word incorrectly at first. A lot of native English speakers can’t pronounce many long, tough words. If you say a word wrong, add it to your vocabulary list or your flashcards, and mark where the stress is. Then review it along with the rest of your vocabulary until you’re comfortable pronouncing it. You can do this!

7. Use inflection like a native speaker

Inflection is what your voice does while you’re speaking. By using inflection, you show that you’re asking a question, or making a statement, or dozens of other things. It’s amazing how much you can say just by using inflection! Every language uses inflection. Your English-speaking skills will improve if you pay attention to what your voice is doing while you’re speaking. These tips will help you use inflection like a native speaker:

Listen and learn. Listen to English podcasts, TV shows, and movies. Pay close attention to how speakers are using their voices. What does it sound like when someone is asking a question? What do you notice about the voice of an angry person? Record yourself imitating the speakers’ inflection. Play the recording back and compare it with the native speaker.

Pick a short, simple sentence. For example, Maya is from Dallas. Now practice saying it in as many ways as you can. Start by saying Maya is from Dallas as a statement and as a question. Then try saying Maya is from Dallas as if you don’t think it’s true, as if you’re surprised, and as if you’re trying to convince someone that it’s true.

When you start working on inflection, it’s going to feel fake. You might think that you sound like you’re pretending. Don’t worry! It’s normal to feel this way at first. You’re used to using inflection, but not in the way a native English speaker would. The more you practice, the more you’ll get used to it.

Remember, before you start practicing inflection, pick one kind of English. British English inflection sounds very different from American English inflection. The same goes for Canadian English, Indian and Pakistani English, and Australian English. Online English tends to be American English. Pick which kind of English you want to speak.

Once you start practicing inflection, you’ll be amazed at how much people communicate without using actual words. English language learners sometimes ignore inflection because it is non-verbal, but this is a mistake. If you want to sound like a native speaker, correct inflection is as important as correct pronunciation.

8. Be ready to laugh at yourself

If you are like most language learners, you probably think that speaking is the scariest part. A lot of English learners worry that others will laugh at them if they mispronounce a word. It’s also very frustrating when people don’t understand what you’re saying. Don’t let these things stop you! Here are some tips to help you be more comfortable when speaking English:

Practice in a low-pressure setting. If you don’t feel ready to practice with people yet, start by yourself. Listen to TV shows, podcasts, and movies. Pause the show, and repeat what you hear. Record yourself repeating what you hear the actors say, and replay the recording. Compare the recording of your voice with the sound of native English speakers. Pay attention to where you sound different.

Get silly! Practice speaking in front of a mirror. Make faces to match your inflection. Don’t be afraid to exaggerate your sounds. Pretend that you’re an actor practicing for a part.

Practice conversation with people you trust. If you ask native English speakers, encourage them to correct your pronunciation by repeating the words you say incorrectly.

As you practice your lax vowels, place your hands over your jaw. Pay attention to how much your jaw moves when you use lax vowels. If your jaw is not moving, try relaxing it.

If you already live in an English-speaking country, turn errands into practice sessions. For example, you can set a goal of speaking English to at least three strangers while you’re out. If you’re nervous, it’s helpful to think about what you will say before you leave the house. Even if you’re just asking “What time is it?” to three people, you’re making progress!
English pronunciation can sometimes be challenging. With these tips and tricks, you’ll sound like a native speaker in no time! If you’d like to work on your everyday English,

9. Record yourself.

One way to tell if all your practice is working is to record yourself with a camera. Use a camera and don’t just a sound recorder because it’s important to see how you speak, not only hear it.

You don’t need to download any special software to record yourself; most computers and mobile devices have built-in video recorders. You can use PhotoBooth on a Mac or Movie Moments on a Windows computer. The specific programs change with time (the Movie Moments program, for instance, might not be available anymore by the time you read this) but as long as a computer has a camera, you should be able to record videos with it. Your phone or mobile device also has a video capturing app, usually as part of the camera app.

Compare your recording to someone else saying the same words or sounds. Find a video of your favorite part from a movie. Choose one or two sentences and record yourself trying to match the stress, tone and pronunciation of the video. Then you can compare the two and see what you did differently, and try again.

Ask a friend or watch a video to check. If your pronunciation doesn’t sound the same, ask yourself some questions: Are you moving your mouth the right way? Is your tongue in the right place? Are you stressing the right part of the word? Use everything you learned in this article so far!

10.Learn with the Best English Pronunciation Dictionaries Online

You probably already use a dictionary to translate English words, but online or digital dictionaries can offer many additional benefits, including pronunciation guides. These kinds of dictionaries can be one of the most useful tools you can have for practicing English pronunciation—best of all, they’re available online for free!

Here are some of the best pronunciation dictionaries you can find and use online.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries

Collins Online Dictionary

11.Pay attention to your tongue.

The main difference between rice and lice is in your tongue. When you speak, you move your tongue to make sounds. You probably didn’t even notice that, since you do it without thinking. To improve your English pronunciation, it’s a good idea to check what your tongue is doing.

Some difficult sounds for non-native speakers to make are the letters “L” and “R,” and the sound “TH.” Pronouncing them correctly is all in the tongue!

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• To make the “L” sound, your tongue should touch the back of your front teeth and the top of your mouth, just behind your teeth. Try it now: Say the word “light.” Say it a few times. Feel where your tongue is in your mouth. Make sure it touches the top of your mouth. For further practice, here’s a handy resource: scroll down for a free worksheet with L sound sentences and phrases specifically chosen by our linguist. It includes practical tips too that you can apply right away to improve your L sound pronunciation.

• To make the “R” sound, your tongue should nottouch the top of your mouth. Pull your tongue back to the middle of your mouth, near where it naturally rests if you weren’t saying anything. As you say the sound, your lips should be a little rounded. Try it now: Say the word “right” a few times. You should feel air blowing between your tongue and the top of your mouth as you speak. You should also feel your lips get a little rounder when you make the sound.
• Now for the “TH” sound. This one may seem strange if you don’t have a similar sound in your native language. To make this sound, put your tongue between your top and bottom teeth. Your tongue should stick out a little between your teeth, and as you push air out of your mouth, let some air escape between your tongue and teeth—that’s what makes the sound. Try it now: Say the word “think.” Repeat it a few times. Make sure you push your tongue between your teeth.

Now that you know where to put your tongue, can you hear the difference?

For a more detailed explanation on how to make those three sounds correctly, watch this video from the Woosong University:

Or check out this one from Club English:

There are many other pronunciation guides on YouTube, so look around for one that helps you master the sounds of the language!

If you can’t figure out what to do with your tongue to make the right sound, try asking someone. Ask them to say a word with that sound, then tell you where they put their tongue. They probably never thought about it before, either!

12. Break words down into sounds.

Words are made up of syllables, or parts. The word “syllable,” for example, has three syllables: syl-la-ble. Turning words into parts can make them easier to pronounce.

To check how many syllables a word has, place your hand flat just under your chin. Say the word slowly. Each time your chin touches your hand, that’s a syllable.

You can even write the word down in parts. Leave a space or draw a line between each syllable (every syllable should have at least one vowel: a, e, i, o, u, y). Now try saying the word. Say it slowly and pause after each syllable. Isn’t that easier?

If you’re having trouble with syllables, you can check out How Many Syllables. This website shows you the syllables in any word you look up, and even shows you how to pronounce it.

13. Write out difficult words by their sounds.

Having trouble with certain words? Try writing them out.

No, not just the word. Try writing it out phonetically (by their sounds instead of their spelling).

Let’s say you’re struggling with the word pizza. Write it out phonetically: piːtsə.

When you look at the phonics, you can see that the double-z is pronounced like a “ts.”

Try making flashcards. Write the word on one side, then spell it out phonetically on the other side. If it helps, you can highlight the letters on each side that you’re testing yourself on. (This can be especially useful for visual learners!)

Writing things out phonetically can be difficult, especially if it’s in your second language. If you need help, visit EasyPronunciation.com. Type in the word or sentence you need help with, and the website will transcribe it phonetically for you. (Bonus—it lets you choose between American and British English!)

14. Write down what you hear.

Want to master English pronunciation? Sit down and listen. Listen to someone speak and write down what they are saying.

You might be thinking, “Hey, I’m here to practice English speaking, not listening!”

However, listening is an excellent way to improve English pronunciation.

In my high school French classes, we had to take dictation (write what the teacher said) every week. The teacher spoke for 20 minutes, and we had to write down exactly what she said. Trying to decipher her accent and write down what we heard made me understand French spelling and pronunciation better.

Don’t have an English teacher who wants to talk aloud for 20 minutes at your disposal? There are plenty of ways to find a resource!

EnglishClub is a great dictation website, regardless of your learning level. Choose from elementary, intermediate or advanced dictation.

You’ll listen to the dictation once at normal speed. Then a second time at a slowed-down speed so you can write it down. Listen for a third time at a normal speed. Then check your answer.

YouTube also has many options to practice your listening and writing skills. Get started with Speak English with Vanessa’s Dr. Seuss dictation video:

You can also watch a scene from a TV show or movie and write down what you hear. If you’re watching on a service that provides subtitles, play the scene again with subtitles to check your work.

If you recognize difficult sounds when you hear them, it’s likely that you’ll learn how to say them.

15. Use pronunciation podcasts and videos.

There are some excellent video and audio guides on English pronunciations that you can use to improve. The English Language Club has videos that show how to make different sounds in English. Rachel’s English has friendly videos on how to speak and pronounce American English in everyday conversations.

If you like podcasts better, Pronuncian has over 200 audio files that help with everything from pronunciation to stress and pitch (how you raise and lower your voice while you speak).

If none of these are what you’re looking for, there are many more to choose from. Find the one that’s right for you.

16. Record yourself.

One way to tell if all your practice is working is to record yourself with a camera. Use a camera and don’t just a sound recorder because it’s important to see how you speak, not only hear it.

You don’t need to download any special software to record yourself; most computers and mobile devices have built-in video recorders. You can use PhotoBooth on a Mac or Movie Moments on a Windows computer. The specific programs change with time (the Movie Moments program, for instance, might not be available anymore by the time you read this) but as long as a computer has a camera, you should be able to record videos with it. Your phone or mobile device also has a video capturing app, usually as part of the camera app.

Compare your recording to someone else saying the same words or sounds. Find a video of your favorite part from a movie. Choose one or two sentences and record yourself trying to match the stress, tone and pronunciation of the video. Then you can compare the two and see what you did differently, and try again.

Ask a friend or watch a video to check. If your pronunciation doesn’t sound the same, ask yourself some questions: Are you moving your mouth the right way? Is your tongue in the right place? Are you stressing the right part of the word? Use everything you learned in this article so far!

17. Practice with a buddy.

As always, “Practice makes perfect!” And it’s easier to practice with a friend. Find someone to practice pronunciation with, either in person or through online communities like Language Exchange or InterPals.

Practicing with a buddy (friend) will give you a chance to try everything you learned, and learn new things from each other. Plus, it’s fun!

18. Speak as much as you can.

If you don’t speak often, you can become nervous when it’s finally time to open your mouth and say something in English.

It’s like playing basketball. You might be good at running, dribbling and passing. But you never shoot the ball.

You know how to shoot the ball. You watch other people do it all the time. But you’ve never done it.

When it’s time to play and you get a chance to shoot, it would be hard. Plus, you’d become so nervous by doing something new in front of other people that your nerves could paralyze you.

It’s the same with speaking English. Not only do you need English pronunciation practice, but you need to get over your nerves so that you feel comfortable speaking in front of others. Nerves can lead to a lot of mistakes, especially regarding pronunciation.

Try making a rule for yourself: You must speak English to yourself at home. To start, try just narrating what you’re doing when you’re cooking dinner or getting ready for bed.

Promise yourself that you’re going to speak aloud for at least a few minutes per day.

Remember, practice makes perfect!