- Learning to pronounce the sounds of English

English uses different sounds than other languages. For example, the first sound in the word thin and the first sound in the word away are never heard in many languages.

Therefore, you have to:

   1. know all the English sounds

   2. listen to how they sound in real words and sentences

   3. practice your pronunciation — listen to English words and sentences, and try to repeat them as well as you can

Learning tips

          * It's not so important to spend a lot of time practicing; it's more important to do it regularly. In my experience, instead of practicing for three hours, it is better to practice for one hour and then start again the next day after a good night's sleep. You cannot rush things. Your brain needs time (and sleep) to get used to the new sounds.

          

          * Not all English sounds require hours of practice. You can improve in many areas just by being more careful. If you just focus on the way you pronounce the r sound or the z in words like is and runs, your English will sound much better.

          * When listening to native speakers (watching TV, watching a movie, listening to an audiobook, etc.), always pay attention to the sounds they pronounce. Try to imitate them.

          * You should try to pronounce English words whenever you're alone with a little time to spare, e.g. while waiting for the bus, taking a shower, or surfing the Web.

          * You will need at least some talent for imitating sounds (for instance, if you can imitate people in your own language, it should be easy for you to imitate English pronunciation as well). However, if you don't have these skills, you can achieve a lot with persistence and a little technology. One helpful technique is to record your voice and compare it with the correct pronunciation. This way, you can see where your pronunciation is different from the original and you can gradually make it more native-like.

          * Find someone who speaks your native language with a British or American accent. Try to imitate the way he/she speaks your native language. It will help you see the differences between the sounds of English and your native language. You may also be able to imitate the pronunciation and other qualities of speech more easily. (See this article and this forum topic.)

          * Check out online resources for practicing English sounds: Rachel's English (American), Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary (American) and BBC Learning English (British). These sites allow you to listen to each sound pronounced clearly in many words. Rachel's English and the Merriam-Webster site also have videos which show you the proper position of the mouth and tongue. (I have never found these anatomical details helpful, but your mileage may vary.)

          * Oh, and one more thing: Don't let other people tell you that "since you are a foreigner, you will always have a foreign accent".