Easy Tools to Improve Your Pronunciation
Learn how to elevate this skill instantly
Are you one of those who needs English at work?
Do you use English for traveling?
Are you trying to pass an English examination?
Maybe, you’re just trying to improve your English pronunciation.
And you racking your brain to find a solution…
This was me, years ago.
What if I told you that I can help you with some easy tools to improve on your English pronunciation?
As I mentioned before in my previous article, language is essentially a communication tool. Check it out!
However, correct pronunciation is a must-have when you need to be understood.
Before you continue reading, consider that achieving proficient pronunciation is an ability you can easily develop on your own.
Don’t lose hope!
Here is a guide you can follow step by step, or carry it out in any order you prefer.
1-Choose English Audio and English Subtitles in Movies.
What are the benefits of watching foreign language movies?
The secret behind this is that you can enjoy watching your favorite movie and practice not only pronunciation but also real collocations from the native language.
That’s a great habit!
Pick up a pen and a piece of paper. Taking down notes of phrases you hear in movies can help you remember them and improve your language skills.
If you are struggling with memory you can use this tool like note-taking.
Plus, it’s a wonderful way to expand your vocabulary and understanding of the language.
Additionally, repeat those phrases multiple times to commit real collocations to memory.
2-Read Out Loud
Reading out loud is full of benefits.
It builds fluency and comprehension.
You will enhance your pronunciation skill instantly.
Start reading what you want!
The regular read-alouds give you opportunities to leverage your strong listening comprehension as well.
When you learn to read with the right speed and stress, your fluency improves.
You can start by reading something for 5 minutes every day.
If it’s still hard, try to read for 3 minutes.
If it even feels difficult, try to read for 1 minute.
Everything counts, everything is worthwhile.
3-Use Shadow Technique
I discovered this potent method during my course on simultaneous interpretation.
This technique involves mimicking voices.
It is the process of imitating the speaker’s voice.
You choose a video of an English native speaker, pause it after every sentence the speaker says, and attempt to repeat it exactly the way the speaker says it.
When you imitate sounds in your second language, you must move your face, lips, and tongue in various ways.
The best way to achieve this is to practice mimicking. The more you practice, the simpler it becomes.
This technique will significantly improve your ability to pronounce words accurately.
4-Learn Phonetic Symbols
Did you know that English has 26 letters but over 40 different sounds?
There are special symbols to show pronunciation. For example, the word “enough” is /ɪ’nʌf/. You can see that the first sound of “enough” is actually an /ɪ/ sound, not an /e/ sound, even if it’s spelled with ‘e’.
It’s worth learning these symbols because then you will identify individual sounds more precisely.
Mastering these symbols requires some effort, but it’s not overly difficult — in fact, many of them are quite intuitive.
You can probably guess what sounds /n/ and /f/ represent!
Find these symbols easily in most dictionaries.
Wrap Up
Does it sound like unbeatable challenges to improve your pronunciation?
Remember the more you expose yourself to the language, the more you improve.
Take small steps every day toward your pronunciation goals, and success will follow.
Focus on your goals.
Work on improving skills everyday with consistency.
Consistency is the key.
I know that maintaining consistency at the time of learning skills can be quite challenging.
Consider focusing on a single tool or method at a time, until you discover the one that best fits your preferences and needs.
It is all worth it!
If you find this article helpful or you need my help with content creation send me a DM to my Linke, Insta or email me: cendalipaola[at]gmail.com
Have a nice day!
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