Five ways to improve your English Pronunciation

When you speak English as a Second Language (ESL), you may find it difficult to use the correct pronunciation at all times, especially as you want to make sure that your delivery carries the right weight. Often people who don't have a correct pronunciation are takes less seriously, even though they are knowledgeable on the topic they discuss...  

Here are a few tips that will make your English pronunciation better:

Avoid speaking too fast -
Speak English Slowly!

It's an accepted fact, that people who speak fast often are sloppy language users who don't have a good pronunciation. Also, when you speak too fast, you are more likely to make mistakes more frequently. Thus give yourself time!

When you speak even just a little bit slower, you will find that your English will improve. Also, when you slow down, you will have less of a foreign accent. The English language can be difficult, so give yourself the freedom to speak without an accent and speak English well. In the English language foreigners who speak an excellent English take over two seconds per word, when speaking. Try to measure your language output and if you speak English faster, reduce the pace!

Make sure you pronounce the complete English word and all sounds

Maybe in your own language some sounds are not pronounced. Or there are sounds in the English language that your mother tongue does not use. It might be easier for you to simply ignore these unfamiliar sounds, but by omitting them you might make it difficult for others to understand you.

Make sure you pronounce every English word completely and carefully, it's important. By observing the first hint, i.e. by speaking slowly, you give yourself a better chance not to skip sounds and to completely pronounce every word in a phrase. Your English speech will improve tremendously, when you pay attention to every sound.

Check yourself - Record how you speak English

Sometimes we think that we do everything correctly - Let's face it, it's difficult to be your own critic when you are already struggling to get everything right. By installing a control mechanism, you are sure that your impression corresponds with reality:

Using a simple recorder or even better, a video recorder to tape yourself when you speak English is a great way to get excellent feedback. You could  first video tape a TV anchorman or anchorwoman of a newscast, then write their text down. In a second step you record yourself speaking the same sentences. Now run your own recording against the recording of the TV communication pros. They have trained for years to be correct, so you are sure not to learn wrong English pronunciation when you use this method. Repeat this English excercise for five minutes every day, you'll spend maybe 30 minutes in all. It works wonders!

Don't be shy, speak louder!

Generally we tend to speak lower when we are unsure or thinking heavily whilst we are speaking. Because we are so concentrated getting English words strung up into pretty phrases, we may be paying little attention to our speech. That usually lowers the volume and makes the speech difficult to understand for others.

Also when you speak with a low voice, the nunaces in the pronounciation can get lost and often they actually do! An other problem when spaeking in low voice is that you can't hear yourself as well as if you were speaking  whith a high voice, thus you can not control yourself and your pronunciation.

Use audio books to train your ear!

Listening to English audio books frequently will also increase your feeling for the English language. The narrators who read audio books are trained actors and  speakers who master the English language and pronunciation. Listening to them speak will activate parts of your brain that are associated with language and subconsciously you wil pick up their accent and way to pronounce English words.

On this site you'll find some great audios to use to improve your English pronunciation. Have fun!

Improve English Pronunciation

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