When I taught accent reduction classes to the Vietnamese community in Northern Virginia, learning to voice word final consonants was a technique that helped my students there speak English more clearly!

Voicing final consonants is a critical skill for Vietnamese speakers who are trying to improve their spoken English.

What are voiced consonant sounds?

In American English we have 15 voiced consonant sounds.

These sounds include: /b/,/d/, /g/, /ð/,/z/, /v/, /ʒ/ & /dʒ/.

These sounds often occur at the ends of words.

Here are a few examples of what happens when you DON’T say a voiced sound correctly:

When you say the word save it sounds like safe.

When you say the word bed it sounds like bet.

When you say the word eyes it sounds like ice.

You also need to be aware that vowel sounds that occur before voiced consonants are lengthened.→ They are articulated longer than you probably say them now.

This is another KEY FEATURE of American English that most Asian language speakers never learned.

If you have an iPad, be sure to check out my iBook-American Accent Fundamentals. This multi-touch iBook is an excellent tool for anyone who wants to learn the rules for clear spoken American English!

☆ Finally,  take a look at MORE POSTS on this blog. You are sure to find other TIPS that will help you speak more clearly. ☆