Welcome back! Have you checked out my Accent Reduction classes yet? Linking happens in every English sentence. We connect two words together when the first word ends in a vowel sound and the next word begins with the same vowel sound.
that table sounds like thattable
next time sounds like nexttime
We also connect words when the first [...]
Posts under ‘Korean Speakers’
American English Pronunciation: Linking and Liasons
American English Audio Lesson: The 2 Sounds of TH
One problem that many or most non-native English speakers face in speaking American English is how to make the two sounds of ‘th’.
Here is a link to a lesson on these two very common sounds. At the end of the lesson is an audio practice activity for you to use.
American English Audio Lesson-The TH Sounds
If [...]
Syllable Stress Patterns: Compound Words
Those of you who read my blog frequently know that using syllable stress correctly is one of the very best ways to improve your comprehensibility when you speak English. That said, here are a few syllable stress patterns for compound words that you may find useful.
Compound nouns are stressed on the first word in the [...]
Linking within Words for Smoother Speech
If you are an advanced student of American English pronunciation you have probably learned about linking (or liaisons). Linking refers to the connections between words. Ann Cook, author of American Accent Training, says that these connections “allow us to speak in sound groups” instead of word by word.
Spoken English has linking between words and also [...]
American English Pronunciation: The R & L Sounds
In spoken American English both the /r/ & /l/ sounds are called “liquids”. That’s because the air stream moves around the tongue in an unobstructed manner. Both the /r/ & /l/ sounds are voiced so you should feel a vibration in your throat when you say them.
When you make the light /l/ sound, the tongue [...]
American English Pronunciation: R Colored Vowels
The American English r is a very difficult sound for many non-native speakers to articulate correctly!
The American English r sounds like /ɚ/. The sound is made by bunching the middle of the tongue high in the back of the mouth and rounding the lips. The tip of the tongue curls up a bit, but it [...]
American English Pronunciation: Phrasal Verbs
This week in class one of my students said that he needed to catch up on his work. Uh, oh….
When I showed him this picture he understood his mistake.
In order to improve your American English pronunciation you must know how to use syllable stress and word stress. One pattern that you must follow is this: [...]
Linking in Spoken English
When Americans speak they link many words together, especially function words. Linking creates smooth transitions between words in a phrase or sentence and give your speech a smooth sound.
Here are 3 rules for linking words when you are speaking English.
1. When the same consonant sound is found at the end of the first word and the [...]
Syllable & Sentence Stress in American English
One of the most notable features of spoken English is its rhythm. Native English speakers alternate between using stressed and unstressed syllables in words and sentences. They do not pronounce all words and syllables with the same emphasis.
One way that non-native English speakers can improve their accent is to learn to use the rhythms of [...]
Accent Reduction Tips for Korean Speakers
Many non-native English speakers, including Koreans, often mispronounce the words woman and women.
Both words are stressed on the first syllable as indicated in ‘ bold. However, the vowel sounds do not sound how you think they should!
The word woman is pronounced ‘wʊ-mən.
The word women is pronounced ‘wɪ-mɪn.
Here is a short video from Tarle Speech and Language [...]
