Phonetic pronunciation | American English Pronunciation Blog

Archive for Phonetic pronunciation

How to practice the /w/ sound

Many of my accent reduction clients from India, Turkey, Germany and Russian speaking countries need some instruction on the American /w/ sound. I teach them that the /w/ sound in American English is articulated with the lips rounded. The teeth do not touch the lips to make this sound! ~ Here’s a short exercise

Do I need to know the IPA to improve my American English pronunciation?

I receive lots of questions from people about the IPA symbols used for American English vowel and consonant sounds. Here is some basic information. The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a system that was developed to represent the sounds of spoken languages. The system uses characters from the Latin and Greek alphabets. IPA symbols include

American English Pronunciation: The Best Pronunciation Dictionary

Each week I receive lots of questions from people asking about the best online dictionary for American English pronunciation. I usually use Merriam Webster, but I don’t love it.☹ The dictionary’s audio voice articulates the sounds at the ends of words too strongly. There are also LOTS of advertisements….but it’s free so we can’t complain.

American English Pronunciation Video Tutorials

One excellent tool that I use with all of my accent reduction clients is the American English pronunciation software developed at the University of Iowa. The Phonetics Software shows you how to pronounce all of the American English vowel and consonant sounds using audio and video samples. The animated diagrams show you how to move

How do you pronounce February?

Even my most advanced accent reduction clients often have problems pronouncing the word February correctly. ♡ It’s easy to see why that happens…..the way we SAY it does NOT match the way it’s spelled. Here’s how I tell my clients to say February. Lengthen the first vowel sound. I call this /ɛ/ as in Red.

All About American English Consonants!

Professor Duncan from Towson University in Maryland has created an very thorough audio lesson on the American English consonant sounds. I’ve posted this audio lesson at the link below. Professor Duncan explains the phonemic symbols that we use to represent the consonant sounds. He also explains the difference between voiced and voiceless consonant sounds. There is a fun

American English Vowel Sounds (2 charts)

I found a great American English vowel chart from the University of Texas. ↓ This chart shows where each of the 11 simple American English vowel sounds are articulated in your mouth. The website has audio so you can listen to each sound. You can use the chart as a guide as you pronounce the

Non Phonetic English (Consonant Sounds)

Here’s another accent reduction TIP for pronouncing & blending consonant sounds. ✔ If you’ve studied accent reduction before, you know that spoken English does not always sound like you think it should, given the spelling. ☹ When you are speaking American English, there are many consonants that don’t always sound like you expect them to.

Pronouncing words with /u/ & /ʊ/

If you are a student of the American accent, you understand that long clear vowel sounds are critical for clear pronunciation. ✔ Stressing the correct vowel sound in a word is one of the KEYS to speaking American English with the right rhythm and pace. ♪ That’s why I always make sure that my accent

American English Sounds & Spelling-Are You Confused?

As an accent reduction coach who works with many international professionals, I understand that one of the most confusing aspects of spoken English is not always the ability to say a sound…. …it’s often the lack of uniformity between spelling and sounds. This is especially true for American vowel sounds. When I work with my clients,