Improving your pronunciation is a big task that cannot be tackled in a day. If you really want to get better, it will take a bit of practice over time. Here are three fun ways you can improve your pronunciation and become a better speaker.
1. Watch TV
Yes, I am really telling you to become a couch potato! The first step to improving your pronunciation is to train your ear to hear the difference between different sounds. If you cannot hear the difference between the vowel sound in men and the vowel sound in mensyou will find it very difficult to produce these sounds on your own.
It would be better to watch quality TV like BBC or CNN news (depending on your preferred accent) rather than sitcoms and movies, for example. Although not always perfect, this is as close as you will get to the most accepted standard pronunciation in British or American English.
As you watch TV, be sure to pay close attention to how words are pronounced. If you watch both seasons, see if you can catch some of the pronunciation differences between British and American English.
2. Get tongue-tied
Tongue twisters are a challenging and fun way to practice pronunciation and increase the clarity of your speech. It may sound like a game, but many stage actors, speakers, and broadcasters will attest to the power of warming up the lips, tongue, and jaw by practicing these tricky tongue twisters.
These are just some examples. Practice tongue twisters that include sounds that are difficult for you to pronounce. Start slowly and then gradually try to speed up and add reps.
Me and me:
-I cut the sheet, the torn sheet, and on the torn sheet I sit.
s&sh:
-Sally sells seashells at the seashore.
– Shy Shelly says she will sew sheets.
l&r:
-Red truck, yellow truck, red truck, yellow truck.
-There are four pilots in the flight deck.
-River valley road
-A flea and a fly flew into a chimney. She said the flea: “Let’s fly!” He said the fly: “Let’s run away!” So they flew through a fault in the chimney.
th, d & t:
-Minor leather never worn, wetter weather better.
-Thanks to the other three brothers by the brother of the mother of his father.
-Tim, the skinny twin tinsmith.
3. Practice minimal companions
Minimal pairs are words that are identical except for the one problem sound you focus on practicing. For example, if you have trouble with the /r/ and /l/ sounds, you can practice reading a list of words like read/guide, road/load, fry/fly, scare/flight, crutch/clutch, etc. Slowly say these words out loud and really focus on the sounds and the way you use your voice. Here are some helpful tips for practicing minimal pairs:
– Say the words in a mirror. Exaggerate your facial expressions. Look at his tongue, lips, and jaw, and notice the differences when he makes the sounds. Don’t worry if you look a little weird at first! As your mouth learns to make sounds correctly, you won’t have to make such weird faces to make the right sound.
– Record yourself saying the pairs. Listen to the recording and see if you can hear a difference between how you pronounce the words.
– Choose a word from each pair and say it out loud to a friend. Ask your friend to write the words that he hears. See if his friend heard the words he was trying to say. (You can also do this on your own by writing down the words you choose as you record yourself saying them. Listen to the recording a few days later and write down the words you hear. Compare your list with the list of words you recorded.)
Taking the time to practice your pronunciation is vital if you want to achieve your goal of improving the clarity of your speech. Be patient with yourself! This process takes time, but the benefits will definitely be worth it.