5 Common Ways To Improve Your English Pronunciation
on August 9, 2016
There are a lot of articles and videos out there talking about how to improve your English pronunciation. But let me spare you the time of searching which one you should pick. Let me help you narrow it down to the basic essentials in improving your English pronunciation skills.
Here are the most common yet essential ways to improve your pronunciation. Simply commit time and effort to do the following steps:
1.Choose Your English Accent.
This is important because this will help you decide what you want to “sound like” when you speak English. You must decide which “English accent” you want to learn, and eventually speak.
2.Choose a time to watch English movies and/or listen to music.
You can improve your pronunciation by paying attention to their “intonation” and “word stress pattern”.
So, one habit that you can start to develop is the “shadowing” method. This is when you try to imitate the speakers in the movie(s). They also call this “parroting” method. When pet owners teach their parrots certain words, phrases or expressions, the parrot would copy every sound, intonation, and pattern. You can do the same when you watch movies and listen to music. It’s more fun to do this when you practice in front of the mirror.
3.Choose a book to read and do a recording activity.
Read English sentences or paragraphs while recording your voice. Listen to your recording and check on difficult words that need improvement. After spotting those difficult words and phrases, practice saying them over and over while recording. Listen to how you sound, and keep practicing until you get it right.
Another type of record you can keep is a written record. Write and keep a vocabulary list. Pay attention to those words that are difficult to pronounce. Recite them correctly.
4.Choose a convenient time for you to practice every day.
As the famous saying goes, “Practice makes you perfect”. Practicing every day will make your English pronunciation excellent. When you stop practicing, then you’ll start forgetting. You can even train your mind to “think in English” instead of thinking in your own birth language. You don’t have to say your thoughts out loud. For example, when you see a dog, you can think “Oh, that’s a cute dog.”
5.Choose someone who speaks English (Optional).
You might prefer someone who speaks the English accent you want to learn. You might try English tutorial websites of your choosing should you want to be excellent in English pronunciation. If you’re enrolled in an online English course, continue your lessons with your preferred teacher. You may also have friends who speak English well. So, spend more time talking with them.
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