Pronunciation is a key factor in learning a language and there are many ways that you can improve to help make yourself more clearly understood.

Here are just a few tips that you may want to try:

1. Find out what you are doing wrong

If you don’t know what you are doing wrong then you can’t improve your pronunciation. Ask your teacher or native English speaking friends to listen to you and correct you when necessary. Ask them if they can understand what you are saying. It may be a little embarrassing and time consuming, but it is an ideal way to learn.

2. Slow down and breathe

People can get very nervous when using a new language and try to speak very quickly to give an impression that they are fluent. However, speed does not equal fluency and in fact, speeding up instead of slowing down can make it even more difficult for people to understand what you are saying. Remember that not everyone who is fluent speaks quickly. Think about the way you approach your own language. Do you speak very quickly all the time? I am sure that you don’t.

3. Make use of your face-to-face time with your teacher

Having a native speaker face-to-face with you on a regular basis has to one of the best ways to improve your pronunciation. Observe how your teacher speaks, how he/she positions their mouth and what their face looks like when they speak. Is their face strained or relaxed? Do they speak in a monotone or do they sound interesting? Listen to the way they make sounds and try to mimic them. Ask them to correct you and tell you what you are doing wrong.

 

When we learn a foreign language we can often become so caught up with the spelling, grammar and writing that we forget about the speaking. For example, you may know simple words and be able to construct simple sentences but you can’t rely on simple pronunciation to be understood.

If your pronunciation is simple but so poor that native English speakers cannot understand what you are saying, then you may wish to reconsider the importance of it in your language tool kit.

One of the difficult aspects of any language is the accent. Just because someone may speak the same language as you doesn’t mean you will have the same accent. People in Australia speak English but sometimes their accents are so strong that native English speakers from other countries struggle to understand what they are saying.

The key to getting by then is to aim for good pronunciation and focus on reducing your accent so that when you do talk to native speakers they don’t have to struggle and be uncomfortable understanding what you are saying. If they do, you will find that the conversation is stilted and may become difficult. You will not be able to make yourself understood and chances are that you will become frustrated and reluctant to try out your language skills again.

Your teacher is the best person to help you with any questions you may have about what is good pronunciation and how you can attain it. The main point, however, would be to speak English at every possible opportunity that you have and remember that practice makes perfect.

-Vicki

When you have spoken English have you ever been misunderstood because of your accent? Have you had to repeat yourself again and again to be understood? Was it embarrassing, did it create a problem or cause you anxiety?

It is true that you may understand, read and write English really well but it is also essential that you can speak it clearly enough so that people can understand you; after all, the joy of a new language is to be able to use it freely and communicate clearly.

You should not worry about trying to lose you accent altogether, but rather just concentrate on reducing it so that your words are understood.

Here are a few simple tips that may help you reduce your accent:

1. Listen to English every day

Whether it is a recording of your class, an audio book, music, the radio or podcasts, there are many interesting ways to listen to English every day. Mix up what you listen to and try to make it fun!

2. Record yourself speaking

People are often embarrassed by the sound of their own voice recorded but this is a great way to hear what you really sound like to others. Self-awareness of what you sound like can be a great step in improving yourself. Consider reading the same piece of English each day (or each week if you don’t have time) and try to improve step by step.

3. Practice reading out aloud

Reading out aloud is a great tool for reducing your accent, particularly if you are able to read along with an audio book at the same time, or perhaps something your teacher has recorded for you. Why not record yourself reading part of a book and compare it to the actually original audio? Mimicry can be a great learning tool.

4. Copy role models

Do you have someone in your life that speaks English how you would like to speak it? If so, ask them if you can work with them to reduce your accent. Ask them to correct you when you are saying something wrong. Don’t forget your teacher can always be your role model.

5. Speak English as much as possible

This tip may sound obvious but it is true. If you surround yourself with English speakers and actively listen and talk to people as much as you can, you will find that your accent will reduce naturally.

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-Vicki