I'm showing you the top 10 pronunciation fixes that instantly make your English clearer.
No accents to erase, just clearer English.
By the end, people will understand you the first time you speak.
First let's practice rhythm and linking words.
So often when we speak in sentences and not just in individual words, we link sounds together.
This will make your English sound more fluent, like it flows, like you're not just reading a list of words like a robot, and it will help you to be better understood.
Number one, could you hand me that book?
Connect could and you to sound like couldja.
We link these sounds together because that's just how our pronunciation flows more smoothly.
When we think about how we produce the sounds in our mouths,
So put could and you together into couldja to sound more natural.
What are you talking about?
Notice, i don't say what are you, i say what are you combine?
What are you?
What are you talking about?
When you link these sounds, you will sound more natural.
Notice that when we have the T from what between two vowel sounds the A in what and the A in R, what are we actually?
Turn that into a D sound.
It's a softer sound.
What are you?
What are you talking about?
Relax the sound of the T at the end of about so it sounds like about.
I don't close that T sound in my mouth.
I don't say, what are you talking about?
I say, what are you talking about?
It's very soft.
I'll let you know as soon as possible.
Combine the sounds in I will let you.
I'll let you.
I'll let you.
I'll let you know as soon as possible.
Say this chunk this phrase as soon as possible quickly, as if it were one word, because this is a very common phrase.
As soon as possible.
We also often say ASAP.
We've gotta go right now.
Combine we have got to go.
We've got to go.
Smoothing these sounds over make it sound more natural and native-like.
Could you call me back later?
Do you ever get phone calls at inconvenient times?
I know I do.
So this is one you could use pretty often.
Could you call me back later?
Again, combine could and you.
Could you.
Could you call me back later?
Also, me and back flow together.
Could you call me back later?
Practice saying that fast together as a chunk.
Me back.
Could you call me back later?
Could you call me back later?
As you practice, these phrases will flow more smoothly and naturally for you.
If you need to rewind and practice the phrases again with me, please do.
I know I'm going pretty quickly with each phrase, but you're doing a great job.
Let's go on to the next example.
Let's talk about contractions.
Native speakers love contractions.
We do not often say do not like I just did.
But why did I say do not then?
Because I'm emphasizing the idea.
If I was not emphasizing it, I would say don't.
We don't emphasize. wasn't, if I wasn't emphasizing.
But only if you want to add drama to your speech, if you really want to emphasize something.
That is when we often do not use contractions.
But in normal, everyday communication, we're going to use contractions.
So instead of saying, I should have known better, say, I shoulda known better.
I shoulda known better.
We really contract these words, should have, into shoulda.
I shoulda known better.
You may also hear should've.
I should've known better.
They're both variations on the same expression.
Same with would have, would've, or woulda.
They're both fine and mean the same thing.
Just woulda is a little more casual, a little bit more contracted than would've.
So if you wanna sound a little more professional, I would recommend would've and not woulda, but it's a very slight variation.
You're not gonna get in trouble for saying woulda, but if you do wanna sound professional, I recommend would've or would have.
But if you wanna sound natural, native-like, casual, comfortable in English, woulda is just fine.
You would have been there if you knew.
So don't pronounce the full have.
You would have been there if you knew.
They will get here as soon as they can becomes they'll.
They'll get here as soon as they can.
And notice how small that will becomes, they'll.
It's just a tiny little tail on the end of the word they.
They'll.
I would like to help you out.
So you're going to see how small and almost silent the word to becomes here.
I'd like to.
I'd like to help you out.
It's just a tiny flick of the tongue.
I'd like to help you out.
We have been planning this for months becomes we've been planning this for months.
Do you see how soft that have becomes?
We have.
We've been planning this for months.
It's just a tiny sound at the end of the we.
We've.
We've been planning this for months.
We've been practicing for a while.
Next, let's tackle some difficult sounds that are really challenging for many, even advanced English learners.
You ready?
Okay, let's go.
Pay close attention to the formation of the sounds with your tongue, your lips, your mouth.
This is really important to fine tune your pronunciation.
She sells seashells by the seashore.
That one is tricky even for me.
Keep your S sounds very clear.
She sells seashells by the seashore.
Say it faster, 10 times, and that'll be great practice.
This is known as a tongue twister, because it makes you feel like you're really exercising your tongue.
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
This one helps with all sounds.
Say it...
Quickly, but steadily.
Another famous tongue twister, Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
I don't know why this one is so much fun to say.
I think the P sound as it kind of explodes out of your mouth is just, it's fun.
So try it.
Betty bought some butter, but the butter was bitter.
If you struggle with P and B sounds like a lot of native Arabic speakers do.
These are two that you should definitely practice.
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
One of my all-time favorites here is great for practicing intonation to put stress on the keywords.
Now let's practice some common native speaker phrasing.
This is probably different than what you learned in your textbook, but this is how people speak every day.
I'm gonna grab a coffee.
I don't say I'm going to get a coffee or drink a coffee.
I say I'm gonna grab a cup of coffee or I'm gonna grab a coffee.
Let's keep in touch.
Keep in sounds like one word.
Let's keep in touch.
This is a great way to start to wind down or end a conversation.
I'll see what I can do.
I'll see flows together like one word.
I'll see what I can do.
This is a great phrase if you don't want to promise or make a commitment, but you want to Express your desire to help.
Give me a shout if you need help.
Give me a shout means call me or reach out to me.
So this is another great way to express your desire to help without really committing to anything specific.
I need to get out more often.
Need to becomes need to.
I need to get out more often.
You know, some words are just challenging to say, but they're really great additions to your vocabulary.
So now we're going to practice some advanced words to help you level up, but these can be quite difficult to pronounce, even for advanced English learners.
So are you ready?
Let's try it.
It's a phenomenal opportunity.
Phenomenal.
Intonation is really important here. word stress phenomenal so break down longer words like this make sure you know which syllable is stressed phenomenal it's the second syllable right i even like to use my hands as you can see to gesture that helps you remember which syllable is stressed so practice the hand movements as you practice the pronunciation That's an unprecedented achievement.
Again, with long words, you have to know which syllable is stressed.
Unprecedented achievement.
I'm absolutely thrilled to be here.
Really stress that lute.
I'm absolutely thrilled to be here.
This is a great one to practice the TH sound as well.
Thrilled.
She's exceptionally talented.
Except.
Except a lot of second syllable stress.
So really you're going to sound so much more fluent if you just really really stress the stressed syllable in each longer word in English.
It was a spectacular performance.
Lastly, let's practice some very common everyday useful expressions.
You're going to get a lot of miles out of each one of these.
You'll hear these all the time.
Better late than never.
Better late than never is kind of like saying well, at least I showed up, even if I'm a little bit late.
Flow better late together.
Better late.
Better late.
It's like one word.
This will really help your fluency when you learn to combine two words together that are meant to go together.
So listen carefully.
Better late than never.
It's easier said than done.
It's easier said than done.
Do you notice how it's and easier go together?
It's easier.
It's easier.
I barely even hear the word it easier.
Easier said than done.
Sometimes people even completely omit that word it and just say easier said than done.
Of course that's not a complete sentence, but let's not be picky.
This is talking about common expressions, the way that they're commonly said and used.
Don't judge a book by its cover.
Very common phrase here means don't judge people by their appearance.
Connect book and by for a smooth sound.
Don't judge a book by its cover.
Book by.
Don't judge a book by its cover.
Actions speak louder than words.
Which two words do you feel are really connected here?
Speak louder.
Actions speak louder than words.
When it rains, it pours.
Again, which words are connected here?
You might have said it rains and it pours.
When it rains, it pours.
Very good.
You have done such an amazing job practicing with me here and we've covered a lot of challenging, useful and fun phrases.
So if you enjoyed this lesson, please make sure to let me know in the comments.
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All right, I will see you in the next one soon enough.
Bye for now.
