Other Practice
Tailored Strategies
Whether you're working with a teacher or learning independently, there are many effective ways to practice U.S. English pronunciation.
Practice With or Without a Teacher
- Enroll in a Course at the Applied English Center (AEC)
- Pronunciation Fundamentals: Ideal for beginners to learn key segmental sounds (vowels, consonants, diphthongs).
- Intermediate Courses: Focus on both segmental and suprasegmental features like stress, rhythm, and intonation.
- Advanced Courses: Combine all pronunciation skills through creative projects and real-world communication tasks.
- Use Feedback Loops
- Ask your teacher to record your speech and compare it with a model.
- Focus on one feature at a time (e.g., word stress or final consonants).
- Practice Pragmatics
- Work on choosing the right tone and register for different situations (e.g., formal vs. casual speech).
- Shadowing Exercises
- Use websites like https://www.ted.com/ or https://youglish.com/ to listen and repeat after proficient speakers.
- Focus on mimicking rhythm, intonation, and linking.
- Minimal Pair Practice
- Practice sound contrasts that are challenging based on your first language. For example:
- Ship /ʃɪp/ vs. Sheep /ʃiːp/
- Bet /bɛt/ vs. Bat /bæt/
- Practice sound contrasts that are challenging based on your first language. For example:
- Use the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet)
- Learn the symbols for US English sounds to improve your awareness and accuracy.
- Record Yourself
- Use your phone or laptop to record and analyze your speech.
- Compare your pronunciation to model recordings.
- Play Applied Improvisation Games
- Practice stress-timed rhythm and fluency through games like:
- "One Word at a Time Story”
- "Yes, And…”
- Practice stress-timed rhythm and fluency through games like:
- Use Transcribed Video Content
- Watch videos with subtitles and transcripts.
- Pause and repeat phrases, focusing on linking and intonation.