Pronunciation

English pronunciation and speaking help including exercises, IPA help, lesson plans, conversation tips and strategies for ESL EFL classes and teachers.

Speaking - Beginner (13)

Word Stress Patterns in English
This page introduces the eight most common word stress patterns in English with listening examples.
Travel Greetings - Social Language
How to wish someone well before they leave to travel or return from travel in English for ESL learners.
Speaking to Strangers - Social Language
How to make special greetings in English on holidays, birthdays and on other special occasions for ESL learners.
Special Days - Social Language
How to make special greetings in English on holidays, birthdays and on other special occasions for ESL learners.
Greetings - Social Language
How to greet in English for ESL learners.
Introductions - Social Language
How to make introductions in English for ESL learners.
English Pronunciation Exercises
The following series of pronunciation exercises combines words beginning with the same diphthong or vowel sound followed by similar vowel sounds. Voiced and voiceless consonants are paired by sounds.
Basic English Conversations
Basic English conversations help beginning learners build basic English skills. Each conversation group includes a few short conversations introducing basic English phrases.
Introduction to Phonetics - Pronunciation Help
An introduction and reference guide to the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet).
Pronunciation - Consonants
A simple audio guide to the correct pronunciation of consonants with the respective IPA symbols.
Pronunciation - Vowels
A simple audio guide to the correct pronunciation of vowels with the respective IPA symbols.
Word Pronunciation - Hard and Soft C and G Sounds
ESL word pronunciation help focusing on hard and soft c and g sounds.

Conversation Lesson Plans (39)

Neighbors
English dialogue with follow up multiple choice questions for in-class use and reading comprehension practice focusing on present perfect and past simple.
ESL Intonation - Stress Types
ESL intonation help with a guide to the four basic types of sentence stress including information about tonic stress and intonation units.
English for Medical Purposes - Feeling Queasy
Intermediate level English for Medical Purposes dialogue with follow up multiple choice questions for in-class use and reading comprehension practice focusing on Feeling Queasy.
English for Medical Purposes - A Prescription
Intermediate level English for Medical Purposes dialogue with follow up multiple choice questions for in-class use and reading comprehension practice focusing on A Prescription.
English for Medical Purposes - Pain that Comes and Goes
Intermediate level English for Medical Purposes dialogue with follow up multiple choice questions for in-class use and reading comprehension practice focusing on Pain that Comes and Goes.
English for Medical Purposes - A Physical Examination
Intermediate level English for Medical Purposes dialogue with follow up multiple choice questions for in-class use and reading comprehension practice focusing on A Physical Examination.
English for Medical Purposes - Troubling Symptoms
Intermediate level English for Medical Purposes dialogue with follow up multiple choice questions for in-class use and reading comprehension practice.
English for Medical Purposes - Joint Pain
Intermediate level English for Medical Purposes dialogue with follow up multiple choice questions for in-class use and reading comprehension practice focusing on Joint Pain.
English for Medical Purposes - Patient Details
Intermediate level English for Medical Purposes dialogue with follow up multiple choice questions for in-class use and reading comprehension practice focusing on Patient Details.
English for Medical Purposes - Helping a Patient
Intermediate level English for Medical Purposes dialogue with follow up multiple choice questions for in-class use and reading comprehension practice focusing on Helping a Patient.
First Name, Last Name or Title?
Discussion of the correct use of informal and formal forms when speaking about and to people including when to use last names, titles and first name only.
Telling Stories - Sequencing Your Ideas
One of the most important ways to link ideas is to sequence them. Sequencing refers to the order in which events happened.
Pronunciation - Silent Letters
A guide to when not to pronounce silent letters in English for English language students and ESL EFL classes.
Word Stress Patterns in English
This page introduces the eight most common word stress patterns in English with listening examples.
Sound Scripting - Word Stress and Intonation
Intonation and Stress - Key to Understanding and Being Understood when speaking English
Word Pronunciation - Hard and Soft C and G Sounds
ESL word pronunciation help focusing on hard and soft c and g sounds.
Tongue Twisters
Tongue twisters with recordings for pronunciation practice for English students in ESL and EFL classes.
Accent Neutralization - Accent Reduction
A look at accent neutralization / reduction which strives to help proficient English speakers speak with a more North American or British accent.
American English Usage Tips
Speaking English is not only about using proper grammar. To use English effectively, you need to understand the culture in which it is spoken. Here are a number of important tips to remember when speaking English in the United States.
Asking for Information
The most common language formulas used when asking for information with examples and a construction table.
Being Vague or Imprecise
Sometimes it's impossible to be exact and when need to be imprecise when giving information. Here are the a number of the most common formulas in English for being imprecise.
Demanding Explanations
Sometimes, things happen that we would like explained and we must demand explanations. For example, if you have just bought a new computer and there is a problem, but the shop assistant says that the guaranty does not cover the problem.
Dialogue Reading Comprehension: Client Problems
This reading focuses on problems with an excellent client in a manufacturing company.
Dialogue Reading Comprehension: Directions to the Museum
This reading focuses on giving directions to the museum.
Dialogue Reading Comprehension: Too Much Work!
This reading focuses on a man discussing his hectic workday and comparing it to his time at university.
Dialogue: Congratulations!
Advanced level reading dialogue comprehension with follow up multiple choice quiz. This dialogue focuses on friends who meet each other at a bar and have big news to share.
English Pronunciation Exercises
The following series of pronunciation exercises combines words beginning with the same diphthong or vowel sound followed by similar vowel sounds. Voiced and voiceless consonants are paired by sounds.
Giving Advice
The most common language formulas used for giving advice to other people with examples and a construction table.
Giving Warnings
The most common language formulas when giving warnings with examples and a construction table.
Guessing
When we aren't sure of exactly what is happening we need to guess. There are a number of ways of guessing in English. Here are some of the most common.
How to Improve Your Pronunciation
This "how to" focuses on improving your pronunciation through the recognition of the "time-stressed" character of English.
Intonation and Stress: Key to Understanding
This feature takes a look at how intonation and stress influence the way English is spoken and how paying attention to this important factor can improve your pronunciation immediately - no kidding!
Making Complaints
There are a number of formulas used when complaing in English. It's important to remember that a direct complaint or criticism in English can sound rude or aggressive. It's best to mention a problem in an indirect manner.
Making Suggestions
The most common language formulas for making suggestions with examples and a construction table.
Minimal Pairs - 'ae' and 'eh'
'ae' as in 'cat' and 'eh' as in 'let'
Minimal Pairs - 'ae' and 'u'
'ae' as in 'Cat' and 'u' as in 'Boot'
Minimal Pairs - 'au' and 'ir'
'au' as in 'caught' and 'ir' as in 'earn'
Minimal Pairs - 'eh' and 'uh'
'eh' as in 'let' and 'uh' as in 'up'
North American English Pronunciation Help Books and Cassettes
Guide overview to buying American English pronunciation books and cassettes to help students develop a standard North American accent.
Offering Help
The most common language formulas used when offering help with examples and a construction table. Especially helpful for learners who work in a shop and need to help clients in English.
Pronunciation: Word Stress - Changes in Meaning
When you are speaking English the words you stress can change the underlying meaning a sentence. Even simple sentences can have many levels of meaning based on the word you stress. This feature provides examples and an exercise to help you improve your pronunciation through correct word stress.
Saying 'no' nicely
Sometimes you need to say no when someone makes a suggestion, offers something or asks you to do something for them. Of course, saying just 'no' can be rather rude. Here are some of the most common ways to say 'no' nicely - or at least not rudely.
Stating a Preference
Sometimes you need to state a preference when someone makes a suggestion, offers something or asks your opinion about what to do. The most common language formulas for showing a preference with examples and a construction table.
Vertical Register Usage
Introduction to register use for ESL learners and teachers including examples of a hierarchy of vertical register.


Speaking - Advanced (12)

Business Jargon - Advanced Level Dialogue
Advanced level dialogue based on business jargon for ESL and English for special purposes classes.
First Name, Last Name or Title?
Discussion of the correct use of informal and formal forms when speaking about and to people including when to use last names, titles and first name only.
Sound Scripting - Word Stress and Intonation
Sound scripting provides English learners with the tools to understand word stress and intonation to deliver effective presentations.
Customer Service - Dealing with Complaints
Key vocabulary and phrases for customer service representatives dealing with customer complaints for English as a Second Language learners.
Dialogue: A Neighbor's Gardening Advice
Advanced level reading dialogue comprehension with follow up multiple choice quiz. This dialogue focuses on neighbors speaking about how they do their gardening.
Dialogue: At a Flea-Market
Advanced level reading dialogue comprehension with follow up multiple choice quiz. This dialogue focuses on a customer bargaining with a vendor at a flea-market.
Dialogue: Waiting for a Friend
Advanced level reading comprehension with follow up multiple choice quiz. This dialogue focuses on a couple waiting for a friend at a local restaurant.
English Pronunciation Practice
Good pronunciation depends on the ability to accent the correct words and successfully use intonation to make sure you are understood. This feature includes exercises to help you improve your pronunciation through the correct use of word stress.
Making Small Talk for English Learners
Many English students are more interested in making effective small talk than knowing correct grammar strucutres - and rightly so! Here are some tips to improve small talk skills.
Pronunciation: Word Stress - Changes in Meaning
When you are speaking English the words you stress can change the underlying meaning a sentence. Even simple sentences can have many levels of meaning based on the word you stress. This feature provides examples and an exercise to help you improve your pronunciation through correct word stress.
Speaking Opportunity: Toastmasters
Toastmasters has been around since 1924 and most people are aware that it is a club people join to learn public speaking. This is a great opportunity for English learners living in North America to develop their public speaking skills, and gain more confidence speaking in English.
Which English Pronunciation is Best?
Does the way you speak English affect what people think about you? The answer is most definitely 'yes'. This article focuses on the role pronunciation and dialect plays in the way English is spoken.

Pronunciation Lesson Plans (14)

ESL Intonation - Stress Types
ESL intonation help with a guide to the four basic types of sentence stress including information about tonic stress and intonation units.
The Bell Game
Children's ESL game to help associate and reinforce written and spoken words that have been introduced during lessons.
Read and Rhyme
Children's ESL game to help associate and reinforce written and spoken words that rhyme and have been introduced during lessons.
Accent Neutralization - Accent Reduction
A look at accent neutralization / reduction which strives to help proficient English speakers speak with a more North American or British accent.
English Pronunciation Exercises
The following series of pronunciation exercises combines words beginning with the same diphthong or vowel sound followed by similar vowel sounds. Voiced and voiceless consonants are paired by sounds.
English: Stress - Timed Language I
Pre-intermediate to upper intermediate level lesson focusing on improving pronunciation by awareness raising and practice of stress-timing in spoken English.
English: Stress - Timed Language II
Awareness raising followed by practical application exercises including: function or content word recognition exercise, sentence stress analysis for spoken practice.
English: Stress - Timed Language III
Comparison of unnaturally and naturally spoken English by looking at the tendency of some students to pronounce every word correctly. Listening and Oral repetition exercise developing student ears' sensitivity to the rhythmic quality of English.
English: Stress - Timed Language
Pre-intermediate to upper intermediate level lesson focusing on improving pronunciation by awareness raising and practice of stress-timing in spoken English.
IPA Transcription Lesson
Advanced level lesson focusing on developing skills of IPA transcription which can lead to a better understanding of how English pronunciation changes in connected speech.
Pronunciation Lesson: IPA Symbol Card Game
Knowing the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) can be a great way of improving pronunciation skills. Help your class learn by using these IPA symbol cards.
Pronunciation Lesson: Minimal Pairs
Practicing minimal pairs can help students localize the often minute differences in pronunciation between one word and another. Try this lesson to help raise students' awareness to these "minimal" differences.
English Phonemic Chart
This a handy phonemic chart to download. It zipfile includes a credit card sized version for new teachers to keep in the pocket, a blank chart that teachers can use with their students, and a couple that are complete.
Pronunciation Lesson: More Minimal Pairs
This minimal pairs lesson focuses on four lists of some the more difficult changes in vowel sounds. This exercise is followed up by some listening comprehension and pair work.


Speaking - Advanced (12)



Pronunciation Software (9)

Review of TeLL me More® Premium
Review of TeLL Me More Premium English learning software which includes more than 850 hours of learning for all levels, excellent speech recognition and pronunciation practice.
North American English Pronunciation Help Books and Cassettes
Guide overview to buying American English pronunciation books and cassettes to help students develop a standard North American accent.
American Accent Training
This site offers an extensive overview of American pronunciation and offers a six month training course, books and other materials as well as a teacher training courses.
Inogolo
Inogolo provides the correct English pronunciation of the names of people and places. Many, many names in English follow no phonetic rules and can be bewildering to someone learning English. The site contains both phonetic and audio pronunciations, which together provide a very effective means of getting the pronunciation of a name correct.
English Pronunciation
This site has extensive pronunciation lessons added on a regular basis. It requires Shockwave and QuickTime plugins. Provided by the Okanagan University College.
International Phonetic Association
The association responsible for the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) which is the standard alphabet for help with English and other language pronunciation. Information concerning the association.
IPA Font
Free downloadable IPA font for creating pronunciation documents on your computer. Provided by the Summer Institute of Linguistics.
Sounds of English
Introduction to the sounds of English. It has pictures and photographs to help you pronounce sounds, as well as examples of those sounds. This site concentrates on American pronunciation.
Vowel Differences between American and British English
A rather technical chart comparison of the difference in vowel production between American and British English. Very interesting if you are familiar with the IPA. Provided by the University of Washington.