subject: One Way To Speak English Like A Native Speaker [print this page] There are some very important phonetic symbols that we must conquer and if you have pronounced clearly these sounds, you are one step closer to a native speaker. For example, the words "house" and "horse" are totally different in their vowels. Only you have pronounced [au] and [or] very exactly can you make a perfect pronunciation of the whole word.
1.b[a]d The first and most typical sound in English. You should differentiate this sound from [e], coz their pronunciations are so like each other and many people are confusing them together. Try it out in words like apple, sad, back and action.
2.[ai] This is a simple one, but you have to open your mouth and make your mouth cavity as round as possible. Pronounce it in the words I, buy, my and hi.
3.b[ir]d Generally speaking, this one has very big difference in American pronunciation and British pronunciation and you can tell them mainly from the action of the middle part of your tongue. Speak it out in first, earth, dirty and bird.
4.[ei] Imagine how the native speakers pronounce it: spreading the corners of mouth and lift the tongue root a little. For example, eight, way, hey and day.
5.[au] Supposing what you will shout out when you have been bitten by a terrible-looking dog: ouch. Is that right? So, pronounce the word out, house, how and wow as if you are being bitten.
6.[or] When pronouncing this sound, try to pronounce as if there is one big round pipe in your mouth and you are blowing air out through this pipe. Check it out in four doors or more horses.
7.kn[ow] Lift your belly and let the air flash out of your lung. You can first separate this sound into two parts: [o] and . Then you pronounce them respectively and the next put them together to pronounce out. Find it in the words hold, know, show and old.
8.b[ar] This one is special. Open your mouth wide and let the air come out through your throat to pronounce. Meanwhile, you can add a tail sound of er in order to pronounce like an American. E.g. are, bar, cart and dart.
9. It sound like that you are going to kiss someone: keep your mouth at that round shape and blow through that kiss-shaped mouth. Check it in too, good, blue and cook.
10.[i:] In Chinese Pinyin, you can also find one sound like this and the pronunciation is no difference, but longer. Words like knee, heat, tea and we.
11.p Open your mouth a little and keep your mouth cavity empty, then a few air come out shortly. That is this sound. Try in luck, duck, up and cup.
12.[th]in and [s] In the first sound, put the tip of your tongue between your upper and lower teeth and leak the air out through the 2 corners of your mouth. While in the latter one, the tip of your tongue just a little below the top of your lower teeth and the air comes out from the space between your upper and lower teeth. Pay more attention to think, math, thank and thin.
13.[v] and [w] Say very well and you will find where is your mistake. The former one will bite your lower tip a little while the latter one wont. Most poor Chinese are confusing them with each other, because there is quite a big similarity in the Chinese Pinyin. Hope you will not giggle when you find someone doing that.
All the above conclusion is what I have got from my years' of English speaking experience and I would be greatly flattered if there is any help for you. However, if there is any mistake to be corrected or any improvement to be made, please feel free to let me know. I would appreciate your great help on this. Thanks ahead.(there is some special sound symbol not shown correctly, please contact me for the correct one at giantus@yahoo.com).
