5 ways to Improve Your Pronunciation

A common problem with learning English is learning how to correctly pronounce the words. Incorrect pronunciation can stop you from being understood by others but don’t worry, we are here to help. Here are 5 tips for improving your English pronunciation fast:

1. Listen and Mimic.

To improve your English pronunciation it is important to listen to a little bit of English every day. This can include listening to English radio programs, songs, television, or movies. If there is a subtitle option on the video you are watching, that can also help. As you listen, try to mimic how they pronounce certain words. Look up the meaning of words you don’t know.

2. Speak in Front of a Mirror

While practicing your pronunciation in front of a mirror might sound strange, it is actually quiet helpful. The sounds we make in speaking come from the shape of our mouthes and the placement of our tongue and lips. Seeing the shape of our mouth’s as we pronounce certain words, help us become more conscious and thus better remember the correct pronunciation of words. Learn the correct mouth positions for certain English sounds at Rachel’s English, then practice the mouth positions in front of a mirror a few minutes everyday.

3. Reverse Accent Mimicry. Huh?

While you may have never heard of this technique, it’s one that many gifted language learners swear by. It’s the idea of speaking your native language with an English accent. The better your English accent gets in your native language, so will your English pronunciation. So let’s say your native language is Portuguese. You would try to speak in Portuguese with the best English accent possible.

What? How does this work if you’re speaking in Portuguese and not in English. This technique works because there is a musical element, melodic pattern, or intonation to language. Improving your understanding of a language’s intonation will improve your pronunciation of that language.

If you had to hum the language, what would it sound like? Making this awareness a part of your learning process is important. Check out this Youtube video of an Italian group singing in words that don’t exist. The funny part is that it totally sounds like English but they are speaking unintelligible gibberish. If you weren’t paying attention, you wouldn’t notice the difference.

4. Read Out Loud.

Reading out loud is recommended for English students with moderate to high-level speaking skills. This is not recommended for English learners with elementary language skills. The benefit of reading out loud is it allows you to hear yourself speak, build facility with speaking, and build confidence of your speaking ability.

5. Practice with a Native Speaker.

Practice makes perfect. Practice with a native speaker or with a friend who’s fluent in English. Don’t know anyone? Then hire an English teacher or find a free language speaking partner on iTalkie. You can do both on iTalkie. The way iTalkie’s free language partner system works is you exchange your native language expertise in exchange for an English teacher’s expertise.