Why pronunciation matters

Of course pronunciation is important, but is it that important?

In a study, it was found that learners with good pronunciation who
make grammatical mistakes are much more likely to be understood than people who have perfect grammar but bad pronunciation.

And of course, if you are doing an exam, some of your marks will be given for
your pronunciation.

But do you have to speak like a native speaker? The short answer is no. However, you should be able to make the sounds, people should be able to understand you and as you get a higher level, you should be able to speak more fluently (not hesitating so much) by doing things like connecting your words (connected speech).

Thankfully, there are some great websites that can help you. For basic sounds practice, this BBC website has explanations and quizzes (Good when you are starting or have particular problem areas). Remember, just listening and repeating is great practice.

Also by the BBC, Tim's Pronunciation Workshop (great for A2+ levels) has lots of fantastic videos to help with more difficult sounds . If you scroll down, the sounds of English is a group of videos for practicing the more basic sounds.

Sometimes it's not just you that has a problem. In this video, you can see and hear examples of the 10 most common pronunciation problems for Spanish speakers with examples and help for improving these areas.

Finally, what about some tongue twisters to really get practising some sounds. Have fun!!

Comments

Have you read anything good recently?

Reading is like a superpower 🌟. It can take you to other places and times and into the heads of other people. Reading is also one of the best things you can do to improve your English. And it doesn't have to be a whole book! Maybe you think reading is boring but it could be because you are not reading anything interesting!!! Reading can help your English in many ways such as: you see words and grammar structures and how they are used you can see the correct word order you learn new vocabulary you can train your mind to concentrate you can learn something new about the world or life which may help you in other ways All reading is good but with just a few techniques you can make your reading a lot more effective. All of these techniques involve becoming more active while you are reading. Choose a text that you think will not be too difficult ( where only about 10 -20% of vocabulary is new) so that you can read comfortably. It is good to read at your level but it is also good to

Resource - Lingohack by BBC Learning English for intermediate and higher levels

At Lingohack you can watch a short video of something in the news and read the transcript. It's great for learning new vocabulary and keeping up to date with the latest world stories. There is an example here.

Back to school - tips for success in the language learning classroom

Summer's over and it is time to start classes again. September - October is the alternative January! I don't think I need to say why but this year, things will be a little different; wearing a mask, remembering to keep socially distant from your classmates and teacher or maybe your classes are online. However, some things remain the same. Whether you are learning in a real or virtual classroom, the main thing is starting well to have a good and successful year learning English. How are you preparing for the year ahead? Here are 7 tips to get off to a good start: 1. Be organised. Keep a notebook. Record all your new vocabulary and try to review it and use it so that you are actively using new language. Watch this video to find out about vocabulary notebooks. 2. Use a dictionary when you don't know a word then write it in your notebook. Dictionaries such as Oxford learners dictionary or Cambridge learners dictionary are designed to help students who are learning Englis

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