Improve your pronunciation with one sound

Although there are 26 letters in the English alphabet, there are 44 sounds. Confusing? Maybe that is why English pronunciation can be a nightmare! There are many ways to improve your pronunciation but one way is to start with the most common sound in the English language - /ə/ , called schwa (the only sound to have a name).

The schwa sound can replace all the vowel sounds, is always weak and can really help your pronunciation have intonation which is so important in English.

Schwa is so important that there is a page dedicated to it's basic sound on the BBC and here is a great introduction to schwa also on the BBC. This webpage has a great guide to using and pronouncing schwa - listen and repeat out loud. You may feel a bit silly but it is GREAT practice.

Now you know about schwa, listen for it when you listen to English - you will hear it everywhere and try to use it as much as you can. Your pronunciation really will improve.

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