Cat's classroom

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.

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 Worksh...