8 Tips to improve your English pronunciation

 

1- Separate words into syllables

In American schools, when a word looks too complicated, students are taught to read letter by letter and to "sound out words". For example: The word "Chameleon" (chameleon)

CHA - ME - LE - ON

Cha → pronounced KA

Me → pronounced MI

Le → pronounced LI

On → pronounced ON

This English pronunciation strategy is most effective with more complicated words such as, Perpendicular, Astronaut and Independence. Separate the syllables, and pronounce each group or letter little by little until you can say it effectively.

2- Don't be afraid to speak

The only way to improve your English pronunciation is by speaking, that means you have to get used to speaking out loud. So it's time to put that fear aside and speak without fear of making mistakes. We all pronounce some words incorrectly at first. You can only get better with practice.

3- Watch videos 

Watching videos is a fun way to learn without feeling like you're putting in hours of studying. When you are watching audiovisual content, your mind processes information passively. The more you do this, the more you will refine certain words and understand how to pronounce them.

In addition, you will learn that English is pronounced differently depending on where it is spoken. Wherever you are in the world, you will learn that dialects and accents affect the way we pronounce words and that with English it is no different. By listening to different accents in English, you will gain a deeper understanding of English pronunciation.

4- Listen

Speaking is not the only key to perfect pronunciation, you must also be able to listen. By listening to native English speakers, you will have instant access to how to pronounce correctly. You can do this by listening to podcasts and radio programs and watching TV shows and movies. These can be on any topic, the important thing is that you listen and the more you do, the more successfully you will learn.

5- Pay attention to intonation and accents.

Good pronunciation is more than mastering individual sounds, you must understand intonation (the rise and fall of the voice) and accents (some sounds in words and some in sentences are louder or clearer than others). Read poems, speeches and songs aloud, concentrating on accent and intonation.

6- Read aloud while you record yourself

Reading aloud allows you to express the words you read. But there is no way to evaluate yourself if you can't hear yourself. Reading a page of a book, an article, a short review in English allows you not only to pronounce better, but to expand your vocabulary.

One way to do this is to record audio notes with your cell phone and then evaluate the modulation and pronunciation of the words. There will always be words that are more complex than others, so don't worry if you struggle a bit at first.