When I went to university, I shared a flat with a Scottish guy, whose accent was so strong I couldn’t understand him. He couldn’t understand me either, so we spent a few days writing the important things down for each other. We soon got used to each other’s accents and spent hours chatting after that!
Maybe you have had the same experience with someone who speaks your native language or maybe in English too. It’s often thought that pronunciation is focusing on how you make sounds in English – of course this is important, but it is equally as important to listen and notice the features of pronunciation too!
I have written a guide that will help you practise listening to the sounds of fast speech in English so that you feel more confident in conversation.
So studying pronunciation will really help both your speaking and listening, which means that you become more fluent! It really is a win-win situation! Download my pro tips to help you practice listening for pronunciation and become more confident in your speaking!
So what could working on listening for pronunciation do for you?
Understand more of what is being said in fast speech
Take a more active part in conversations
Keep up with what’s being said
Be able to network at work or university more easily
Understand more of your favourite TV, films and music
UNDERSTAND MORE OF WHAT’S BEING SAID IN FAST SPEECH
There are different features of English pronunciation which make it easy to speak quickly. If you take a little time to listen out for these features, you will find that you will start to understand more. For example ‘I didn’t want to’ in fast speech could sound like ‘I dinwannoo’ with some of the T and D sounds left out. Before this starts to sound too overwhelming, another huge key in understanding is context. I didn’t want to is not a complete sentence, you should be able to work out what’s being said from context.
TAKE A MORE ACTIVE PART IN CONVERSATION
Do you ever find yourself in conversation just nodding and smiling, but not understanding quite enough to add something? Pronunciation might be the missing link for you! Working on connected speech might be what you need to do. You can do this yourself at home by listening – get my free guide for tips on how you can easily and realistically work this into your day.
BE ABLE TO NETWORK AT WORK OR UNIVERSITY MORE EASILY
With regular practice of listening for pronunciation, you will find you build confidence in meeting new people at work or in your studies. Or wherever, maybe you will meet some cool people when out and about where you live too.