English pronunciation practice for all language backgrounds

All language backgrounds

56 common pronunciation problems

Practising production and recognition of English sounds using Minimal Pairs

The teacher or student (A) reads out ONE word from each pair without telling whether he or she is reading from column one or column two. According to what is read out, Student (B) then says "column 1" or "column 2" or just ONE or TWO. A variation is for the teacher or Student (B) to read the same word aloud twice or else the two contrasting words. Student (A) says whether the words are 'the same' or 'different'. [Recommended for ALL language backgrounds = *]

1. /ɪ/ — "sit" / /i:/ — "seat"

Fix the problem Relax the mouth and keep sound short.
English sound /ɪ/ — "sit"
Common error /i:/ — "seat"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ɪ/ or / i: / practice *

2. /ɪ/ — "sit" / /e/ — "set"

Fix the problem Relax the mouth; front of tongue should be higher.
English sound /ɪ/ — "sit"
Common error /e/ — "set"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ɪ/ or /e/ practice

3. /æ/ — "man" / /e/ — "men"

Fix the problem Move tongue to a lower front position.
English sound /æ/ — "man"
Common error /e/ — "men"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /e/ or /æ/ practice *

4. /æ/ — "ran" / /ʌ/ — "run"

Fix the problem Keep tongue front & low and jaws apart.
English sound /æ/ — "ran"
Common error /ʌ/ — "run"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /æ/ or /ʌ/ practice *

5. /æ/ — "cat" / /ɑ:/ — "cart"

Fix the problem Keep tongue front & low and jaws apart.
English sound /æ/ — "cat"
Common error /ɑ:/ — "cart"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /æ/ or /ɑ:/ practice

6. /ʌ/ — "but" / /e/ — "bet"

Fix the problem Tongue lower and more central. Lips relaxed.
English sound /ʌ/ — "but"
Common error /e/ — "bet"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /e/ or /ʌ/ practice

7. /ɒ/ — "cot" / /ɔ:/ — "caught"

Fix the problem Keep mouth round and tongue back.
English sound /ɒ/ — "cot"
Common error /ɔ:/ — "caught"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ɒ/ or /ɔ:/ practice

8. /ɒ/ — "cot" / /ɑ:/ — "cart"

Fix the problem Keep mouth round and tongue back.
English sound /ɒ/ — "cot"
Common error /ɑ:/ — "cart"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ɑ:/ or /ɒ/ practice *

9. /ʊ/ — "full" / /u:/ — "fool"

Fix the problem Back of tongue high. Lips rounded but relaxed. Short.
English sound /ʊ/ — "full"
Common error /u:/ — "fool"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ʊ/ or / u: / practice *

10. /ə/ — "the" (schwa)

Fix the problem Weak endings: e.g. "London" "England"
English sound /ə/ — "the" (schwa)
Common error —
Practise: Practise the neutral vowel /ə/
using spoken dialogues *

11. /ɔ:/ — "caught" / /ɑ:/ — "cart"

Fix the problem Tongue low & back. Mouth large. Jaws together.
English sound /ɔ:/ — "caught"
Common error /ɑ:/ — "cart"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ɑ:/ or /ɔ:/ practice

12. /ɔ:/ — "caught" / /ɒ/ — "cot"

Fix the problem Tongue low & back. Mouth large. Jaws together.
English sound /ɔ:/ — "caught"
Common error /ɒ/ — "cot"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ɒ/ or /ɔ:/ practice *

13. /ɔ:/ — "four" / /ɜ:/ — "fur"

Fix the problem Tongue low & back. Mouth large. Jaws together.
English sound /ɔ:/ — "four"
Common error /ɜ:/ — "fur"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ɔ:/ or /ɜ:/ practice *

14. /ɔ:/ — "saw" / /əʊ/ — "so"

Fix the problem Tongue low & back. Mouth large. Jaws together.
English sound /ɔ:/ — "saw"
Common error /əʊ/ — "so"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ɔ:/ or /əʊ/ practice *

15. /ɜ:/ — "bird" / /e/ — "bed"

Fix the problem Fix tongue in central position. Not too far front.
Make sound longer.
English sound /ɜ:/ — "bird"
Common error /e/ — "bed"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /e/ or /ɜ:/ practice

16. /ɜ:/ — "bird" / /ʌ/ — "bud"

Fix the problem Fix tongue in central position. Not too far down.
A longer sound.
English sound /ɜ:/ — "bird"
Common error /ʌ/ — "bud"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ʌ/ or /ɜ:/ practice *

17. /ɜ:/ — "bird" / /ɔ:/ — "board"

Fix the problem Fix tongue in central position. Not too far back.
A longer sound.
English sound /ɜ:/ — "bird"
Common error /ɔ:/ — "board"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ɔ:/ or /ɜ:/ practice *

18. /eɪ/ — "late" / /e/ — "let"

Fix the problem Tongue moves from front centre to front high.
English sound /eɪ/ — "late"
Common error /e/ — "let"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /e/ or /eɪ/ practice *

19. /aɪ/ — "buy"

Fix the problem Start with tongue low front.
English sound /aɪ/ — "buy"
Common error —
Practise: Minimal Pairs /eɪ/ or /aɪ / practice

20. /aɪə/=/aɪ/+/ə/ — "fire"

Fix the problem Tongue low front to high front to centre.
English sound /aɪə/=/aɪ/+/ə/ — "fire"
Common error —

21. /ɔɪ/ — "boy"

Fix the problem Start with tongue low & back.
English sound /ɔɪ/ — "boy"
Common error —
Practise: Word list to practise /ɔɪ/ *

22. /əʊ/ — "note" / /ɒ/ — "not"

Fix the problem Tongue central. Then tightly round lips.
English sound /əʊ/ — "note"
Common error /ɒ/ — "not"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /əʊ/ or /ɒ/ practice *

23. /əʊ/ — "bone" / /ɔ:/ — "born"

Fix the problem Tongue central. Then tightly round lips.
English sound /əʊ/ — "bone"
Common error /ɔ:/ — "born"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ɔ:/ or /əʊ/ practice *

24. /aʊ/ — "cow"

Fix the problem From low front vowel to lips tightly rounded.
English sound /aʊ/ — "cow"
Common error —
Practise: Minimal Pairs /əʊ/ or /aʊ/ practice *

25. /aʊə/=/aʊ/+/ə/ — "flour"

Fix the problem Tongue low front. Then round & unround lips.
English sound /aʊə/=/aʊ/+/ə/ — "flour"
Common error —
Practise: Minimal Pairs /aʊ/ or /aʊə/ practice *

26. /ɪə/ — "beer" / "bear" Minimal Pairs /ɪə/ or /eə/ practice * — "bear"

Fix the problem Tongue high and front. Move to centre.
English sound /ɪə/ — "beer"
Common error "bear" Minimal Pairs /ɪə/ or /eə/ practice *

 — "bear"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ɪə/ or /eə/ practice *

27. /eə/ — "bear"

Fix the problem Tongue from centre front. Draw back to centre.
English sound /eə/ — "bear"
Common error —
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ɪə/ or /eə/ practice *

28. /ʊə/ — "tour"

Fix the problem Start with lips tightly rounded. Unround.
English sound /ʊə/ — "tour"
Common error —
Practise: Minimal Pairs /eə/ or /ʊə/ practice *

29. /p/ — "pit" / /b/ — "bit"

Fix the problem Unvoiced. Use more air. Trap it with lips.
English sound /p/ — "pit"
Common error /b/ — "bit"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /p/ or /b/ practice

30. /d/ — "made" / /t/ — "mate"

Fix the problem Tip of tongue behind top teeth.
English sound /d/ — "made"
Common error /t/ — "mate"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /t/ or /d/ practice *

31. /g/ — "game" / /k/ — "came"

Fix the problem Voiced stop: back of tongue to back roof.
English sound /g/ — "game"
Common error /k/ — "came"

32. /v/ — "van" / /f/ — "fan"

Fix the problem Voiced. Friction with top teeth & bottom lip.
English sound /v/ — "van"
Common error /f/ — "fan"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /f/ or /v/ practice *

33. /θ/ — "thin" / /t/ — "tin"

Fix the problem Voiceless. Friction. Tongue between teeth.
English sound /θ/ — "thin"
Common error /t/ — "tin"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /θ/ or /t/ practice *

34. /θ/ — "thin" / /d/ — "din"

Fix the problem Voiceless. Friction. Tongue between teeth.
English sound /θ/ — "thin"
Common error /d/ — "din"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /θ/ or /d/ practice *

35. /θ/ — "thin" / /s/ — "sin"

Fix the problem Voiceless. Friction. Tongue between teeth.
English sound /θ/ — "thin"
Common error /s/ — "sin"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /θ/ or /s/ practice *

36. /θ/ — "cloth" / /ð/ — "clothe"

Fix the problem Voiceless. Friction. Tongue between teeth.
English sound /θ/ — "cloth"
Common error /ð/ — "clothe"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /θ/ or /ð/ practice *

37. /ð/ — "clothe" / /θ/ — "cloth"

Fix the problem Voiced. Friction. Tongue between teeth.
English sound /ð/ — "clothe"
Common error /θ/ — "cloth"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /θ/ or /ð/ practice *

38. /ð/ — "they" / /d/ — "day"

Fix the problem Voiced. Friction. Tongue between teeth.
English sound /ð/ — "they"
Common error /d/ — "day"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ð/ or /d/ practice *

39. /ð/ — "clothe" / /z/ — "close" /z/

Fix the problem Voiced. Friction. Tongue between teeth.
English sound /ð/ — "clothe"
Common error /z/ — "close" /z/
Practise: *

40. /s/ — "rice" / /z/ — "rise"

Fix the problem Voiceless: tip of tongue behind top teeth. Friction.
English sound /s/ — "rice"
Common error /z/ — "rise"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /s/ or /z/ practice *

41. /z/ — "rise" / /s/ — "rice"

Fix the problem Voiced: tip of tongue behind top teeth. Friction.
English sound /z/ — "rise"
Common error /s/ — "rice"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /s/ or /z/ practice *

42. /h/ — "hot" / "ch" in "loch"

Fix the problem Quickly push air from throat out of mouth.
English sound /h/ — "hot"
Common error "ch" in "loch"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /h/ or silent "h" practice *

43. /l/ — "light" (clear) / /r/ — "right"

Fix the problem Tongue touches hard palate.
English sound /l/ — "light" (clear)
Common error /r/ — "right"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /l/ or /r/ practice *

44. /r/ — "sir" / "sirrrr"

Fix the problem British /r/ is weaker & sometimes silent.
English sound /r/ — "sir"
Common error "sirrrr"

45. /ɫ/ — "tall" (dark l)

Fix the problem Contact. Brief "schwa" after release.
English sound /ɫ/ — "tall" (dark l)
Common error —

46. /m/ — "home"

Fix the problem Lips tightly together. Nasal.
English sound /m/ — "home"
Common error —

47. /n/ — "sun"

Fix the problem Tongue touches alveolar ridge. Nasal.
English sound /n/ — "sun"
Common error —

48. /ŋk/ — "think" / /ŋ/ — "thing"

Fix the problem Back of tongue to back roof. Nasal.
English sound /ŋk/ — "think"
Common error /ŋ/ — "thing"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ŋ/ or /ŋk/ practice *

49. /ŋ/ — "thing" / /ŋk/ — "think"

Fix the problem Voiced stop: back of tongue to back roof.
English sound /ŋ/ — "thing"
Common error /ŋk/ — "think"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ŋ/ or /ŋk/ practice *

50. /ʃ/ — "sherry" / /ʧ/ — "cherry"

Fix the problem Voiceless. Friction. Front of tongue to palate.
English sound /ʃ/ — "sherry"
Common error /ʧ/ — "cherry"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ʃ/ or /ʧ/ practice *

51. /ʧ/ — "cherry" / /ʃ/ — "sherry"

Fix the problem Unvoiced: Tip to alveolar. Front to palate.
English sound /ʧ/ — "cherry"
Common error /ʃ/ — "sherry"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ʃ/ or /ʧ/ practice *

52. /ʧ/ — "watch" / /t/ — "what"

Fix the problem Unvoiced: Tip to alveolar. Front to palate.
English sound /ʧ/ — "watch"
Common error /t/ — "what"

53. /ʤ/ — "Jerry" / /ʃ/ — "sherry"

Fix the problem Voiced: Tip to alveolar. Front to palate.
English sound /ʤ/ — "Jerry"
Common error /ʃ/ — "sherry"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ʃ/ or /ʤ/ practice *

54. /ʤ/ — "wage" / /t/ — "wait"

Fix the problem Voiced: Tip to alveolar. Front to palate.
English sound /ʤ/ — "wage"
Common error /t/ — "wait"

55. /j/ — "yam" / /ʤ/ — "jam"

Fix the problem Glide /j/(i:) the tongue quickly to next sound
English sound /j/ — "yam"
Common error /ʤ/ — "jam"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /ʤ/ or /j/ practice *

56. /w/ — "west" / /v/ — "vest"

Fix the problem Start with lips tightly rounded. Unround & glide.
English sound /w/ — "west"
Common error /v/ — "vest"
Practise: Minimal Pairs /w/ or /v/ practice *

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