English pronunciation practice for Spanish speakers

Spanish language backgrounds

26 common English pronunciation problems

1. /ɪ/ as in "sit"

Fix problem Relax the mouth and keep sound short.

English sound /ɪ/

Example "sit"

Common error /i:/ — "seat"

Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /ɪ/ or /i:/ practice

2. /æ/ as in "ran"

Fix problem Keep tongue front & low and jaws apart.

English sound /æ/

Example "ran"

Common error /ʌ/ — "run"

Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /æ/ or /ʌ/ practice

3. /ʊ/ as in "full"

Fix problem Back of tongue high. Lips rounded but relaxed. Short.

English sound /ʊ/

Example "full"

Common error /u:/ — "fool"

Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /ʊ/ or /u:/ practice

4. /ɔ:/ as in "bought"

Fix problem Tongue low, back & fixed. Jaws together.

English sound /ɔ:/

Example "bought"

Common error /əʊ/ — "boat"

5. /ɜ:/ as in "bird"

Fix problem Fix tongue in central position. Long.

English sound /ɜ:/

Example "bird"

Common error No common error specified.

Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /e/ or /ɜ:/ practice
Minimal Pairs /ʌ/ or /ɜ:/ practice
Minimal Pairs /ɔ:/ or /ɜ:/ practice

6. /əʊ/ as in "note"

Fix problem Tongue central. Then tightly round lips.

English sound /əʊ/

Example "note"

Common error /ɔ/ — "not"

Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /əʊ/ or /ɔ/ practice

7. /b/ as in "bet"

Fix problem Voiced. Vibration. Trap air with lips.

English sound /b/

Example "bet"

Common error /v/ — "vet"

8. /v/ as in "vet"

Fix problem Voiced. Friction with top teeth & bottom lip.

English sound /v/

Example "vet"

Common error /b/ — "bet"

9. /ð/ as in "clothe"

Fix problem Voiced. Friction. Tongue between teeth.

English sound /ð/

Example "clothe"

Common error /θ/ — "cloth"

Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /θ/ or /ð/ practice
Minimal Pairs /θ/ or /t/ practice
Minimal Pairs /θ/ or /d/ practice
Minimal Pairs /θ/ or /s/ practice

10. /d/ as in "laid"

Fix problem Tip of tongue behind top teeth.

English sound /d/

Example "laid"

Common error /ð/ — "lathe"

Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /ð/ or /d/ practice

11. /k/ as in "come"

Fix problem Voiceless stop: back of tongue to back roof.

English sound /k/

Example "come"

Common error /g/ — "gum"

12. /k/ as in "could"

Fix problem Voiceless stop: back of tongue to back roof.

English sound /k/

Example "could"

Common error /w/ — "would"

13. /s/ as in "rice"

Fix problem Voiceless: tip of tongue behind top teeth. Friction.

English sound /s/

Example "rice"

Common error /z/ — "rise"

Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /s/ or /z/ practice

14. /s/ as in "mass"

Fix problem Voiceless: tip of tongue behind top teeth. Friction.

English sound /s/

Example "mass"

Common error /ʃ/ — "mash"

15. /ʃ/ as in "sherry"

Fix problem Voiceless. Friction. Front of tongue to palate.

English sound /ʃ/

Example "sherry"

Common error /tʃ/ — "cherry"

16. /ʃ/ as in "push"

Fix problem Voiceless. Friction. Front of tongue to palate.

English sound /ʃ/

Example "push"

Common error /s/ — "puss"

17. /h/ as in "hot"

Fix problem Quickly push air from throat out of mouth.

English sound /h/

Example "hot"

Common error "ch" in "loch"

Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /h/ or silent "h" practice

18. /n/ as in "sun"

Fix problem Tongue touches alveolar ridge. Nasal.

English sound /n/

Example "sun"

Common error No common error specified.

19. /ŋk/ as in "think"

Fix problem Back of tongue to back roof. Nasal.

English sound /ŋk/

Example "think"

Common error /ŋ/ — "thing"

Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /ŋ/ or /ŋk/ practice

20. /ŋ/ as in "thing"

Fix problem Voiced stop: back of tongue to back roof.

English sound /ŋ/

Example "thing"

Common error /ŋk/ — "think"

Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /ŋ/ or /ŋk/ practice

21. Silent "r" as in "survivor"

Fix problem British "r" is weaker & usually silent unless followed by a vowel.

English sound silent

Example "survivor"

Common error /r/ — "Sir Ivor"

22. /j/ as in "yam"

Fix problem Glide /j/(i:) the tongue quickly to next sound

English sound /j/

Example "yam"

Common error /dʒ/ — "jam"

Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /dʒ/ or /j/ practice

23. /w/ as in "win"

Fix problem Start with lips tightly rounded. Unround & glide.

English sound /w/

Example "win"

Common error "(g)win"

24. /w/ as in "will"

Fix problem Start with lips tightly rounded. Unround & glide.

English sound /w/

Example "will"

Common error /b/ — "bill"

25. /dʒ/ as in "wage"

Fix problem Voiced: Tip to alveolar. Front to palate.

English sound /dʒ/

Example "wage"

Common error No common error specified.

26. /dʒ/ as in "Jerry"

Fix problem Voiced: Tip to alveolar. Front to palate.

English sound /dʒ/

Example "Jerry"

Common error /ʃ/ — "sherry"

27. /dʒ/ as in "Jerry"

Fix problem Voiced: Tip to alveolar. Front to palate.

English sound /dʒ/

Example "Jerry"

Common error /ʃ/ — "sherry"

External links
Non-native pronunciations of English: Spanish L1
Spanglish