```html English pronunciation practice for Taiwanese speakers

English pronunciation practice for Taiwanese speakers

Correction of common English pronunciation mistakes made by learners with Taiwanese as their first language.

Taiwanese language backgrounds

27 common English pronunciation problems

1. /i:/ "seat" vs /ɪ/ "sit"

Fix problem Spread lips more and keep tongue high.
English sound /i:/ "seat"
Common error /ɪ/ "sit"
Practice:
Minimal Pairs /ɪ/ or /i:/ practice

2. /æ/ "cat" vs /ɑ:/ "cart"

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

3. /æ/ "man" vs /e/ "men"

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

4. /æ/ "ran" vs /ʌ/ "run"

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

5. /ʌ/ "bud" vs /æ/ "bad"

Fix problem Tongue more central. Lips relaxed.
English sound /ʌ/ "bud"
Common error /æ/ "bad"
Practice:
Minimal Pairs /æ/ or /ʌ/ practice

6. /ʌ/ "bud" vs /ɜ:/ "bird"

Fix problem Tongue low central. Lips relaxed.
English sound /ʌ/ "bud"
Common error /ɜ:/ "bird"
Practice:
Minimal Pairs /ʌ/ or /ɜ:/ practice

7. /ɒ/ "not" vs /ɔ:/ "nought"

Fix problem Keep mouth round and sound short.
English sound /ɒ/ "not"
Common error /ɔ:/ "nought"
Practice:
Minimal Pairs /ɒ/ or /ɔ:/ practice
Minimal Pairs /ɑ:/ or /ɒ/ practice

8. /ɒ/ "God" vs /ʊ/ "good"

Fix problem Keep mouth round and tongue back.
English sound /ɒ/ "God"
Common error /ʊ/ "good"

9. /u:/ "fool" vs /ʊ/ "full"

Fix problem Back of tongue high. Lips tightly rounded. Long.
English sound /u:/ "fool"
Common error /ʊ/ "full"
Practice:
Minimal Pairs /ʊ/ or /u:/ practice

10. /b/ "bill" vs /p/ "pill"

Fix problem Voiced. Vibration. Trap air with lips.
English sound /b/ "bill"
Common error /p/ "pill"

11. /d/ "made" vs /t/ "mate"

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

12. /v/ "van" vs /f/ "fan"

Fix problem Voiced. Friction with top teeth & bottom lip.
English sound /v/ "van"
Common error /f/ "fan"

13. /v/ "vet" vs /w/ "wet"

Fix problem Voiced. Friction with top teeth & bottom lip.
English sound /v/ "vet"
Common error /w/ "wet"
Practice:
Minimal Pairs /w/ or /v/ practice

14. /θ/ "thin"

Fix problem Voiceless. Friction. Tongue between teeth.
English sound /θ/ "thin"
Common error —
Practice:
Minimal Pairs /θ/ or /ð/ practice
Minimal Pairs /θ/ or /d/ practice
Minimal Pairs /θ/ or /t/ practice

15. /θ/ "thin" vs /s/ "sin"

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

16. /θ/ "thin" vs /t/ "tin"

Fix problem Voiceless. Friction. Tongue between teeth.
English sound /θ/ "thin"
Common error /t/ "tin"
Practice:
Minimal Pairs /θ/ or /ð/ practice
Minimal Pairs /θ/ or /t/ practice
Minimal Pairs /θ/ or /d/ practice
Minimal Pairs /θ/ or /s/ practice

17. /ð/ "they" vs /d/ "day"

Fix problem Voiced. Friction. Tongue between teeth.
English sound /ð/ "they"
Common error /d/ "day"

18. /ð/ "clothe" vs /z/ "close"

Fix problem Voiced. Friction. Tongue between teeth.
English sound /ð/ "clothe"
Common error /z/ "close" /z/

19. /z/ "rise" vs /s/ "rice"

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

20. /h/ "hot"

Fix problem Quickly push air from throat out of mouth.
English sound /h/ "hot"
Common error —
Practice:
Minimal Pairs /h/ or silent "h" practice

21. /r/ "right" vs /l/ "light"

Fix problem Sides of tongue to back teeth. Tip points up.
English sound /r/ "right"
Common error /l/ "light"
Practice:
Minimal Pairs /l/ or /r/ practice

22. /l/ "light" (clear) vs /r/ "right"

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

23. /ɫ/ "tall" (dark l)

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

24. /n/ "spoon" vs /ɫ/ "spool"

Fix problem Tongue touches alveolar ridge. Nasal.
English sound /n/ "spoon"
Common error /ɫ/ "spool"

25. /ŋ/ "thing" vs /ŋk/ "think"

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

26. /tʃ/ "cherry"

Fix problem Unvoiced: Tip to alveolar. Front to palate.
English sound /tʃ/ "cherry"
Common error —

27. /dʒ/ "wage"

Fix problem Voiced: Tip to alveolar. Front to palate.
English sound /dʒ/ "wage"
Common error —
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