Teaching and learning English pronunciation
Learners of English may experience different pronunciation difficulties depending on their first language. Select a language to explore common areas of difficulty and suggestions for improving English pronunciation.
View the complete language indexThe pages below identify pronunciation difficulties that are particularly common among learners whose first language is one of the following languages.
Common pronunciation difficulties for Arabic speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for Chinese speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for Croatian speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for Dutch speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for Finnish speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for French speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for German speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for Greek speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for Hungarian speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for Italian speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for Japanese speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for Korean speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for Persian speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for Portuguese speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for Russian speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for Spanish speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for Swedish speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for Taiwanese speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for Thai speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Common pronunciation difficulties for Turkish speakers learning English.
Explore pronunciation issues →Explore additional resources for learning and teaching English pronunciation.
Practise distinguishing between similar English sounds.
Practise minimal pairs →Learn about assimilation, coalescence and elision in natural spoken English.
Explore connected speech →Why learn phonology? | Assimilation | Coalescence | Elision | Consonant Clusters | Songs for Sounds | Phonetic Script
The pronunciation difficulties experienced by learners of English are often influenced by differences between the sound systems of English and their first language. These resources examine likely areas of difficulty and provide guidance for teachers and learners.
They are intended as a practical starting point for identifying areas that may require particular attention in the teaching and learning of English pronunciation.