Improving your pronunciation in English is about practice.  

One of the best ways to do this is to listen to models, to repeat, record yourself and compare. 

Nowadays, it’s quite easy to record yourself using your mobile phone. You may also have access to other equipment which can do this. 

Listen to a word, phrase or sentence in English from: 

  • the internet 
  • a textbook audio 
  • a podcast 
  • an online dictionary. 

Then try to copy what you heard. Record what you say and then compare it to the original. 

Listen for the: 

  • word stress 
  • sentence stress 
  • rhythm 
  • intonation 
  • linking of words

If you are able to use mobile phones or other recording devices in your classroom, you can ask learners to work in groups to record themselves and share the activities with their classmates. 

Glossary

Intonation: The way the pitch of a speaker’s voice goes up or down as they speak. Intonation can be rising, falling or flat and is used to communicate how a speaker feels. 

Linking of words: A natural way of speaking in which words are not isolated, but where the sounds can be joined together. For example, ‘I am’ sounds like ‘I yam’ and ‘I did it’ sounds like ‘I didit’. 

Podcast: A radio programme in digital form which can be downloaded and listened to at any time.