How to pronounce correctly in English?

Question

I have to say that among us English is bad right now. I am learning again from the beginning with the international phonetic alphabet, but I am having trouble learning to pronounce correctly, even though I practice every day, but I see no improvement. Can anyone give me some advice? I am all self-taught.

Answer 1

Another good vocabulary building application with sound is Wordbook App. This is a free scaffolded application that continues to review and rereview words through repitition and reading. Give it a try.

Answer 2

It's great that you're tackling English pronunciation using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)! It's a challenging but rewarding path. Here's some advice to help you see improvement:

1. Record Yourself and Compare: This is crucial. Record yourself saying words or sentences that you're struggling with. Then, compare your pronunciation to a native speaker. You can find audio examples of IPA pronunciations online (many dictionaries have audio). Identify the specific sounds you're mispronouncing.
2. Focus on Minimal Pairs: Minimal pairs are words that differ by only one sound (e.g., "ship" and "sheep"). Practicing these will help you distinguish subtle differences in pronunciation. There are many minimal pair exercises available online.
3. Use a Mirror: Watch your mouth, tongue, and jaw movements as you pronounce sounds. Compare your movements to videos of native speakers pronouncing the same sounds. Pay attention to the position of your tongue, lips, and jaw.
4. Break Down Sounds: Don't try to learn everything at once. Focus on mastering a few sounds each week. Once you're comfortable with those, move on to others.
5. Exaggerate at First: When practicing, exaggerate the sounds. This can help you get a feel for the correct mouth position and muscle movements. As you improve, you can gradually reduce the exaggeration.