16 Time Tested Steps to Improve Your English Pronunciation

Pronunciation matters most when someone tries to speak something in English. It is not only English but also for all languages. When someone wants to improve their spoken English skills, they need to concentrate on their pronunciation. Wrong pronunciation can change the meaning of a word and people may understand something different.

Learning pronunciation like a native is the tough part for spoken English learners, but not the hardest episode for them. On the other hand, there is a slight difference between American pronunciation and British pronunciation. If you are an Indian and want to learn spoken English pronunciation, you should practice British pronunciation. It would be healthy for you to improve your English language learning process.

However, the trickiest factor of pronunciation remains hidden in understanding the vowel used in a word and its pronunciation. Some consonant and combined consonant pronunciations become different depending on the use of words.

Let’s notice how “way” and “weigh” are pronounced. They are both pronounced the same way as the Cambridge Dictionary declares. If you notice, you can also find a similar way of pronunciation in “comb” and “bomb”. The words are different but the way of pronunciation is similar.

The primary learners will fall into a great hazard but keep in mind that nothing is difficult. You may suffer from oddities and difficulties for a few days to grasp the pronunciation of words. You will get rid of the difficulties soon when you try to improve your spoken English skills with the guidance of some good organization.

Here are the top 16 rules that you should learn in some tricky way to correct your English word pronunciation.

Top 16 rules to improve English word pronunciation
 

1. Practice listening
 

Before learning how to pronounce it perfectly, you have to learn how to listen to others. You should try to listen to words from English news channels, podcasts, cinema with subtitles, and more.

You have to learn the differences between the pronunciation of “sleep” or “slip”, “deep” or “dip”. If you notice, you will find the differences. As a pronunciation guide, I can mention the differences very shortly. You should pronounce long vowels when you are "asleep.”. So, prolong your ‘e” sound. This rule will be applied similarly when you pronounce, “deep”. On the other hand, when you pronounce “dip” or “slip”. This rule will also be applied in “heat” or “hit”. The vowel will be prolonged in the first word, and the later word will pronounce the word quickly and instantly.

2. Use the best pronouncing dictionaries online
 

Smartphones and the internet are in your hands now. So, you can easily install online dictionaries and pronounce them through sound technology. These dictionaries help you pronounce the words and learn the pronunciation of each word you like. As soon as you learn English word pronunciation, try to pronounce it the same way. You will learn the words and their pronunciation very authentically.

Some of the dictionaries are free, and some of them are premium. You can try it for free or one-time purchase of dictionaries for your lifetime access. The choice is yours.

Here are some renowned online dictionaries:
 

a. Collins Online Dictionary
 

This dictionary is available in a web-based version, android, and iOS versions. There you will get sound-based pronunciation of all words. You can listen to the pronunciation of all words online. After installation of the application from the Play Store or App Store, you can listen to it offline. However, offline listening to the pronunciation may ask for a premium subscription. It is a great application for you to listen to and learn pronunciation.

You can also listen to the whole line, clauses, or phrases if you have this application installed. However, you can open the online application on your browser. It is a great way to browse any word without installing any application. You can create a browser shortcut for the application. Then, it will work like an application on your phone. The text-to-robot is very helpful for learners.

If you have any idea about IPA (International Pronouncing Alphabet), you will get all words transcribed in IPA. It is a great feature of this dictionary.

b. Google Translate
 

Get it on the Website, Android, and iOS application.

Google Translate is one of the most powerful applications where you can put any word through voice or manually. There, you will get the voice pronouncing feature. If you enter an English word, you will get the same on the translated page. On both sides, you will get voice listening options. The application is free for everybody, and you can download the application on Android or iOS platforms from Play Stores or App Stores. The text-to-speech feather of the application is very authentic. You know Google is dominating the entire world through its reliability and authentic word pronunciation.

c. Merriam Webster Dictionary 
 

Improving your spoken English pronouncing skills, this application helps you most. This application is also available on Web, Android, or iOS Versions. The special feature of the application is that you can use the dictionary for free on the web. Besides, you can use it for iOS or Android mobiles. You will get IPA transcription of all words along with voice pronunciation. Touch or click on the loudspeaker symbol of the application or web page after searching for a word. The text-to-speech option of your phone will pronounce the world with human sound. You will also get a word accent on the page. It is a great platform for learning words, their meanings, and pronunciation. In this dictionary, you can create a favorite word list as well.

This dictionary is available on the Android application store. It is available for online or offline applications. Once you install it, you can easily access it offline. You can also listen to the pronunciation of words by touching the loudspeaker symbol after searching for the meaning of the words.

d. WordReference
 

WordReference is one of the helpful dictionaries that work online. This application is installable on iOS and Android smartphones. Besides, you can access it online through the browser. This application is very helpful for all as this application can provide you with English words if you input the words of your mother tongue. Isn’t it amazing?

You will get perfect pronunciation through voice. Along with the voice transcription, it provides the IPA transcription. The people who learn IPA will get to know the way to pronounce words.

It also offers you the accent of various types of native English, such as Irish, American, Scottish, Southern, and Jamaican. So, it is a great dictionary for your essence. Click on the speaker button to listen to the word pronunciation with accents.

e. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary
 

This is one of the most powerful dictionaries that can make you an expert in pronouncing words very perfectly. It is available on the Web, Android Play Store, and iOS App Store. The paper book of this dictionary is also very helpful, where you will not get the pronunciation of the word directly through voice but will get IPA for pronunciation. You will get a detailed description of a word, its usage, and more. On the online version, you will get the add-on feature of word, phrase, or entire sentence pronunciation feature.

The most interesting and unique feature of this online dictionary is that the words are pronounced by humans, not robots or the text-to-speech option of any artificial intelligence. You can nicely practice the pronunciation of words through the online application.

You must keep in mind this dictionary is not free for users. You may use it for a few days for free, but a premium subscription is a must to access this application. You can easily set words in your “favorites” list. You will get a notification of new words every day to learn new words and their pronunciation. It is the perfect dictionary I ever had!

f. Longman Pronunciation Dictionary

It is available on the website version, Android version, and iOS Version. You can install it for learning pronunciation. When you are on online platforms, you will get voice pronunciation but, when you have a paper book, you will get an IPA for learning the pronunciation. However, IPA is also available online versions of this dictionary. If you even buy a paper book, you will get a CD to get it on Windows or Mac Laptops.

3. Your mouth and lips must move perfectly
 

When you speak any word, the pronunciation depends on the movement of the mouth and lips inside.

There are different places inside the mouth, and the lips support while pronouncing a word.

The space inside the mouth helps pronounce a word perfectly and clearly. Lack of airflow in the mouth will deteriorate the pronunciation of any word. Some words require more air and some words require less air to pronounce.

People cannot understand why their pronunciation is not perfect and does not become perfect. The tongue and lip movements matter most. At the very beginning, what you have to do is notice how others move their lips and mouth while pronouncing. Look at yourself in front of a mirror. Notice the differences and then try to do it yourself.

4. Tongue Placement is Always Important
 

Usually, the major part of the pronunciation requires the right placement of the tongue and combined use of lips. Otherwise, only the vocal cord is nothing to produce a word. There are 5 major places to pronounce:

1. Guttural (Kanthya): Sounds through the throat (Ka)
2. Palatal (Talabya): Tongue bends up to touch the hard palate or roof of the mouth (Sha)
3. Retroflex (Murdhya): The tongue touches the soft palate of the mouth (cha)
4. Dental (Dantya) The tongue touches the back of the upper front teeth. (The)
5. Labial (Osthya) The sound is pronounced with the help of lip (Pa, Ma)

Along with all these, some words get stressed with pronunciation, and some are not stressed.

You have to learn it from the best spoken English teachers. This time, the pressure of the air must be increased to get the right pronunciation.

There are some typical pronunciations in English that non-native English speakers must learn through practice. The letters L, R, TH, and more. There are words where some consonant sounds remain silent. While pronouncing “calm”, the “l” sound remains silent. Again, “lieutenant” is pronounced as “lieutenant,” where an “F” sound is added to it. You have to learn with great amusement!

Hence, the good idea of learning the words and their pronunciation is to utilize the tongue and lips perfectly. Just follow the mouth of others when they pronounce. If your pronunciation is not up to the mark, listen to the words pronounced by the TV anchors, serials, and movies (in English) and follow them. Always check whether the tongue is touching the right place. Then, your pronunciation will be perfect very soon.

5. Learn IPA (international pronouncing alphabet)
 

IPA is an International Pronouncing Alphabet. Through this alphabet, you can easily pronounce any word. You have to follow two steps. Learn IPA and its application, and get the transcription from the web. Once you are accustomed to IPA, you will learn the pronunciation of words by yourself without much toil.

IPA is such an alphabet that you can use it while learning any other language in the world. Through this IPA, you will learn how to pronounce any letter or word. To get more information or detailed discussion, visit the Wikipedia page.

6. Break the words for perfect stress or accent
 

Words may have some pauses or breaks. Some words can be produced without any break and the others have some breaks. For example, you can pronounce, “go”, or pronounce “syllable”. In the first word, “go” is a single-syllable word where there is no break during pronunciation. On the other hand, the latter word “syllable” has three breaks, "syl-la-ble.”. You can also notice such breaking in “important” (important), “proper”, (proper), and many more. These are called syllables. You have noticed that no words can be pronounced without vowel sounds. Divide words with vowels and consonants. You will easily understand the breakage or words as you will not be able to pronounce the entire word at a time when it is a long word.

Now, look into the matter. You cannot pronounce long words without breaks. Then, the stress becomes less or higher in each part of the breaking of words. They are called accents. A good dictionary teaches you the right pronunciation and accents with marks.

How will you get the syllable structure and pronunciation likewise? You can visit “How Many Syllables” (www.howmanysyllables.com/syllables/). Enter any word there and get the syllable breakage along with an easy pronunciation feature. You can also listen to the pronunciation by clicking on the speaker symbol on the page.

7. Adding stress on words or sounds
 

Stress falls on syllables, especially on the part of vowels or vowels with consonants. Some parts of the word (syllable) are more important or need to be pronounced with more stress. At the same time, the other part will get less importance. So, they will get less stress while pronouncing. If you choose the word, “important” to pronounce, you will get, “im-POW(r)-tant”. At the same time, the other part of the word (syllable) will be lower in tone. Otherwise, the middle syllable could not be pronounced louder and clearer.

Depending on the type or meaning of the word, the stressing syllable might be changed. For example, you can take the word “present”. When, it means a gift (a noun), the stress would be on the primary syllable, PRE-sent. On the other hand, you have to pronounce, pre-SENT, when it is a verb, denoting “to give”.

At the same time, you have to keep in mind that some words or syllables may be stressed differently when the whole sentence is pronounced. It is a part of linguistics. But, the best spoken English skill trainer will teach you perfectly.

As I mentioned, sentences have stress when it is spoken out. Let’s notice the sentence: “I went to school in the morning.” If you notice the stressed words in the sentence, you have to notice now, “I went to school in the morning.” Along with the sentence accent, you have to keep in mind the word accent. Here, you will notice that all the important words are stressed or pronounced with a higher accent. The other part of the sentence will move on smoothly. It is not difficult to learn English accents in words or sentences. You just have to be dogged determination to learn it. FastInfo Class has qualified teachers to teach spoken English with everything you require.  

Probably, you have been yawning at all this information. Just chill! The best spoken English teaching organization will teach you practically and you will not face any theoretical explanations. You will learn all easily. Hence, you can contact the top English teaching online platforms to learn sitting at home anytime.

8. Chose the perfect dialect: British or American
 

When you want to learn spoken English, you have to be determined about your dialect. Usually, two types of dialects are highly renowned in the entire world: British and American. For job applications across the world works with these two languages. Some people also prefer learning new Zeeland or Australian English. Some others may want to learn South African or Canadian English. Don’t be confused. Learn the neutral accent that works everywhere in the world. American and British English are not hell and heaven different. For higher study, a job abroad, a job in your native country, and everyday purposes, you can learn British-spoken English. It is a mostly spoken dialect across the globe. We are disclosing a hidden truth that the way Indians speak English is widely accepted in the maximum countries of the world. Isn’t it amazing?

So, learn a neutral accent of English and you will be able to speak with the English-speaking people of almost all parts of the globe.

To improve your spoken accent, you can contact the top English learning YouTube Channels, TV Shows, and many other social media platforms that teach accents. No, they may not take classes regarding the accents of English, they will speak in a particular tone and accent always. Learn it, follow the way they speak, and learn the proper accent. In most cases, Indians follow the neutral accent. Try to learn it.

9. Exaggerate certain sounds if you cannot pronounce
 

No, you may not be able to pronounce every word you see in front of you. Some certain words may be pronounced typically. So, when you speak out in front of any native speaker, you can pronounce the word so that the other can understand the word clearly.

They may ridicule you but will understand the meaning of the word you want to convey. Are you feeling awkward? No, you have to express yourself and remove the fear of speaking out. When the other person will repeat the word, you will learn the pronunciation.

However, your mouth and tongue must be exercised. Then you can pronounce every word that you want to pronounce. If you are an Indian, your tongue and lips are ready for your mother tongue. When you try any other language, your tongue and lips will not support pronunciation and a perfect accent. It will happen to you when you try to speak English. But English is many times easier and a formal language to learn fast. All the details you can learn from the best online spoken English learning platform.

10. Write out some words you feel are difficult to pronounce
 

There are a lot of words that do not go with regular pronunciation. Some other words you may not utter at all. Maybe, others can do it very proficiently. Then, there is an issue with your tongue and lip movement. You have to work on it individually. Bring out the word and try more and more until you get perfection. There is nothing impossible in this world. Note down the words you cannot pronounce correctly. Then, try it yourself. If you cannot clear it out, take the support of an expert. They will make you pronounce the words easily. Once learned, try in a regular interval so that you do not forget it.

Let's give some examples of difficult words we often forget to pronounce correctly.

When we look at “Pizza”, we say it likewise. But, the pronunciation would be “Pit-sa” (piːtsə in IPA)

Look at the words “Lieutenant” previously mentioned. The pronunciation would be “lef te-nant”(lɛfˈtɛnənt in IPA).

When you pronounce “subtle”, it will elope its “b” sound. So, the pronunciation would be “sa-tle(/ˈsʌtl/).

If you have learned IPA, you can note down the words with its IPA transcription. It will give you the perfect concept of pronunciation along with accent.

11. Note Down the Words You Find Around
 

You may deal with so many words while moving here and there. When you shop, move, gossip, and perform other deeds; you will come across many new words. Most times, all the words regularly used are easy. If you do not know them, learn them. Note down all these words that you do not know, and do not know the right pronunciation. This will help you in two ways. The first one is that your vocabulary will increase effectively, and the second thing is that you will learn the pronunciation of the words. Practice at home and learn words along with their pronunciation.

12. Tongue Twister Helps a Lot—Practice It
 

Tongue twister helps a lot for all non-native people who want to learn spoken English with the correct pronunciation. As previously mentioned, Indians or any non-native English speakers cannot pronounce English words as perfectly as native speakers do. But, nothing is impossible in this world. Practice articulation, do lip and tongue practice, and try listening to English more and more. But it is not enough to speak like a native speaker. Tongue twister helps remove the congestion in pronouncing any word. It also helps to remove the stagnant position of the tongue after pronouncing one word. Tongue twisters can make your spoken fluency smooth with perfect pronunciation.

Consider deeply. When you practice tongue twister, the words get bound together, and you may pronounce a ridiculous word. After a few practices, it will be easy for you. Yes, it helps a lot while expressing anything to anybody in front of you. So, all non-native English speakers are requested to practice tongue twisters and approach to becoming masters in spoken English.

Want to get some examples? Here are a few renowned tongue twisters you can practice:

This will clear your “sh” and “ch” sound pronunciations and frequent words in alliteration.

“She sells seashells on the seashore.

The shells she sells are surely seashells.

So, if she sells shells on the seashore,

I'm sure she sells seashore shells.”

You can try the “R” sound tongue twister. See the following:

“I ran around eleven large roses late last night.

Are lucky red rabbits real?

Rarely do lovers rely on rowdy relatives.

Rain on the rail will surely remain.”

Here are some tongue twisters with L sound-clearing practice:

“Little Lenny Lou leopard-led leprechauns leap like lemmings.

Larry sent the latter a letter later.

Luke's duck likes lakes.

Lesser leather never weathered wetter weather better.”

Practice all of them and clear your tongue so that it can pronounce any word without facing any problems.

13. Access Videos and Podcasts Teaching Pronunciation
 

Today, smartphones and videos are in every hand. Social media is also installed on every phone. Along with the social media entertainment, you can enjoy the best spoken English channels there. You will get many reels and short videos on YouTube. Subscribe to them and learn how to pronounce different words. Learn from the Everyday words to the critical words. This will help you a lot.

Keep in mind that you may get some native channels (American, British). Subscribe to them and watch their videos. You will learn pronunciation and native accents there. Learn from the podcast series for pronunciation and accents.

Accent in words means you have to modulate your voice during pronunciation and pause if required. You also will feel where you have to stress on words and where you don’t have to.

14. Record your voice
 

You have learned many tips for pronouncing a word. Now, you have to listen to your own voice, pronunciation, and modulation. To listen to your own voice, record your voice on your smartphone. Then, listen to it to observe whether it feels good or you need some improvement. If you really want to learn something, don’t hesitate to get feedback from a person who knows spoken English. However, people easily understand whether your pronunciation sounds good or not. After all, it is important to understand how you speak, and how it sounds.

Video Recording may help you see what your face looks like when you speak in English. Your facial expression also matters most. Your face must be fearless, smiling, and free from confusion. At the very beginning, all these may not reflect on your face. Then, you have to practice again and again to learn the most essential spoken English skill, pronunciation.

Next, you have to compare how you pronounce and give accents to words or sentences. Not, we are not telling you to do it in a day. Only practice makes one perfect. Hence, be patient and practice. The people who have won a grand success in spoken English have learned with great toil. So, you have to do it.

15. Practice with a friend
 

Again you can remember the saying, “Practice makes perfect.” So, find a friend so that you can practice with someone who also wants to learn spoken English. Don’t worry. This is a digital era. You need not meet together to practice. You can call your friend to speak with them. On the other hand, you can share documents through digital media with your friends if required for relevant discussion.

Discussing a particular matter or gossiping in English will make you perfect day-by-day. After all, it is fun.

16. Peak and Get Rid of Nervousness
 

Speak as much as you can. If you do not speak, you cannot be perfect. Your nervousness of speaking will not end up if you do not speak more and more.

It is like playing basketball. You may be highly capable of running, dribbling, or passing the ball, but you have never shot the ball. On the ground of basketball, you are not good at playing. You have to practice shooting the ball.

When you have to play basketball, you have to run, dribble, pass, and shoot. Learning spoken English is just like this. You have to open your mouth and the fear of speaking will be removed. The hesitation of uttering something with complete sentences will get rid of it. When you speak the problem of pronunciation, accent, fear of speaking, etc. will be removed. But don’t forget to speak loudly in English at least for a few minutes per day.

These are some of the time-tested tips that you can follow to learn Spoken English pronunciation very efficiently. All these tips are not difficult to pursue. You can contact FastInfo Class^® for the best online spoken English Class. There, you will learn how to learn spoken English quickly with flawless accuracy of pronunciation and accent. What are you waiting for, then? Contact us now.