Students often say that they feel like they’re someone else when they speak a different language. This is good advice to someone wanting to learn good pronunciation – pretend you’re British and speak with a posh accent and your pronunciation will automatically improve. Why not try being American? or Canadian? Students trying this continuously improve dramatically.
Here are some ways of improving pronunciation by practicing accents.
Watch television programs
Consider this your homework. Watch American or British television programmes to help pick up the language used in everyday conversations. If you want to speak with an American accent, try watching a sitcom like “Friends” or maybe the “Simpsons”. You will quickly pick up American pronunciation!
Use pronunciation podcasts and videos
What better way to improve pronunciation than by listening to pronunciation podcasts and YouTube videos? You can find great YouTube videos of different accents created graphically which you can have fun practicing. If you prefer podcasts, there are plenty of English language podcasts on Spotify which make learning pronunciation a breeze, even on the go!
Break down words phonetically
One great way to improve pronunciation is to break down words into sounds. Let’s break down the word “pronunciation” into sounds: pruh-nuhn-see-ey-shuh n. Practice this in front of the mirror or even better, record yourself. After you get the sounds down, practice speaking the word again in your chosen accent! How would a British person say this word? How about an American? Use tools like dictionary.com to help you along the way.
Practice with a friend
Find an English language buddy to practice your pronunciation with. Schedule regular meet-ups, where you both stick to only speaking English in your chosen accent.
When you study at inlingua Malta you will make friends from all over the world whom you can practice pronunciation with. Established in 1980 and boasting 39 years of experience, we pride ourselves on being the 2nd language school established on the island. We offer something for everyone – with guaranteed start dates for every course, every Monday of the year!
Learn more about upcoming courses at https://www.inlinguamalta.com/courses-packages/inlingua-english-courses/.