Pronunciation Tips to Speak Naturally at Work

When it comes to improving your English communication, often pronunciation is overlooked or not addressed enough.?

Yet it is a key aspect of speaking effectively.

Good pronunciation helps you sound more natural and speak more fluidly. It also helps you understand English speakers better, because you will learn to identify and recognize the sounds that other people are making.

Yesterday in our live class Kevin Naglich and I talked about ways pronunciation helps you sound more natural at work, and communicate better using some important tips.

?In case you missed it, here are the 3 tips we explained to help you improve your pronunciation sound more natural:

1.???Consonant - Vowel Linking

One of the most common features of English pronunciation is linking sounds together without pausing between words.

For example: We write an egg, but when we speak we link the consonant and vowel and it sounds like= anegg.

In spoken English, linking consonants into words that begin with vowels is especially important because it is always done. Not only do your listeners expect to hear it, and if they don’t they may get a bit confused, but you will sound choppy and robotic if you don’t link into words that begin with vowel sounds.

How it works: ?When a word ends in a consonant sound, we often move the consonant sound to the beginning of the next word if it starts with a vowel sound.

For example, in the phrase turn off…

We write =?turn off

We say =?tur - noff

Remember that it's the sound that matters.?In the next example sentence, have ends with the letter e, but the sound is a v.

So we link the ending consonant sound of have to the beginning vowel sound of the next word

We write = Can I have a bit of eggs

We say =?ca-ni-ha-va-bi-to-vegg?

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2.???Vowel - Vowel Linking

Vowel- vowel is another example of linking sounds together without pausing between words:

three eggs = threeyeggs.

When one word ends with a vowel sound, and the next word begins with a vowel sound, we link the words with a sort of Y or W sound. It depends on the shape of our mouth at the end of the first word.

Y = When the first word ends in an a, e, i vowel sound, we insert a Y sound at the beginning of the next word:

The end = The yend

Lie on = Lie yon

Play all = Play yall

W = When the first word ends in an o, u vowel sound [ ?? / u: ], our lips are round. Then we insert a W sound at the beginning of the next word:

Go out = Go wout

Too often = Too woften

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3.???Word Reduction

When we speak, we reduce the pronunciation of certain words and phrases. This can be confusing for non-native speakers who are often unfamiliar with these reductions. Learning some common English reductions will improve your comprehension and make you sound more natural to native speakers.

Reductions or reduced speech is when an English speaker shortens or eliminates particular sounds. This can occur in the form of connected speech, reduced sounds, or contractions.?

To: going to - gonna

?????Want to - wanna

?I'm gonna go to my country house this weekend

I wanna see the new play

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Have: should have - shoulda

?????????Could have - coulda

?????????Would have - woulda

?I'm gonna graduate in 2 years

I wanna go out tonight

I shoulda ordered the large

I coulda gone to the beach

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Of: Kind of = kinda

?????Sort of = sorta

?????Lots of = lotsa

?????A lot of = a lotta

I kinda liked the movie

He sorta told me I'm hired

I've got lotsa snacks if you would like some

He's got a lotta time, maybe he can do it

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And : n

?I ordered fish n chips

It's not always so black n white

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Or : er

It's either this er that

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Me : give me = gimme

???????Let me =?lemme

?Can you gimme a hand?

Lemme help you with that

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Try using these tips and don’t worry about not sounding perfect at first. The only we will improve is by practicing speaking and being consistent.

If you want to talk about ways you can improve your English communication skills at work, or learn more, send me a DM ?? anytime or follow me for free weekly tips.

#communication #pronunciation #english #businessenglish