How to Speak Proper English
Speak to educated people., Listen to tapes., Pronounce the endings of words., Practice tongue-twisters.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Speak to educated people.
Education is not the be-all and end-all for language acquisition, by any means, but people with extensive educations do often have a strong grasp on the rules of grammar and syntax.
Speaking to well-educated people, whether teachers, family members or obliging strangers, is a good way to get a sense of what proper English sounds like.
Try to listen to how these people form their words
-- the way their lips move, their pronunciation and their rhythm and intonation.
Now try to mimic how these people speak.
It may feel strange or awkward at first, but with practice it will become second nature. -
Step 2: Listen to tapes.
A good way to improve your pronunciation is to listen to audio tapes or podcasts, where you can hear how a native English speaker forms their words.
If you like, you can even stop the tape and repeat the words after them until you get them right. , A common mistake many native and non-native English speakers make is not pronouncing the endings of words.
For instance, instead of saying "going"
they would say "goin'" or instead of saying "making"
they would say "makin'". , Tongue twisters are helpful at improving enunciation and diction.
Enunciation is knowing how to project a certain word in a certain context.
Diction is knowing the way you deliver, which includes pronouncing certain prefixes, suffixes and where to place stress on certain parts of words.
They are also beneficial in learning to write properly, as you can hear certain word patterns within the phrase or sentence, as well as grasping rhythm and syllable.
Make an effort to to emphasize the endings of words and your pronunciation will improve greatly. -
Step 3: Pronounce the endings of words.
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Step 4: Practice tongue-twisters.
Detailed Guide
Education is not the be-all and end-all for language acquisition, by any means, but people with extensive educations do often have a strong grasp on the rules of grammar and syntax.
Speaking to well-educated people, whether teachers, family members or obliging strangers, is a good way to get a sense of what proper English sounds like.
Try to listen to how these people form their words
-- the way their lips move, their pronunciation and their rhythm and intonation.
Now try to mimic how these people speak.
It may feel strange or awkward at first, but with practice it will become second nature.
A good way to improve your pronunciation is to listen to audio tapes or podcasts, where you can hear how a native English speaker forms their words.
If you like, you can even stop the tape and repeat the words after them until you get them right. , A common mistake many native and non-native English speakers make is not pronouncing the endings of words.
For instance, instead of saying "going"
they would say "goin'" or instead of saying "making"
they would say "makin'". , Tongue twisters are helpful at improving enunciation and diction.
Enunciation is knowing how to project a certain word in a certain context.
Diction is knowing the way you deliver, which includes pronouncing certain prefixes, suffixes and where to place stress on certain parts of words.
They are also beneficial in learning to write properly, as you can hear certain word patterns within the phrase or sentence, as well as grasping rhythm and syllable.
Make an effort to to emphasize the endings of words and your pronunciation will improve greatly.
About the Author
Zachary Cruz
Writer and educator with a focus on practical organization knowledge.
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