The key to learning to speak like a native is learning to open your ears to the sounds and rhythm of American English. As you tune your ear to the sounds of English you’ll be better at pronouncing them correctly.
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Listening Exercise #1:
Long /A/ vs short /e/
Paper – pepper
Wait – wet
Taste – test
Late – let
Waste – west
Listening Exercise #2:
Short /o/ vs Short /u/
Hot – hut
Bought – but
Caught – cut
Lock – luck
Mom – mum
10 examples of words that are spelled different than they are pronounced.
- Thought: /thot/
- Doubt: /dowt/ – no /b/
- Wednesday: /wens-dA/
- February: /feb-yoo-wAr-ee/
- Receipt: /ree-seet/ no /p/
- Island: /I-lind/ – no /s/ and reduced /a/
- Asthma: /as-mu/ – no /th/
- Colonel: /ker-nul/
- Hors d’œuvres (French): /or-dervs/ – Other French words: bouillon, casserole, vinaigrette, protege, ballet, bouquet, boutique, silhouette, etiquette, faux pas
- Zucchini: /zoo-kee-nee/ (Italian) – pinata (Spanish)
