Expert English Pronunciation, Accent Reduction & Fluency
Q. Why is it difficult for native speakers to understand me when I talk with them in English? A. You are using the sound system of your first language when you speak English, which has it’s own sound system. Did you know Read More ...
If Arabic is your native language, you may be using the Arabic “sound system” when you speak English. There are some important differences between Arabic and English. There are many more vowels in English than Arabic, and the ones that aren’t Read More ...
If Japanese is your first language, you may be using a Japanese “sound system” when you speak English. Japanese has fewer vowels with very regular lengths, but English vowels can be stretched or shortened anytime, depending on the need. English Read More ...
If an Indo-Aryan language like Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Nepali, Sinhala, or Divehi, is your native language… you may be using its “sound system” when you speak English. The more you understand about the English sound system, the better you will sound Read More ...
If French is your native language, you may be using the French “sound system” when you speak English. The “mode” or starting position in French is different from English. English front vowels are longer and more tense than French vowels. Schwa exists Read More ...
If Korean is your first language, you may be using the Korean “sound system” when you speak English. But the Korean sound system does not use stress in words and sentences in the way English does. [bctt tweet=”the Korean sound Read More ...
If your first language is Russian, or a dialect of Russian, you may be using the Slavonic “sound system” when you speak English. You may not have learned much about this if you studied English as a foreign language. Some Read More ...
If Chinese is your native language, you may be using the Chinese “sound system” when you speak English. In Chinese, tone is word-specific, but in English tone is statement-based and must be adjusted for what’s new, what’s different, and what’s Read More ...
If Spanish is your native language, you may be using the Spanish “sound system” when you speak English. You may not be stretching and shrinking your English vowels to shape each word. You may be using a Spanish melody for your Read More ...
If you are difficult to understand when you speak English, you are probably using your first language sound system as you say English words. English is stress-based, and you must learn to “package” words and “package” phrases, using strategies that Read More ...
Written for ESL and EFL teachers, tutors, and accent reduction coaches, as well as advanced level English students who can read and understand the English on this website. Inside, you’ll discover how our languages differ and learn great strategies and Read More ...
Take Private Lessons. American Pronunciation Coach provides private, intensive, customized training to help you speak English more fluently and comprehensibly, and reduce your accent. We will work together to help you achieve your goals. I will diagnose your speaking habits in English and teach you Read More ...
Just as artists use charcoal or paints or clay to create an experience, teachers use research, best teaching practice and personal insights to craft the best learning experience for their students. I consider what I do to be an art Read More ...
My answer to the question: “When is the best time for a child to learn English?” on Quora.com The best time for children to develop a native-like “feel” for English intonation is birth-minus-5 months, in other words, in their mother’s Read More …
Read my Quora answer to “How can I improve my pronunciation and intonation?” And learn what causes accents in English for speakers of these languages on these pages: Arabic Chinese Japanese French Indo-Aryan (Hindi, Bengali, Nepali, Sinhala, Divehi) Korean Spanish Read More …
Read Peggy Tharpe's answer to Why do many English learners make sentences and phrases more complicated than they need to be? on Quora
[bctt tweet=”Check out the origins and uses of the word ‘O.K.’” username=”peggytharpe”] Theories Abound About the Origins of the English Word ‘O.K.’ I wonder if the English word ‘O.K.’ is the most spoken word in the world? Everywhere I go, Read More …
Here’s the Slideshare on my TESOL Teacher Bootcamp–a course I just put up on Udemy about teaching Vowels! Vowels are the Core of English. How we use them, articulate them, stretch them, reduce them…all shape the sound of English. They Read More …
You can get this course for 50% off right now, for a limited time. Do you teach pronunciation? I do. That’s all I’ve been doing for the past 9 years. I’ve finally figured out the very best ways to teach Read More …
[bctt tweet=”Find out how to pronounce anything…from dog breeds to Oscar nominee names on Inogolo.” username=”peggytharpe”] Have you ever used INOGOLO? We can always benefit from another way to learn the pronunciation of unfamiliar names and brands. Sometimes I send Read More …
Before you begin…this is not a quick read, so if you’d like the e-book version of this post so you can read it later, click here. Teaching pronunciation is like baking a layer cake. Once you have the basics (see earlier blogposts for study Read More …
One of the hardest things to learn about English is rhythm and stress. The way that English puts the important words on the beats, and then squeezes the rest of the words into the spaces between the beats…well, that’s hard Read More …
Do you read EFL Magazine? In a recent edition, Rita Baker, EFL Guru, explains the origins of English phrasal verbs, how they came to be used, and how to teach and learn them easier and more logically. It’s such an Read More …