CHANGES in Sounds of Speech–website has been replaced by an app.

SAD NEWS!

SOUNDSOFSPEECH website is no longer available using a URL on your computer or phone. When Flash Player ended in January 2021, many parts of the website were no longer functional. University of Iowa created an app which has many of the same features and information, but it may not be free.

The app focuses only on English (the website had English, Spanish or German sound systems). 

Is it Comfortable to Say?English pronunciation is tricky. It has changed over time, and it will change in the future. What’s happening in American English’s pronunciation of the word Comfortable? You ...
Why Do People Pronounce Charles "X-avier"?People usually pronounce proper names differently than the origin-language pronunciation for a couple of reasons they don’t know the origin language, so they pronounce it ba...
Why Do I Confuse 'KID' and 'KEY'?Read Peggy Tharpe's answer to Why do I get so confused pronouncing “kid” and “key”in English? on Quora
How to Pronounce TH Correctly Every Time!Read Peggy Tharpe's answer to How can I pronounce “th” in the right way every time, because each time I try to say it, it seems impossible or sounds like S? on Quora
Open Wide and Say AHEnglish pronunciation doesn't always match English spelling. Many short words spelled with the letter O actually make a different sound, AH or /ä/. Practice these words to sound m...
Words That Start With RIf your first language makes a tongue flick or tap on the roof of your mouth for the R sound, then you are going to be working on the sound of R in English. If you already follow m...
Common English Words Pronounced with the AE SoundThe Æ sound in very common in English--many words have it. It's an important sound--it's long and strong and tense--and it helps your listeners to know what you've said. To sound...
Phonics & Phonetics, Which is Better?Is it possible to learn phonetics without having learned phonics first? My son has problem with pronouncing English words. I wanna teach him English pronunciation from scratch. Is ...
The Difference Between /d/ in Day + /ð/ in They?These two sounds, D and TH, differ in location—where they’re made, and in manner—how they’re made. /d/ is created by pressing the blade (front top part) of the tongue ...
Switching Between Languages Pays Off for Bilingual ToddlersProficient bilingual toddlers enjoy greater cognitive benefits that their monolingual peers, a new study reports. Read more here: Switching Between Languages Pays Off for Bilingual...
How do stressed and unstressed syllables differ? Here are the ways stressed and unstressed syllables differ in American speech. Duration: stressed syllables are longer; unstressed are shorter. This forms a contrast in du...
Should you use a student's native language when teaching English?Occasions when I incorporated home language into ESL teaching: I was teaching elementary school children and used English solely in class. My educational assistant spoke Thai,...
How can I figure out the pronunciation rules in US English?English pronunciation is governed by patterns, not rules. I’ll start with the smallest pieces of sound and work up to larger ones. Vowels and consonants: you can find resources ...
What is the best way to learn English for kids? I taught English as a Second Language to children for many years…decades, in fact. Children’s brains are programmed to learn language. Begin exposing them to a second languag...
I speak too quietly and don't pronounce words clearly. How do I improve my diction? This happens both in English and in Russian.Use your whole body to speak, not just your mouth. Put your reading material on a shelf at eye level so you can read it while you are standing. Pull air into your lungs, and then ...
If a person can pronounce every word accurately, can he be fluent in connected speech? Connected speech is a skill that is learned once you can pronounce words accurately. It decreases the accuracy of some sounds you make (is he becomes izzee), and moves some fina...
Why is the pronunciation of “X” different in the words "exist" and "maximum", in terms of British English rules?I can try to answer this from an American English perspective. It’s likely that the reasons are the same for British English since they are very similar accents. Below are the p...
Why do people pronounce "turmeric" as "tumeric"?That is a crazy question to ask! Here is the answer. Reason #1: It’s hard to articulate two syllables that end in R consequently, especially since the first one starts with T,...
I am insecure about my English. How do I get over this?The problem: People tell me I use too many big words! What can I do to sound better? The answer: Hang around (socialize) with native speakers more—do things with them so you bec...
How can I identify the main concepts when reading a chapter in a textbook?Identifying the concepts or main ideas in a chapter of academic text can be challenging in a second language. Here are two links to useful information about main ideas and concept...