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How to Pronounce the American L 

7/24/2015

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The American L sound can be challenging for many non-native speakers of English.  Part of the difficulty may be that we make a different sound when L is at the start of the word versus the end of the word.  To make the L at the start of the word, lift the tip of your tongue and place it behind your front teeth.  If you have trouble feeling where this is, you can say the words "tot" and "tight" and feel the tongue tap up for the "t" sounds.  The L sound is made with the tongue tip in the same place.  Try saying "tot, lot" and "tight, light."  Use the recording below to practice.
When L is at the end of the word, we add an extra sound before the l, and hold this sound into the L sound.  This extra sound is the vowel schwa, which sounds like "uh."  To get this sound, try slowing down and sliding from one vowel to the next.  For example, try the following words using the recording below:

tool  (too-w-uh-l)        tail (tay-y-uh-l)        feel (fee-y-uh-l)        fuel (fyoo-w-uh-l)
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How to Learn the American Accent

7/22/2015

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Changing your speech patterns takes a lot of practice, but you can have fun while you are doing it.  Many people use American movies and TV shows to listen to the American accent.  Repeating and imitating what you hear on TV can be a good way to develop your ear and try on the American style.  Even non-American actors who use their American accent professionally use this technique.  In a recent interview with Conan O'Brien, Australian actor Rebel Wilson talks about using reality TV shows to perfect her American accent.  You can hear her in action in the video below.
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American English Intonation:  Learning to Pause

7/20/2015

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When we write, we use punctuation to separate ideas.  When we speak, we need to use pauses between phrases to separate thought groups.  If we run too many words together, it can be difficult for the listener to get the message.  If we pause in the middle of a thought group, it can also confuse the listener.  Adding or leaving out a pause incorrectly can even change the meaning of the sentence.  Here are a few examples of how incorrect phrasing can cause problems.

You can listen to the recorded samples below.
Correct:  Let's eat// honey!
Incorrect:  Let's eat honey!

Correct:  I find inspiration in cooking// my family// and my dog.
Incorrect:  I find inspiration// in cooking my family// and my dog.

Correct:  Thank you for this opportunity.  I really value your input.  Can you suggest// anything else// I can do to prepare?
Incorrect:  Thank you for// this opportunity I really value//  your input can// you suggest anything// else I can// do to prepare?
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Learning English:  a simple yes or no will do

7/13/2015

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Have you heard the expression, "A simple yes or no will do?"  We say this when someone is giving us more information that we really wanted to know, or delivering a lecture when all we wanted was an answer.  In a recent study, it turns out that the words "yes" and "no" are not as simple as you would guess.  For example. in English, we can answer the question "you haven't fed the cat yet, have you?" with "no, I haven't," or "yes, I haven't."  These patterns are present in other languages, as well.  You can read more about the study here.


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American Accent Training for Portuguese Speakers

7/8/2015

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The sound system of your native language affects how you hear and pronounce other languages.  When speaking American English, native Portuguese speakers have accent patterns based on first hearing and speaking Portuguese.  You can use this chart to learn more about the Portuguese accent in English.  Click on the individual sounds  for recordings and help with pronunciation. 
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