If you have ever learned a second language, I’m sure you’ve run into a new sound that was difficult to make. These moments can be either very frustrating or hilarious, depending on the context. Not all languages were based off of a singular phonetic model, so there are quite a variety. In fact, some theorize that there are an infinite number of sounds we can produce if we consider intonation and other factors.

For our purposes, let’s just say there are some sounds that are difficult to make in other languages and that they can lead to pronunciation difficulties. Most people want to have proper pronunciation, even if it is not their primary language goal. In an ideal world, pronunciation would be easy, but it isn’t. Based on our previous language exposure, we have ingrained ideas about pronunciation and may have fossilized pronunciation problems.

Do you want to overcome your pronunciation problems? Most people would say yes, though aspects such as grammar and vocabulary may take precedence. Pronunciation is something that is not commonly focused on in class. Teachers do not think it is as important as other aspects. Personally, I always take time to help students with pronunciation and equip them with the tools necessary to improve it because most students care a great deal about their pronunciation.

How can you overcome pronunciation problems? There is no easy answer. Nothing is going to give you perfect pronunciation overnight. But there are a few techniques that work very well. It is important to remember all mouths were created equally but trained differently. The muscles you have developed in your mother tongue may not be the same muscles necessary for your second language. You will need to (re)learn how to use the muscles in your mouth, and all its affiliated parts (tongue, throat, etc.). Either you’re going to need to check on YouTube or find someone to teach you.

How can a teacher help you improve your pronunciation? In general, pronunciation mistakes come up in class conversation. The first thing is to identify and distill the mistakes. Perhaps you have difficulty pronouncing “think”. By looking at the word and saying some similar words, you come to the conclusion that it is the “th” that you are having difficulty with. The next step is to pair the “th” with other vowels, such as “tha, the, thi, tho, thu”. By doing this, you focus only on the problem and not all the other sounds surrounding it. This practice will help you build the necessary muscles. Once you feel you have mastered this exercise, make a list of words you find difficult to pronounce. This could look like, “think, thing, that, there, the, though…” Now you have a solid exercise and a list of words to practice.

What should you remember? In the end, developing proper pronunciation is going to take practice and patience. With practice, it will improve over time. It also helps to work with a teacher or trained professional. How are you going to know you’re not making the right sounds if you don’t have someone guiding you? A native speaker can only help you so much. They may not know what to look for or how to explain how to improve your pronunciation. A teacher should be able to identify the issues, makes suggestions, and create a plan for you. Like all exercises, daily training will have the greatest effect. Try to practice your pronunciation work and difficult words every morning or every night before bed.

Good Luck!

***A video will be added to this post to explain how to practice pronunciation exercises.