English Pronunciation mistakes
If you’re constantly committing common English pronunciation mistakes, in most cases, there are effective rules you can learn to allow for a quick fix. English is an irregular language when it comes to pronunciation, and this is especially true of English vowels. That’s why we have dedicated this entire course to English pronunciation to thereby help you improve. Additionally, there are several common issues concerning English pronunciation that you can learn now in this chapter, which will significantly improve your pronunciation.
These common mistakes include:
- The “ed” suffix or past ending of regular verbs.
- The -sts letter pair (tourists, optimists etc.)
- Contractions (you’re, I’d etc.)
“Ed” past ending of verbs – there are three ways to pronounce the “ed” ending: /t/, /id/ and /d/.
- /t/ – worked, hoped, washed, watched, promised, laughed
- /id/ – commanded, translated
- /d/ – allowed, cried, listened
Regarding the three ways to pronounce the pasts of regular verbs in English, there is a rule you can follow which we will work on extensively in this chapter.
The letter pair –sts
This letter pair is tricky and can be found in the plural version of words such as:
- Tourists – /ˈtʊərɪsts/
- Dusts – /dʌsts/
- Beasts – /biːsts/
- Enthusiasts – /ɪnˈθjuːzɪæsts/
- Costs – /kɒsts/
- Tests – /tɛsts/
We will go over this letter pair with examples to get you into the habit of pronouncing it correctly.
Contractions – to be, to have, would, etc., in their contracted forms
When verbs are contracted (primarily with auxiliary verbs), the pronunciation of the contracted form can be rather difficult.
- I’m – /aɪm/
- You’re – /jʊə/
- We’ve – /wiːv/
- You’ve – /juːv/
- He’d – /hiːd/
- It’d – /ˈɪtəd/
To Sum Up
We will outline all the main contractions in English and focus on how to pronounce them correctly with ease.
In this chapter, we aim to take you through the most common issues regarding English pronunciation, which in turn will pay great dividends and shall give you the necessary confidence when speaking. Stay tuned!
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