English pronunciation guides
Free guides to the English sounds and rhythms that learners find hardest: the th sound, word stress, and how native speakers link words together. Each guide explains how the sound or pattern works, gives practice words with IPA, and ends with exercises to say out loud.
12 guides · Updated
Where to start
- People don’t understand some of my wordsWord stress in English: 6 rules, examples and practice →
- I say “tink” instead of “think”The TH sound in English: how to pronounce voiced and voiceless TH →
- Native speakers sound too fast to followLinking sounds in English: the 6 rules of linked speech, with examples →
- One sound is hard and I want to drill itEnglish tongue twisters for pronunciation: 41 twisters by sound and difficulty →
- English spelling doesn’t match how words soundSilent letters in English: the rules, a list and 60 examples →
- I can’t hear the weak sounds in EnglishThe schwa sound (/ə/): how to say it and where it hides →
- British or American: which pronunciation is right?How to pronounce “schedule”: British vs American (and 14 other words that differ) →
- My vowels sound the same (ship and sheep)English vowel sounds: the full chart with examples, minimal pairs and common mistakes →
- Some long or strange words are impossible to say40 difficult words to pronounce in English, and how to say them →
All guides
Contractions in English: the list, how they sound and when to use them
Contractions in English: the full list (don’t, I’m, they’ve), how each one is pronounced in real speech, the rules for using them, and a short drill.
8 min read · Updated
English intonation: the 4 patterns, with examples you can say aloud
English intonation made simple: falling, rising, fall-rise and rise-fall patterns, 12 examples with arrows, how pitch shows politeness and doubt, and a drill.
7 min read · Updated
American accent training: the 6 features that matter, and a 4-week plan
American accent training for learners: the 6 features that matter (R, flap T, reduced vowels, rhythm, intonation, linking), examples to say aloud and a simple 4-week plan.
9 min read · Updated
Linking sounds in English: the 6 rules of linked speech, with examples
How English speakers link words in connected speech: consonant to vowel, w and y sounds, linking r, double sounds and t/d changes. 50+ examples and practice.
10 min read · Updated
The TH sound in English: how to pronounce voiced and voiceless TH
How to pronounce the English TH sound: voiced and voiceless TH, word lists, minimal pairs like think/sink, common mistakes by first language, and practice.
9 min read · Updated
Word stress in English: 6 rules, examples and practice
Word stress in English made simple: 6 rules with examples, noun and verb pairs like REcord/reCORD, commonly mis-stressed words, and how to practise.
9 min read · Updated
English tongue twisters for pronunciation: 41 twisters by sound and difficulty
41 English tongue twisters by sound (TH, R/L, S/SH, V/W), plus the classics and the hardest ones, with how to make each sound.
10 min read · Updated
Silent letters in English: the rules, a list and 60 examples
Silent letters in English: 8 patterns (kn, wr, mb, gh, lk, st…) with the rule, 60 example words, how each sounds, and the exceptions where the letter is pronounced.
9 min read · Updated
The schwa sound (/ə/): how to say it and where it hides
The schwa sound /ə/ explained simply: how to say it, where it hides in spelling (a, e, i, o, u), weak forms of small words, 24 practice words and sentences.
9 min read · Updated
How to pronounce “schedule”: British vs American (and 14 other words that differ)
How to pronounce “schedule”: SHED-yool in British English and SKED-jool in American English. Plus 14 other words that differ between UK and US, and 14 often mispronounced words.
7 min read · Updated
40 difficult words to pronounce in English, and how to say them
40 difficult English words to pronounce, grouped by why they are hard, with IPA, a simple respelling, the usual mistake, a button to hear each word, and a method to practise.
9 min read · Updated
English vowel sounds: the full chart with examples, minimal pairs and common mistakes
All 20 English vowel sounds (12 single vowels and 8 diphthongs) with IPA, examples, minimal pairs and common mistakes by first language.
9 min read · Updated
Reading helps. Speaking is what makes you fluent.
Have a voice conversation with an AI tutor and see your pronunciation, fluency, grammar and vocabulary scores when you hang up.
Start your free trial