English Pronunciation: The essentials

A series of presentations based around teaching some of the essential features of pronunciation in English. The lessons aim to help students with speaking skills, but, equally importantly, with listening skills. The lessons cover many phonemes (individual sounds) and aspects of connected speech.

They provide an easy to read, clear introduction to each topic with some practice. Clear, crisp graphics to help focus on the topic.

The ‘mini lesson’ presentations are generally suitable for ESL students from pre-intermediate to intermediate + levels. They can easily be adapted to suit different needs.

Each Zip file contains a Keynote, PowerPoint and teacher instructions.

The general topics are:

1. Sounds in English

2. Syllables

3. Vowel sounds, minimal pairs (x3)

4. Consonant sounds, minimal pairs (x3)

5. The Schwa sound: in words and in sentences (weak forms)

6. Consonant clusters (x2)

7. Consonant to vowel connections in connected speech

8. Linking sounds in connected speech (/j/ and /w/)

9. Homophones

10. ED endings in regular past tense verbs

11. Sentence stress in connected speech.

Great fun for the whole class an an opportunity to practice pronunciation, a skill that tends to be overlooked in class but that students love to learn about and feel more confident with!