Target Pronunciation: How To Pronounce -ED Words in English

Alternate Endings The pronunciation of words ending in -ed in English can be really confusing. For every -ed word, there are three alternative ending sounds to choose from: Alternate endings might be great for TV series, but alternate pronunciation in English? Not so much. Look at the words rated and raked, for example. They are […]

Happy -ED Endings: A Story About Pizza, Pets, and -ED Pronunciation

Every seasoned ESL teacher knows the good old -ED pronunciation rules. When a word ends in |t| or |d|, an extra syllable is added and pronounced as |id|. When a word doesn’t end in |t| or |d|, the pronounced ending is truncated to a stopped |t| or |d| and no extra syllable is added. If […]

How To Pronounce the GH sound in English: 14 Tough Words To Practice

This month’s post teaches you how to pronounce the -gh sound in English. You’ve probably seen it lurking in words like enough, through, and sigh. You might try your best to pronounce it, or, you might avoid it completely. Through? Furlough? Cough. Ugh. What is that sound?!

3 Confusing Verbs and How To Pronounce Them: Feel, Fall, and Fill

Three verbs that are often confusing for English students are feel, fall, and fill, especially when it comes to past tense forms and pronunciation. Let’s look at the differences and practice using them. Feel Feel has a hard EEE sound. You need to smile when you say this word, making your mouth wide. Practice this […]

8 Words in English Difficult To Pronounce for Non-Native Speakers

English is not an easy language to pronounce! If you’re having trouble with your tongue, read on. English borrows words from many different languages, so the rules for pronunciation can change depending on the origin of the word, the meaning of the word, or even the region where the word is spoken. Here are some of the most common English words that are difficult for non-native speakers to pronounce.