Episode 44
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Read the Transcript
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Hi, everyone!
I'm Georgiana, founder of SpeakEnglishPodcast.com. My mission is to help YOU to speak English fluently and confidently.
In today's episode, I'll reveal to you the seven secrets of English pronunciation.
Later you'll practice your speaking with a funny mini-story. The story is about a man who wants to speak English with a perfect accent.
Ok, let's get started!
SECRET #1: LISTEN TO YOURSELF!
Listening to your own pronunciation errors when you speak English can be difficult, if not almost impossible, to attain. What you're usually doing is focusing on the conversation instead of the sounds you're making. So, try to record yourself using your PC or smartphone. Do this only from time to time to observe the areas that need improvement. Many people hate their own voice, and hearing themselves speak a foreign language for the first time will be difficult, but it's a necessary step to develop a sense of self-awareness for improvement.
SECRET #2: SLOW DOWN!
I've noticed over the years that many English students think that speaking fluently equals speaking quickly. That's an unfortunate misconception. When you talk too fast, you reinforce bad habits since you don't have time to think about what you want to say next. Besides, you project little confidence. Talking slowly will help you relax and feel more confident.
SECRET #3: LISTEN EVERY DAY
Listen! Listen! Listen to my Speak English Podcast every day and try to imitate what you're hearing. Remember to focus on the pronunciation after you're totally comfortable with the lesson, which means that you've already listened to the episode and check out the transcript several times.
SECRET #4: DON'T BE AFRAID TO MAKE MISTAKES!
In many cases, pronunciation problems persist because most students are afraid to make mistakes. The great benefit of using my stories on a daily basis is that you're improving English without having to deal with embarrassing situations.
When you answer the questions, you should always use a confident tone and speak out loud. If you have already been using this technique, then you know it's very similar to having a conversation with another person but without becoming ashamed of your pronunciation and intonation.
SECRET #5: LISTEN TO THE MUSIC!
Using the right pronunciation isn't just about mastering individual sounds. You also need to master intonation and stress.
The musical element is essential for proper pronunciation. My advice is that you try out listening to a conversation as if it were a song. After listening, try to imagine that same conversation but without any intonation, without any melody. I'm sure that you'd realize that without the proper intonation, the conversation would sound entirely artificial, even robotic.
As you can see, pronouncing each word correctly just isn't enough. If you wanna sound like a native speaker, you'll need to pay very close attention to their intonation. And that's the main reason why I tell you whenever I get the chance to LISTEN as much as possible.
SECRET #6: ROLE MODELS
It's always helpful to find a role model to imitate their pronunciation.
You can watch TV and movies or listen to a podcast.
The important thing is that you choose someone who has your kind of voice and style of communication.
By the way, the act of imitating someone talking is called SHADOWING.
SECRET #7: READ OUT LOUD EVERY DAY (SHADOWING)
Now I'll talk about a great way to improve your English pronunciation and intonation. It's called the shadowing technique.
The essence of the technique is quite straightforward. While you're listening, you try to say what you understand. Usually, you select an audio lesson that's not difficult. At first, it seems quite complicated, because you have to concentrate on what you hear and say it at practically the same time.
With a little practice, it gets easier. This technique is powerful because it forces you to concentrate a lot on pronunciation and intonation, in addition to meaning.
You can try using my podcast to test this method. Try to listen and repeat what I say at the same time. By the way, don't pause the audio at any time. Make sure you say everything you hear in real-time.
Sometimes it can be fun, and I recommend this exercise if you want to improve your English pronunciation and intonation. Anyway, I don't advise you to always "shadow," but just practice it from time to time, as it can be a bit tiring.
Remember the natural steps when you practice with my podcast episodes. First, listen to the episode without reading.
You can listen to it as many times as you wish. After that, you can listen and read the transcript at the same time. Remember that you can get the text for each episode on my website.
As I mentioned earlier, you shouldn't spend too much time using this technique because it can become somewhat exhausting.
Now it's time to practice your speaking with a new mini-story.
Want more speaking practice? Continue with a complete audio course.
IMPROVE YOUR SPEAKING
Mini-Story: Speaking Practice
Answer the questions aloud with short and quick responses. Repeat the Mini-Story several times to improve your speaking and listening.
Carlos was eager to speak English with a perfect accent.
Did Carlos want a perfect career?
No. No. Not a perfect career. Carlos was eager to speak English with a perfect accent.
What did Carlos want?
To speak English with a terrible accent?
Carlos wanted to speak English with a perfect accent. Not with a terrible one.
Who was eager to speak with a perfect accent?
His dog?
No. No. Not his dog. Dogs can't speak. Carlos was eager to speak with a perfect accent.
He met a famous accent reduction guru who lived on a high mountain.
Who did Carlos meet?
A famous actress?
No. No. Not a famous actress. Carlos met a famous accent reduction guru.
What kind of guru did Carlos meet?
An accent reduction guru. Carlos met an accent reduction guru.
Where did the guru live?
At the beach or on a high mountain?
Not at the beach. The guru lived on a high mountain.
Who lived on a high mountain?
The accent reduction guru. He lived on a high mountain.
When they met, the guru immediately ordered him to do the chores while listening to English.
What did the guru order?
To relax and worry about nothing?
Not to relax. The guru immediately ordered him to do the chores.
When did the guru order Carlos to do the chores?
Before or after they met?
Not before they met. The guru ordered Carlos to do the chores after they met.
Would Carlos do the chores or listen to English?
Carlos would do the chores and listen to English as well.
Did he listen to English or German?
Not German. He listened to English.
After 30 days, the guru told Carlos that he had to leave right away.
Did the guru tell Carlos to leave after 30 days or before that?
After 30 days, the guru told Carlos to leave after 30 days.
Who had to leave, the guru, Carlos, or the guru's wife?
Carlos. Carlos had to leave.
Did Carlos have to leave in one hour or in one day?
Not in one hour nor in one day. Carlos had to leave right away.
At that moment, Carlos exploded, yelling in English with a remarkable accent.
Did Carlos get angry?
Yes. Carlos got angry. He exploded.
Who yelled?
Carlos. Carlos exploded and yelled in English.
Whom did Carlos yell at?
Carlos yelled at the guru in English.
How was his accent?
Was it remarkable or terrible?
Not terrible. His accent was remarkable.
The guru said: "See?
Your accent has already improved! The secret is always passion!"
Had Carlos's accent worsened?
No. No. Carlos's accent had improved.
Who told Carlos that his accent had already improved?
The guru. The guru said that his accent had already improved.
What improved Carlos's accent?
Passion. His passion improved his accent.
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Review
Vocabulary
Review the most useful words and expressions before listening again.
self-awareness
understanding your own behavior and abilities.
role model
someone whose behavior you want to imitate.
misconception
an idea that is incorrect.
shadowing
speaking along with an audio in real time.
intonation
the rise and fall of the voice.
read out loud
say written words so they can be heard.
stress
extra emphasis placed on a sound or word.
real-time
happening immediately as something occurs.
Want more speaking practice? Continue with a complete audio course.
Hlw ma’am i hope you are doing great. A huge thank from my side. This is Sakhi from India.. This audio inspire me a lot.. My accent is developing day by day..
Great!
Hi Sakhi! Thanks for the comment. I’m happy I can help!
I’m really enjoy your podcasts, however the last 2 episodes transcript is un 2 columns for page, is it possible for you put un only one column? Because is more easy for me read that in my smartphone.
Thanks in advance
Hi Esteban! Thanks for your feedback! I already decided to change the podcast transcript format, and it won’t be in two columns anymore.
Great, you arte the best
Hi Esteban! You’re very kind 🙂
Thank you very much Georgiana for your helpful and useful podcasts, I really love them!
Thank you very much for your helpful and useful podcasts, they’re great.
Hi, Nico! It’s great that you enjoy the lessons!
Wow! I had no knowledge that the “guru” word is also used in english. I’m from India and it was a bit surprising for me as I thought that it only used in hindi, sanskrit and other Indian languages.
Thanks for your podcasts Georgiana, my english has improved a lot by listening to you!!!
Your webpage is awesome! Thanks for that! I love to listen to podcasts
Hi Georgina
you are so beautiful
Hi Georgiana, I can’t say thank you enough for all the work and the effort you make every time you create one podcast and all the transcripts, I follow you for a while on YouTube and lately I decided to vicite your website too. I love your teaching and your pronunciation is so clear and beautiful. I appreciate all what you do for as. God bless you.
Thanks!
I’m sorry, I wrote all wah you do for as. I meant: all what you do for us. Lol sorry for the mistake.
Hi Georgiana, thanks for your wonderful webpage. You helps me a lot. Your podcasts are great. Jesus bless you!!!
I bought your fluency course last year because I was a listener of your Speak English podcast. It has helped me get more confident when talking with native people. I can understand better the conversations even when I talk to people from different parts of the world.
Thanks!!
Each time I read your post on a daily basis or I go through mini-stories that you’ve made, I acquire a lot of things such as, vocabulary, guidance, words of encouragement and sentence making or speaking style.
Thank you for all that.
Each time I read your post on a daily basis or I go through mini-stories that you’ve made, I acquire a lot of things such as, vocabulary, guidance, words of encouragement and sentence making or speaking style.
Thank you for all that.
Hi Georgiana! I have been listening to your podcast daily and it has helped me a lot. I have a trip to the USA in 3 months and I hope to be able to understand and speak English. I live in Brazil, I’m 45 years old and I started studying English recently, your method teaches me every day. Thanks!
Hi!! I am glad to hear it. I am very happy that you enjoy learning English with my method.