How to Use Sentence Stress to Speak English More Naturally

sentence stress

When you’re absorbed in listening to a song, you naturally nod your head or move your body based on the rhythm. 

There’s a certain rhythm to speaking English too. It may not be as noticeable as loud drumbeats, but there are certain words in sentences that English speakers emphasize – while other words are said more quietly.Read more “How to Use Sentence Stress to Speak English More Naturally”

7 Stress Rules in the English Language for Perfecting Your Pronunciation

stress rules in english language

English is a “stressed” language. 

We’re not literally talking about how stressful English can sometimes be (especially with its contradicting rules!). What we mean is English stresses or emphasizes some words and syllables compared to others. They’re pronounced more strongly with higher pitch, and they even take more time to say.Read more “7 Stress Rules in the English Language for Perfecting Your Pronunciation”

How to Correctly Pronounce Short Vowel Sounds to Enhance Your English Fluency

short vowel sounds

Say this sentence out loud:

“I need to study English often if I want to be fluent.”

Do you think you pronounced all the vowels correctly?

Without any short vowel sounds, the same sentence would sound something like this:

“I need to stoo-dai een-glai-sh ohften ai-f I way-nt to be fluent.”Read more “How to Correctly Pronounce Short Vowel Sounds to Enhance Your English Fluency”

How to Teach the Schwa Sound and Boost Your Students’ Fluency

how to teach the schwa sound

Have you thought about teaching your students the schwa sound? Maybe you’re not sure how to approach it, or you figured it’s something they’ll pick up themselves?

You’ve come to the right place. 

In this article, we’ll show you how to teach the schwa sound effectively and why its pronunciation should be a priority for all your students.Read more “How to Teach the Schwa Sound and Boost Your Students’ Fluency”

7 Creative Ways to Teach Long Vowel Sounds for Children

long vowel sounds for children

If you’ve ever taught children how to speak English, you’ll notice that they tend to have a harder time with vowels than consonants. 

In particular, one of the toughest pronunciation points for children would be long vowel sounds. While short vowels are simpler and more intuitive, children often need guidance in saying long vowels properly, especially since these can have different spellings for each word.Read more “7 Creative Ways to Teach Long Vowel Sounds for Children”