English Pronunciation Lesson - Consonant Clusters with R Sound

I’m Doctor Don here to give you some more tips and exercises to use to improve your

English pronunciation skills.

Remember that pronunciation is a physical skill using the muscles of your mouth and

tongue.

When speaking a foreign language you need to practice making unusual sounds to get better

at it – like practicing shooting a basketball or swinging a golf club.

You need to get your body used to making the same movements to make the sounds you want

to make.

This is my second video in the series on pronouncing INITIAL CONSONANT CLUSTERS.

An initial consonant cluster is a group of consonant sounds that appear at the beginning

of a word.

These are common in English and can be difficult sometimes for non-native speakers.

I’m doing a series of 5 videos where I will introduce you to the initial consonant clusters

show you how to make the sounds and give you some exercises to practice making them yourself.

So, watch these videos, practice, and you will get better.

Today we’re going to do the clusters with the R sound.

BR to make this sound put your lips together to make a B then open up and round your lips

into an R sound.

Try to say the word “BAR” where your mouth is at the END of that word is where you need

to be to make this cluster sound.

BRAG BROWN BRING BROUGHT.

Repeat these words slowly and then try to say them quickly.

CR to make this sound open your mouth to make the hard K sound then then open and round

your lips into an R sound.

Try to say the word “CAR” and where your mouth is at the end of that word is where

you need to be to make this cluster sound.

CRASS CROWD CRINKLE CRUDE.

Repeat…

DR to make this sound put your tongue behind the root of your upper teeth to make the hard

D sound then round your mouth into an R sound.

Try to say the word DOOR and where your mouth is at the end is where you need to be to make

this cluster sound.

DRAG DROWN DROUGHT DREW.

Repeat…

FR to make this sound put your bottom lip under your teeth to make the F sound then

open your mouth into the R sound.

Try to say the word FAR and where your mouth is at the end of that word is where you need

to be to make this sound.

FRAGMENT, FROWN, FRUMPY, FRUIT.

Repeat…

GR to make this sound push your lips out this way.

And “GRRR” GREAT, GROW, GRIND, GREW.

Repeat…

PR to make this sound put your lips together to make the P sound then open your mouth into

an R sound.

Try to say the word PURR and where your mouth is at the end of that word is where you need

to be to make this sound.

PRAT, PROUD, PRE, PRONG.

Repeat…

Here’s a challenge for you.

Say these 6 phrases quickly…

Bring brown bruins, cream crass crawlers, dream drowning drawers, free frumpy fruits,

grind growing greatness, prepare proud pringles.

Now you try.

Practice those clusters and I’ll be back to show you the third set…