English Pronunciation Tips - Syllables - Improve Your English pronunciation 1

I'm going to be doing a series of videos on English pronunciation tips.

I'll begin with the basics of syllables and stress and then build on that.

Most of what I present in these videos will apply to any English accent - American or

British or otherwise.

In this first video, I want to introduce you to English syllables.

A syllable is a single unit of pronunciation.

It always contains a vowel sound and often contains one or more

consonant sounds.

Words are made up of syllables.

English syllables can be difficult to identify from just the spelling – sometimes you may

have to look up how to say them.

Pronouncing words correctly begins with understanding syllables.

Let’s look at some examples, starting with the easiest – one syllable words

Here are some English words that consist of only one vowel sound: Oh, I, A

Now, here are some one syllable words with one consonant sound: Go, Hi, Stay

Now, some one syllable words with two consonant sounds

Cake, Boat, Bring, Strength

Now, let’s start looking at polysyllabic words, first words with two syllables.

When you’re practicing pronunciation it can help to practice each syllable separately,

then combining them.

Listen and repeat: Wonder, Helpful, Hotel, Decide

Now, some three syllable words: Wondering, Unhelpful, Aggregate, Decided

Four syllables: Disturbances, Aggregators, Undecided, Planetary

Five syllables: Subterranean, Momentarily, Choreographer, Appendectomy

Six syllables: Incomprehensible, Indefatigable, Disambiguation, Responsibility

Seven syllables: Anesthesiology, Compartmentalization, Microbiological, Unconventionality

Eight syllables: Heterosexuality, Incomprehensibility, Machiavellianism, Institutionalization

Almost all words longer than eight syllables are scientific or chemical names and therefore

not really common words.

Let’s practice.

Repeat after me and count the syllables.

How many syllables are in each word?

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In part 2 of this series, I will talk about syllable stress.

This is absolutely KEY to getting proper English pronunciation – whether it’s American

style or British style or anything else, you need to know syllable stress.

So, this lesson on syllables will be the first building block to better pronunciation.

See you in the next video!