Hello ESL Speech Community!
Welcome to the November edition of our English Pronunciation Newsletter! This month, we’re excited to keep you moving forward on your journey to clearer, more confident speech. Whether you’re building a strong foundation or polishing specific sounds, the tips and exercises here are designed to help you make steady progress every step of the way.
Quick Pronunciation Lesson: Seasonal Words 🍂🦃🙏
For November, let’s work on some common seasonal/holiday words to get into the spirit of thanksgiving. In the U.S., Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the things that we can be thankful for in our lives. It's also a time when families get together and share a thanksgiving meal. A traditional Thanksgiving dinner usually includes turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.
- Thanksgiving /θæŋksˈɡɪvɪŋ/ - the "th" sound can be a challenge. This is the unvoiced "th" sound. Remember, don't make the "s" or "t" sound for the "th"!
- Thankful /ˈθæŋkfəl/ - again, we have the unvoiced "th". Don't forget the "L" at the end!
- Turkey /ˈtɜrki/ - the vowel + r can be difficult. In general American English, we don't tap the "r".
- Get together /ˈɡɛt təˈɡɛðər/ - a popular verb phrase that means spend time together.
- Cranberry sauce /ˈkrænˌbɛri sɔs/ - here, we have the consonant blend "cr" and the "rr". Don't tap or trill the "r"
- Pumpkin pie /ˈpʌmpkɪn paɪ/
Practice saying these words slowly at first, paying attention to the stressed syllables. Then try using them in sentences: “I'm thankful I can get together for Thanksgiving with my family.”
