1. Observe the mouth movements of those who
speak English well and try to imitate them.
When you are watching television,
observe the mouth movements of the speakers. Repeat what they are saying, while
imitating the intonation and rhythm of their speech.
2. Until
you learn the correct intonation and rhythm of English, slow your speech
down.
If you speak too quickly, and
with the wrong intonation and rhythm, native speakers will have a hard time
understanding you.
Don't worry about your listener
getting impatient with your slow speech -- it is more important that everything
you say be understood.
3. Listen to the 'music' of English.
Do not use the 'music' of your native language when you speak English. Each language has its own way of 'singing'.
3. Listen to the 'music' of English.
Do not use the 'music' of your native language when you speak English. Each language has its own way of 'singing'.
4. Use
the dictionary.
Try and familiarise yourself with
the phonetic symbols of your dictionary. Look up the correct pronunciation of
words that are hard for you to say.
5. Make a
list of frequently used words that you find difficult to pronounce
and ask someone who speaks the language well to pronounce them for you.
Record these words, listen to
them and practice saying them. Listen and read at the same
time.
6. Buy
books on tape.
Record yourself reading some
sections of the book. Compare the sound of your English with that of the person
reading the book on the tape.
7.
Pronounce the ending of each word.
8. Read aloud in English
for 15-20 minutes every day.
Research has shown it takes about three months of daily practice to develop strong mouth muscles for speaking a new language.
Research has shown it takes about three months of daily practice to develop strong mouth muscles for speaking a new language.
9. Record
your own voice and listen for pronunciation mistakes.
Many people hate to hear the
sound of their voice and avoid listening to themselves speak. However,
this is a very important exercise because doing it will help you become
conscious of the mistakes you are making.
10. Be
patient.
You can change the way you speak
but it won't happen overnight. People often expect instant results and give up
too soon. You can change the way you sound if you are willing to put some
effort into it.