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Learning the American Accent - Lesson 1

Date: Dec 08 2012

Topic: Pronunciation

Author: andylu2

Lesson

If I see some people interested in learning the American Accent here on English Baby, I'm going to keep writing some tips for you guys.  Please show me you are interested by commenting and sharing these lessons.  If I see you like them, I'll keep going.

All non native English speakers have an accent.  Any adult who learns to speak a new language will have an accent.  It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it can be beneficial to learn to speak with a more "native sounding" American accent because of the job and social benefits that come along with seeming "international". 

Here is one good tip:

If you are saying the word "to" somewhere in the middle of a sentence, you can pronounce the word almost like "ta" or "te".  

If you are saying the word "to" at the end of a sentence, you need to read it like "Too" as in the number "two".  The "oo" sound is important for the end of a sentence.

Look at these 2 sentences:

1.  Do I have to go to work today?

2.  Who are you going to tell that to?

In the first case, both times you see the word "to" it is somewhere in the middle of sentence.  Native speakers will say the word quickly and won't make the "oo" sound.  

In the second sentence, you have 1 "to" in the middle of the sentence and the other "to" at the end.  

The sentence would sound like this by a native speaker:

"Who are ya going ta tell that too?"

Or, it might sound like:

"Who are ya gonna tell that too?"

I'll teach the "gonna" and "wanna" type pronunciation in another lesson. Please practice read these sentences out loud and ask some Americans what they think of your new accent. 

For more pronunciation tips and techniques, continue to check out this site about learning the american accent for lessons and articles.

Comments

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seungmanlee68

South Korea

It’s great tips. I hope to learn this kind of lessons.

03:02 AM Dec 28 2012 |

Adat

Costa Rica

Great tips, maybe it’s a little harder if you have former english pronounciation education and your teachers are not english native speakers so you learn that way.  But with determination everything it’s posible. Tnx


10:23 PM Dec 26 2012 |

Its Jenna

Its Jenna

Saudi Arabia

This is so helpful.


Good job.

06:17 AM Dec 26 2012 |

fashoo

fashoo

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

fantastic

06:08 AM Dec 26 2012 |

Khine Shein

Myanmar

For me,this is a very useful tip.Thank you very much for sharing your invaluable tips with us.

11:46 AM Dec 25 2012 |

andylu2

andylu2

Canada

Thanks guys!

10:49 AM Dec 25 2012 |

sanefellow

sanefellow

United States

awesome stuff man

04:17 PM Dec 14 2012 |

Sapna shah

India

It was helpful. Please keep going 

10:32 AM Dec 13 2012 |

behnaz2468

behnaz2468

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

:((((((((((((   why dont u keep going..i am waiting for lesson 2..

08:56 PM Dec 11 2012 |

behnaz2468

behnaz2468

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

IT WAS GREAAAAAAAAAAAAAT…I WANT TO SAY THAT 1000000 TIMES..KEEP GOING..

10:03 AM Dec 09 2012 |

Levi3262

Levi3262

Brazil

I Really liked,  it’s useful, simple… thks so much…

09:49 AM Dec 09 2012 |

behnaz2468

behnaz2468

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

it was great..thnx mr/mrs writer..please keep going..

08:48 AM Dec 09 2012 |

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