“X” is for “xylophone.” That’s what all the kids learn, anyway. For adults who are learning American English pronunciation, “x” is for /ks/ or /gz/. Two Consonants The letter “x” typically represents...
In your throat, you have a set of vocal folds (or vocal chords). These folds can either be pulled apart or pushed together when producing speech sounds. If you pronounce...
Pronunciation of “con” and “com” can seem tricky in words like “complete,” “concert,” and “condition.” When do you use /ə/ (“uh”) and when do you use /ɑ/ (“ah”)? Why is...
Have you ever noticed that letters in some English words are not pronounced? Here are the top five words that surprise non-native English speakers in my accent training courses. 1. Bomb The “b”...
If you think getting kids to do their homework is challenging, try convincing a 40-year-old to do theirs! Some people mistakenly assume it is easier to get adults to practice...
Placement of stress in a sentence is critical when trying to get people to understand your meaning and to arrive at that understanding quickly and easily. Against gut intuition, the...