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The 4 Pronunciations of the letter X

In this video we will go over the four different ways the letter X could be pronounced in English. Firstly, in words like “extra,” “six,” and “maximum,” “X” is pronounced as /ks/, spread across two… Read more
The Vowel Chart – The 12 Monophthongs in British English

The video provides an in-depth explanation of the British English vowel chart, detailing the 12 monophthongs and their production in the mouth. It covers the positioning of sounds along the horizontal and vertical axes, showcasing… Read more
Diphthongs in English – An Introduction

This lesson introduces the 8 diphthong sounds in English, such as /eɪ/ and /aɪ/, which are a combination of two vowel sounds. Unlike single vowel sounds (monophthongs), diphthongs involve movement in the speaking apparatus. The… Read more

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Connected Speech

What is Linking R & Intrusive R in Connected Speech

Linking R is something that often occurs when non-rhotic speakers speak naturally. But wait! Didn’t we just learn last week that non-rhotic speakers do not pronounce their Rs? Yes, that’s right, only that they do… Read more
What are weak forms?

In this video we are going to look at weak forms. You learn what weak forms are compared to full forms and why they occur in English. You might have asked yourself why it is… Read more
Linking Sounds Part 2 – Consonant to Consonant & Vowel to Vowel

The video teaches how to speak fluently by linking sounds, allowing words to flow together for faster, more natural speech. It illustrates how consonant sounds join between words and demonstrates linking between consonants and near… Read more

Vowels: Monophthongs

Vowel Sounds – Short ʊ & Long u: in English pronunciation

A video about the short ʊ & long u: vowel sounds in English. Read more
Vowel Sounds – Short ɒ & Long ɔ: in English pronunciation

A lesson on the short ɒ & long ɔ: monophthongs in English. Explore the world of short ɒ and long ɔ: sounds in our easy-to-follow video made just for English learners. This video breaks down… Read more
Vowel Sounds – The long ɜ: in English Pronunciation

A video about the long vowel sound /ɜ:/ – monophthong in English pronunciation. In our latest lesson for English learners, we shine a light on the often misunderstood ɜ: sound. This video is designed to… Read more

Vowels: Diphthongs

The Diphthong /ɔɪ/ in English Pronunciation

This video teaches you the diphthong /ɔɪ/ – a double vowel sound that is a combination of the monophthongs /ɔ/ and /ɪ/. /ɔ/ Is an open-mid back rounded vowel sound, and /ɪ/ is a near-close… Read more
The Diphthong /aɪ/ in English Pronunciation

We continue our journey through all the sounds of English. This video teaches you how the diphthong /aɪ/ is formed and produced. A diphthong is a double vowel sound, a combination of two individual vowel… Read more
The Diphthong /eɪ/ in English Pronunciation

This video teaches you how to form and produce the diphthong /eɪ/. Diphthongs are also called double vowel sounds because they are a combination of two monophthongs (= two single vowel sounds). In the diphthong… Read more

Consonants

Dropped /t/ and Silent T: Linking in Pronunciation

In this video, the mystery of dropped /t/ and silent ‘T’ in English is unraveled, explaining why native speakers skip certain ‘T’ sounds. Viewers will learn tricks to make English speech sound natural, improving pronunciation… Read more
Glottal Stop /ʔ/ vs. the /h/ sound

In the video, we explore the differences between the glottal stop /ʔ/ and the sound /h/ in English. Both are voiceless glottal sounds formed at the space between the vocal cords. They share characteristics but… Read more
The Glottal Stop

The video discusses the glottal stop, a special sound in English, often found in regional accents like Cockney amongst others. It’s formed in the glottis, the space between the vocal cords in the throat. The… Read more

Phonology Topics

Sonorants & Obstruents in English Phonology

The video discusses two groups of sounds: sonorants (or resonants) and obstruents. Sonorants are produced with continuous airflow, without restrictions causing air friction, and are always voiced in English. Obstruents, on the other hand, are… Read more
IPA Diacritics & Suprasegmentals in Phonemic Transcription

The video explores additional IPA symbols used in transcription, which are commonly seen in phonemic transcriptions. These symbols, apart from sound symbols, fall into two categories: suprasegmentals and diacritics. The video focuses on the most… Read more
What are Syllabic Consonants?

The video discusses syllabic consonants, a phenomenon where consonants take on the role of vowels in unstressed syllables to maintain the syllable status. In English, only the nasals /m/, /n/, /ŋ/ and the liquids /l/,… Read more

Intonation & Sentence Stress

Word & Sentence Stress in English

The video explores word and sentence stress using the song ‘My Favourite Things’ from ‘The Sound of Music’. The song’s triple time waltz-like structure emphasizes strong syllables on the ‘one’ beat and weak syllables on… Read more
What is Emphatic Stress in English Pronunciation?

The video discusses emphatic stress, one of the 4 types of sentence stress in English. Emphatic stress involves placing stress on a word, often an intensifier, to emphasize how special or extraordinary something is. This… Read more
What is Contrastive Stress?

This video explores the concept of contrastive stress in English sentences, showcasing how emphasis on different words can alter the meaning without changing the grammar or order. The example “She doesn’t think this is a… Read more

Word Stress

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