Consonants
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Place of Articulation for Plosives in English
In this lesson, we’ll focus on the place of articulation of plosives in English. Plosives are also called stops. Whilst all plosives share the same manner of articulation, they have different places of articulation. In total, we have 6 plosives in English, and we classify them into 3 groups, each group contains a pair: Notice… Read more
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Mastering Trill Sounds: Special Consonants Explained
This video explores trills, a group of special consonant sounds produced by the vibration of the active articulator against the passive articulator. Unlike taps, trills rely on airflow rather than muscle movement for vibration. While these sounds are not part of standard English, the video addresses the interest expressed by viewers. Read more
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What’s the difference between English R vs. rolled Spanish & German R?
The video provides clarity on three commonly confused IPA sound symbols. It covers the standard English R (/ɹ/), the rolled R sound in Spanish (/r/), and the standard German R (/ʁ/ or /ʀ/). The differences between these sounds and the Flap T (/ɾ/) are explained, and practical demonstrations are included. Read more
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When & How to pronounce the English R
This video lesson teaches the pronunciation of the letter R in English. It covers the general ‘R’, differences between British and American English, producing the /r/ sound, linking ‘R’ between words, and intrusive ‘R’ between vowel sounds. It emphasizes personal preference over local dialect or accent. Great for improving English pronunciation. Read more
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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 syllables. This pronunciation consists of the unvoiced sounds of /k/ and /s/. Secondly, in words like “example” and “anxiety,” “X”… Read more
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The 24 Consonant Sounds in English
The video provides a brief overview of the 24 English consonant sounds, categorized into 6 plosives, 9 fricatives, 2 affricates, 3 nasals, and 4 approximants. It explains their arrangement on the phonemic chart and the distinction between sounds produced at the front and back of the mouth. The video also covers voiced and voiceless consonant… Read more
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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 for casual conversations or presentations. Simple exercises and examples help boost language skills and confidence. Read more
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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 differ in articulation. The glottal stop is a plosive, formed by a sudden release of restricted airflow, while /h/ is… Read more
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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 glottal stop is an unvoiced plosive sound, heard in words where it replaces the sound /t/ (T-glottalization). Difficult to hear… Read more
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How to pronounce Plural Nouns in English
The video explores three ways to pronounce regular plural nouns in English: with an unvoiced /s/, with a voiced /z/, and with a voiced /ɪz/. It explains the reasons behind these pronunciations and provides numerous examples for improved understanding. Watch the video to enhance your pronunciation skills so listeners understand you easily. Read more
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Light L & Dark L – The lateral approximant
The sound /l/ is a lateral approximant, also sometimes called a sonorant. It can be divided into light and dark /l/. The dark /l/ is velarized which means the back of our tongue is raised towards the velum. It occurs after a vowel or diphthong in a syllable. The light /l/ is non-velarized, also often… Read more
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What are consonant clusters?
The video explores consonant clusters, also known as consonant compounds or blends. These are consecutive consonant sounds without a vowel in between. It discusses the rules of phonotactics in English for initial consonant clusters and final consonant clusters. The most common clusters are covered, along with opportunities for pronunciation practice. Additional practice is available in… Read more
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