Unfortunately, in Russian, sounds like [ θ ] , [ ð ] No.

To understand how these sounds are pronounced, the following exercises for the organs of speech will help.

• Stick your tongue between your teeth and blow out the air. Make sure that the tongue is not tense, and the lips do not touch the edges of the tongue.
• Stick your tongue between your teeth and then quickly remove it. Do this exercise several times.

When pronouncing sounds [ θ ] , [ ð ] the tongue is flattened and not tense, the tip of the tongue is between the teeth.

Sound [ θ ] is pronounced as deaf, and the sound [ ð ] with a voice like a sonorous one. Remember that the lips should not touch the edges of the tongue. You should quickly remove your tongue behind your teeth so as not to interfere with the pronunciation of the subsequent sound.

These sounds should not be replaced by Russian [ With ], [ h] or English [ z ] , [ t ] , [ d ] .

Sounds [ θ ] , [ ð ] can be heard in the following English words:

they [ ei] - they	thick [ θik] - thick
them[ ðem] - them	thin [ θin] - thin
then[ en] - then	myth[ miθ] - myth
this[ Is] - this	tenth[ tenθ] - tenth
bathe [ beið] - bathe	Timothy timəθi] - Timothy

On a letter sounds [ θ ] , [ ð ] are denoted by the letter combination th.

Sound [ ð ] , as a rule, sounds in service words:

• in the definite article the
• in pronouns this , that , they , them
• at the end of words before a letter e: bathe

If the letter combination th is the ending for the formation of ordinal numbers, then it is pronounced as [ θ ] , for example: tenth

note the difference in pronunciation of sounds [ θ ] - [ s ] - [ t ] :

Since there is no sound in Russian [ θ ], then they try to replace it either with the sound [ s] , on either [ t

Sound [ θ ] interdental. When pronouncing it, the tip of the tongue is between the teeth.

Sounds [ t ] , [ s] alveolar. When pronouncing [ t] the tip of the tongue is in contact with the alveoli. When pronouncing [ s] the tip of the tongue rises to the alveoli.

Compare:

[ feis ] - [ feiθ ]	face - faith	face - faith
[ mis ] - [ miθ ]	miss-myth	loss is a myth
[ tens ] - [ tenθ ]	tense - tenth	tense - tenth
[ tin ] - [ θin ]	tin - thin	tin - thin
[ true: ] - [ θru: ]	true-through	truthful - through
[ tri: ] - [ θri: ]	tree - three	tree - three
[ sik ] - [ θik ]	sick-thick	sick - fat

Due to the lack of sound [ ð ] in Russian it is often replaced by the sounds [ z ] , [ d] , which leads to a gross violation of the meaning.

Sound [ ð ] voiced interdental consonant. It is pronounced the same as [ θ ] , only with voice.

Sounds [ z ] , [ d] are voiced alveolar consonants.

Compare:

[ beið ] - [ beis ]	bathe - base	swim - base
[ bri:ð ] - [ bri:z ]	breathe-breeze	breathe - light breeze
[ si:ð ] - [ si:z ]	seethe-seize	boil - grab
[ ei ] - [ dei ]	they - day	they are the day
[ en ] - [ den ]	then - den	then - lair

- it only takes 35 seconds. Actress Amy Walker, who imitates a Russian accent in English quite successfully, has something interesting to tell you. In her opinion, hallmark Russian pronunciation is that it is cold in Russia - and therefore the sound is “born” somewhere in the back of the throat, so as not to freeze. A very interesting comparison, isn't it? Let's see what other differences can help us speak English more correctly and beautifully.

"If you don't know how to pronounce a word, say it loud!"
— William Strunk, Jr.

Vowels: quantity and quality

There are only 6 vowels in Russian, and as many as 20 in English. Obviously, it is impossible to convey English with the help of Russian sounds, you should not even try: for example, the words "cart" and "cut", "bad" and "bed" in the Russian "voice acting" would be the same. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to such points:

• the meaning of the word depends on the quality of the sound (wide sound [æ] or regular [e]), so all sounds must be pronounced clearly and in accordance with the rules;
• the length of the sound is also a very important characteristic, which, as we know, is absent in the Russian language. Here, too, you need to be careful not to confuse, for example, "ship" and "sheep";
• in English there are diphthongs and triphthongs - combinations of two or three sounds that must be pronounced as one. At the same time, they have the main component (core), which sounds louder and clearer, and the secondary (sliding), which is less pronounced. For example, in the word "my" the first part of the diphthong is pronounced brightly, and the second is very fluent, almost like a short [j], that is, it is not at all equal to [a] + [ɪ].

"English people don"t have very good diction.
In France you have to pronounce very particularly and clearly, and learning French at an early age helped me enormously."
— Vivien Leigh

Consonants: firm and clear

Consonants of English language also have certain differences. For example:

• almost all consonants are pronounced firmly, no matter what sound follows them. If, say, in the Russian word “pour” the sound [l] becomes soft due to the vowel [i] following it, then in English word"little" nothing like that happens. If you habitually soften consonants, then the meaning of the word will not suffer, it will simply strengthen your foreign accent;
• unlike Russian, consonants at the end of a word are not stunned in English. What sounds do you hear last in the words "oak", "eye" and "year"? That's right, [n], [s] and [t]. In English, everything is pronounced clearly, and failure to follow this rule can easily distort the meaning. For example, the words "bet" and "bed", "leave" and "leaf" differ only in one last sound, but at the same time they do not mean the same thing at all;
• the sounds [p], [t], [k] are pronounced with a breath, that is, with a slight exhalation, as if with a hint of the sound [h]. This aspiration is most clearly heard before vowels, while it is practically absent before consonants;
• sounds such as [t], [d], [n], [l] are formed a little differently. Behind the upper teeth, we have tubercles-alveoli, on which you need to put your tongue when pronouncing these sounds. Compliance with this rule along with others will also help get rid of the Russian accent;
• in English there are sounds that have no analogues in Russian. These are [r], [w], [ŋ] and, of course, everyone's favorite [ð] and [θ]. This is exactly the case when it is better to see and try once than to read a text description for a long time. Fortunately, modern technology allows us to master all sounds to perfection, even if we do not have the opportunity to communicate directly with a native speaker. Watch a tutorial video for sounds [ð] and [θ] , [w] , [r] and [ŋ].

"I will buy any creme, cosmetic, or elixir from a woman with a European accent."
— Erma Bombeck

In addition to these features, there are many more big and small differences between Russian and English sounds. You can, of course, find a textbook on English phonetics, study all the rules thoroughly and work them out with the help of special exercises. But it will be much more effective to use the following tips:

• feel free to imitate native speakers: if you copy their facial expressions, the sounds will turn out better;
• the more English-language speech you hear around you, the more of its features you absorb subconsciously, without any memorization;
• having learned to pronounce individual sounds, pay attention to their combinations: too clear pronunciation of each sound and word also very much betrays a foreigner in you;
• communicate with native speakers, because in a conversation you will involuntarily adapt to their manner of speaking and improve your pronunciation. Students of our English school on Skype have this opportunity thanks to discussion clubs with native speakers.

So, to understand all the nuances and shades English sounds somewhat difficult, but quite possible. The main thing is to practice with pleasure, try to switch to English mode and not use Russian sounds, and, of course, find good examples to emulate. Believe in yourself and practice with pleasure - very soon your pronunciation will noticeably improve.

Big and friendly family EnglishDom

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Vowel [i:] resembles the Russian sound [ and ] in the word willow.

Vowel [i] resembles a short Russian sound [and].

Vowel sound [ e ] close to the Russian sound [e] in words these, tin but not in words this, echo.

Vowel sound [æ] unlike any Russian sound, it can be described as "something in between the Russian sounds [e] and [a]". When pronouncing this sound, the lips are somewhat stretched, the lower jaw is lowered, the tip of the tongue touches the lower teeth, and the middle back of the tongue slightly arches forward and upward.

Vowel sound [ei] - diphthong, the core of which is the vowel [ e ], and the slide occurs in the direction of the vowel [ i ]. When pronouncing a diphthong [ei], it is necessary to ensure that the core is not as wide as the Russian vowel [e], and the second element does not turn into a Russian sound [th].

Vowel sound [ə] is called a neutral vowel and is the result of reduction, that is, the weakening of vowels in an unstressed position. It is always unstressed and is easily influenced by neighboring sounds. Hence a number of shades of the neutral vowel. One of them coincides with the Russian final unstressed [a] in words such as room, paper. It should not look like either [e], or distinct [a].

Vowel sound [a:] resembles a Russian sound [a], but the tongue moves further back and down and lies flat.

Vowel sound [u:] . When pronouncing the sound [u:], the lips are strongly rounded, but much less pushed forward than when pronouncing the Russian sound [u]. The English sound [u:] is longer and more tense than the Russian sound [u].

Vowel sound [ɔ:] - long vowel. In order to correctly pronounce the sound [ɔ:], one should give the speech organs a position, as when pronouncing the sound [a:], then significantly round the lips and slightly push them forward; pronounce the sound [ɔ:], avoiding the overtone [y] in front of it, which is characteristic of Russian [o].

Vowel sound [ɔ] . In order to pronounce the sound [ɔ], one should proceed from the position of the organs of speech when pronouncing the sound [a:], then slightly round the lips and pronounce short sound [ ɔ ].

Vowel sound [ u ] - a short monophthong. Unlike the Russian sound [u], when pronouncing the English sound [u], the lips almost do not move forward, but they are noticeably rounded.

Vowel sound [ou] - diphthong. It begins with a vowel sound, which is a cross between the Russian sounds [o] and [e]. The lips, when pronouncing the beginning of this diphthong, are slightly stretched and rounded. Gliding occurs in the direction of the vowel [u].

Vowel sound [ʌ] similar to the Russian pre-stressed sound [ a ] ​​in words which, posts, basses.

Vowel sound [au] - a diphthong, the core of which is the sound [ a ], as in the diphthong [ ai ], and the slide occurs in the direction of the vowel sound [ u ], which, however, is not clearly pronounced.

Vowel sound [ɔi] - a diphthong, the core of which is the vowel sound [ ɔ ], and the sliding occurs in the direction of the vowel sound [ i ].

Vowel sound [ə:] . When pronouncing the sound [ə:] the body of the tongue is raised, the entire back of the tongue lies as flat as possible, the lips are tense and slightly stretched, slightly exposing the teeth, the distance between the jaws is small. In Russian, there is no sound coinciding with the sound [ə:] or similar to it. Care must be taken not to replace the sound [ə:] with the sounds [e] or [o].

Vowel sound [iə] - diphthong. The core of the diphthong is the vowel [ i ], and the slide occurs in the direction of the neutral vowel, which has a shade of the sound [ ʌ ].

Vowel sound [ɛə] - diphthong. The core of the diphthong is a vowel similar to the Russian sound [ e ] in the word this is. Gliding occurs in the direction of a neutral vowel with a hint of sound [ʌ].

Vowel sound [uə] - diphthong. The core of the diphthong is the vowel [ u ], the slide occurs in the direction of the neutral vowel, which has a shade of [ ʌ ].

Consonant sound [ m ] close to the Russian sound [m], but when pronouncing the English sound, the lips close more tightly than when pronouncing the Russian sound.

Consonants [p, b] similar to Russian sounds [p, b], but English sounds are pronounced with a breath, the lips first close, and then instantly open.

Consonant [f] pronounced more energetically than the corresponding Russian consonant [f].

Consonant sound [ v ] , unlike the Russian sound [v] at the end of the word is not stunned.

Consonants [t, d] resemble Russian sounds [t, d], but before vowels they are pronounced aspirated.

Consonants [ n, l, s, z ] close to Russian sounds [n, l, s, z].

Consonant [w] similar to the Russian sound [u], but when pronouncing the English sound, the lips are more rounded and significantly pushed forward.

Consonant [θ] has no analogue in Russian. This sound is muffled. When pronouncing it, the tongue is flattened and relaxed, the tip of the tongue forms a narrow flat gap with the entire cutting edge of the upper teeth, loosely pressed against it. A jet of air passes through this gap with force. The tip of the tongue should not protrude far beyond the upper teeth or be pressed too tightly against the teeth (otherwise it will turn out [ t ]). The teeth should be exposed, especially the lower ones, so that the lower lip does not touch the upper teeth and does not come close to them (otherwise it will turn out [ f ]).

Consonant sound [ð] similar to the previous sound, when pronouncing it, the speech organs occupy the same position, but the sound [ð] is voiced.

Combination of sounds [pl] before a stressed vowel is pronounced together. The sound [ p ] is pronounced so vigorously that the sound [ l ] is partially deafened.

Consonant sound [ k ] pronounced almost the same as the Russian sound [k]. The difference is that the English sound is aspirated and sounds more distinct at the end of a word.

Consonant [g] pronounced almost the same as the Russian sound [g], but less tense, and at the end of the word it is not deafened.

Consonant [ʃ] resembles the Russian sound [sh], but is softer. However, the sound [ʃ] should not be as soft as the Russian sound, denoted by the letter sch.

Consonant [ʒ] differs from the sound [ʃ] only in sonority. The sound [ʒ] differs from the Russian sound [zh] in softness.

Consonant sound [tʃ] resembles the Russian sound [h], but differs from it in that it is pronounced harder.

Consonant [ʤ] pronounced the same as [tʃ], but only loudly, with a voice.

Combination of sounds [ kl ] , as well as the sound combination [ pl ], before the stressed vowel is pronounced together, and the sound [ k ] is pronounced so vigorously that [ l ] is partially stunned.

Consonant [h] absent in Russian. In English, it occurs only before a vowel and sounds like a light, barely audible exhalation. Unlike the Russian sound [x], the English sound [h] is formed without any participation of the language.

Consonant sound [ j ] resembles a Russian sound [th], however, when pronouncing the English sound [j], the middle part of the tongue rises to the sky less than with the Russian sound [th], and therefore when pronouncing the English sound [j], less noise is heard than when pronouncing the Russian sound [ th].

Consonant [r] similar to Russian [r], but pronounced less sharply and loudly.

Consonant sound [ŋ] . When pronouncing the sonata [ŋ], the back of the tongue closes with the lowered soft palate, and air passes through the nasal cavity. In order to achieve the desired position of the organs of speech, you can inhale through the nose with the mouth wide open, then pronounce the sound [ ŋ ] while exhaling air through the nose.

Combination of sounds [s], [z] with sounds [θ] and [ð] . When pronouncing sound combinations [ s ] or [ z ] with the sound [ θ ] or [ ð ], care must be taken not to allow a vowel overtone or pause between them and at the same time maintain the quality of each sound. If the sound [s] or [z] is before the sound [θ] or [ð], then it is necessary, without finishing pronouncing the first sound, to gradually move the tip of the tongue into the interdental position. If the sound [s] or [z] is after the sound [θ] or [ð], then the tip of the tongue makes a reverse movement.

Sound combinations [aiə] and [auə] . These combinations are compounds of diphthongs [ai] and [au] with a neutral vowel [ə]. However, the middle elements of these sound combinations are never pronounced distinctly. It is necessary to ensure that in the middle of the sound combination [aiə] the sound [j] is not heard, and in the middle of the sound combination [auə] - the sound [w].

Combination of sounds [wə:] . When pronouncing this sound combination, care must be taken not to soften the sound [w] and not to replace the sound [ə:] with Russian sounds [o] or [e].

Combination of sounds [t] and [k] with sound [w] . In order to correctly pronounce the combinations with the sound [tw] and [kw], while pronouncing the sounds [t] and [k], at the same time round the lips to pronounce the sound [w]. After a deaf consonant, the sound [ w ] is muffled (has a deaf beginning).

From Lesson 1 you will learn:

• how to pronounce english consonants p, t, k, h;
• how to pronounce english vowel [ɪ];
• how to read spelling ck.

Lesson one from the cycle "Author's English lessons for beginners or how to learn to read English on your own"

Consonants [p], [t], [k], [h], [f], [s], [ʃ], [ʧ], denoted by letters: p, t, k, h, f, s and letter combinations sh, ch,- strong and require special attention during pronunciation. We Russians, as already mentioned, pronounce these sounds completely wrong, and this is one of the main reasons for the Russian accent.

So remember the phrase « about pt[s/i]chkah and f[s/i]stashka h[s/i]tats”. All consonants in these words are STRONG, they must be pronounced, exhaling ENERGLY, and strong enough to force air out of the mouth. This phenomenon is called "aspiration" or "aspiration".

Aspiration is a very important property of some English consonants.

How to pronounce consonants correctly?

- “p”, BUT open your lips vigorously, exhale strongly, the exhalation should be audible.

- “t”, BUT press the tip of the tongue to the tubercles above the upper teeth (alveoli) and, sharply tearing it off, exhale with force.

- “k”, BUT pronouncing this sound, exhale with force, the position of the tongue is the same as when pronouncing the Russian sound “k”.

[h]- this English sound is just an exhalation that is heard.

You can place a piece of paper at some distance from your mouth and, pronouncing words with these sounds, make the sheet tremble.

Listen to how to pronounce sounds correctly —

Remember transcription icons

p - [p], t - [t], k - [k], h - [h] (learn in this lesson)

f - [f], s - [s], sh - [ʃ], ch - [ʧ] (learn more)

Here is a funny video from the movie "My Fair Lady" in which Professor Higgins teaches correct pronunciation: Eliza learns to pronounce [h] correctly))

Since we are just starting to practice sounds, and at the same time learn to read in English, we will start with combinations of these three consonant sounds with the sound [i], you have to take some vowel, and [i] the least difficult.

How to pronounce the English vowel [i]?

Vowel sound [i] pronounced like the Russian "and" in the word "sew". Make a sound [i] briefly, uncomplicated. The tip of the tongue is at the lower teeth, do not raise the back of the tongue to the sky as much as when pronouncing the Russian "and", and do not lower it as low as when pronouncing "y". Feel the difference. English sound [i]- something between the Russian sounds "i" and "y". Listen to his pronunciation —>

Words for practicing the pronunciation of English sounds in combination with [i]:

pin, pill, tin, till, kin, kill, hill, him (inhalation at the beginning of a word)

Vowel i in these words it is in a closed syllable. Vowel [i] in a closed syllable it reads like [i].

Let's figure out how to divide a word into syllables.

Important! Light exhalation that is heard after makes something like a sound [h], that is, the word pin will sound like this:

Important! Do not soften consonants before [i]

What means " do not soften the consonant"? - To understand the meaning of this phrase, say the word: ardor. In this word, the sound "p" is hard. Now say the word "drank". In this word, the sound "p" is soft. In Russian, we automatically soften consonants before vowels i, e, u, i: P and l, p e l, l Yu k, p I th. Now try to pronounce the words "drank", "sang", "hatch", "five" in English. If you do not soften the consonant, then it will turn out approximately: “p s l", "p el", "lat k", "p a t".

Now you can already read the words below. Since they end in a consonant, they have a vowel i read by closed syllable rule - [i]. At the same time, consonant sounds n, m, b, l pronounce as appropriate Russian sounds. At the same time, remember the transcription icons:

• n [n] - "n"
• m [m] - "m"
• b [b] - "b"
• l [l] - "l"
  

Phonetic exercise for practicing the pronunciation of English sounds in combination with [i]:

An exercise 1. Read words with English soundsin conjunction with[i] . Don't forget to breathe.

1.ink, imp, bit, milk, lip, lick (aspiration at the end)

Your browser does not support the audio tag!

2.pit, tit, hit, kit, tip, hip, pip (aspiration at the beginning of a word and at the end)

Your browser does not support the audio tag!

3.pick , kick , picnic [`piknik], kilt (aspiration at the beginning of a word and at the end)

Have you ever had problems pronunciation in English? How do you usually deal with difficult sounds? As a rule, people unconsciously try to cheat and simplify their work - to pronounce a similar Russian sound. However, native speakers may not understand at all what we are trying to tell them, because for them it will be new unfamiliar words. Do you want your English to be understood not only by compatriots? Then study our overview of the most common "Russian" mistakes in English pronunciation and get tips on how to get rid of them.

How to work on mistakes in pronunciation

To begin with, we will give you some tips on how you can prevent the occurrence of errors in pronunciation. This is easier to do than learning to pronounce sounds again.

First of all, we advise you to familiarize yourself with the rules of reading. This is the foundation of the basics with which it is worth starting to learn the language. If for some reason you didn’t learn them or don’t remember well, we strongly advise you to memorize the rules for reading vowels and consonants. This will greatly facilitate your further work on the pronunciation of English sounds.

After that, study the correct position of the lips, tongue, palate, vocal cords when pronouncing each of the sounds of English. The easiest way to do this is to individual lessons with one of our or special training videos. For each of the errors described below, we will provide a video that teaches the pronunciation of the “problem sound”.

There are also special textbooks that will help you get rid of problems in pronunciation of English. You can take one of the following benefits:

• “English Pronunciation in Use”
• “Tree or Three? An Elementary Pronunciation Course” by Ann Baker
• “Ship or Sheep? An Intermediate Pronunciation Course” by Ann Baker
• “Elements of Pronunciation”
• “New Headway Pronunciation Course”

In them you will find detailed explanations and practical exercises for getting rid of the Russian accent.

Practice pronunciation with tongue twisters that help you work out sounds that are difficult for you. You will find many wonderful phrases for training in the article "50 most difficult tongue twisters in English". In this article, we will give one tongue twister, voiced by a native speaker, to each of the presented errors in the pronunciation of English.

If you decide to take your pronunciation seriously, we advise you to read our article "". This is a whole guide with many interesting tricks and secrets for those who want to "sound" like a native speaker.

Russian mistakes that we make in English speech most often

1. We muffle voiced consonants at the end of a word

When speaking in Russian, we muffle the voiced consonants at the end of the word, for example: we say “moroz” “moroz”, we say “grip” for mushroom, we say “burden” for a knife, etc. In English, such self-will is not allowed: if you muffle voiced consonant, you can get a completely different word. If the pronunciation is incorrect, it may happen that the adjective "bad" - bad turns into a "bat" - bat.

Solution:

As soon as you start learning English, immediately accustom yourself to pronounce words clearly and distinctly, pronouncing all consonants as required by the rules for reading the language.

Related videos:

Patter:

How many cookies could a good cook cook if a good cook could cook cookies? A good cook could cook as many cookies as a good cook who could cook cookies.

2. We pronounce the sounds /w/ and /v/ like Russian /v/

Again, the inconsistency with the Russian language is to blame: we have only one version of the pronunciation of the letter “v”. However, it does not correspond to any of the sounds of the English language. So it turns out that we say vet (veterinarian) instead of wet (wet).

Solution:

Learn the correct position of the organs of articulation. You should develop a conditioned reflex: when pronouncing the sound /w/, you need to stretch your lips with a tube, with the sound /v/, you need to bite your lower lip a little with your teeth.

Related videos:

Patter:

The very wary warrior veered violently where the violets wound very wickedly.

3. We pronounce the sound / r / like Russian / r /

We often forget about the correct position of the organs of speech when pronouncing this sound, so it turns out to be fuzzy and it becomes difficult for a foreigner to understand us. In addition, we often pronounce this sound when it is not necessary to pronounce it at all: at the position of the letter r at the end of a word. And it turns out that we, for example, “croak” when pronouncing the word car (car).

Solution:

Go back to reading rules in English and learn by heart when the letter r is pronounced and when it is not. And also learn how to correctly position the organs of speech during the pronunciation of the letter r: the tip of the tongue is slightly bent back and reaches for the alveoli (the tubercles of y between the front upper teeth and the middle part of the palate), but does not touch them. English /r/, unlike Russian, is pronounced without air vibration. You can find two variants of /r/ pronunciation at the end of a word: it can be pronounced, or it can be omitted, the main thing is that English /r/ is different from Russian.

Related videos:

Patter:

Ray ran across a rough road with his red rocks, wretched ratchet wrench, and rare rubber roller.

4. We pronounce the sounds /θ/ and /ð/ like Russian /f/ and /з/

We think everyone will agree that the words “zeriz” (there is), “zera” (there are), “fries” (three) and “fenkyu-senkyu” (thank you) have already become the talk of the town. It seems to us that we pronounce similar Russian sounds and there is nothing wrong with that. However, native speakers do not understand us, because the words we speak lose their meaning due to the replacement of sound.

Solution:

If you train yourself to hold your tongue in the correct position when making these sounds, it will make your task much easier. When pronouncing the sounds /θ/ and /ð/, the tongue is between the teeth. When pronouncing the /θ/ sound, linguists recommend placing the tongue between the teeth and pronouncing the Russian letter “t”, and for the /ð/ sound, pronounce the Russian “d”, while you should feel a slight vibration of the air in your throat. Don't worry if it's difficult at first. Speak slowly, but try to pronounce each word clearly.

Related videos:

Patter:

The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.

5. Pronounce nasal /ŋ/ like Russian /n/

Usually, at the end of words ending in -ing, people either pronounce the ending "ing" or "ing", while forgetting that the sound in this case must be nasal - /ŋ/, and the letter g must be omitted.

Solution:

To make it easier to pronounce the sound, train yourself not to raise the tip of the tongue to the upper teeth, but to leave it at the bottom, the back of the tongue should be raised to the sky. Thus, you will get the same nasal /ŋ/.

Related videos:

Patter:

The King's ring rung wrong.

6. We pronounce the sound / h / like Russian / x /

In Russian, the sound /x/ is clear and well distinguished, English /h/ is rather a light exhalation, it should not actually be heard. We pronounce it in the Russian manner - clearly and distinctly, and this is one of the most common Russian mistakes in the pronunciation of the English language.

Solution:

Remember the correct position of the organs of articulation: the tongue does not rise anywhere, it remains in place, as during silence, the lips are slightly parted. The sound is produced mainly vocal cords, however, the latter should not vibrate. The sound /h/ in English is a light exhalation, a weak sound.

Related videos:

Patter:

Harry Hunt hunts heavy hairy hares. Does Harry Hunt hunt heavy hairy hares? If Harry Hunt hunts heavy hairy hares, Where are the heavy hairy hares Harry Hunt hunts?

7. We pronounce the sound /l/ like Russian /l/

It would seem that the sound /l/ in English is not at all different from our /l/. Alas, only Russian speakers think so. The English, on the other hand, hear this Russian mistake in the pronunciation of sounds well.

The fact is that in English there are two types of sound /l/: light - light or soft /l/, and also dark - dark or hard /l/. Everything is aggravated by the fact that in the dictionary there are no designations in which words /l/ must be pronounced firmly, and in which softly.

Solution:

There is a simple rule: before vowels we use soft sound/l/. However, there is a snag here: it should be a little harder than the Russian sound /l/ in the words “salt”, “love”. To get this sound, try lifting the middle part of your tongue towards the roof of your mouth.

In all other cases, we need a solid /l/. And again a challenge to our organs of speech: the sound, although hard, should be a little softer than the Russian /l/ in the words “spoon”, “best”. It sounds complicated, but constant practice and listening to native speakers will help you “feel” the difference in the pronunciation of these sounds.

Related videos:

Patter:

Lovely little Link left limping.

8. We pronounce the sounds /p/, /t/ like Russian /p/, /t/

These are two more "cunning" sounds that seem to us so similar to Russian /p/ and /t/. In fact, they are somewhat different - more noisy, explosive. Mistakes in the pronunciation of these sounds will not cause misunderstanding of the interlocutor, but for those who want to speak like a native speaker, we advise you to work on these sounds, especially since they are pronounced quite simply.

Solution:

The English sounds /p/ and /t/, as we have already said, are aspirated, but at the same time quite energetically. You exhale as if you want to blow out a candle. At the same time, when pronouncing the sound /t/, the tongue should be on the alveoli (tubercles near the front upper teeth).

Related videos:

Tongue Twisters:

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers;
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked;
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Two tried and true tridents.

9. We pronounce short and long vowels the same way

In Russian there is no such thing as the length of a vowel sound: they are all pronounced the same in any word. Therefore, when we speak English, it is difficult for us to accustom ourselves to pronounce these same sounds in different ways. However, you must pay attention to them, otherwise the sheep (sheep /ʃiːp/) will turn into a ship (ship /ʃɪp/), which will confuse the English-speaking interlocutor.

Related videos:

*Look out for videos in the playlist that have the words Short vowels and Long vowels in their titles.

Patter:

She sells sea shells on the seashore. The shells she sells are seashells I am sure.

10. We pronounce the sounds /ɔː/ and /ɜː/ the same way

This is one of the most popular Russian mistakes in English pronunciation. Analogues of such sounds in our mother tongue no, that's why quite often work (work /wɜː(r)k/) turns into a walk (walk /wɔːk/), which, you see, may not please your English-speaking interlocutor, especially if he is your boss.

Solution:

Repeat the rules of reading English, and always listen to new words in an online dictionary or check transcription in a regular dictionary. While studying the word, repeat it several times, try to feel the difference in difficult sounds.

Patter:

First, nerds burn worst.

11. We pronounce the sound /i/ like Russian /and/

Even upper-intermediate English learners get this seemingly simple sound wrong. They pronounce English /i/ like Russian /i/, making it too soft. Therefore, words such as sick, trick, hit for native speakers sound strange, unnatural. Of course, they will understand your words, but do you want to sound beautiful?

Solution:

English /i/ is a cross between the Russian sounds /i/ and /ы/. To make it easier for you to pronounce it, try stretching your lips slightly in a smile and pronouncing the sound /and/ a little harder than usual.

Related videos:

Patter:

Little pills will make Jill ill.

12. We pronounce the sound /ɔ/ as /ʌ/, and /əʊ/ as /ɔ/

English letter"o" often gives us trouble. Firstly, in Russian we are used to pronouncing the unstressed letter “o” as the sound /a/, for example: we pronounce the shoe “batinok”, the king we pronounce “karol”, the crow we pronounce “varona”. In English, such liberties are not allowed. English speakers simply won't understand the words "tea-pot", "photograph", etc.

Secondly, we often forget that the letter "o" in some cases forms a diphthong (a vowel sound consisting of two components) /əʊ/. Therefore, native speakers are surprised at the “new” words from our lips: “open” (open), “hom” (home), “bridge” (most).

Solution:

Train yourself to clearly pronounce the /o/ sound. This can be done only with the help of constant training: read texts aloud, speak English and control your speech.

Repeat the reading rules, they describe in detail in which cases the letter “o” forms certain sounds. In most words in open syllable"o" forms a diphthong /əʊ/, although there are exceptions.

Related videos:

Patter:

Hope for soap on a rope.

13. Pronounce unpronounceable letters

We are used to the fact that in Russian all letters are pronounced (except for soft and hard signs and unpronounceable consonants) that are in the letter. In English, this rule does not work: not all letters need to be pronounced. Otherwise, the knight knight (/naɪt/) will turn into the word “knight” or “knight” incomprehensible to the carrier.

Solution:

Be sure to study the rules for reading English in the article “Silent letters. Unpronounceable letters in the English language. After that, compose short story using words with unpronounceable letters - you can take the words from the above article. Above the text, make notes: which word is read in what way. Gradually, you will memorize the rules for pronunciation of these words and you will speak correctly automatically.

Related videos:

As you can see, there are enough problems in the pronunciation of the English language, but it is also possible to get rid of them if you constantly practice sounds. Apply the tips suggested in our articles, and everything will work out.

Of course, it is quite difficult to understand how to pronounce certain complex sounds from a video or article. Do you want to get rid of the Russian accent in English with the help of an experienced mentor? We invite you to enroll in our online school at. The teacher (native speaker or Russian speaker) will tell you in detail and show you how to work on certain sounds. Getting rid of English pronunciation problems is easier than it seems.