Ten Commandments of Pronunciation

·        It’s ok to feel uncomfortable. In fact, it’s the first step to get started. The moment you accept it, the faster your actions will be.

·        Invest in some good pronunciation books, preferably British English.

·        Practice for at least thirty minutes daily.  

·        Learn new words every day and make sure you are pronouncing it right.

·        One can use the help of syllables. A syllable is a unit of pronunciation with a vowel sound with or without surrounding consonants. For example: words like,

Reading has two syllables – read’ing’

Blue has one syllable – ‘blue

Chocolate has three syllables – cho’co’late and so on.

·        Knowledge of individual sounds of alphabets has to be clear first.

·        Use the dictionary to check your pronunciation whenever in doubt.

·        Try to imitate a speaker, preferably a prominent Indian speaker, to get the hold of the correct sound.

·        Listen carefully and observe the sounds. Keep recorded versions of speech and get it corrected by someone who’s good at pronunciation.

·        Have a language buddy with whom you can enjoy mutual sharing and practice. It would be fun learning experience.  

The Encounters

·        Laziness

·        Lack of self motivation

·        Loss of hope

·        Doubts

·        Ignorance

·        Impatience

The Solutions

·        Watch a lot of videos and get engaged in positive company.

·        Listen to a lot of success stories. It brings in a new energy.

·        Believe that you can make it.

·        Keep a fixed time goal and push yourself towards it.

·        Be happy to be a learner always. All of us are.

·        Never be ashamed of pronouncing wrong while speaking. The corrections will always be remembered.

·        Rome was not built in a day. Things will improve with effort and time.

·        Keep the practice on. You are your best judge.