Voice & Accent Neutralization

Consonant Sounds

Vowel Sounds

Intonation
What we will learn
Some startling facts:

There are 26 letters in the English Alphabets
However there are 44 sounds

24 Consonant Sounds

20 Vowel Sounds (12 vowels & 8 Diphthongs)
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Factors that affect Pronunciation and intonation
are:

Regional Influence/Mother Tongue Influence
Speech Pattern
Personality
Family & Friends factor
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Regional Influence/Mother Tongue Influence:


Very/wary/vary There/dare
HRYech HR Matter/Mutter
Friend:Farend want/wont
The snacks are in The snakes are in the
the hall hole
Thirty:Thiraty

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Pronunciation

English is tough stuff

Dearest creature in creation,
Study English pronunciation.
I will teach you in my verse
Sounds like corpse, corps, horse, and worse.
I will keep you, Suzy, busy,
Make your head with heat grow dizzy.
Tear in eye, your dress will tear.
So shall I! Oh hear my prayer.
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Pronunciation

Just compare heart, beard, and heard,
Dies and diet, lord and word,
Sword and sward, retain and Britain.
(Mind the latter, how it's written.)
Now I surely will not plague you
With such words as plaque and ague.
But be careful how you speak:
Say break and steak, but bleak and streak;
Cloven, oven, how and low,
Script, receipt, show, poem, and toe.
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Pronunciation

What is good English pronunciation?


There are three levels of English pronunciation:

Level 1: People often don't understand what you want to say.
You use the wrong sounds in English words.

Level 2: People understand what you want to say, but it is
unpleasant to listen to you.

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Pronunciation

Level 3: People understand you, and your English is
pleasant to listen to.

Level 3 will be called good pronunciation.

Notice that good pronunciation is not "perfect American or
British accent". You don't have to sound like the Queen of
England or the President of the United States of America.
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Pronunciation


Why not? Because there are many regional kinds of English. In
England, people from Newcastle speak English differently from people
in London. In America, people from New York City, California, and
Texas each have their own pronunciation. So it is no problem if you
have your own accent.

But our accent must be close to the standards (British English). What
does it mean? Turn on your TV and watch channels like BBC. You will
hear many different people (news anchors, reporters, etc.)

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Pronunciation Tips

These English pronunciation tips will help you :

Tip 1
Do not confuse pronunciation of words with their spelling! For
example, "threw" and "through", although spelled differently, are
pronounced the same. Also, identical letters or letter clusters in words
do not always produce the same sound. For example, the "ough" in
"though" and "through" represents a different sound in each word.
Learn to practice what you hear, not what you see.
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Pronunciation Tips

Tip 2
Imagine a sound in your mind before you say it. Try to visualize the
positioning of your mouth and face. Think about how you are going to
make the sound.

Tip 3

The English language has many different dialects, and words can be
pronounced differently. It is important, however, that you pronounce
words clearly to ensure effective communication.

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Pronunciation Glossary

These are some of the words used to talk about pronunciation.

Air flow

Aspiration

Auditory

Clusters (blended sounds)

Curl
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Pronunciation Glossary


Flatten

Glide / Slide

Hard palate

Intonation

Lengthen sound

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Pronunciation Glossary

Lips spread

Lower

Pitch

Pressed lips

Protruded lips

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Pronunciation Glossary

Protruded lips

Roof

Round lips

Shorten sound

Soft palate

Tap
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Pronunciation Glossary

Tooth ridge

Top of mouth / Roof of mouth

Unvoiced (voiceless)

Upper

Visual

Voiced
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Pronunciation

The mechanism of speech involves production and
articulation of the sounds produced.

Consonant and vowel sounds are an integral part of English
speech

Consonant sounds are produced by a blockage or
obstruction to the exhaled air.

Vowel sounds are produced without any obstruction to the
exhaled air.
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds

Consonant Sounds

Created by blocking the outgoing breath.
Grouped in families classified according to the obstruction.
Clarity in speech depends on the way consonants are
pronounced.
To pronounce consonants clearly, you need to identify the
obstruction.
Consonant sounds in different languages differ in quality.
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Consonant sounds are divided into Voiced and Unvoiced
sounds.

Voiced sounds create a resonant sound in the throat.

Unvoiced sounds are aspirated sounds.

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds

Consonant sounds

B, d, f g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w, y, z,,Dj, Th
Th, Zh, Sh, Ch, ng


Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Unvoiced Voiced

CH J (Dj)
S Z
SH ZH
K G
T D
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds

Unvoiced Voiced
TH (Thanks) TH (That)
F V
P B
W
M
N
L
R
H
NG
Y

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds

Unvoiced Sounds Voiced Sounds

/p/ path /b/ bath
/t/ time /d/ dime
/k/ came /g/game
/f/ fan /v/ van
/th/ think /th/them
/s/ price z/prize
/sh/shoe /zh/usual
/ch/chin /dj/gin

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds

The P sound

This is an unvoiced aspirated sound. It is pronounced like ph
with distinct breath coming out.
Example:

Problem - Phraablem
Past - Phaest
Promise- Phraamis

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
The P sound
(Practice Exercise)

Peter had a problem with his project
Pickles are more expensive than peas.
My parents made the payment for Patricias picnic.
Politicians are publicizing the polished policemens work.
The patient ran in panic for no particular reason

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
The K sound

This is an aspirated sound. It has to be pronounced like kh
with a puff of air thrown out:


Examples:

Color- Khalar
Contribute- Khantribute
Customer- Khustomer

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Practice Exercise (emphasize on k sound)

I was coming back home after my coaching classes. On my
way I saw a cute girl clinging and cringing on the branch of a
tree. She was crying at the top of her voice. I called out for her
and asked her to calm down. She requested me to help her
come down the tree. I feared that my clothes will get soiled.
But I somehow gathered the courage to climb the tree. Just
when I was a little short of clutching her arm, my leg slipped
and I came
crashing down the road. The cream color of my collar became
black and I got a cut on my right knee. I quickly contained my
anxiety and made quick steps towards the cocoon of my home.
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Voiced TH Sound

This sound is created by placing the tongue behind your
teeth touching the upper palate of your mouth.
The voiced th usually occurs in function words or
pronouns and words that end with the.

Examples:
This That These The They
Breathe Teethe Bathe Sheathe
Father Brother Mother
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Unvoiced TH Sound

The unvoiced TH sound is created by placing your tongue
between your lips and releasing the air through the slit.
The unvoiced TH sound usually occurs in content words

Examples:

Thud Something With Thousand
Both South North Thank

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Exercise:

Practice these words:
Third Without Theatre
Fourth Author Thought
Fifth Nothing Thursday
Eighth Thirsty Three
Eleventh Theme Thelma
Twelfth Month Dorothy
Thirteenth Birthday Elizabeth
Twentieth Through Samantha
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
The V Sound

This is a voiced sound. To produce the v sound allow your
upper teeth to rest on your lower lip and push the sound
through the slit. Bite the lower lip and feel the vibration.

Examples:

Verify, Discover, Voice

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Practice Exercise

Read these words with the correct v sound.

Valid Divide Above Invest
Victim Heavy Love Velocity
Video Save Leave Vegetables
Vote Valentine Festival Vanessa
Vinegar Vast Virtue Vice
Evoke Arrive Victor Visit
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
The W sound

This is a voiced sound. To produce the w sound, make your
lips rounded and the tongue drawn back as in the position of
u. Your lips should form a soft circle.

Examples:

Work
Wedding
Wednesday

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Practice Exercise

Read out these words with the correct w sound.


Twenty Wish Sandwich Sweet
One Winter Weather Wait
Water Wave Wallet Watch
Walnut Wine Weed Weigh
Weave Wander Wonder Walk
Wash Wane Weep Win
Weight Wise Railway Swim
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
How will you pronounce these words?

Very Wary
Verse Worse
Wheel Veal
West Vest
Vie Whale
While Vile

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
The Ch sound

This is an unvoiced aspirated sound:

Church
Cherish
Chant
Chamber


Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
The Ch sound

Practice Exercise

Charlie chose the chilly chicken
Chitra chanced to sit on the Chiming chair.
Cherry cheered the charming champion.
Check the cheese before you eat.
Channel of the chimney was charred.
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
The dj Sound
This is a voiced sound

Gin
Ginger
Practice Exercise:
Gin and tonic water is the gist for success for gigantic
parties.
Gillette is the brand of a shaving gadget
Gauge the height of the hill gingerly.
Fit the gauge gently.
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
The sh sound

This is a voiced sound. Produce the sh sound by pursing
your lips in an oval shape resting your upper teeth straight
on your lower teeth and blowing the air through the slit
between the teeth.

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
The sh sound

Shell
She
Shoot
English

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
The sh sound

Practice Exercise:

Chef, Champagne
Musician ,Ancient
Tension, Pension
Russia, Expression
Sanction, Section

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
The S Sound

The S sound is a voiced sound produced by placing the
tongue towards the upper ridge of your teeth and
passing the air through the slit

Swim
State
Start

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
The S Sound

Practice Exercise

Sally Silly Smoke Sam
Sells Straws Subway Street
Station Sandy Study Strong
Straight Stammer String


Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
The Zh sound


This sound is produced in the same ways as sh. The only
difference is that of a strong vibration in the throat:

Pleasure Measure Treasure
Seizure Leisure Azure


Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
The Z sound

This is a voiced sound. It is produced by placing your
tongue between the upper ridge of your teeth and gives a
buzzing effect:

Zebra, Zeal, Zoo, Zip, Zest

Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
The Z sound

Practice Exercise:

Zulu Amaze Graze Crazy
Blaze Cozy Doze Accuse
Maze Glaze Praise Daze
Ease Faze Freeze Buzz
Lizard Jazzy Lazy Busy
Zoology Prize Booze Maize
Introduction to Consonant and Vowel Sounds
Managing Clusters

/sp/ Splash
/st/ Style
/str/ Straight
/sts/ Lasts
/ss/ Students strike
/tr/ Train
/dr/ Drive
/kr/ Cross
Vowel Sounds
Cecily Berry Exercise


OOT OHT AWT AHT AYT EET EHT
OOD OHD AWD AHD AYD EED EHD
OON OHN AWN AHN AYN EEN EHN
OOB OHB AWB AHB AYB EEB EHB
OOP OHP AWP AHP AYP EEP EHP
OOM OHM AWM AHM AYM EEM EHM
OOG OHG AWG AHG AYG EEG EHG
Vowel Sounds

Cecily Berry Exercise (continued)

OOF OHF AWF AHF AYF EEF EHF
OOV OHV AWV AHV AYV EEV EHV
OOS OHS AWS AHS AYS EES EHS
OOZ OHZ AWZ AHZ AYZ EEZ EHZ
OOTH OHTH AWTH AHTH AYTH EETH EHTH
Vowel Sounds
Vowels are sound carriers.


A diphthong is a combination of two vowel sounds


Vowel Sounds
English Vowel Sounds
a e i o u

20

Pure Vowels Diphthongs

12 8

Vowel Sounds
Vowel Sounds

Vowel sounds can be broadly categorized

into:

Long Vowels
Short Vowels
Diphthongs


Vowel Sounds
Diphthongs:

[a] as in house
[a] as in kite
[e] as in same
[ju] as in few
[] as in join
[] as in fear
[] as in hair
[] as in poor
Vowel Sounds
Some Commonly Mispronounced Words


Hotel Component Petrol
Industry Engineer Cassette
Decade Chaos Development
Intonation

What is intonation

Rise and fall in pitch is intonation
It can also be defined as Speech Music


Intonation
Intonation is the rise and fall in pitch . It
conveys personal intentions and emotions
such as surprise, anxiety, excitement.

Pitch is the number of vibrations per
second.

Changes in pitch determine the TONE
of speech.

Intonation
Let us look at examples:

1. I didnt say he stole the money
2. I didnt say he stole the money
3. I didnt say he stole the money
4. I didnt say he stole the money
5. I didnt say he stole the money
6. I didnt say he stole the money
7. I didnt say he stole the money

Intonation
Let us look at the sentences again:
1. I didnt say he stole the money - someone else did
2. I didnt say he stole the money- thats not true at all
3. I didnt say he stole the money- I only suggested it
4. I didnt say he stole the money- someone else took it
5. I didnt say he stole the money- he may have borrowed
6. I didnt say he stole the money- but rather some other
money
7. I didnt say he stole the money- He may have taken
jewelry

Intonation
Rules of Intonation

1. Contrasting perceptions
She learned cooking but never used that skill.
She studied French but did not enjoy it.

Mary speaks Spanish but she teaches Portuguese.

Contrasts are intoned because they denote two opposite
meanings, and therefore require emphasis.


Intonation
Rules of Intonation

2. Opinions

I believe he is intelligent but you may differ from me

It looks like a gun but it is a dummy.

I feel they are extremely happy about the incident.


Intonation
Rules of Intonation

2. Opinions

Opinions are stressed since they denote strong perceptions. However,
if there are nouns in the sentence, the nouns get more emphasis than
the verbs.

Example:
Harry believes he is intelligent but you may differ from him.
Intonation
Rules of Intonation

3. Negations and contractions:
I cant do anything about it
I wont do it for a million bucks
She shouldnt be going out alone

All contractions are not stressed. Only the ones which carry the
essence of negation.

Intonation
Rules of Intonation

4. Adjective Phrases:

The stress falls on the second word

A beautiful girl
A lovely rose
A delicious meal
A refreshing drink
An amazing journey
The lonely man
Intonation
Rules of Intonation

5. Noun Phrases
The stress falls on the first word

Example:

A hotdog
A businessman
A matchstick
Intonation

Rules of Intonation

6.When there are no adverbs or nouns intone on the verbs

They drank it fast.
He came back for me.

Intonation

Rules of Intonation

7. Longer phrases or sentences can contain more than one pitch jump.
However, do not use exactly the same level of intonation twice in a
row:
Example:
I tried to cook a delicious meal for her
Our meeting schedule is flexible this afternoon



Intonation
Rules of Intonation

With close ended questions (When answer is a Yes or No)
intonation rises at the end of the Question


Are you married?


With open ended questions (That cannot be answered in a yes or
no) the intonation drops at the end of the statement or though
group.

How Long have your worked

Three Years

Intonation
Rules of Intonation


With Numbers:

Intonation rises at the last but one set of numbers
indicating that you are approaching the end of the number
and then drops on the last number as it does in
statements


My phone Number is 91 11 2847 638

Intonation
Rules of Intonation

Intonation when giving choices:

Intonation will rise on the first choice or all the choices before the
last one and down for the final option to indicate end of the choices


Do you want red, black or yellow?

Other rules of intonation:

When new information is conveyed, nouns which are the
carriers of new information are stressed

People enjoy parties
Cats drink milk
Men drive cars
Intonation

What happens when we lack
intonation while conversing?

Negates the essence of information
Makes us sound mechanical
causes miscommunication