Now you have already passed the first stage of learning English - you have learned the alphabet. You already know what the letters are called, you know how to write them. But this does not mean at all that you can read any word in English correctly. In addition, you need to put the pronunciation with professional teacher or a tutor, so as not to make mistakes at first.
Unlike many other foreign languages (Spanish, Portuguese, Ukrainian), where words are read the same way as they are written, you just have to learn how to pronounce the letters. V English language everything is much more complicated and confusing. But remembering the simple laws of reading words in English. You will soon realize that things are much simpler.
The thing is that in the English language the number of sounds prevails over the letters, and in order to convey them in writing, it is necessary to combine several letters in a certain order. And this is done different ways... And the pronunciation and recording of some sounds depends on which letters surround them. And all this must be remembered!
To make it easier to remember the combination of letters, English linguists have developed a number of rules for reading words in English. Even if you know the language well enough, it is still advisable to double-check an unfamiliar word in the dictionary, make sure it is translated and remember the transcription, that is, how it is pronounced.
At school, most teachers only briefly mention how to reproduce words in English or do not talk about them at all. They refer students to dictionaries with transcriptions, arguing that "there are many exceptions to the reading rules." Protect your children from such teachers!
Yes it is. Indeed, there are many exceptions to the rules for reading words in English. But this does not mean at all that one should keep silent about them. Rather, on the contrary, you first need to talk about them. Yet most words obey the rules.
Knowing the basic rule of how to read words correctly, it will be much more interesting and easier for you to learn the language itself. And exceptions can be remembered as they arrive during training, repeating the rules that these words do not so stubbornly refuse to obey.
Word reading rule
Bye! Successes!English reading technique according to Zaitsev's method
Connoisseurs of the English language and those who are studying it from scratch should get acquainted with the peculiarities of the pronunciation of individual sounds. This will help in the future to avoid problems with the pronunciation of individual words.
In contact with
Features of phonetics
To learn how to pronounce words in English correctly, you must first learn how to pronounce all sounds without mistakes. To acquire this skill, transcription of the English language is used, since this is the only guarantee of accurate pronunciation of words.
In each Russian-English dictionary there is a transcription of English words, which allows you to pronounce them in full accordance with orthoepic norms British or American version.
Why do you need a translation into Russian
In English, almost every word is equivalent to several Russian equivalents. To check this, you just need to look into the dictionary. foreign vocabulary and familiarize yourself with the content.
The standard English-Russian vocabulary contains numerous lexical meanings, which have not one or two matches in Russian, but not less than five. This is due to the fact that modern language Englishmen are very rich.
In addition to translating words, there is also an exhaustive base of pronunciation norms in the form of transcription, which allows you to learn the correct reading and listening to foreign speech.
Techniques for improving pronunciation
There are different ways to improve your pronunciation of an English word. The fact is that it is a complex speech act. Only experience allows you to learn how to pronounce word forms correctly, without the need to constantly read theoretical reference books. The best option to achieve an effective result, constant communication with native English speakers is considered.
We offer a basic list of methods that are used in the self-education system and in classrooms:
- daily trainings with a teacher, communication on simple topics;
- listening and repeating short phrases and words in English behind the speaker;
- development of the laryngeal apparatus through the use of special phonetic techniques;
- reading aloud in Russian the most complex combinations of word forms that form speech competence with their translation.
All of the above methods are characterized by a high level of efficiency and make it possible to learn independently. The experience of communication with a teacher or with a native speaker is also important. This will significantly shorten the learning curve.
Lessons with a tutor
Features of the pronunciation of individual words
Take the pronunciation of "the" for example. The sound of this word is particular difficulty for a variety of reasons. Let's dwell on the main ones. To learn how to pronounce this combination correctly, you need to adhere to the following principles:
- The tip of the tongue should rest against the hard palate. Without this moment, you will definitely not be able to pronounce the sound.
- The back of the tongue should be in close contact with the larynx. Only in this case the sound will correspond to the original. The back is always pulled back in order to create a gap between the laryngeal cavity on exhalation.
- It is important to consider the pronunciation of British speakers as they differ significantly from the American version.
- The sound of English words is considered one of the most difficult, due to the lack of similarities in other European languages.
But no matter how complicated the theoretical component may seem, it is easy to really learn how to pronounce the sound "the" in Russian with constant practice. Otherwise, there may be serious problems, even if there is a desire to learn.
How to pronounce th correctly in English
How to learn the correct pronunciation
Any teacher strives to ensure that his student can correctly pronounce sounds, first in Russian, and then in a foreign language. They are the basis for a deep understanding of the context and the ability to convey your thoughts in another language. How to pronounce correctly English words, can teach phonetic exercises to develop the laryngeal apparatus. They include the following points:
- Forming skill varying degrees lifting the jaw to pronounce vowels, in accordance with the norms of communication.
- The duration of the operation usually does not exceed 15 minutes, but it turns out to be extremely useful for a deeper study.
- All English sounds are divided into two types: upper and lower rise. For accurate observance of the pronunciation norm, they usually resort to the need for phonetic training.
Important! Every Russian-speaking student should be aware that no one english sound does not look like the Russian counterpart, since a different articulation is used to pronounce it, the degree of lifting of the tongue and contact with the larynx. It takes a long time to practice the sound.
To pronounce English words correctly, you need to practice every day.
Activating skills
To learn to speak English easily and quickly, you need to do phonetic exercises in Russian. This is the technique recommended by the best teachers in the world. Modern English has 11 vowels and their Russian counterparts, which you can see in the table below:
The student should not be afraid that he has to learn many new sounds. Yes, their analogues cannot be found in modern Russian, but the above classification allows us to understand their main essence.
We also offer a list of English consonant sounds that every language learner should know. There are 24 of them in total:
| p | f | t | th | ch | s | sh | k | b | v | d | dz |
| z | g | gue | h | m | n | gn | r | l | w | j | th |
Important! The notorious "th" sound can sound differently, depending on the position in the word.
Practicing sounds and words
The practice of sounds cannot be accompanied only by a theoretical overview. Since no English sound is similar to Russian, learning to pronounce it correctly can only be done under the guidance of an experienced mentor. Trying it on your own can fail.
Standard development takes place step by step, from simple options to more complex ones. More than half of all sounds belong to the latter category, since their pronunciation is difficult for the Russian speech apparatus.
Attention! It is difficult to overestimate the role of the teacher in the process of mastering English phonetics. It provides the ability to avoid errors on initial stage... Without preliminary preparation, the student runs the risk of becoming an object of misunderstanding in an English-speaking environment or in an authentic setting.
Consider how the word knight is read in English. Not every beginner will be able to read the given word in English on the fly without mistakes, relying only on the spelling component. The word "knight" has six letters, but the word is pronounced differently, out of correspondence with the letter combination. V this case there is only one syllable. In Russian it sounds like "night". What is the reason for this dissonance? It's all about historical development British dialect. It is important to understand this for both a simple layman and an experienced linguist.
British is considered one of the oldest dialects in Europe today. Over 1000 years of its existence, there have been major changes in the norms of pronunciation. Today we have the opportunity to see what he became in the middle of the nineteenth century. A deep understanding of the changes in the field of phonetics and vocabulary has become possible thanks to the writings of the reformers of the literary form.
There are hundreds of words with significant differences in principles and pronunciation. Only a good knowledge of transcription makes it possible to learn how to pronounce any British words.
Useful video: one of their English reading lessons from scratch
Output
The reader now understands the importance of correct pronunciation. Without such important aspect further study may become pointless. A high-quality study of the material, translation and transcription of words is required. Now you know how to learn a language in a short time and read either syllables without mistakes.
When you study a foreign language, you learn not only a set of vocabulary and grammar, you in any case come across the culture and peculiarities of the mentality of the people who speak this language. The best remedy knowledge of language and culture is reading in original... And to read on foreign language, you should first learn to read in this language .
You don "t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. You can just get people to stop reading them.
But, if at school or university you studied German or French languages, or your school base turned out to be smaller than you would like, and now you have decided to learn English, then let's start with the most primary and basic and learn a few techniques from where to start in order to master the rules of reading.
English alphabet
I think you know that English is different from Russian and German, in which we basically read and write. In English, the system is a little more complicated. The very first thing we need to do is learn the alphabet.
The English alphabet has 26 letters, including 21 consonants and 5 vowels. Knowledge of letters and the ability to pronounce them correctly is the key to successful and competent reading in English.
English alphabet with transcription of the names of letters.
Highly easy way memorize letters visually and by ear - this is with the help of a song. Watch the video and sing the song until you memorize the letters of the alphabet.
You can use the same method to teach the alphabet to your children and sing along with your little ones.
Reading rules in English
After studying the alphabet, let's start learning the combination of letters to read short words... There are a number of rules in English that you need to learn, practice and remember if you want to read English words correctly.
Rules for reading English consonants
Many consonants read similarly to Russian consonants, such as letters m, n, l, b, f, z... You can see it in words like mom, lemon, finger, boy, zebra .
Letters such as t and d sound similar, but pronounced with aspirated... For example words table, teacher, dad, dirty.
Letter c has two reading options. Before letters i, e, y it reads like [s]- city, face, cyber... And before the rest of the vowels it reads like [k]- cat, cake, factory.
The vowel rule i, e, y works with the letter g... In front of them, it reads like - gym, george, giant... Before other consonants, the letter is read as [g].
Letter q always occurs in a combination of letters qu and reads like - quick, queen, square.
Letter j always reads like - jacket, jam, joy.
Table of the ratio of consonants and sounds in English.
How vowels are read in English
In English, a word can end in an open or closed syllable, which affects pronunciation. For example the words cat, pot, sit end in a closed syllable and have vowels a, o, i give sounds .
Words such as name, home, five end with an open syllable, since there is a letter at the end of the word e which is not readable. But, thanks to her, the vowels in the middle of the word are read in the same way as they are pronounced in the alphabet, that is, the word name readable.
Types of English vowel reading in stressed syllables.
Reading vowel combinations in English
There are certain combinations of letters that have well-established rules for reading, although English language - language exceptions, and when reading more compound words the dictionary should be consulted. The table below shows English vowel combinations with examples how they are read and how they sound.
Table of combinations of vowels in English.
And of course, there are exceptions to all the rules. However, do not worry and think that you will never be able to learn it. Everything can be understood, you just have to try and practice a little.
English diphthongs with transcription
When you learn the basic rules of reading, you will see that there are diphthong sounds that are quite difficult to reproduce in English, especially if you start learning the language not from childhood, but as an adult.
Table of English diphthongs with transcription.
Transcription of sounds in English
Practice shows that when children learn a language, they must necessarily learn transcription, while adults do not want to learn it and it can be difficult for them.
If you still want to learn how to write and read the transcription, great! And if not, then you can use online dictionaries where the word will be pronounced for you. One of best dictionaries for today are Multitran and online dictionary Lingvo.
Important!
Remember to use dictionaries, not translators!
Here is an example of reading short words with transcription:
English vowel table and transcription.
There are some advantages to being in the internet age. Sitting at home, you can learn a variety of knowledge online. For your attention video tutorial , which explains the basic principles of reading. However, even having received knowledge through online lesson, they need to be fixed in order to form a skill.
Learn English tongue twisters
Here tongue twisters, which are often aimed at practicing one sound, can help you. Here are some examples you can use.
| English tongue twister | Russian translation |
|---|---|
| Whether the weather be fine, or whether the weather be not. Whether the weather be cold, or whether the weather be hot. We "ll weather the weather whether we like it or not. |
The weather will be good or the weather won't be good. The weather will be cold or the weather will be hot. We can handle any weather whether we like it or not. |
| Three swiss witch-bitches, which wished to be switched swiss witch-bitches, watch three swiss Swatch watch switches. Which swiss witch-bitch ", which wishes to be a switched swiss witch-bitch, wishes to watch which swiss Swatch switch? |
Three swiss bitches who want to change their gender look at the three buttons on the Swatch. Which Swiss bitch witches who want to change their gender examines which button on the Swatch watch? |
Don't worry that these are tongue twisters! At this stage, when you are just learning to read and practice sounds, it is important to pronounce them correctly, albeit slowly. You can always speed up.
Learn to hear English speech
After learning the basic, basic rules of reading, you can use the repetition method behind the speaker. Your auditory memory will also work and you will hear how words are pronounced correctly and what intonation is in sentences.
For this you can use small dialogues and audiobooks for beginners. At this level, it will be ideal if the text is in front of your eyes, you listen, read and repeat at the same time!
You can use a great resource like Oxford bookworm Library where audiobooks for all levels are presented. You can download the library for free
For those who continue to study English, we recommend learning the language through films, which you can read about in the article
Work on your pronunciation
Reading is just the first step towards learning a language. Equally with the study of grammar and vocabulary, learning to pronounce and hear correctly is very important if you want to understand what they are saying and say so that you can be understood. Especially if you will be speaking with a native speaker.
As we said a little above, one of the best ways is to listen carefully to native speakers and try to copy their pronunciation and intonation .
Pay special attention to sounds that are not in your native language. Often, people learning English have a problem with the ‘r’ sound, as in Russian it is hard, and in English it is more guttural and growling.
Difficulties also arise with the pronunciation of the two sounds that combination of letters 'th'... Students pronounce it ‘c’ and ‘z’ persistently. Although it is worth noting that in words such as this, that, there this sound is said to be between 'z' and 'd'. And in words like three, think, thief, it is pronounced like a sound between ‘f’ and ‘s’.
This may seem strange to you, since there are no such sounds in the Russian language, but if you listen to the speakers, you will understand that this is what they say.
Don't worry if you can't get it right the first time, it takes a little practice. But, try to learn right from the very beginning, because it will be more difficult when you have to relearn.
Learn to pronounce phrases in English correctly
In English, words in sentences are not pronounced separately, they often merge, as if into one whole, especially if it is a combination of a vowel and a consonant. Take a look and practice with these transcription examples.
The same applies to phrases where one word ends with the letter 'r', and the next word begins with a vowel. In such cases, the sound 'r' is pronounced. Here are some examples.
Elena Britova
Academic manager of the "TransLink-Education" company, certified trainer in speed reading and memory development.
The English alphabet has 26 letters and 44 sounds. If in some languages each letter is responsible for only one sound, then in English one letter can transmit up to four sounds, and in some cases even up to seven. Hence the favorite saying of the British: "We write" Liverpool "and read" Manchester "".
In addition, articulation (movement of the tongue, lips, mouth) differs significantly from Russian. There are sounds similar to the Russians, but when they are pronounced, the articulation organs work differently.
If you want to get rid of the accent or at least get closer to the English-speaking speech, all the differences must be taken into account. Here are some tips on how to get yourself correct English pronunciation.
1. Learn the alphabet
Many adults consider this a childish exercise. But one day you will definitely be asked: "Please, spell your name" ("Spell your name"). This is where knowledge of letters comes in handy. english alphabet... In addition, abbreviations, street names, house and flight numbers may contain letters, and, for example, at the airport, they will necessarily be pronounced like in the alphabet.
2. Train your articulation when pronouncing consonants
After you have mastered the letters of the alphabet, feel free to move on to the study of the sounds that they transmit. Train yourself to correct articulation right away. First, learn to pronounce sounds separately, bring them to automatism, and then move on to words, phrases and sentences.
In English, there are consonants that, at first glance (or rather, hearing), are pronounced as in Russian.
1. Check where the tip of the tongue is when pronouncing the sounds [d] - [t], [n], [r], [s], [z]. Does it bite your teeth? Congratulations, you pronounce the Russian alphabet. In the native English, the tip of the tongue at this time is on the alveoli (the largest tubercle on the upper palate). Try it. Now you get purely English sounds. Practice: bed - ten, not, rat, sun, zoo.
2. Depict a hare while pronouncing the sounds [f] - [v]. The upper teeth must be placed on the lower lip. Practice: fat - vet.
3. Remember that the [l] sound is always solid: London [ˈlʌndən].
4. When training sound [w], take a candle: this is The best way learn to pronounce it correctly. Fold your lips in a tube and pull them forward (like small children stretch in a kiss), and then smile sharply. Then this sound will turn out. When exercising, hold the candle at a distance of 20-25 cm from your lips. If the flame goes out when the sound is uttered, then you are doing everything right. Practice: say the word well.
5. Warm up your hands while practicing the [h] sound. It has nothing to do with Russian [x]. Imagine that you are very cold and are trying to warm your hands with your breath. You bring them to your lips and breathe out. During exhalation, a light, barely audible English sound [h] is formed. As in the word home.
6. Practice the sound [ŋ] when severe coryza or imagine that you have it. There is no such sound in Russian, it is transmitted by the combination ng in English. Press your tongue, like a spatula, to the upper palate and send the sound through the nose. A bit like [n], if pronounced with a severe cold. Remember that your tongue is still touching the alveoli, not your teeth. Practice it: interesting [ˈɪnt (ə) rɪstɪŋ].
7. Be a snake and a bee for training [ð] - [θ]. These sounds are absent in Russian and are formed by a combination of the letters th in English.
[ ð ] - ringing sound... Bite the tip of your tongue lightly with your teeth and make a sound [z]. If during exercise lower lip and the tongue tickles, then you are doing everything right. If not, then you may have bitten the tip of your tongue too hard, loosen your teeth a little. Say the word this [ðɪs], okay?
[θ] is a dull sound. The articulation is the same, only we pronounce the sound [s]. To practice the thud [θ], say the word thank [θæŋk].
3. Learn four types of syllables for correct vowel pronunciation
The reading of vowels depends on the type of syllable in which they are found:
- open (the syllable ends in a vowel);
- closed (syllable ends with a consonant);
- vowel + r;
- vowel + re.
In the first type of syllable - open - the vowels are read as in the alphabet (so knowledge of the alphabet came in handy!). For example: plane, nose, tube, Pete.
In the second type, you need to memorize the pronunciation of each vowel:
- [æ] - open sound, not long. It is conveyed by the letter A v closed syllable... Test yourself: sit at the table, straighten, put one elbow on the surface, bend your hand under the chin. You will have room between the chin and the hand, if, of course, you straighten your back. Now we omit lower jaw down so that it reaches the hand, and say [e]. Practice with the word bag.
- [e] is often confused with the previous sound. When pronouncing [e], you just need to slightly raise the corners of the lips upwards, as if smiling slightly. These are two different sounds, and they are not similar to each other, and even more so to Russian [e]. Practice: pet.
- Brief sounds[i], [ɔ], [ʌ], [u] are pronounced intensely, not chanting: big, box, bus, book [bʊk].
In the third and fourth types of syllables, the letter R not readable, it only forms a syllable and lengthens a vowel sound: car, sort, turn.
, [ɔ:] - special sounds. Imagine that you are at the doctor's office examining your throat. The root of your tongue is pressed with a stick and asked to say "ah-ah". It is in this position that the tongue should be when pronouncing the sounds [a] and [o]. If you feel like yawning at the same time, then you are on the right track! Try it now: car, sort.
4. Remember the correct stress
Most often in English, the stressed syllable is the first. If you need to pronounce a word, and there is no one to ask or does not have a dictionary at hand, put an emphasis on the first syllable. Of course, it is better to immediately memorize words with the correct stress or check yourself with a dictionary.
5. Don't forget four important rules
- In English, soft consonants are completely absent.
- Voiced consonants are not stunned at the end of a word.
- Vowels are long (in transcription they are denoted by [:]) and short.
- No unnecessary - especially sharp - lip movements.
Learn a few phrases to practice correct pronunciation:
- Very well [‘veri’ wel].
- World Wide Web or WWW [‘w əuld‘ waid ‘web www].
- Eleven benevolent elephants [ɪˈlevn bəˈnevələnt ˈelɪfənts].
- Stupid superstition [ˈstjuːpɪd ˌsuːpəˈstɪʃ (ə) n].
- Pirates Private Property [ˈpaɪrəts praɪvət ˈprɒpəti].
And remember: different sounds have a meaningful function. For example, man ("man", "man") and men ("men"); ship [ʃip] and sheep [ʃi: p] and so on. Many people read the word three ("three") as (which means "tree") or ("freedom"), not taking into account that th [θ] is read differently, it simply is not in Russian (remember the exercise "bee"). Knowing the correct pronunciation of words, you will definitely not go wrong!
