Accent Reduction Tips

The L2 accent reduction center provides insight into dealing with difficult consonant clusters
 

The English language has many consonant clusters which are often difficult to pronounce. The trick to pronouncing the consonant blends correctly is to release the two /three consonants almost simultaneously.  For example:

/pr/ – First , form the /p/ sound and at the same time form the /r/.  Second, release together, so that the two sounds of /p/ and /r/ sound like /pr/.  Many people make the mistake of releasing these two sounds separately and as a result the /pr/ sounds like puhr.

Let’s practice :

/pr/ sound: (devoice /r/)

practical (don’t say puhratical)
-release the /pr/ at the same time

prove (don’t say puhrove)
– release the /pr/ at the same time

price (puhrice)
– release the /pr/ at the same time

 

Practice the following words: promotion, prestige, precious, praise, practice, president, printout, program, pretzels, privacy, precise, precious, proofread.
/tr/- When making the t+r blends make sure that you anticipate the /r/ sound following the t. It is almost pronounced simultaneously.  The combination of t+r is pronounced like  chr.

Let’s practice:

Tree-CHRee
(don’t say tuhree) –release the /tr/ like  a chr

Train-CHRAIN
(don’t say tuhrain) – release the /tr/ like  a chr

Traffic-CHRAFFIC
(don’t say tuhraffic) – the /tr/ like  a chr

Practice the following words: track (CHRACK), traction (CHRACTION), tractor (CHRACTOR), tradition (CHRADITION), trace (CHRACE), trouble (CHROUBLE)
 
L2 Accent Reduction Centre
6093 West Boulevard, Vancouver, BC V6M 3X2
Call 604-267-7781
www.L2accent.com l info@L2accent.com