English Pronunciation Guide
Level: Intermediate | Topic: Sounds, Stress, and Intonation
1. Sounds & Phonetics
English spelling is tricky! Use the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to help you pronounce words correctly.
Minimal Pairs: Short vs. Long Vowels
Listen carefully to the difference in length. ๐ Listen
/ษช/ (Short)
Ship (Boat)
/i:/ (Long)
Sheep (Animal)
/ษช/ (Short)
Sit (Sit down)
/i:/ (Long)
Seat (Chair)
/รฆ/ (Short)
Man (Male)
/ษ:/ (Long)
Men (Plural)
2. Word Stress
Stressed syllables are LOUDER, LONGER, and CLEARER. Unstressed syllables are short and quiet.
| Word | Part of Speech | Stressed Syllable | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| PREsent | Noun | PRE | A gift |
| preSENT | Verb | SENT | To show/give |
| REcord | Noun | RE | Music/Disk |
| reCORD | Verb | CORD | To save audio |
3. Intonation (The Music of English)
Does your voice go up or down? This changes the meaning of what you say.
“Are you hungry?” (Yes/No Question)
โ
(Voice Rises)
“Where is the station?” (Wh- Question)
โ
(Voice Falls)
“That’s a great idea!” (Statement)
โ
(Voice Falls)
โ๏ธ Student Practice: Fill in the Blanks
1. The vowel sound in “Ship” is _________ (short/long).
2. In the noun “PREsent”, the stress is on the _________ syllable.
3. Does your voice go up or down in a Yes/No question? _________
๐ฃ๏ธ Speaking Challenge
Read this sentence aloud and mark the stressed words:
“She wants to go to the market.”
Stressed words: __________________________
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