Tips on Pronunciation Teacher Silvino Sieben

Final “E” Never pronounced unless there two EE or the word has French origin. FINE, LIME, DIME, FIVE, NINE TIME, PRIME, LOVE, RUDE, HUGE BITE, LAKE, FACE, LACE, EMBRACE BUT RESUMÉ, EMPLOYEE, BEE, FIANCÉ, REFEREE, TREE, FREE

R or H She’s wearing a hat. She’s wearing a rat.

Practice HATE x RATE HOME x ROME HOSE x ROSE HOLE x ROLE HAIR x RARE HEAD x RED HIDE x RIDE

/d/ and /t/ They should have a “pure” sound. Tease X cheese Dim X gym

Practice DISEASE KIND MATE PERMIT DID

M or N Sun times: I like them. Sometimes I like them.

Practice THEM X THEN GREEN, ONE, CONE GUM x GUN ZOOM, CREAM AM, COME, SOME TRAIN, ONLY, NAME

The “L”

Practice CALL MALL ALL BALL ALMOND FULL SELL COLD

SH or CH She likes shopping. She likes chopping.

Practice SHAVE CHAT SHARE CHORE x SHORE CHIN x SHIN CHUNK SHAME CHEAP x SHEEP

TH or S It is thinking. It is sinking.

Practice THOUGHT THICK x TICK THROUGH x TRUE TEETH, THINK, MONTH TENTH x TENT FIFTH THONG ATHLETE

Th or S She’s thinner. She’s sinner.

TH or T He’s a thinker. He’s a tinker.

Th or D He wants those! He wants a dose.

Practice THESE THUS THERE x DARE THEY x DAY EITHER THE WEATHER LEATHER x LADDER

Silent K She likes the night. She likes the knight.

Silent Letters SALMON, GNOME PSYCHOLOGIST, SIGN WRITE, KNOW ISLAND AISLE LISTEN CASTLE KNEE

/p/, /t/, /k/ Remember to “explode” these letters in the beginning of words (followed by a vowel) and strong syllables, when speaking. Poker – Paint - Purple Time – Turtle – Tame Kite – Cat - Cost

Ch or T Look at that chin!! Look at that tin!

“ain” The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.

Practice ENTERTAIN PAIN GAIN COMPLAIN EXPLAIN MAINTAIN

Reference GODOY, S; GONTOW, C; MARCELINO, M. English pronunciation for brazilians. São Paulo: Disal, 2006.