with Speak Method
| English Online with Speak Method |
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| This is a general course for
Portuguese speakers. You may need to adjust
your training somewhat depending on your dialect and level
of fluency. Students should practice for 20 minutes/day as often as possible. Use the pages with word lists and reading practice repeatedly. Watch the videos and repeat after the speaker. (You may need to enable pop-ups to see the videos.) Get further practice by reading from a newspaper or book to apply the sounds and rules. On all 500 Words pages, there are links for extra practice: use these links too! For beginners: you may need to study only the 500 word lists, as other pages may be too difficult. It is good to practice pronunciation at the beginning of language learning. |
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| Week |
Focus |
Study Pages |
| Week
1 |
Learn
about English
pronunciation training. Study the American English position for R. Practice R in different positions: as first letter, in the middle and as a last letter. Begin work on stress. |
Introduction
to English
Pronunciation Training R Sounds R Sounds 500 Words Syllable Stress |
| Week
2 |
Pronounce
the w sounds of TH sound clearly. Be careful not to pronounce TH as a "d" or light "t" sound. Begin thinking about intonation (word stress): how to speak with natural rhythm. Continue to work on your R sounds. |
TH Sounds TH Sounds: 500 Words Read about Intonation (Word Stress) Practice R sounds |
| Week
3 |
Study
all short vowel sounds. Focus on the short I sounds: remember that the American short I does not sound like "ee" as in "see." Keep your lips relaxed and use a low pitch for this sound. Also notice American short A sounds. Start practicing intonation. |
Short Vowels: 500
Words Intonation: More Basics Review R sounds |
| Week
4 |
Study
the long vowel sounds. Remember that long vowels are actually long: move your mouth and speak the sounds fully. Study the American English T sounds: these are very important to pronunciation. As you practice the basic T sound, speak this at the end of words, as in "act" and "last." |
Long Vowels: 500
Words Study T Sounds T Sounds: 500 Words Intonation Practice: American Slang |
| Week
5 |
Study
the 3 sounds of the -ed ending for the past tense. Continue to practice short I sounds. Continue to work on intonation. |
Study -ed sounds I sound review Intonation Practice: Business Profit |
| Week
6 |
Practice
L as needed: notice that the American final L is lighter than a first letter L. Practice V and W as neeeded. Continue intonation practice. |
L
Sounds V and W sounds Intonation Practice: Business Heirarchy |
| Week
7 |
Learn
how the S and Z sound interact. Listen to a long passage with intonation. Try to read through all of it with good intonation afterward. Review verb tenses. Take the verbs test. |
S and Z sounds Intonation: Business Formality Verb Tenses Verbs test |
| Week
8 |
Take
online tests to see what you know. Study the grammar pages on use of the small words, articles and prepositions. Review everything by reading the English evaluation. This includes all major English pronunciation rules. |
Take the Article Test Take the Preposition Test Review grammar as needed |
| Continued
Practice |
To
keep practicing, read through all the grammar pages and practice by writing on your own. You can also record yourself speaking. Read through the 500 word lists regularly and take the links to extra practice pages on each sound. Practice repeating after the videos. Get new, daily practice pronunciation rules at English Pronunciation News. |
Review all grammar rules 500 Words Lists |
Continue Learning Get Your Free Evaluation The American Accent Pronunciation of 500 Words Classes Online |
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Continue Learning American Vowel Sounds English Pronunciation News English Grammar and Idioms ESL Stories |