Consonants

The /v/ Sound

You may have a tendency to confuse the /v/ and /w/ sounds. Be sure to review the explanations and exercises for these sounds in Chapter Four.

Dropping the v in the middle or at the end of a word is also a common mistake.

Practice Sentences

1. I have to have five.
2. He will prove that he can improve the government.
3. I have been involved with them for eleven or twelve years.

The /r/ Sound

Learn to create the correct American /r/ sound by studying Chapter Three and by doing all of the /r/ exercises in Chapter Four. Make sure you do not roll the /r/ with the tip of your tongue, as this creates a harsh sounding Indian /r./

Indian speakers tend to roll the /r/ when it is followed by another consonant, as in bring, program, friend, or when it is in the beginning of the word as in red and right.

When the /r/ sound is at the end of the word, as in far and computer, or before another consonant, as in dark and concert, Indian speakers tend not to pronounce it at all. Remember, the /r/ is never silent in Standard American English whereas in British English it sometimes is.

Word Pairs for Practice

Make sure you don’t pronounce these pairs of words the same:

The th Sound

Review Chapters Three and Four to learn the correct pronunciation of this sound. A common mistake is to substitute a /t/ or a /d/ for the th.