Better English Pronunciation

for Communication

A Practical Course for Students of English

Wang Guizhen
Faculty of English Language & Culture

Guangdong University of Foreign Studies

Revision: English Back Vowels

high

front

central

back

u
:

mid-high

:
mid-low

low

Vowel Charts: English Back Vowels

Listening Exercise

Sound
discrimination

1. fool full
2. cooed
3. pool pull
4. Luke look
5. wooed
6. kooky
cookie
7. caught
8. hawkhock
9. dawn
10. taught

could

would

cot

don
tot

11.
hot
12.
13. carp
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
come
19.
20.
hum

heart
guard god
cop
lark lock
barn bun
dark duck
march much
calm
cart cut
harm

Listening Exercise
Sounds for
information

What are you going to do with the cup/carp?

How much do you know about his stuff/staff?
She has lost her hut/heart to the newcomer.
I've never seen a bigger barn/bun than this.
This cop/carp looks different from the others.
I have to get rid of the cot/cart.
Have you seen my forks/fox?
He told me that the man was shot/short.
Now, I would like to have a nice little walk/wok.
Did they say they could/cooed?

Listening Exercise Sounds for information

1.

I'm going to __________.

A. cook it
B. wash it

2.

Well, to tell you the truth, ___________.

A. Susan is the only one that I know B. I know nothing about his stuff

3.

The speaker was talking about the woman losing her __________.
A. hut
B. heart

4.

Neither have I. ______________

A. Did you make it yourself?

B. When did you build it?

5.

Oh, was it because of __________?

A. the colour of its scales B. the hat he is wearing

6.

The speaker is going to get rid of the ______.

A. cot
B. cart

7.

The speaker is looking for the _____.

A. forks
B. fox

8.

He told the speaker that the man ________.

A. was dead B. was not tall

9.

The speaker is going to ________.

A. have a walk
B. cook with a wok

10.

Yes, they told me that __________.

A. they were able to
B. they spoke softly and lovingly

Listening Exercise
Sounds for
information

What are you going to do with the carp?

How much do you know about his staff?
She has lost her heart to the newcomer.
I've never seen a bigger bun than this.
This carp looks different from the others.
I have to get rid of the cart.
Have you seen my fox?
He told me that the man was short.
Now, I would like to have a nice little wok.
Did they say they cooed?

Unit 7
English Vowels: Diphthongs
Pure vowels : Diphthongs

Is it a pure vowel or a
diphthong?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Is it a pure vowel or a
diphthong?

1. /u:/

2.
3.
4.
5.

/ e /
/
I /
/ /
/ i:/

6. / e /
7. /eI/
8. /aI/
9. / :/
10. / I /

Is it a pure vowel or a
diphthong?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

queues
bear
really
hole
reader

6. shed
7. sail
8. lighter
9. pearls
10.skill

Revision: English Pure Vowels

high

front

central

back

i:

mid-high

mid-low

low

Vowel Charts: English Pure Vowels

English Diphthongs

English Diphthongs
Centring diphthong

Ending in
a

know now

Closing diphthongs

Ending in

here hare tour

eI

ending in

aI

they cry toy

English Diphthongs
Closing Diphthongs & Centring Diphthongs

English closing diphthongs with sample

words
paid, hide, toy, tow, how

Sample words: bay, buy, boy

Sample words: know,

now

Sample words: tear, tare, tour

Listening Exercise

Sound
discrimination

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

peer
pair
tear
tare
dear
dare
fear
fair
sheer share
spear spare
really rarely
steering staring
poor
pull
found phoned

11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

town
file
tiles
sell
red
men
less
wet
seal
feel

tone
foil
toils
sail
raid
main
lace
wait
sail
fail

Listening Exercise

Sound
discrimination

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

peer
pair
tear
tare
dear
dare
fear
fair
sheer share
spear spare
really rarely
steering staring
poor
pull
found phoned

11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

town
file
tiles
sell
red
men
less
wet
seal
feel

tone
foil
toils
sail
raid
main
lace
wait
sail
fail

Listening Exercise
Sounds for
information

They were talking about the cures/queues in the hospital.

Who is going to say something about the bear/beer market?
I really/rarely believe what he says.
How many people did you see in the big hall/hole?
Are they all good raiders/readers?
It's hot. Let's have a rest in the shed/shade.
Is the man going to sell/sail his boat?
It was a lot later/lighter than I thought it would be.
Where did you get those colourful pails/pearls?
It is a useful skill/scale.

Listening Exercise Sounds for information

1.

The speaker was talking about the _________.

2.

A. queues

B. cures

The speaker was talking about the _________.

3.

A. beer market B. bear market

Does the speaker believe what he says?

4.

A. Yes. B. Not really.

The people were in the ___________.

5.

A. hall B. hole

The speaker was talking about the _________.

6.

A. readers

B. raiders

The speaker is going to have a rest in the ____________.

7.

A. shade

B. shed

The speaker was asking whether the man is going to _________ his
boat.

8.

A. sell B. sail

The speaker was saying that it was a lot ________.

9.

A. lighter

B. later

The speaker is asking about the ________.

A. poles

B. pearls

10. The speaker was talking about ___________.

A. a skill

B. a scale

Listening Exercise Sounds for information

1.

The speaker was talking about the _________.

2.

A. queues

B. cures

The speaker was talking about the _________.

3.

A. beer market B. bear market

Does the speaker believe what he says?

4.

A. Yes. B. Not really.

The people were in the ___________.

5.

A. hall B. hole

The speaker was talking about the _________.

6.

A. readers

B. raiders

The speaker is going to have a rest in the ____________.

7.

A. shade

B. shed

The speaker was asking whether the man is going to _________ his
boat.

8.

A. sell B. sail

The speaker was saying that it was a lot ________.

9.

A. lighter

B. later

The speaker is asking about the ________.

A. poles

B. pearls

10. The speaker was talking about ___________.

A. a skill

B. a scale

Listening Exercise
Sounds for
information

They were talking about the queues in the hospital.

Who is going to say something about the beer market?
I rarely believe what he says.
How many people did you see in the big hole?
Are they all good readers?
It's hot. Let's have a rest in the shade.
Is the man going to sail his boat?
It was a lot lighter than I thought it would be.
Where did you get those colourful pearls?
It is a useful scale.

Speaking Exercise sounds in perception and production

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

a. What do you think of the new tool?

b. What do you think of the new tour?

It is an invention.
It was an exciting tour.

a. He found her, didn't he?

b. He phoned her, didn't he?

No, he's still looking for her.

No, but he's going to.

a. How do you spell "pool"?

b. How do you spell "poor"?

POOL.
POOR.

a. How do you spell "coach"?

b. How do you spell "couch"?

COACH.
COUCH.

a. What are you going to do with your pen?

b. What are you going to do with your pain?

Throw it away.
I'll take some pills.

a. How did you like the tests?

b. How did you like the tastes?

Very easy.
Delicious.

a. Did you see the bell?

b. Did you see the bail?

You mean the silver one?

Yes, it's a lot of money.

a. Two more pints, please.

b. Two more points, please.

You have ten pints now.

You have ten points now.

a. That person is dangerous.

b. That poison is dangerous.

Take him to the police.

Put it in a safe place.

a. How do you like the boy's ties?

b. How do you like the boy's toys?

I like the red ties.

I like the robots.

Reading aloud
Pay special attention to the pronunciation of English Diphthongs.

Your Sense of Taste

Taste is one of our five senses. The others are hearing, sight, touch, and
smell. You hear with your ears, you see with your eyes, and you taste
things with your tongue.
On your tongue, you have groups of tiny taste buds. Taste buds send
information about food to your brain. You have a lot of taste buds,
maybe even 10,000! People dont have the same number of them.
Women often have more taste buds than men.
Because of your taste buds, foods like ice cream and bananas taste
sweet. French fries, cheese, and ocean water taste salty. Lemons have a
sour taste, and coffee is bitter. We all know about these four main
tastes: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter.
Why does a sense of taste matter? For one thing, it helps people decide
on safe things to eat. And of course, thanks to your sense of taste, you
can enjoy all your favorite foods.

Reading aloud
Identify words that are stressed first.
Pay special attention to the pronunciation of English diphthongs.

Taste is one of our five senses.

The others are hearing, sight, touch, and smell.
You hear with your ears.
You see with your eyes.
You taste things with your tongue.
Taste buds send information about food to your brain.
You have a lot of taste buds, maybe even 10,000!
Women often have more taste buds than men.
Foods like ice cream and bananas taste sweet.
French fries, cheese, and ocean water taste salty.
Lemons have a sour taste, and coffee is bitter.
We all know about these four main tastes: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter.
Why does a sense of taste matter?
It helps people decide on safe things to eat.
Thanks to your sense of taste, you can enjoy all your favorite foods.

Reading aloud
Identify words that are stressed first.
Pay special attention to the pronunciation of English diphthongs.

Taste is one of our five senses.

The others are hearing, sight, touch, and smell.
You hear with your ears.
You see with your eyes.
You taste things with your tongue.
Taste buds send information about food to your brain.
You have a lot of taste buds, maybe even 10,000!
Women often have more taste buds than men.
Foods like ice cream and bananas taste sweet.
French fries, cheese, and ocean water taste salty.
Lemons have a sour taste, and coffee is bitter.
We all know about these four main tastes: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter.
Why does a sense of taste matter?
It helps people decide on safe things to eat.
Thanks to your sense of taste, you can enjoy all your favorite foods.

Listening for information (1)

Listen & Imitate (1)

G: Whats your favorite season, John?

J: I love all the seasons, but I think winters my
favorite. I just love skiing. Dont you like winter,
Gloria?
G: I suppose so, but give me the summer any day.
Its great to go swimming. And its such fun playing
tennis.
J: I love swimming and tennis, too.
G: But in winter my hands and feet are always so
cold. And I always catch a cold.
J: And you always have a red nose in winter.

Listening for information (2)

Listen & Imitate (2)

A: What do you like to watch on TV, Bill?

B: I love quiz shows. What about you , Alice?
A: I like nature movies and I like situation
comedies.
B: So do I. Do your mom and dad watch much TV?
A: Not much. Theyre too busy. When they watch
TV, they prefer the news and documentaries. You
know, finance, politics
B: Boring!

Pronunciation in communication:
Talking about likes & dislikes
Student A = a Chinese student;
Student B = a tourist from England
Situation:

Take turns to be Student A, who is now working as a part-time

guide for a travel service and is having a little chat with one of the
tourists in his/her group. Find out what he/she likes or dislikes
about your city. Then make a report of your findings to the class
later on. Try to speak fluently and naturally.

Assignment
On-line exercises
Presentations

1.
2.
1.
2.

Reading aloud the passage on pp. 76-77

A one-minute mini-talk: (p.81)
Pronunciation in communication: Talking about likes & dislikes

Thank
you
gzwang@mail.gdufs.edu.cn