Consonant Pairs

Since arriving in Saigon 2 years ago, I have met many young people who can speak English. Usually their reading and writing skills are good but they need help with pronunciation. One of the most common mistakes the Vietnamese students make is mispronouncing consonant pairs. 

When Vietnamese students speak English, they often have trouble pronouncing consonant pairs such as "street" or "price" Instead, they will say something like "treat" or "rice". The consonant pairs are difficult to say because the Vietnamese language does not have these sounds. So how can you improve your speaking in this area? One word: PRACTICE. If your goal is to become a better speaker than you must practice EVERY DAY. You don't have to practice for a long time, 20 minutes is enough. This is the only solution I have seen that works. 

When practicing your pronunciation, focus on the consonant pair. Practice speaking "st" and "pr" first and after you can say "street" or "price". The most common consonant pairs are listed below:

bl, br, ch, cl, cr, dr, fl, fr, gl, gr, pl, pr, qu, sc, sh, sk, st 

But how do you know if you are saying them correctly? The best option is to find a native speaker and ask them to listen to you. Another way is to ask your friends to listen to you and write down what you say. 

I have never met a student who practiced English daily and did not improve. Focus your attention on being consistent and you will be successful. practice 

If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a message. That's all for today.