Pronunciation is really about the knowledge of how words, chunks, and blocks of English should sound. And combined with good motor skills, to be sure.

But really, native English speakers speak fluently because we “chunk” English. We articulate English in blocks, not in individual words.

Let’s take for example the phrase “at the end of the day”. This isn’t pronounced as “At. The. End. Of. The. Day” but “athendvthaday”. It’s articulated as a single unit, as a chunk so it sounds very, very natural. Whereas if you pronounce it using individual words, it’s going to sound super strange and awkward.

But if you’re still struggling with your English pronunciation, ask yourself: Is it because you’re TOO focused on the pronunciation of each individual word? Are you ignoring the chunked nature of English? And aside from that, you also have to learn the rhythm intonation, and flow of English, too.

So, learn how to chunk your English words well. And if you need help with your pronunciation, you can start with The Good Shadowing Guide that I created. It helps people build this rhythm and intonation, together with good chunking skills.

Hope that helps.

Best,
Dr Julian Northbrook