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English pronunciation can be troublesome for English language learners because there are three

versions of accepted Standard English: British English, General American, and General Australian. On

top of these three types, there are different accents that accompany speakers, which may make it

difficult for non-native people to understand the spoken language. Here we will help you understand

the sounds of English better so that you may understand why you'll find some words difficult to catch

or pronounce.

Stress and Syllables

Grammar Points

Let's first take a look at how many sounds there are in English. There are generally about twenty-four

to twenty-five consonant sounds and eighteen to twenty-three vowel sounds. The numbers range

because different researchers have concluded there are different numbers for all three standard types.

English has rules governing pronunciation and spelling; however, since it has many words taken from

different languages, these rules are very complex. Therefore, it seems as though people do not always

pronounce the words the way they spell them.

word or not mean anything at all to the listener. The rest of the syllables may be shorter or weaker

sounding, and depending on the speaker, the sound might be slightly different. That's why we can

communicate even using different versions of English: although the weaker syllables may sound

different, the stress is generally in the same position. This also means that English is a stress-timed

language. The stress appears in more or less a steady beat when speaking, and the weaker syllables are

all adjusted to accommodate the stressed sound.

Examples of some English words

I. "dessert" vs. "desert"

A "dessert" is the sweet food you eat after a meal, and a "desert" is the area of land covered in sand.

The stresses in the two words are in different parts, which make it possible to distinguish the

meanings.

II. "present" vs. "present"

"Present" with a stress on the first syllable is the noun meaning "gift." The second "present" with the

stress on the second syllable is a verb that means to formally give something to another.

By understanding the rhythm of English, you will be better equipped with the knowledge of what you

need to look out for. Try imitating a native speaker's pronunciation as much as possible when you

practice speaking. By doing so, you will be practicing detailed sounds, which will help you hear them

the next time someone utters them. Keeping the right beat of each sentence will also help your overall

fluency.