Stress and Thought Groups in American English Archives • Page 6 of 7 • English with Kim

Word Stress in American English: English Rhythm and Syllable Stress for Clear Pronunciation

Most non-native speakers think that their accent will improve when they work on their pronunciation. And they’re right. Well, sort of. 🤔 For most people, pronunciation means the articulation of sounds. By articulation of sounds, I mean the way you move your lips, your mouth, your tongue, and your jaw. While these elements are important, they’re not as essential as word stress. Word stress is when we make one syllable of a word longer, louder … Read the article and watch the video lesson

How to Understand Fast Native English Speakers During Conversations

Want to understand fast native English speakers during conversations in English? Do you feel a little stressed out when trying to follow what fast-talking Americans are saying? 😕 If so, you’re not alone. Most non-native speakers tend to stress out before interacting with native English speakers because they’re afraid they’re not going to catch every single word. Don’t worry – I’ve got you covered! In this article and video, I share my tips on how … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Use Your Listening Skills to Improve How You Sound When Speaking English

Can you use your listening skills in order to reduce your accent and improve your pronunciation? That’s the question we’re going to answer today! In order to improve how you sound in English, you need to increase your sensitivity to the characteristics and details of natural, native speech. After all, if you can’t hear the way a native English speaker uses his or her voice, then you won’t be able to change the way … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Four Elements of a Natural-Sounding Accent in American English

Sound familiar? I came here [to the US] and realized how truly limited my English was, and it was very scary. I soon realized it wasn’t going to be hard to learn – it was going to be nearly impossible. My accent was horrible. In Mexico, nobody says, “You speak English with a good accent.” You either speak English or you don’t: as long as you can communicate, no one cares. But the word … Read the article and watch the video lesson

How to Stress Phrases with “And” (Binomial Expressions) to Create the Natural Rhythm of English

One of the reasons that people struggle to sound natural in English is that they have trouble hearing the natural rhythm of the language. A key element of producing the natural rhythm of English is word stress. If you’re new to word stress, I encourage you to check out this video on finding your flow when speaking English first. In fact, word stress is the very first thing you should pay attention to when learning … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Five Reasons You Need to Slow Down to Improve How You Sound and Speak English More Clearly

I’m about to give you a piece of advice that may seem a little hypocritical, but I’d like for you to hear me out. Today I’m going to encourage you to slow down when speaking English. First, we’ll look at the reasons why it’s so important to speak more slowly if you’re a non-native English speaker (even if you’re fluent!). I’m also going to give you specific examples of how slowing down can help you … Read the article and watch the video lesson