Problematic consonant sounds

Let's view five problems in the pronunciation of consonants that are common at least for East Slavic language speakers.

1) Not voicing sounds at the end of a word

If the word ends in d, g, b, z or a pattern that has one of these voiced sounds, it is vital not to make it voiceless. Otherwise, we can hear a completely different word!

2) Confusing /v/ and /w/

The letters v and w have two different sounds. When pronouncing /w/, the lips are put forward and rounded. When pronouncing /v/, the lower lips are slightly put behind or against the upper teeth. Let's listen to the word pairs:

3) Pronunciation of r

It is important to remember the following about the tricky letter r:

• it has its unique pronunciation in English that should be trained
• we do not pronounce r after vowels

In a stressed syllable, a vowel + r can have three sounds:

The unstressed er, or, ur become ə (the Schwa sound)

4) Mispronouncing th

For the correct pronunciation of /θ/ (like in think) and /ð/ (like in this) the tip of the tongue should lie between the teeth. /θ/ is a voiceless sound and /ð/ is voiced. If you mix these sounds up with /s/ or /z/, there is a chance of saying the wrong word.

5) Mispronouncing ng

To get the right nasal sound /ŋ/, we slightly open the mouth, press the back of the tongue against the soft palate and let the air go through the nose.

Please notice that we do not always pronounce /g/ after /ŋ/:

• /ŋ/ if ng is at the end of a word or root word

• /ŋg/ in a comparative or superlative forms

• /ŋg/ if ng is not at the end of the word or root

Pay attention

The letter n combined with k (like in tank) also sounds like /ŋ/.