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You are here: Home / Archives for Consonant Clusters

Study the pronunciation of various consonant clusters.

How to pronounce three difficult clusters: -sks, -sts & -sks

How to pronounce three difficult clusters: -sks, -sts & -sks

If you’re learning English it’s important to include American accent training in your studies.  In this video I show you accent training exercises that you can use to pronounce three of the most difficult consonant clusters in American English: -sks, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: S [s] as in SIP, Videos Tagged With: Consonant Clusters

NS Endings

NS Endings

In this advanced topic, study words that end in the [ns] sounds, and how Americans really pronounce them.  Bonus:  this applies to words with [nʃ] as well!   YouTube blocked? Click here to see the video. Video Text: In this American English … [Read more...]

Filed Under: N [n] as in NAP, S [s] as in SIP, Videos Tagged With: Consonant Clusters

The KW Consonant Cluster

The KW Consonant Cluster

Be QUITE sure how to pronounce QU-words with this video.  Watch the up close, slow motion pronunciation to study the lip rounding and get it right:  question, quality, quick, queen, etc. YouTube blocked? Click here to see the video. Video … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Videos, W [w] as in WILL Tagged With: Consonant Clusters

How to Pronounce Ending T Clusters + Homophones — Baking!

How to Pronounce Ending T Clusters + Homophones — Baking!

Oops!  Error at 4:18:  should be [ wɛəɹ‿əɹ jəɹ] :)   Study real English conversation and special topics like ending T clusters, all while making some bagels with my friend Laura! YouTube blocked? Click here to see the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Conversation and Speech Studies, Most Popular, T [t] as in TIME, Videos Tagged With: ARE Reduction, BECAUSE Reduction, Consonant Clusters, homophones, Most Popular, Real Life English, Wanna, Words that Begin with H Reductions, YOUR Reduction

S Consonant Clusters

S Consonant Clusters

For people who speak Spanish and Portuguese, s-cluster words can be tough.  The mistake is to pronounce an ‘eh’ vowel before the cluster.  Watch this video and try to break that habit! YouTube blocked? Click here to see the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: S [s] as in SIP, Videos Tagged With: Consonant Clusters

How to Pronounce the TR Consonant Cluster

How to Pronounce the TR Consonant Cluster

I’ve noticed that some students change the T to a CH in this cluster – great, many Americans do that too!  But the problem is that some will drop the R.  We can’t do that. Learn the right way to make this tough consonant cluster. YouTube blocked? … [Read more...]

Filed Under: R [ɹ] as in RUN, T [t] as in TIME, Videos Tagged With: Consonant Clusters, TR Cluster

Holding out the R in Clusters

Holding out the R in Clusters

When working with a difficult sound like R, it’s always a good idea to hold it out to solidify your understanding of the mouth position.  Work on holding out your R while practicing clusters. YouTube blocked? Click here to see the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: R [ɹ] as in RUN, Videos Tagged With: Consonant Clusters

How to Make the TS Sound

How to Make the TS Sound

The TS sound can be tough, ending words like ‘its’, ‘parents’, and ‘results’.  Learn how to practice and make this ending cluster. YouTube blocked? Click here to see the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCKMM8CyPIw Video Text: Today I’m … [Read more...]

Filed Under: S [s] as in SIP, T [t] as in TIME, Videos Tagged With: Consonant Clusters

How to Pronounce the SHR Consonant Cluster

How to Pronounce the SHR Consonant Cluster

Clusters can be a challenge.  Learn the position of the SHR cluster, and how your mouth should change from beginning to end. YouTube blocked? Click here to see the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8m4hv_eVN0 Video Text: Today I'm going … [Read more...]

Filed Under: R [ɹ] as in RUN, SH [ʃ] as in SHIP, Videos Tagged With: Consonant Clusters

TR souding like CHR, DR like JR, and STR like SDR

TR souding like CHR, DR like JR, and STR like SDR

You may have noticed that when native speakers say the TR cluster in words like ‘train’ and ‘try’, it often sounds like CHR. This is also true for the DR cluster:  it ends up sounding like JR. Learn more about this concept. YouTube blocked? Click … [Read more...]

Filed Under: D [d] as in DIME, R [ɹ] as in RUN, S [s] as in SIP, T [t] as in TIME, Videos Tagged With: Consonant Clusters, TR Cluster

How To Make the ‘QU’ Sound

How To Make the ‘QU’ Sound

This consonant cluster can be a challenge [kw].  Those people who struggle with it usually don’t round their lips enough for the [w] sound. YouTube blocked? Click here to see the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpv6aK_GWxw Video … [Read more...]

Filed Under: K [k] as in CAP, Videos, W [w] as in WILL Tagged With: Consonant Clusters

The THS Sound

The THS Sound

The THS is one of the English sound combinations that can be tricky.  One tip that will help:  keep your tongue relaxed. A relaxed tongue is necessary to make the TH.  If the tongue has tension in it, the TH will sound like a stop consonant rather … [Read more...]

Filed Under: S [s] as in SIP, TH [θ] as in THIN, Videos Tagged With: Consonant Clusters

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