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Which pronunciation to practise
Use the Standard English examples for practice, and the American examples to build your listening skills.
Your goal
When you speak English, people understand you the first time.
Quick answers
| Sound | Say this(Standard English) | How to check | Also heard(American) |
|---|---|---|---|
t between vowels water, better See the rule | woo-tə, be-tə (full t) | Your tongue stops the air completely | waa-dər, be-dər (tapped t) |
t after n twenty, internet See the rule | twen-ti, in-tə-net (full t) | You hear a t between the n and the vowel after it | twe-ni, i-nər-net (t often dropped) |
r after a vowel car, hard See the rule | kaa, haad (r silent) | You go straight from aa to the next sound, with no r | kaar, haard (r said) |
The vowel in work work, first See the rule | wəək, fəəst | Hold the vowel longer, match the recording, and leave out the r | wərk, fərst |
The vowel in hot hot, job See the rule | hot, job | Start from a short Kinyarwanda o, then match the recording | haat, jaab |
can't can't See the rule | kaant or say 'cannot' | Match the aa sound and length to the recording, then say a full t | kant (t often hard to hear) |
r and l right, light See the rule | right, light | l: the tongue tip touches the ridge and stays. r: keep the tip clear of the ridge and roof of your mouth | Same in both |
-teen and -ty thirteen, thirty See the rule | thəə-tiin, thəə-ti | -teen: last syllable stressed, long ii. -ty: first syllable stressed, full t | thər-tiin, thər-di |
So for twenty: say twen-ti, with a full t (your tongue stops the air completely before the i). Americans often say twe-ni; listen and compare the two.
Need a reminder? See how to read the sound spellings.