Practice Pronouncing /UH/ vs. /AH/

If ou didn't grow up speaking English regularly, chances are that you reverse these sounds or they sound too similar in American English, which is confusing to listeners.

There should be a clear difference in the way you pronounce /UH/ and the way you pronounce the vowel(s) /AH/ or /AW/.  (NOTE:  AH/ and /AW/ are technically two different sounds but they are very similar, so I teach them as one sound.   The only real reason to learn the difference is if you are learning or teaching a specific regional dialect of English, for example, an actor who needs a Southern Dialect for a role or performance.)

In this American Accent Pronunciation Training Session, you’ll practice using these vowels in the correct place so that you avoid confusion in your speech. Make notes of (and practice) any words that surprise you.

As you practice:

• Notice and imitate syllable stress
• Imitate the different intonations that you hear
• Look away from the words and pretend you are speaking to a real person

This will help the skills that you gain in this training session carry over into real conversations.  We recommend repeating this lesson every day for at least one week.  With consistent practice, your pronunciation of American English will become automatic and effortless.