Elementary Pronunciation & Mistakes (A2 · 32 lessons)
Elementary pronunciation & mistakes covers building blocks for everyday conversation, short messages and simple past tenses. Open any lesson below for the explanation, examples and practice points.
Silent Letters
Some letters are written but not pronounced.
Pronouncing -ed Endings
/t/, /d/ or /id/ depending on the last sound.
Pronouncing -s Endings
/s/, /z/, /iz/.
Word Stress Basics
Stress one syllable in each word.
Sentence Stress
Stress content words.
Mistake: Make vs Do
make creates; do performs tasks.
Mistake: Say vs Tell
say + words; tell + person.
Mistake: Much vs Many
Choose by countability.
Mistake: Borrow vs Lend
borrow = take; lend = give.
Mistake: Bring vs Take
bring toward speaker; take away.
Mistake: Since vs For
since = point; for = period.
Spelling Rule: I Before E
i before e except after c.
Spelling Rule: Doubling Consonants
Double final consonant before -ing/-ed in short words.
Homophones
Words sound alike but differ in meaning.
Sound: Short and Long U
full vs fool.
Sound: S and Z
z is voiced; s is not.
Sound: J and Y
j as in jump; y as in yes.
Sound: Diphthongs
Two vowel sounds glide together.
Sound: Final Consonants
Pronounce the last consonant clearly.
Word Stress in Two-Syllable Words
Nouns stress first; verbs stress second.
Linking R and Intrusive R
Add r between vowel sounds in some accents.
Contrastive Stress
Stress changes the focus of meaning.
Mistake: Few vs A Few
a few = some; few = not many.
Mistake: Other vs Another
another = one more; other = different/remaining.
Mistake: Quiet vs Quite
quiet = silent; quite = fairly.
Mistake: Lend and Loan
loan can be a noun or verb.
Mistake: Rob vs Steal
rob a person/place; steal an object.
Mistake: Hear vs Listen
hear = notice sound; listen = pay attention.
Mistake: See, Look, Watch
see = notice; look = direct eyes; watch = observe over time.
Mistake: Besides vs Beside
beside = next to; besides = also.
Mistake: Alone vs Lonely
alone = by yourself; lonely = sad about it.
Mistake: Economic vs Economical
economic = of economy; economical = cheap.
Other levels for Pronunciation & Mistakes: Beginner · Intermediate · Upper-Intermediate · Advanced