With the help of a native or proficient English speaker, practice these sets of words that represent common English pronunciation problems. At the bottom of the page are some good sentences for pronunciation practice, but be careful: Tongue twisters can be fun, but if it is difficult for most native speakers to say, it may not be a good tool for you to use as an English learner.
Word pairs for pronunciation in English:
It and eat
His, he’s
Fit, feet
Slip, sleep
Will, wheel
Pick, peak
Riches, reaches
Bed and Bid
Better, bitter
Dead,did
Wet, wit
Slept, slipped
Pen, pin
Peck, pick
Met and mate
Pen, pain
Tell, tale
Red, raid
Fell, fail
West, waste
Letter, later
Cot and Coat
On, own
Clock, cloak
Bat, boat
Lad, load
Not, note
Glob, globe
Sat and set
Bad, bed
Man, men
Shall, shell
Cattle, kettle
Batter, better
Axe, ex
B and V
Bat,vat
Boat,vote
Curb, curve
Serb, serve
Rebel, revel
Dribble, drivel
B and P
Big, pig
Bear, pair
Cab, cap
Bro, pro
Bond, pond
Nab, nap
L and R
Light, right
Glass, grass
Alive, arrive
Clack, crack
Polling, pouring
Coals, course
C and “sh” (as in “she”)
Seat, sheet
Sort, short
Lease, leash
Saver, shaver
Sue, shoe
Stick, shtick
F and V
Fat, vat
Leaf, leave
Proof, pove
Duff, dove
Define, divine
Belief, believe
S and “th” (as in “thin”)
Sing, thing
Sick, thick
Moss, moth
Force, fourth
Worse, worth
Truce, truth
Z and “th” (as in “this”)
Zen, then
Zot, thought
Breeze, breathe
Seize, seeth
Teasing, teething
Sentences for practice:
My thirsty friend brought drinks Thursday.
I regret letting him hit me.
Whether the weather is cold or whether the weather is hot, we’ll be together whatever the weather, whether we like it or not.
All I want is a proper cup of coffee, made in a proper copper coffee pot.