English Pronunciation Practice Exercises — Listen, Repeat, Improve
Tap any card to hear native audio. Repeat aloud right away. These short drills target the exact sounds, stress patterns, and intonation tricks that separate fluent speakers from intermediate ones.
🎧 Tip: Wear headphones, find a quiet room, and say each sentence out loud at least 3 times before moving on. Quality beats quantity.
Minimal pairs — sharpen your ear
These pairs differ by just one sound. Most learners hear them as identical at first. Play each one, then repeat aloud.
Ship — sheep
/ʃɪp/ — /ʃiːp/
Live — leave
/lɪv/ — /liːv/
Full — fool
/fʊl/ — /fuːl/
The /θ/ and /ð/ sounds
The famous 'th' sounds. Tongue tip between the teeth — don't let it become a /t/, /d/, /s/ or /z/.
I think this thing is thicker.
/aɪ θɪŋk ðɪs θɪŋ ɪz ˈθɪkər/
The weather is rather cold this Thursday.
/ðə ˈweðər ɪz ˈræðər koʊld ðɪs ˈθɜːrzdeɪ/
Three thirsty thieves.
/θriː ˈθɜːrsti θiːvz/
Connected speech & linking
Natural English is not pronounced word-by-word. Native speakers glue words together. Mastering linking is the #1 fluency shortcut.
I'm gonna check it out.
/aɪm ˈɡʌnə ˈtʃek ɪt ˈaʊt/
Pick it up and put it on.
/pɪk ɪt ʌp ən pʊt ɪt ɒn/
Did you eat yet?
/ˈdɪdʒə iːt jet/
What are you doing?
/ˈwʌɾərjə ˈduːɪŋ/
Word & sentence stress
English is a stress-timed language. Stressing the wrong syllable can make you unintelligible — even if every sound is correct.
I'd like to RECORD this RECord.
She didn't say SHE stole it — she said SHE stole it.
I wanted to GO to the PARty on SAturday.
Intonation patterns
Pitch carries meaning. Wrong intonation can make a statement sound rude, sarcastic, or unsure.
Where are you going? ↘
I bought eggs, milk, butter, and bread. ↗↗↗↘
Oh, really? ↗
Common Asian-learner traps
These patterns trip up learners from Vietnam, China, Japan, Korea, and Thailand most often. Drill them daily.
He asked his friends for tips.
She walked through the woods quickly.
I'd been working on it for hours.
Take your drills offline — Get the mobile app
Practice on the bus, in bed, anywhere. The mobile app includes per-word AI pronunciation scoring, downloadable lessons, and streak reminders. Free to download, premium just $5/year.
Frequently asked questions
How are these exercises different from a textbook?
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You hear native audio and repeat instantly — no waiting. Textbooks show you the phonemes, but you can't drill rhythm and intonation from paper. Active output (your voice) is what reshapes muscle memory.
Will I get AI scoring here on the web?
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Quick playback is available on this page so you can preview. Full per-word AI scoring (green/red highlighting) lives in the practice player and the mobile app — both free.
How long until I sound natural?
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Most learners notice clearer consonants within 1 week of daily drilling, fluid connected speech within 4–6 weeks, and near-native intonation in 3–4 months — with 15–20 minutes of focused shadowing per day.
What if my browser doesn't play audio?
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These exercises use the browser's speech-synthesis API. Use Chrome, Edge, or Safari for the best results. On mobile, install the ShadowingEnglish app for offline-quality audio.
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