Shadowing Practice: Learn the IPA -- Consonants -- American English - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Let's take a look at the letter T.
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Let's take a look at the letter T.
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It can be silent, like in the word, fasten.
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It can be pronounced C-H,
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ch, as in the word, future.
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It can be pronounced tt,
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like in the word, tap.
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When paired with the H,
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it can be th, the unvoiced TH,
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as in the word, thanks.
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Or it can be th,
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the voiced TH, as in the word, this.
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The letter T can actually represent various sounds.
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This is why the International Phonetic Alphabet makes it easier to study the pronunciation of foreign languages.
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This video focuses on consonants.
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What is the International Phonetic Alphabet?
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It's a system of phonetic notation,
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and I use it a lot on my website and when I teach students.
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I've also used it a lot when I've studied foreign languages.
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The IPA is especially handy when studying English,
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because English is not a phonetic language.
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This means when you see a letter or a group of letters,
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it will not necessarily be pronounced the same in each word in which it occurs,
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just as in the example at the beginning of this video.
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The IPA has a written symbol for each phonetic sound,
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so this makes it easier to read about and write about pronunciation.
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As a student of pronunciation,
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it's important that you become familiar with the symbols that represent the sounds of American English.
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Duh.
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Say that with me.
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Duh.
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This sound is in dime, redo, smiled.
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Tuh.
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Say that with me.
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Tuh.
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This sound is in washed, untie, tip.
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Vv.
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This sound is in value, of, love.
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Fff.
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This sound is in staff, enough, phone.
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Buh, buh.
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This sound is in big, sob, abandon.
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Puh, puh.
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This This sound is in pan, ship, reapply.
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G-g-g.
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This sound is in gap, exhibit, fog.
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C-c-c.
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This sound is in choir, quiet, back.
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Th-th-th.
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This sound is in thanks, filthy, with.
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This sound is in bother.
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This, bathe.
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Sss, sss.
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This sound is in ice.
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Some, axe.
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Zzz, zzz.
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This sound is in lazy, flowers, possess.
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Sh, sh.
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This sound is in polish, ocean, issue.
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Zzz, zzz.
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This sound is in beige, vision, azure.
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Ch, ch.
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This sound is in chase, march, chapter.
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J, j.
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This sound is in joy, grudge, change.
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HH, HH.
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This sound is in happy.
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Rehash.
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Hi.
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Er, ER.
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This sound is in wrong.
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Operate.
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Ear.
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YH, YH.
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This sound is in yummy.
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Yes.
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And And it often occurs in the U as in few diphthong in words like music.
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Mm, nn.
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This sound occurs in words like my, mumble, some.
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Nn, nn.
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This sound occurs in the words nine, know, undo.
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Nn, nn.
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This sound occurs in the words ring, thanks, anger.
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Ll, ll.
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This sound occurs in the words follow, lie, feel.
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Wuh, wuh.
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This sound occurs in the words quiet, will, one.
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Great.
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Familiarizing yourself with these symbols should make it easier to study pronunciation.
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That's it, and thanks so much for using Rachel's English.
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If you liked this video, be sure to subscribe.
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Either click here or in the description.
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But But don't stop there.
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Keep learning with my American English in Real Life playlist,
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my Ben Franklin playlist, or my Word of the Week series.
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Click on me to check out my channel,
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where there are hundreds of great videos.
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Don't forget to visit my website,
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where you can learn about my Premium Membership and online courses.

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Why practice speaking with this video?

Practicing speaking through this engaging video is an excellent way to improve your English pronunciation using the shadowing technique. As you listen to the speaker articulate various consonant sounds, you can replicate their pronunciation in real-time, helping you internalize these specific sounds. This method not only enhances your clarity but also boosts your confidence in speaking. By repeating the sounds such as /t/, /v/, and /g/, you'll become more adept at familiar consonants that may not be pronounced as expected in written English. Plus, utilizing learn English with YouTube effectively integrates visual and auditory learning, making it a dynamic approach to language acquisition.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

  • Silent Letters: The speaker mentions 'T' being silent in the word "fasten." This highlights the importance of recognizing words with silent letters, a common occurrence in English.
  • Phonetic Notation: The use of the term 'International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)' is essential for learners. It introduces a standardized system to articulate sounds that vary from their spelling.
  • Sound Repetition: Phrases like "Say that with me" not only encourage interaction but also emphasize the importance of active engagement in learning pronunciation.

These structures are fundamental when practicing English as they encourage your participation and stimulate your ability to mimic sounds effectively.

Common Pronunciation Traps

English pronunciation can be particularly tricky, especially with sounds represented by the letter 'T'. For example:

  • In the word "thanks," the 'T' may not sound like what learners expect, often leading to confusion.
  • The presence of voiced and unvoiced 'TH' sounds in words like "this" and "thanks" can be challenging for non-native speakers.
  • Words such as "future" where 'T' is pronounced like /ch/ can confuse learners who are following standard pronunciation rules.

By paying attention to these peculiarities, you can better navigate the landscape of English phonetics. Utilizing shadowing sites provides an opportunity to practice and refine your pronunciation, helping you to overcome these common hurdles.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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