ESL Pronunciation Exercises - Short Vowels Consonants

The following series of pronunciation exercises combines words beginning with the same consonant sound followed by similar vowel sounds. Voiced and voiceless consonants are paired (b - voiced / p - voiceless, d - voiced / t - voiceless, etc.) to help students compare and contrast similar consonant formation. Pairing similar phonemes to improve pronunciation skills is also known as the use of minimal pairs. Minimal pairs change words by one phoneme so that the basic pronunciation pattern remains the same with one slight - minimal - difference. This allows students to really focus in on the slight difference in jaw, tongue, or lip placement needed to make the various phonemes. Repeat each line slowly, listen for the minor differences between the vowel and consonant sounds.Repeat each line three times. Each time repeat more quickly trying to keep the sounds distinct.Find a partner and listen to each other repeat the lines.Try to invent sentences using each sound at least once. For example: The big bat bet he could beat the others. - Dont worry too much about the sentence making much sense! ih - pronounced ih as in hit ee - pronounced ee as in see eh - pronounced eh as in let ae - pronounced ae as in cat big beat bet bat pig peep pet pat did deal death dad tip teeth tell tap gill gee! get gap kill keep kept cat sip see set sat zip zeal zeppelin zap ship sheet shelf shaft gin jeep jell jack chip cheek chess chat hit heat help hat Vowel Sounds eh - as in let, ih - as in hit, ee - as in see, and ae- as in catlong ah - as in car, short ah - as in gotlong uh - as in put, short uh - as in up, oo - as in through Diphthong Sounds ay - as in day, ai - as in skyou - as in home, ow - as in mouse, oi - as in boyieh(r) - as in near, ehi(r) - as in hair