The Music of American English Pronunciation

In this third course of The Pronunciation of American English specialization, you will learn and practice the "music" of American English, the features of pronunciation such as stress, rhythm, and intonation that will help improve your listening comprehension as well as your ability to communicate more clearly. Each week you will receive practical advice from successful English learners and practice an effective technique called shadowing to improve your pronunciation of the musical features of English. You will also have opportunities to record yourself and to respond to the recordings of other learners. Only learners who pay for the course will be able to take the graded quizzes or submit assignments for feedback. The free version provides access to the lectures and practice activities only.

• Welcome
• Welcome to The Music of American English Pronunciation! In this course, you’ll move beyond individual consonant and vowel sounds and learn about things like syllable stress, intonation, and linking. These give English its characteristic “music,” and they’re a big help in making your pronunciation sound more natural and understandable. Learning about these things will also improve your listening skill and make it easier for you to understand English when it’s spoken at a normal speed. Good luck in practicing the music of American English Pronunciation!
• Syllables and Word Stress
• Thought Groups, Rhythm, and Reduced Words
• Connected Speech
• Sentence Focus and Intonation