Fingers’ Pronunciation - Intonation

AUDIO DR FINGERS’PRONUNCIATION

INTONATION

This is the third part of our series on the differences in pronunciation between British and American English. This month we are looking at some more sounds. (The answers to the exercise are on page 46)

This is the fourth and final part of our mini-series on the differences in pronunciation between British and American English. This month we are looking at some more sounds that are different.

1. The “aI” sound 4. The “eI” sound

This “ei” sound is different too.

Listen to these words and hear how the “ai” sound is pronounced differently. The first speaker of each group is speaking with a standard British accent, and the second speaker is speaking with a standard American accent.

British US Night Night Fight Fight Right Right Sight Sight

2. The “{” sound

This sound is different too.

Man Man Axe Axe Pan Pan Sad Sad Bag Bag Brad Brad Sack Sack Ban Ban Hat Hat

3. The “ I ˆ ” sound

Pain Pain Shade Shade Dave Dave Gave Gave Wait Wait Taste Taste Bait Bait Paper Paper

5. The “r ” sound

Finally, let’s listen to some words with an “r” in them. In British English the “r” sound is not very prominent (unless it is before a vowel, “re-read”). However, in American English the “r” sound is pronounced much more. Listen to the differences.

Turn Turn Fur Fur Pearl Pearl Worm Worm Warm Warm Word Word Worker Worker Car Car Offer Offer Bar Bar Star Star Cart Cart

Listen to the differences with this sound. Notice how the Americans pronounce the “r” sound much more prominently than the British.

Beer Beer Hear Hear Steer Steer Tear Tear Beard Beard Gear Gear Exercise

Now see if you can do this little exercise. You have to listen to each sentence and say which one is in British English and which one is American English. Write “Br” next to the numbers below if you think the speaker is speaking with a British English accent; and put “Am” next to the ones with an American English accent. We’ve done the first one for you. 1 _Am 2 ____ 3 ____ 4 ____ 5 ____ 6 ____ 7 ____ 8 ____ 9 ____ 10 ____ 11 __ 12 ____ 13 ____ 14 ____ 15 ____ 16 ____ 17 ____ 18 ____ 19 ____ 20 ____

G L O S S A R Y

an axe n a tool for cutting wood. It has a wooden handle and a sharp blade at the end to ban vb to prohibit to steer vb to control a car and make it turn in the direction you want a gear n an object used to control the speed of a car. Most cars have five forward gears and one reverse gear bait n food used to attract animals so you can catch or kill them

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