Any learner of the English language is aware that spelling is frequently not a very helpful tool for figuring out how to pronounce a word correctly. Look at this sentence, focusing especially on the terms that are bolded. Are you able to say them correctly?

The pronunciation of words in English has not changed significantly over time, but word pronunciation has. For language learners, pronunciation becomes extremely difficult as a result.  However, accurate pronunciation involves more than just "how words and letters sound"; intonation—the way a speaker's tone of voice changes during a sentence, either rising or falling—is another crucial component to take into account such as intonation, which is the swing in voice tone up or down during a phrase; stress, which is the shift in word and syllable 'weight' during speech; and connected speech, which is the way words sound differently when combined in genuine speech. These characteristics all help with proper pronunciation; however, they should not be confused with accents.

Although there are many, many various kinds of accents in the UK, the USA, and other English-speaking nations, everyone can be deemed to be pronouncing words correctly.  You don't have to sound British or American while learning English. Being understood does not always entail sounding like you were born in New York or London. A lot of native English speakers enjoy hearing English spoken with an accent from France, Italy, or Spain!  Thus, even if you maintain your original accent, how can you improve your pronunciation so that listeners anywhere can understand you with ease? These are my top six suggestions for honing your pronunciation.

To improve your pronunciation, the most obvious technique is to listen to instances of real speech. You can view a movie in its native language, listen to English-language podcasts about subjects you're interested in (try the British Council English podcasts app here), or even just enjoy some music to help you relax. Try to observe how others pronounce things.  'Shadowing' is another way to advance this. Shadowing is the process of listening to a brief sentence or phrase, repeating it thereafter, and observing how your mouth and tongue move when you speak. You can try to mimic the sounds, intonation, and word stress.

Firstly, Consult a dictionary. There are many online dictionaries where you may click and hear the word being uttered, in addition to printed dictionaries that provide you with a phonetic transcription of a word. The website's name itself serves as a helpful pronunciation guide for the frequently asked question, "How do you say...?"  It's an excellent tool for hearing unfamiliar language.

Secondly, Get moving! Our mouths are designed to adapt to the sounds of many languages.  We find it physically very difficult to make some sounds since they are not there in our mother tongue.  It's crucial to educate your lips to make new sounds; the more you practice, the easier it gets, much like when you are learning a new sport or dancing routine. For instance, many Spanish speakers struggle to distinguish between the /b/ and /v/ sounds.  /b/ is produced by pressing our lips together for a moment before releasing them. While the sound is identical, your upper teeth should contact your lower lip before releasing it.  It becomes easier the more you do this.

Thirdly, discover who your minimal pairs are. Words with nearly identical pronunciations but one distinct sound, like ship and sheep, are known as minimal pairings. The length of the vowel distinguishes the /I/ in "ship" from the /i:/ in "sheep." This occurs in many different terms and can be challenging for many language learners to hear.  Being able to distinguish between sounds when you hear them is the first step. Here are some examples of popular minimum pairs to listen to. Can you hear the differences? Can you produce the various noises on your own?

Finally, take a video of yourself. After you've got some experience shadowing, you can record yourself speaking. You can either undertake a longer speaking exercise from a coursebook, such describing a picture, or you can just repeat a brief word you've heard. After you've listened back and noted any sounds you found difficult, rehearse these words, or sounds slowly and then record yourself once more. Do you think things have gotten better?