When we choose to learn a second language, we inherently know that we have to learn everything about it. Think back to how we learned our mother tongue as children. From birth, we didn't know how to use our native language. Over time, living in a language-rich environment and being exposed to it daily, we naturally learned to speak and listen. When learning another language, especially English, we all understand that it's an essential skill for modern life. Having English proficiency can help you achieve a good job, higher pay for the same position, self-confidence, and career advancement. Among English skills, speaking is one of the most frequently used in communication, allowing you to express yourself most effectively.

The first crucial thing that grabs the attention of foreigners when you communicate with them is not your accent, grammar, vocabulary, or speaking speed, but rather your pronunciation. When you pronounce words clearly and correctly, they will understand you more quickly and accurately. Correct pronunciation of each English word is similar to adding punctuation marks like "/", "?", "" to each Vietnamese word. In Vietnamese, punctuation determines the meaning of a word; the same applies to English. In Vietnamese, correct and sufficient pronunciation combined with punctuation creates specific meaning. The same is true for English.

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To improve your English pronunciation, you should:

Choose your preferred English accent: British English, American English, or Australian English.

Have a standard pronunciation dictionary: For example, Cambridge Learner's Dictionary, Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, or dictionaries from renowned publishers like Oxford, Cambridge, or MacMillan. (Nowadays, smartphone apps often offer free dictionaries from these publishers, which you can easily download and use.)

Identify and pronounce all English sounds correctly: To speak accurately, there's no alternative but to pronounce each individual sound in English correctly. Therefore, you must practice each individual sound thoroughly until you are proficient and can combine them into correct words.

Learn how to use word stress: English doesn't have tone marks like Vietnamese, but native English speakers speak beautifully with emphasis because English words have stress. Therefore, when learning a word, we need to know which syllable the stress falls on and how to emphasize it.

Learn to speak with correct intonation: Intonation expresses the speaker's emotions or underlying meaning. Each language has its own way of expressing intonation. Surprise, displeasure, sadness, anger—all these emotional states can be conveyed through spoken language via intonation. Therefore, you must know how to use the correct intonation to express what you want to say.

Regularly check your English pronunciation: This is where a good English dictionary comes in handy. When encountering a new English word, you shouldn't rely on intuition or guesswork. It's best to use a dictionary and learn how to pronounce the word correctly from it.

Practice listening and identifying sounds: Regular listening practice is the best way to learn English pronunciation. Turn on the TV, radio, podcasts, shows, or movies. While listening, focus on how each sound or word is pronounced. Try to guess what the sound is. When listening to non-native English speakers, try to identify their pronunciation errors.

Practice speaking: We should practice speaking slowly, word by word, and then in phrases. Don't rush to speak entire sentences when your pronunciation isn't good yet. Remember, slow and steady wins the race.

Have someone to practice speaking with and who can correct your mistakes: This is ideal.

The learning method that helps us develop fastest is: Listen-transcribe-repeat-speak.

Choose reputable, native English learning websites for your practice.

Give it a try; you'll be surprised at how quickly you improve!