An essential reference book on English pronunciation, written in accessible language with practical strategies to promote autonomous learning

Table of contents

Contents

List of Figures and Tables: ix

Acknowledgments: xi

Introduction: 1

Unit 1: Sounds, Word Stress, and Phrase Rhythm: 17

Lesson 1: The Sounds of North American English: 18

Lesson 2: Word Stress: Identifying Strong Syllables: 43

Lesson 3: The Basics of Rhythm: Rhythm Patterns: 65

Lesson 4: Predicting Stress Placement and Rhythm Patterns: 86

Unit 2: The Phrase Focus Syllable and Noun Constructions: 109

Lesson 5: The Phrase Focus Syllable: 110

Lesson 6: Noun Units: Compound Nouns and Noun Strings: 130

Lesson 7: The Phrase Focus Syllable on Function Words: 150

Unit 3: Stress and Intonation: 167

Lesson 8: The Basics of Melody and Intonation: 168

Lesson 9: Intonation in Questions: Part I: 196

Lesson 10: Intonation in Questions: Part II: 222

Lesson 11: Non- Final Rising Intonation: 244

Lesson 12: Highlighting Information with Stress and Intonation: 259

Quick Reference Charts: 279

Glossary: 283

Bibliography: 295

Index: 299

Description

Practical Pronunciation offers an easy-to-follow road map for English learners to incorporate pronunciation into their everyday and professional speaking. With more than two decades of practice and expertise in teaching advanced English pronunciation and public speaking skills, DJ Kaiser guides readers through a series of hands-on strategies that bring pronunciation practice to life. Carefully ordered lessons cover segmentals, word stress, phrase rhythm and melody, the phrase focus syllable, and intonation. Balancing more advanced topics in pronunciation (like stress on compound nouns, intonation on various question types, and using gestures to bring focus to relevant content) with accessible language and practical strategies makes reaching pronunciation goals more attainable. The book includes access to video content and more than 4.5 hours of audio content. Practical Pronunciation is perfect for classroom instruction, small-group tutorials, and one-on-one tutoring sessions, or as a self-study tool for advanced independent learners.

CEFR Level: C1

Key Features

  • A series of 210 audio recordings provides opportunities for learners to listen for key aspects of pronunciation and practice items from the book on their own. 
  • Twenty-nine videos provide short explanations and visual demonstrations of many of the strategies included throughout the book. 
  • Recommendations on ways to integrate digital tools into pronunciation exploration and practice provide learners and teachers with multiple ways to customize pronunciation practice to meet varied professional speaking contexts, academic goals, and personal interests.
  • Practice items and exercises incorporate higher-frequency words from the Corpus of Contemporary American English.
  • A glossary and several quick-reference charts make it easy to look up or clarify key terms and linguistic terminology or to visually review consonant and vowel charts.

Watch: Practical Pronunciation Videos on YouTube

“DJ Kaiser provides an accessible book on teaching and learning pronunciation that is certain to be welcomed by experienced and novice teachers. This extensive collection of established pronunciation teaching techniques includes both traditional and contemporary approaches and a wide range of physicalizations to help master suprasegmentals. The book furnishes many, many activities to choose from, and the book builds knowledge from chapter to chapter so that learners can continue to expand their understanding of important areas of pronunciation.”

- John M. Levis, Iowa State University

“This comprehensive, research-based coverage of North American English segmentals and suprasegmentals promises to become an instant classic. Its well conceived tables and figures, as well as its accompanying audio and video files and sidebars on digital tools, greatly facilitate the journey of advanced second language learners toward increased comprehensibility and intelligibility.”

- Donna Brinton, UCLA

Watch: Practical Pronunciation Videos on YouTube