Today I'm answering your questions about the P sound sounding like a B.
Every once in a while, I get a question about the P sound sounding like a B.
For example, people have asked about the words: spoon, rapport, and pepper.
And I know that some teachers teach that these Ps should be a B.
I disagree with that.
Let's talk about why.
The thing is, it's not about this sound being a P or B.
It's about the sound being very light.
If you make the P light, it sounds great.
If you make the B light, it sounds almost the same.
Also good.
But if you make the B sound heavy: sboon-- it doesn't sound so good anymore.
Sboon.
So it's not about changing the P to a B.
It's about knowing how to make a light P.
If someone makes the P sound by itself, it sounds like this.
Pphh--- phh--- phh---
It's over exaggerated. In a word, that's not how we actually do it.
So if people think that 'Pphh--' is the P sound, then ‘spoon’ would be: spoon.
And that's not how we pronounce that word.
It's not: spoon— spoon—
It's also not: sboon— sboon—
The right sound is: spoon— spoon— a light P that releases directly into the vowel.
So how do we get this light P?
We need to change the idea. P is not pphh---
P is p- p- p- p- much lighter a much smaller release.
Spoon. Poon— poon— spoon— spoon—
We go right from the release into the vowel without pphh-- hh-- hh-- all of this extra air.
Spoon— spoon—
pe— pepper— pepper—
A light feeling in the P, not too much air: pphh--
Right now, try this out loud with me:
sp-- sp-- spoon— spoon—
Let's do some more words.
Pe— per— pepper— pepper—
Are you practicing out loud? Please do.
Pepper— pepper—
Awww. My dog growing up was named Pepper.
This is a picture of me and Pepper.
P- p- Port— port—
report— report—
Pam— sp— spam—
Spam—
Sp-- spam—
Span-- sp--
speed—
pen—
spin—
pace—
space—
Sp-- pell—
spell—
So don't try to change the P sound to a B.
Just make sure you're making it a light sound and you'll sound great.
If you're not sure about the sounds of American English,
check out this playlist here.
I've made a video for each sound.