hi I am Vanessa from speak English with
Vanessa comm how can you improve your
pronunciation so that you sound like a
native speaker let's talk about it
today's pronunciation lesson is
sponsored by my course The Fearless
fluency Club can i sponsor my own video
why not I wanted to bring you this
technique because this is the same
technique that I use every month in my
monthly pronunciation lessons for
members of The Fearless fluency Club so
today you get a sneak preview in this
special pronunciation lesson I hope it
will be useful to you
are you ready to get started warm up
those muscles you might be wondering
what this is don't worry we'll talk
about it in just a second first we need
to talk about this special pronunciation
technique and it is shadowing or
imitation this means that you're copying
you're repeating directly after me
you're repeating exactly what I'm saying
or what another native speaker is saying
there are two kinds of imitation or
shadowing the first one is imitating
words or phrases this means that you're
focusing on emphasis you're focusing on
making sure that your intonation for the
sentence is correct but the second kind
of imitation or shadowing is shadowing
specific sounds and this means that you
focus on linking on reducing on vowel
sounds you're focusing on more specific
parts of the word and today I have good
news we're gonna practice both of these
techniques I'm gonna tell you a quick
story in three sentences about what
happened to my wrist I want you to
listen carefully I'm gonna be speaking
quickly as if I were speaking to a
friend are you ready let's listen a few
weeks ago I went to the doctor because
my wrists hurt really bad and it turns
out that I have this kind of tendonitis
from picking up my baby too much he told
me that I should wear this brace for a
couple weeks and then it'll get better
whoo that was a little bit fast wasn't
it so let's go
and I want to help you sentence by
sentence pronounced exactly the same way
that I do are you ready let's start with
the first sentence and what we're gonna
do is we're gonna listen to that first
and it's a couple times a few weeks ago
I went to the doctor because my wrists
hurt really bad a few weeks ago I went
to the doctor because my wrists hurt
really bad a few weeks ago I went to the
doctor because my wrist hurt really bad
I'm gonna repeat this sentence a couple
times we're gonna talk about the words
that are emphasized the words that were
de-emphasized or the words that were not
stressed and we're also going to talk
about an important linking that often
happens in English and that you saw in
the sentence I said a few weeks ago I
went to the doctor I went to the doctor
I went to the doctor which word in this
part is emphasized what's the important
word here it's probably not too it's
probably not the is doctor I went to the
doctor I went to the doctor what about
in the second part of this sentence what
is the emphasized word because my wrists
hurt really bad because my wrists hurt
really bad because my wrists hurt really
bad
can you emphasize those words with me
try to repeat with me because my wrists
hurt really bad those three words are
important in their emphasized now that
you know which words are stressed let's
talk about which words are not stressed
the opposite of stress on emphasize D
stressed you could probably guess in
that middle section of the sentence I
went to the to the so that I went to the
doctor who how can you say that how can
you say that middle part the same way
that I am well take a look at the screen
and you're gonna see that 2 becomes 2 to
the oh is completely gone we often
linked together 2 plus the next word
especially when we're speaking quickly
so you can say to the to the to the to
the to the can you say that to the
doctor to the doctor
sure that your mouth is not making an O
sound to the doctor it's only to the to
the to the doctor all right let's go
back to say this full sentence all
together I think you can do it make sure
that you emphasize the right words make
sure that you will link the right words
make sure that you de-stress the right
words you can take a look at the screen
here and follow along I want you to
speak out loud if you already I think
you're ready let's do it a few weeks ago
I went to the doctor because my wrists
hurt really bad a few weeks ago I went
to the doctor because my wrists hurt
really bad I'm gonna pause and I want
you to say this yourself
ready go ahead great work let's listen
to the original sentence a couple times
a few weeks ago I went to the doctor
because my wrists hurt really bad a few
weeks ago I went to the doctor because
my wrists hurt really bad a few weeks
ago I went to the doctor because my
wrists hurt really bad in the second
sentence we're gonna also be talking
about emphasized words G stressed words
and linking together phrases let's
listen to that second sentence a couple
times and it turns out that I have this
kind of tendinitis from picking up my
baby too much and it turns out that I
have this kind of tendinitis from
picking up my baby too much and it turns
out that I have this kind of tendinitis
from picking up my baby too much as we
listen to this sentence I want you to be
thinking about a wave here there are
parts that are emphasized and then not
emphasized emphasized and not emphasized
let's take this sentence all together a
little bit slowly I want you to read on
the screen and I want you to try to
follow those emphasized words are you
ready it turns out that I have a kind of
tendinitis
from picking up my baby too much did you
follow that wave let's talk about which
words you're going to link together the
middle part of the sentence you might
have heard I spoke pretty quickly I said
then I have a kind of that I have a kind
that I have a kind of how can we say
this linking in the same way let's break
it down into individual sounds this is
shadowing sound I want you to repeat
exactly what I say
are you ready that I that I am I saying
that I know I'm using an e sound here
instead of an a that I that that I that
I have uh that I have uh can you say
that with me then I have kind of that I
have a kind of that I have a kind of
then I have a kind of canoe say that
quickly with me ready I want you to
follow exactly what I'm saying and
repeat with me then I have a kind of
then I have a kind of alright let's try
to say this full second sentence
emphasizing those important words and
linking that middle part together it
turns out then I have a kind of
tendinitis from picking up my baby too
much can you say that yourself I'm gonna
pause and I want you to use those
speaking muscles don't get tendinitis in
your muscles you can do it ready go
ahead great work
let's listen to the original second
sentence a couple times and it turns out
that I have this kind of tendinitis from
picking up my baby too much and it turns
out that I have this kind of tendinitis
from picking up my baby too much and it
turns out that I have this kind of
tendinitis from picking up my baby too
much let's move on to the final sentence
the third sentence let's listen to it a
couple times he told me that I should
wear this brace for a couple weeks and
then it'll get better he told me that I
should wear this brace for a couple
weeks and then it'll get better he told
me that I should wear this brace for a
couple weeks and then it'll get better
okay I want you to repeat the sentence
with me following on the screen and
again thinking about that wave the wave
of emphasized words and de-emphasized
words ready let's read it together he
told me that I should wear this brace
for a few weeks and then it'll get
better he told me that I should wear
this brace for a few weeks and then
it'll get better
did you emphasize those bold words now
let's talk about how you can link
together that de-emphasized part the
middle section of this sentence has two
unempioyed parts let's talk about the
first one that I should that I should
then I should do you hear a similar
sound that we just talked about that I
should is it that if you were listening
before you'll know no it is that that
kind of like an e sound and that's when
we're speaking quickly and linking words
together in a natural way that I should
that I should that I should can you say
that say it with me repeat with me
imitate how do my pronunciation ready
let's say it together that I should then
I should the end of this middle section
also has another link together phrase it
is for a few weeks for a few weeks for a
few weeks
am i sane for with an O sound for like
the number four nope
here fir sounds again like an e sound
fir or for a few weeks and this is
really common when native speakers are
talking quickly we're gonna change the
vowel sounds like we already saw with
that like we already saw with two here
you're gonna see for being reduced and
changed to fir for a few weeks for a few
weeks
can you say this with me make sure that
you emphasize these words in the correct
way and that you're using the vows
accurately ready speak with me for a few
weeks for a few weeks for a few weeks
for a few weeks for a few weeks in the
final part of this sentence I said and
then it'll get better and then it'll get
better what is happening here with this
contraction it'll it dole why is there a
D sound when really it's IT well this is
pretty common
American English that T's will change to
close to D sounds so you're gonna say it
oh it sounds like IDU l it'll it'll but
we need to say it quickly if you're
gonna use this type of pronunciation you
need to say it quickly and linked
together are you ready and then it'll
get better and then it'll get better
and then it'll get better can you say it
with me repeat with me and then it'll
get better and then it'll get better
let's go back and say this full third
sentence together and then I'm gonna
pause and you can say it yourself he
told me that I should wear this brace
for a few weeks and then it'll get
better
okay I'm gonna pause and I want you to
say the sentence all by yourself
remember those bold emphasized words
remember linking together remember the
vowels that change take a deep breath
ready go ahead
wonderful work let's listen to the
sentence a couple times he told me that
I should wear this brace for a couple
weeks and then it'll get better he told
me that I should wear this brace for a
couple weeks and then it'll get better
he told me that I should wear this brace
for a couple weeks and then it'll get
better to conclude this pronunciation
shadow imitation lesson we're gonna go
back and read all three sentences
together I want you to remember the
emphasized bold parts the unstressed
de-emphasized parts the link together
phrases the vowels that change take a
deep breath you can do it we're gonna
start with the first sentence I'm gonna
speak not too fast not too slow and I
want you to repeat exactly with my voice
are you ready get those muscles going
let's start a few weeks ago I went to
the doctor because my wrists hurt really
bad it turns out that I have a kind of
tendinitis from picking up my baby too
much he told me that I should wear this
brace for a few weeks and then it'll get
better how did you do did your
pronunciation improve in this lesson do
you see that there are a lot of specific
pronunciation tips that you can learn
just from normal sentences like this and
this is something that you learn every
month in The Fearless fluency Club
you'll have a chance to imitate
sentences from me and also from another
native English speaker because I think
it's important to learn different
accents different intonation different
styles of speaking if you'd like to get
pronunciation lessons like this every
month you can join The Fearless fluency
Club for only $5 for the first month
with the coupon code new I would love to
help you improve your pronunciation to
be beautiful natural and easy to
understand thanks so much for learning
with me keep up the good work with your
pronunciation and I'll see you the next
time bye are you ready to speak English
confidently and fluently
click the link to join The Fearless
fluency Club for only $5 for your first
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thanks so much for learning English with
me bye