Which English sounds should I practice first?

Start with a specific word or phrase that was misunderstood or that you cannot yet compare confidently with a model. Check whether the difficulty involves a vowel, consonant, ending, stress, or the surrounding phrase. A list of supposed problems for speakers of your first language cannot identify your individual needs.

Compare ship and sheep. Their spellings and vowel sounds differ, so look up both rather than treating the second spelling as an instruction to stretch the first word. Use the ship entry and sheep entry as reference points.

For an original practice example, record I said ship. and I said sheep. Listen back alongside the models. If you cannot hear a distinction yet, ask a teacher or another knowledgeable listener what to listen for. Repeating the pair without knowing what to change may not resolve the problem.

Common English Pronunciation Mistakes: A Practical Checking Guide →