LISTEN

Listen to the audio recording below.

PRACTICE

“s”, “θ”, and “t”

Listen to and repeat the “s” clusters and then the whole words
First, make the “s” sound (tip of tongue is behind top teeth)

sk--skip
sk--skin
sc--scared
sp--spell
sp--spin
st--stop
st--state
str--straight
str--stream
str--stride
spl--splash

PRACTICE

Listen to and repeat the “θ” clusters and then the words.

fth--fifth
nth--ninth
nth--month
thez--clothes
rth--fourth
thr--through
thr--thread
thr--thriller
xth--sixth

PRACTICE

Listen to and repeat the “t” clusters and then the whole words

ts--tickets
ts--markets
ts--rockets
xts--texts
pts--scripts
sts--lists
sts--trusts
nts--tournaments
nts--accounts

When a /k/ comes before a /ts/, the /t/ is silent:
cts--products
cts--facts

LISTEN

Listen to the audio recording below.

PRACTICE

“k,” “x,” and “v”

Listen to and repeat the “k” clusters and then the whole words

ks – forks
ks – pranks
cl – close
cl – cloud
cl – climb
cr – cram
cr – crime
cr – cross
cr/cks – cracks

PRACTICE

Listen to the following words. Guess which “k” cluster you hear.

1. /kr/ or /kl/

2. /kr/ or /kl/

3. /kr/ or /kl/

4. /st/ or /sk/

5. /ts/ or /ks/

Answers
#1. /kr/ (crust)
#2. /kl/ (clock)
#3. /kl/ (clamp)
#4 /st/ (stamp)
#5. /ks/ (corks)

PRACTICE

Listen to and repeat the “x” clusters and then the whole words.
“x” is pronounced /ks/

xpl – explode
xpl – explain
xtb – Textbook
xses – Fixes
xses – mixes
xtr – extra-curricular
xp – expert
xcr – excruciating
xcl – exclusive

PRACTICE

Listen to and repeat the “v” clusters and then the whole words.

vs – knives (e is silent)
vs – fives (e is silent)
vs – lives (e is silent)
vs – hives (e is silent)

LISTEN

Listen to the audio recording below.

PRACTICE

Listen to and repeat the sentences with “t” clusters. These Clusters usually occur at the end of the word.

1. The facts of the lists are true accounts of what happened.
2. The boats have jets and nets.

PRACTICE

Listen to and repeat the sentences with “s” clusters. Clusters can occur at the beginning, middle and end of the word.

1. Stop sports that spend the state’s money.
2. His estranged wife got the estate and the trust money.
3. Smoking is not considered stylish or smooth in the States.

PRACTICE

Listen and repeat the sentences with “k” clusters.

1. The crime rate is climbing to crazy levels.
2. Forks are available to help crack open the crab.
3. Pranks often cross the line and make people cry.

PRACTICE

Listen to and repeat the sentences with “x” clusters.

1. Please explain this textbook to me.
2. The excellent expert explored different ideas for his
   exclusive study.
3. The extras in the extra-terrrestrial movie were excited.

PRACTICE

Listen to and repeat the sentences with “θ” clusters. Clusters can occur at the beginning, middle and end of the word.

1. The heart-throb was thrilled that he made it through to sixth place.
2. She reached her pain threshold during the ninth hour as her throat was
   throbbing.
3. The boss threatened to throw away the thrashed papers.

PRACTICE

Listen to and repeat the following sentences with “v” clusters.

1. Knives are dangerous for our lives.
2. She dives in the pool and hi-fives her friend.

WATCH THE VIDEO

PRACTICE

The individual sounds of “l” and “r” are important sounds to distinguish, and they are also important to distinguish in clusters, too.

As in other clusters, remember that you have to make all the sounds in the cluster.

R Clusters
When you make an /r/ sound, remember to pull your tongue backwards, and be sure that your tongue is NOT touching the top of your mouth at all. In fact your tip of your tongue should be in the middle of your mouth. The sides of your tongue are touching the inside of your top teeth.

L clusters
When you say /l/, your tongue is touching the back of your front teeth. Hold it there while you make the sound. When you make clusters with “L” your tongue has to move quickly to the top of your mouth.

“l” and “r” combined
When you are practicing the “R” and “L” blends, look in a mirror to make sure your tongue is in different places for the “R” and “L” clusters.

LISTEN

Listen to the audio recording below.

PRACTICE

When you pronounce r, your tongue is in the middle of your mouth and your lips are
slightly rounded. Try it: /r/.

Listen to and repeat the sounds and sentences below.

b + r = br
I broke the brace.

f + r = fr
I fried the French food.

g + r = gr
The grapes are great.

k + r = kr
The criminal committed a crime.

Listen and repeat the following sentence with “r” consonant clusters.

Bright people are brought together in the break room.

The prime minister practiced his promise to his people.

Try to trim the trees please.

QUIZ
1. Listen to this sentence. Guess which sound that you hear. (/dl/ or /dr/) Answers below.

2. Listen to this sentence. Guess which sound that you hear. (/kl/ or /kr/) Answers below.

3. Listen to this sentence. Guess which sound that you hear. (bl/ or /br/) Answers below.

Answer to #1: /dr/

Answer to #2: /kr/

Answer to #3 : /br/

LISTEN

Listen to the audio recording below.

PRACTICE

When you say /l/, your tongue is touching the back of your teeth. Try it: /l/.

Listen to and repeat the sounds and sentences below.

b + l = bl
The blogger blurted out a blunder.

f + l = fl
The flight flew over Florence.

k + l = kl
The closet was clogged with clothing.

g + l = gl
The glittery glove is glamorous.

Listen and repeat and following sentences with “l” clusters.

Plain plants are placed on the plateau.

Blake blamed the blunder on the blackberry.

QUIZ
1. Listen to this sentence. Guess which sound that you hear. (/gr/ or /gl/) Answers below.

2. Listen to this sentence. Guess which sound that you hear. (/kr/ or /kl/) Answers below.

3. Listen to this sentence. Guess which sound that you hear. (/fr/ or /fl/)Answers below.

4. Listen to this sentence. Guess which sound that you hear. (/br/ or /bl/) Answers below.

Answer to #1: /gl/
Answer to #2: /cl/
Answer to #3: /fl/
Answer to #4: /bl/

LISTEN

Listen to the audio recording below.

PRACTICE

Now that you have practiced “l” and “r” by themselves, try practicing them together or quickly after the other. Remember to think about your tongue position.

Listen to and repeat these minimal pairs.

1. Grow / Glow
2. Fry / Fly
3. Frown / Flown
4. Brew / Blue
5. Crowd / Cloud
6. Brand / Bland
7. crime / climb

PRACTICE

Listen to and repeat the following sentences that contain both “l” and “r”.

8. He concluded the crime involved a blind, blonde and broke woman.
9. France, Florence and Frankfurt are far but I’m free to fly there.
10. Brian blames private planning for possibly draining the rising market.
11. Complete the English grammar test for your class credential course.

WATCH THE VIDEO

PRACTICE

The endings of words are important because the meaning of words change based on the endings. From word endings we can understand if something happened in the past or is happening right now. (ed or ing). We can also tell how many items someone is talking about (s).

If you have trouble with word endings, you should slow down your speech and practice finishing the word.

Past Tense Endings
When a word ends in the past tense “ed” the pronunciation isn’t always the same. Its pronunciation depends on the sound just before the “ed.”

“ED” is pronounced as /id/ with an extra syllable after /t/ or /d/
    voted, voted, founded, founded

“ED” is pronounced as /d/ after voiced sounds (the “e” is not pronounced)
    showed, showed, bored, bored

“ED” is pronounced as /t/ after unvoiced sounds
    fixed, fixed, searched, searched

Final “s”
When nouns are plural (more than one) there is usually an “S” on the end of the word:
ten books

When a subject of a sentence is singular (except for I and you), the verb often has an “S”
on the end of it: She leads a meeting every morning.

The “S” at the end of words is pronounced differently depending on the sound just before it.

“S” is pronounced as /s/ after unvoiced sounds
    develops, develops, overtakes, overtakes

“S” is pronounced as /z/ after voiced sounds
    buys, buys, computers, computers

“S” is pronounced as /Iz/ after /s,z,sh,zh,ch,j/ sounds.
    wishes, wishes, judges, judges

Incomplete sounds at the end of words
Have you ever noticed that native speakers seem to cut off the ends of words? If you have, then you’ve got good listening skills! However, those speakers are not really cutting off the end of the word, they are just not releasing the full sound.

This is an advanced technique of speaking that you can practice and use to sound more natural. But don’t try this until you’ve become comfortable with pronouncing the endings of words.

When you are finishing a word that ends in “T,” “D,” “P” or “B” you must start making the final sound by putting your tongue and mouth in the position for the sound. But instead of releasing the air for those words, you hold your mouth in that position.

So:
late is pronounced la(te)
add is pronounced a(dd)
up is pronounced u(p)
cab is pronounced ca(b)

But, remember, it is VERY important to start the sound. Your mouth MUST be in the position to say this sound. If your mouth is not in the position for this final sound, the word will sound unfinished.

LISTEN

Listen to the audio recording below.

PRACTICE

Past tense: the different sounds of “ed” and the rules (“ed” is pronounced as /ɪd/ with an extra syllable after /t/ or /d/; “ed” is pronounced /d/ after voiced sounds; “ed” is pronounced /t/ after unvoiced sounds).

Listen to and repeat these words. Put your hand over your throat and feel the vibration for voiced sounds and no vibration for unvoiced sounds:

/ɪd/ (words end in t or d)
Needed
Wanted
Suggested
Added
Depended
Visited

/d/ (words end in a voiced sound)
Grabbed
Arrived
Breathed
Bored
Ruined
Showed

/t/ (words end in a voiceless sound)
Searched
Watched
Passed
Danced
Washed
Matched

PRACTICE

Listen to and repeat the present and past tense forms of these words. The syllable total is written after each word.

1. “ed” with the /t/ sound
   dance (1) / danced (1)
   search (1) / searched (1)
    
2. “ed” with the /d/ sound
   play (1) / played (1)
   learn (1) / learned (1)
    
3. “ed” with the /ɪd/ sound
   Need (1) / needed (2)
   Suggest (2) / suggested (3)

PRACTICE

Listen to and repeat the following words. Is it /t/, /d/ or /ɪd/?

1. commented     (ɪd)
2. turned           (d)
3. hated           (ɪd)
4. kicked           (t)
5. pushed           (t)
6. used             (d)
7. answered       (d)
8. talked           (t)

LISTEN

Listen to the audio recording below.

PRACTICE

“S” is pronounced /s/ after unvoiced sounds.
“S” is pronounced /z/ after voiced sounds.
“S” is pronounced /ez/ after /s,z,sh,zh,ch,j/ sounds.

Listen to and repeat the following “s” pronunciations

/s/ (words end in unvoiced sounds)
Books
Walks
Talks
Graphs
Maps
Cats

/z/ (words end in voiced sounds)
Dogs
Files
Paintings
Films
Computers
Programs
Engineers
Calls

/ɪz/ (words end in the sounds: /s,z,sh,zh,ch,j/)
Misses
Bosses
Kisses
Revises
Buses
Spaces

PRACTICE

Listen to and repeat these words. Choose if the words have /s/, /z/ or /ɪz/ pronunciation.

1. waters      /z/
2. declines      /z/
3. watches      /ɪz/
4. mergers      /z/
5. lights        /s/
6. coffees      /z/
7. stores      /z/
8. loans        /z/
9. talks        /s/
10. paints      /s/

PRACTICE

Listen to and repeat the following sentences.

1. She misses /ɪz/ her cats /s/ and dogs/z/.
2. The bosses /ɪz/ want the employees /z/ to buy them coffees /z/.
3. The files /z/ contained important documents /s/.

LISTEN

Listen to the audio recording below.

PRACTICE

Holding the Endings

When words end in the letters t, d, b, p, and k, the ending puff of air is not always fully released. (It sounds like you are starting the sound but not finishing it. Hold the sound in your mouth without letting it go.)

When a word ends in "ing," speakers often change the /i/ to a /ɪ/ sound and drop the /g/.

Listen to and repeat these words. Think about your mouth position. Hear the difference between the completed sounds and incomplete sounds. Most Americans use the second pronunciation when speaking quickly.

1. get / pronounced: ge(t)
2. can’t / pronounced: can(t)
3. want / pronounced: wan(t)
4. don’t / pronounced: don(t)
5. spent / pronounced: spen(t)
6. did / pronounced: di(d)
7. paying / pronounced: payin(g)
8. going / pronounced: goin(g)
9. tab / pronounced: ta(b)
10. stop / pronounced: sto(p)

PRACTICE

Listen to and repeat the following sentences. Focus on not fully pronouncing the last sound of the bolded word.

11. I can’t go because I don’t have time. (don’t release t)
12. I want a good paying job. (don’t release t, g, or p)
13. Are you going to the party? (don’t release g)
14. Don’t you like it? (don’t release t)
15. I’m leaving for my trip tomorrow. (don’t release g or p)
16. Did you talk to your boss? (don’t release d or k)
17. Was he talking to me? (don’t release g)
18. She told him to stop emailing her. (don’t release p)