How to learn to read English - pronunciation rules and tips

English is one of the most spoken and demanded in the world. Before starting the training, it is worth noting that “English”, unlike German, has “pitfalls” that you can stumble upon while reading texts. There are specific rules in English regarding the reading of certain letter combinations. They should be remembered, because without the correct pronunciation, even with knowledge of a large number of words, a person will not be able to communicate with a native speaker.

Training

Before you learn to read in English, you have to master the special exercises for the language. Then it will be easier to pronounce the sounds of a foreign alphabet. It is also necessary to create the right atmosphere. There should not be anything distracting around the student, it is better to put the phone aside, and turn off the TV and radio. The classroom should be tidy and well lit. The fact is that foreign objects and the amount of light in the room affect the educational abilities of the individual. And if you ventilate the apartment before classes, then concentrating on work will be even easier.

Before the start of the lesson, you need to draw up a small plan that reflects topics that you have to work on. Otherwise, the result will be low, since the student will unnecessarily linger on each subsection. And with the plan it is more convenient to track the progress of language acquisition.

The most important rules

The most important difference between English and Russian is that their environment will affect the reading of a letter (or group of letters). It is important to keep this in mind before memorizing pronunciation rules.

The basis of correct reading in English is the ability to distinguish between 2 types of syllables.

1. Open - after the consonant is a vowel (for example: take). In this case, the vowel sound is read as it appears in the alphabet, and the consonant, depending on the environment.
2. Closed - when there is no sound at all after the vowel or another consonant goes (for example: cut). In this case, the vowel has a different pronunciation, and the consonant also depends on the adjacent letters.

Step-by-step training plan from scratch

Let us consider in more detail all the points for studying the rules for reading consonants and vowels starting with the basics.

As in in Russianin English there vowels and consonants sounds. Each letter has a specific pronunciation. It is found in words with open syllables.

But not in every case the reading corresponds to what is presented in this table. Let's take a closer look.

Consonants in English are in most cases read as in the presented table. There are a number of letters that in a certain position will represent a certain sound.

Vowels are harder. For each position and for a different environment, there are certain rules for reading vowels. There are 6 vowels in English. Let's analyze each.

In order not to memorize the pronunciation of each word, you need to learn how sounds in a certain position are recorded in transcription. Then, with further study, you can easily look into the dictionary and find out the correct pronunciation.

Video lesson

Benefits of which authors to use

Ideally, of course, it is better to buy foreign literature from publishers such as Cambridge or Oxford. Russian authors can be used, but with caution. Most often, there are many mistakes in domestic textbooks. You should not use Soviet manuals, as there are a large number of inaccuracies in pronunciation.

Useful Tips

When you learn to pronounce words correctly, do not immediately memorize their translation, otherwise the load on the brain will be too large, which will not be useful. In the process of mastering the language, it is recommended to use various Internet resources for listening to English speech by ear.

This article presents only the basics, the most basic rules for reading English words. The further result depends on what method the student will apply. On the Internet there are many detailed instructions for pronunciation at home. But do not forget that finding the perfect option will not work. It is better to dwell on one of the popular or proven methods and put all efforts into understanding it. Then the result will not be long in coming.