Watch the following video and
learn how to pronounce this sound
Practice speaking while watching the video.
Spelling
This sound can only be spelled the following way
b
bet,
bass,
bat,
but,
bit,
bunch,
boring,
bony,
beach,
bill,
best,
beak,
back
Note: the red
letters all have the same sound
Sound type
This is a VOICED sound which means Your Vocal Cords DO
vibrate when making this sound.
You CAN
LISTEN to your Vocal Cords vibrating if you cover
your ears with your hands.
Try covering your ears with your hands as Akiko is doing in
the picture.
Now make the sound of this lesson. Can you listen to your vocal cords vibrating?
VERY GOOD
You CAN
FEEL your Vocal Cords vibrating if
you place your hands on your neck.
Try placing your hands on your neck as Akiko is doing in the
picture.
Now make the sound of this lesson. Can you feel your vocal
cords vibrating?
VERY GOOD
The following diagram shows the most important parts of your
head and mouth used for pronouncing the sounds of English.
It also shows the location of your Vocal Cords.
Mouth, lips,
and tongue position
The following descriptions explain the proper mouth, lips,
and tongue position when you make this sound.
Mouth
Your
mouth releases air which is then quickly stopped.
Lips
Your lips are together at the beginning.
Tongue
The front part of your tongue should be in the center part of your
mouth.
Practice video
Watch the following video and
practice pronouncing this sound.
Listen to the video and practice repeating each word.
Pronunciation practice words
Look at your mouth in a mirror and practice pronouncing
the following words. Make sure your mouth, lips, and
tongue are in their proper positions.
bet
bass
bat
but
bit
bunch
boring
back
beach
bill
best
beak
Note: the red letters all
have the same sound (watch the video above)
Pronunciation word test
Try saying the following tongue twisters as quickly as
possible.
Betty Botter bought some butter. / "But," she
said, "this butter's bitter! / If I put it in my batter, / It
will make my batter bitter!" / So she bought a bit of butter /
Better than her bitter butter, / And she put it in her batter, /
And her batter was not bitter. / So 'twas better Betty Botter /
Bought a bit of better butter.
Peggy Babcock.
The black bloke's back brake block broke.
Toy boat [repeated]
Rubber buggy bumpers [repeated]
Toy boat. Toy boat. Toy boat.
A bitter biting bittern Bit a better brother
bittern, And the bitter better bittern Bit the bitter biter
back. And the bitter bittern, bitten, By the better bitten
bittern, Said: "I'm a bitter biter bit, alack!"
I cannot bear to see a bear Bear down upon a
hare. When bare of hair he strips the hare, Right there I cry,
"Forbear!"
A box of biscuits, a batch of mixed biscuits.
A big black bug bit a big black bear, made the
big black bear bleed blood.
The boot black bought the black boot back.
Black bug's blood.
Betty better butter Brad's bread.
Brad's big black bath brush broke.
Betty and Bob brought back blue balloons from
the big bazaar.
A bloke's back bike brake block broke.
Good blood, bad blood.
Brisk brave brigadiers brandished broad bright
blades, blunderbusses, and bludgeons -- balancing them badly.
The blue bluebird blinks.
Pretty Kitty Creighton had a cotton batten
cat. The cotton batten cat was bitten by a rat. The kitten that
was bitten had a button for an eye, and biting off the button
made the cotton batten fly.
Ruby Rugby's brother bought and brought her
back some rubber baby-buggy bumpers.
Learn the sounds of vowel and consonant combinations.
Match the vowels (A,E,I,O,U) with the consonants
(B,D,G,M,N,P,R,T,W,Y) to form words with the same
sounds. Pictures included to make understanding easier.
Great pages for kids.
Learn to correctly pronounce difficult world places and
names in the news. Each country page shows the English
spelling and the phonetic spelling of difficult to
pronounce words in the news from that country. This is
very important if you want to discuss the news and other
issues with native English speakers.
More Pronunciation Information
Are You How You Talk?
(Beginner - Listening,
reading)
A video lesson to
help with your understanding of American dialects.
The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed.
Click here to visit the lesson page.
Are You How You Talk?
(Beginner - Listening)
An audio lesson to
help with your understanding of American dialects. The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed.
Click here to visit the lesson page with the written script for this
audio program.
Improve Your Pronunciation by Training Your
Ears
(Beginner - Listening)
An audio lesson to
help with your
pronunciation and English language
reductions. The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed. Great English pronunciation tips.
Click here to visit the lesson page with the written script for this
audio program.
You CAN
LISTEN to your Vocal Cords vibrating if you cover
your ears with your hands.
You CAN
FEEL your Vocal Cords vibrating if
you place your hands on your neck.
Mouth
Lips
Tongue
