8 Simple Pronunciation RULES To Speak English Clearly 🇬🇧 (Powerful!)

These are the 8 English pronunciation rules you NEVER learnt! Follow these simple (but powerful!) rules to speak more clearly and understand native speakers more easily! 👓 Watch with subtitles 👓

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🔥 EXPLAINED! Though - Through - Thought - Throughout - Thorough | British English Pronunciation

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► CHAPTERS:
00:00 Pronunciation Rule 1: Words ending AGE
01:22 Pronunciation Rule 2: Words ending ATE
3:44 Pronunciation Rule 3: Words ending TURE
4:42 Pronunciation Rule 4: D sounds like J
6:07 Pronunciation Rule 5: T sounds like CH
8:18 Pronunciation Rule 6: Phrasal Verbs
9:04 Pronunciation Rule 7: Compound Nouns
10:44 Pronunciation Rule 8: The Silent R
12:01 The Linking R
13:12 Pronunciation of OUGH in English

NOTE: These are British English Pronunciation Rules! (Variations may exist in American, notably with rules 4, 5 and 8)

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► TRANSCRIPTION

What's this? It's a bridge. So say the last part of that word: -IDGE, and we use that sound when words end -AGE in English. Look at these examples: message, village, garage. Do you hear? It's the /ɪʤ/ sound that we use at the end of these words. Average, marriage, courage. I could continue. There are some exceptions, like if the word has one syllable, like page or age, and words that include those words, like teenage or homepage. But generally, this rule is true.

Isn't that cool? And yes, there are always exceptions, like some words that we've taken directly from French, like massage and collage. But there are more than 1500 words that end -AGE in English. And if you follow this rule, you'll pronounce most of them correctly. OK, shall we have a look at how to pronounce another few thousand words correctly with just a few simple rules? Let's go.

OK, the second rule is for words that end like this: -ATE. Now, you probably pronounce words like this with the '8' sound like 5..6..7..8, right? Well, that's not always true. I mean, it's true for one-syllable words like skate and gate. But what about these words? Duplicate, associate, alternate. Well, these words can actually be pronounced in 2 different ways, and it all depends on whether it's a verb or a noun or adjective. And in these cases, they can be both.

So the rule is quite simple. When we have verbs that end -ATE, the pronunciation is '8', like 5..6..7..8. Duplicate, associate, alternate. They're fine, as verbs. Some other examples are: activate, create, animate, debate, and accelerate. As a verb, we pronounce -ATE like the number 8. However, when we are using adjectives or nouns that end -ATE, the pronunciation changes from 8 to /ət/. We use the /ət/ sound, which is /ə/ very short, very relaxed mouth /ə/... And then the T sound... /ət/

So as nouns, the pronunciation of these words are: duplicate and associate. Or as an adjective, the pronunciation of this is: alternate, alternate. Some other examples of this are: affectionate, adequate, accurate, corporate, fortunate, unfortunate, appropriate, inappropriate, and passionate. So this rule is quite simple. If it's a verb, you pronounce it 8 and if it's a noun or adjective, it ends with the sound /ət/.

OK, the next pronunciation rule is a big one. And you can download all these rules and examples by clicking up there and getting the free worksheet from this lesson. There's also a link in the description. And rule number 3 is this: can you go ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch? OK, imagine you have some maracas in your hand. Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch... Do this, and that is the end of words that end -TURE. Simple. So it's culture /ʧə/ at the end. Culture, future, feature, literature, signature and adventure. So remember the maracas, ch-ch-ch and that is the end of these words.

Now, with rule number 4, it's important just to remember the difference between letters and sounds. When we're writing in English, we write with a combination of letters. But when we're speaking English, we don't speak letters.

[... Due to character limit, the rest of this transcription is unavailable]

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Your British English Teacher,
~ Greg 😀

#EnglishWithGreg #SpeakEnglish #EnglishPronunciation #BritishPronunciation #B2 #C1 #ESL

[delayed_control]

I spent 14 years learning English and have been speaking it daily ever since, never has anyone taught me this or even pointed out I was pronouncing these wrong (in fact I'm not sure if my English teachers pronounced those properly), nor have I realized this myself despite being aware something was off with my pronunciation. I just didn't sound like a native speaker even though I was trying to, yet I couldn't put my finger on what exactly sounded off. Instant sub.

[cvaipheicvaiphei]

Hii Greg am so fortunate to have you as an English teacher I appreciate it.

[Vetgong]

Hi Greg! Thanks a bunch for all these subtleties you're explaining to us so clearly! Good job! Have a nice day and take care!

[Rodders]

As an English speaker this blows my mind! All these little unspoken rules that the language has, that you completely take for granted when it's your first language is absolutely nuts. No wonder it's a tricky language to learn for foreign speakers

[adamdecoder]

Worth mentioning that many of these rules are true for British English, but are modified or completely different for North American English. But I suppose that's true for any accent or dialect

[apometun]

I really appreciated your lessons, Greg! Clearly, concise, and funny. You are a brilliant teacher!

[AerialGrey]

Awesome lesson Greg! I take it in and I'll put it into practice now. Thank you so much!

[thebigmacd]

The "D" rule doesn't really apply in North America. Most of us say "doo", "doo-oh", "doon", "doo-plicate" etc. We also say "garage" in more of a French style, "garr-ahj", or "grahj".
And unlike British and Australian etc, we in Canada and the US say "toon" not "choon" for the word "tune".

[deodbolen]

As an American it so interesting to see the tiny intonation that separate the two dialects

[MonikaKubierske]

Hi Greg. I have been watching a lot of your videos. As a foreigner to the English language I found your lessons very easy to follow as your pronunciation is very clear. I just want to thank you for improving my English.

[caradogas]

Not having English as a native language and being widely exposed to both British and American takes on the language is quite interesting. I kept listening to American and British word pronunciations on my Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary while watching this video, and it was clear how differently the letter 'R' is treated in various examples given here. BTW, at example #8 I could actually hear a very, very subtle 'R' in "nurse" and "forty" – quite more sublte in the latter; if you set the reproduction speed to 0.75 and/or 0.5, it's easier to notice. Maybe because you and British people in general don't even think about a 'r' following a vowel, as stated on the video, there lies the reason why you can't even notice that sometimes it's actually there. Anyway, amazing video. I'm subscribed and eager to keep watching your lessons!

[adamalouani]

Debate for rule number 2 is a perfect counter example. You mentioned it in the verb section but not in the noun section.

[jonathanandrade]

Hello, I'm Jonathan and I thought your english is so good to understand... Your classes are amazing, you have been doing a good work, thanks.

[Blueyzachary]

As someone who grew up with a western United States accent, it’s crazy how different these things are.

[ada]

Voiced consonants changing into unvoiced is a common trait of some languages and this trips up English learners, including me but not anymore. My ear was just not used to hearing the voiced consonants in English until my teacher pointed it out. And this is so important as it completely changes the meaning of some words. E.g. some learners would pronounce code and coat in the same way.

[paolatrentadue]

I'm very happy to learn English in this way, it's very easy to understand without get bored!!! Thanks a bunch!!

[RolandElliottFirstG]

Have just come across your uploads, great work, just what the world needs, an accurate description of how we all should be speaking in 2022 and beyond.

[adamas]

I had been watching for the compound noun for around one minute and then I found keyboard as a part of computer and keyboard as a music instrument. Thank you for teaching us how to speak English fluently and understandably.

[mkosteneva]

So great and clear! Thank you, Greg! 🌷

[elisavetabozhilova]

Excellently explained Greg. As always very useful video. Thank you very much.