N vs NG - /n/ vs /ŋ/ sounds - Minimal Pairs English Listening and Pronunciation Practice #shorts

This video provides practice differentiating between the /n/ and /ŋ/ consonant sounds created by the letter N and the NG letter combination, respectively. Listen to and repeat the minimal pairs in order to hone your ear and improve your pronunciation of these sounds. (Minimal pairs are words that sound the same EXCEPT FOR one sound.)

The /n/ and /ŋ/ sounds take different mouth positions.
To create the /n/ sound:
- press the tip of the tongue against the bony aveolar gum ridge, located behind and and above your two front teeth.
- it is a voiced, nasal, continuant sound -- meaning your vocal cords vibrate, air passes through your nose, and it is possible to hold this sound for a long time.

The /ŋ/ sound created by the letters N & G, does not sound like /n/ and does not sound like /g/.
To make the /ŋ/ sound:
- raise the back of the tongue until it touches the soft palate --- the soft area at the rear of your mouth.
- do not release the tongue as you pronounce this sound.

When encountering the letters NG, many non-native speakers of English mistakenly release the tongue and create a hard G or K sound. The back of the tongue should remain lifted as air flows through the nasal cavity. Try to hold the sound and feel the sound vibrate through your nasal passages.

How to Pronounce the /n/ vs /ŋ/ sounds - American English Pronunciation Practice - N vs NG Minimal Pairs - Listen & Repeat
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Recommended ESL textbooks*

Pronunciation and Accent Reduction:

Listening and Speaking:
The All Clear Series by Helen Kalkstein Fragiadakis

Grammar:
Betty Azar's Red, Black, and Blue Grammar Book series

Writing:
Writing Clearly: Grammar for Editing (advanced) by Janet Lane and Ellen Lange:

Business English:
English for Everyone - Business English Box Set:

*Amazon affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, Vivid English earns a small commission. The cost to you is the same.
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Recommended YouTube Channels

Pronunciation:
@ClearEnglishCorner
@rachelsenglish
@SoundsAmerican

Listening/Speaking/Vocabulary Development:
@englishwithantonio
@LearnEnglishWithTVSeries

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#accentreduction
#englishpronunciationpractice
#englishpronunciation
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