In this course, you’ll practice the sounds of American English that might sometimes be confusing. You'll practice both consonant and vowel sounds. You’ll also learn about the things that give English its special “music,” such as how to stress the right syllable in a word, how to make your voice go up and down in a natural-sounding melody, and how to naturally connect sounds and words. Learning these things will help you speak more clearly and make sure that others can understand what you're saying.
Tricky American English Pronunciation
University of California, IrvineAbout this Course
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Learner Career Outcomes
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Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Flexible deadlines
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Beginner Level
Approx. 17 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: English
Learner Career Outcomes
40%
started a new career after completing these courses
38%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
38%
got a pay increase or promotion
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Beginner Level
Approx. 17 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: English
Offered by
University of California, Irvine
Since 1965, the University of California, Irvine has combined the strengths of a major research university with the bounty of an incomparable Southern California location. UCI’s unyielding commitment to rigorous academics, cutting-edge research, and leadership and character development makes the campus a driving force for innovation and discovery that serves our local, national and global communities in many ways.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
21 minutes to complete
Welcome
In this course, you will learn about the consonant and vowel sounds of American English and practice some of the difficult sounds. You will also learn about and practice intonation and stress. Practicing these things will help you improve your pronunciation and make your speech easier for others to understand.
21 minutes to complete
2 videos (Total 1 min)
4 hours to complete
Tricky Consonant Sounds
In this first week, you will practice the consonant sounds of American English. Consonants are the sounds where the air coming up from your lungs meets some obstacles on the way. The first sounds in the words time, sand, and moon are consonants. After a quick quiz to find out which consonant sounds are the most difficult for you, you’ll practice some pairs of sounds that might be confusing and learn some tricks for telling them apart, and you’ll start to understand how your mouth moves when you say these sounds.
4 hours to complete
9 videos (Total 58 min), 8 readings, 5 quizzes
9 videos
Consonants Overview5m
Tricky Consonant Pairs Part 19m
Tricky Consonant Pairs Part 210m
Consonant Pairs Practice5m
Final Consonants and Consonant Clusters7m
Final Consonants Practice6m
Shadowing a Conversation4m
Pronunciation Tips5m
8 readings
Consonants Pre-Test Directions5m
Supplemental Materials2m
Consonants Overview2m
Tricky Consonant Pairs2m
Final Consonant Clusters1m
Shadowing Directions2m
Shadowing Assignment1h
Pronunciation Tips3m
4 practice exercises
Consonants Pre-Test24m
Tricky Consonant Contrasts Practice Quiz10m
Final Consonants and Consonant Clusters Practice Quiz10m
Graded Quiz20m
4 hours to complete
Tricky Vowel Sounds
This week, you’ll practice some tricky vowel sounds in American English. Vowels are sounds that come out of your mouth very smoothly, like the first sounds in apple, ocean, and out. Vowel sounds are very important for being understood in English. They’re the “heart” of each syllable, and they need to be said clearly to avoid misunderstanding. Our goal is to help you pronounce English in a way that can be easily understood by listeners in real life, and mastering vowel sounds is an important step toward that goal. Now let’s practice the vowel sounds of American English.
4 hours to complete
9 videos (Total 50 min), 7 readings, 5 quizzes
9 videos
Vowel Sounds Overview3m
Tricky Vowel Contrasts Part 17m
Tricky Vowel Contrasts Part 26m
Tricky Vowel Pairs Practice6m
Unstressed Vowels6m
Unstressed Vowels Practice5m
Shadowing a Conversation3m
Pronunciation Tips5m
7 readings
Vowels Pre-Test Directions5m
Supplemental Materials5m
Tricky Vowel Contrasts2m
Unstressed Vowels1m
Shadowing Directions2m
Shadowing Assignment1h
Pronunciation Tips3m
4 practice exercises
Vowels Pre-Test24m
Tricky Vowels Practice Quiz10m
Unstressed Vowels Practice Quiz10m
Graded Quiz20m
5 hours to complete
The Music of American English Pronunciation
This week, you’ll learn about some things that give English its special rhythm and melody. You’ll learn about syllables—the small chunks of sound that make up the “beats” in words—and word stress—the way some parts of words are emphasized more than others. You’ll also see how some words become shorter and weaker when we talk. Since these words are used very often in ordinary speaking, we can’t understand spoken English without them. Our goal this week is to help you use the music of English to communicate more effectively and to be understood more easily when you speak. Enjoy learning about the music of American English pronunciation.
5 hours to complete
11 videos (Total 66 min), 8 readings, 5 quizzes
11 videos
Syllables and Word Stress6m
Syllables and Word Stress Practice4m
Intonation8m
Intonation Practice8m
Linking in Connected Speech8m
Linking Connected Speech Practice6m
Reduced Words6m
Reduced Words Practice4m
Shadowing a Conversation2m
Pronunciation Tips6m
8 readings
Supplemental Materials5m
Thought Groups and Intonation1m
Supplemental Materials5m
Connected Speech and Reducing Sounds1m
Supplemental Materials10m
Shadowing Directions10m
Shadowing Assignment1h
Pronunciation Tips3m
4 practice exercises
Syllables and Word Stress Practice Quiz10m
Intonation Practice Quiz10m
Connected Speech Practice Quiz10m
Graded Quiz20m
4 hours to complete
Other Tricky Things
In this final week of the course, you'll look at a few more tricky points in American English pronunciation. First, you’ll learn about the different ways to pronounce the –s and –ed word endings, which have important grammatical meanings, and you’ll learn when to use each kind of pronunciation. Next, you’ll practice pronouncing numbers like 14 and 40, 15 and 50, 16 and 60 that can cause misunderstandings. You’ll also learn about the pronunciation of the words “can” and “can’t” –the difference between them might surprise you. Finally, you’ll practice some sound changes that happen when words come together in common spoken expressions like "gonna" for "going to," "wanna" for "want to," and "shoulda" for "should have."
4 hours to complete
8 videos (Total 45 min), 8 readings, 5 quizzes
8 videos
-S and -Ed Endings Practice5m
Some Tricky Words6m
Some Tricky Words Practice6m
Common Linked Expressions5m
Common Linked Expressions Practice4m
Shadowing a Conversation3m
Pronunciation Tips5m
8 readings
-S and -Ed Endings1m
Supplemental Materials10m
Tricky Words1m
Common Linked Expressions1m
Shadowing Directions2m
Shadowing Assignment1h
Pronunciation Tips3m
Learn More1m
4 practice exercises
-S and -Ed Endings Practice Quiz10m
Tricky Words Practice Quiz10m
Linked Expressions Quiz10m
Graded Quiz20m
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
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What is the refund policy?
You will be eligible for a full refund until two weeks after your payment date, or (for courses that have just launched) until two weeks after the first session of the course begins, whichever is later. You cannot receive a refund once you’ve earned a Course Certificate, even if you complete the course within the two-week refund period. See our full refund policy.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You’ll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. Learn more.
Do I need any special equipment for this course?
You will need a computer, smart phone, or other recording device to record your voice in .mp3 format for graded assignments.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Course?
This Course doesn't carry university credit, but some universities may choose to accept Course Certificates for credit. Check with your institution to learn more. Online Degrees and Mastertrack™ Certificates on Coursera provide the opportunity to earn university credit.
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