Uploaded August 2012 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago

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Speak Global English Video Series
Part 7:
Clarifying Your Consonants

In order to be understood by everyone, everywhere, every time you speak, you need to make sure that your consonant sounds are clear.

What are consonants? Well, everything other than the vowels! And what are the vowels? A-E-I-O-U (and sometimes Y). So right now we're talking about everything else.

Every consonant sound needs to be unique. That means that Rs cannot sound like Ls, Vs cannot sound like Ws, Bs and Ps, Ds and Ts, Gs and Ks -- they all need to have their own sounds.

Many consonants sounds get confused because we use our voices incorrectly. It's true! Think about the sounds for P and B. We make them in almost identical ways. The only difference is that we use our voice to make the B sound, whereas we have no voice, but a lot of air, when we make the P sound:
/p/ and /b/

There are many more pairs like this: T and D, K and G, S and Z, F and V, plus the sounds ZH and SH, J and CH, and the THs DH and TH.

So be careful when and how you use your voice, and keep your consonants clear and unique.

If you'd like more help clarifying your consonants, sign up for my Free, 8-part pronunciation short course at http://www.EnglishPronunciationCourse.com.