Source : http://www.rediff.com/getahead/2005/sep/02accent.htm
10 tips to improve the way you speak English
i. Observe the mouth movements of those
who speak English well and try to imitate them.
When you are watching television,
observe the mouth movements of the speakers. Repeat what they are saying, while
imitating the intonation and rhythm of their speech.
 
ii. Until you learn the correct
intonation and rhythm of English, slow your speech down.
If you speak too quickly, and with the
wrong intonation and rhythm, native speakers will have a hard time
understanding you.
Don't worry about your listener getting
impatient with your slow speech -- it is more important that everything you say
be understood.
 
iii. Listen to the 'music' of English.
Do not use the 'music' of your native
language when you speak English. Each language has its own way of 'singing'.
 
iv. Use the dictionary.
Try and familiarize yourself with the
phonetic symbols of your dictionary. Look up the correct pronunciation of words
that are hard for you to say.
 
v. Make a list of frequently used words
that you find difficult to pronounce and ask someone who speaks the language
well to pronounce them for you.
Record these words, listen to them and
practice saying them. Listen and read at the same time.
 
vi. Buy books on tape.
Record yourself reading some sections of
the book. Compare the sound of your English with that of the person reading the
book on the tape.
 
vii. Pronounce the ending of each word.
Pay special attention to 'S' and 'ED'
endings. This will help you strengthen the mouth muscles that you use when you
speak English.
viii. Read aloud in English for 15-20
minutes every day.
Research has shown that it takes about
three months of daily practice to develop strong mouth muscles for speaking a
new language.
 
ix. Record your own voice and listen for
pronunciation mistakes.
Many people hate to hear the sound of
their voice and avoid listening to themselves speak. However, this is a very
important exercise because doing it will help you become conscious of the
mistakes you are making.
 
x. Be patient.
You can change the way you speak but it
won't happen overnight. People often expect instant results and give up too
soon. You can change the way you sound if you are willing to put some effort
into it.
 
Quick
tips
Various versions of the English language
exist. Begin by identifying the category you fall into and start by improving
the clarity of your speech.
 
~ Focus on removing the mother tongue
influence and the 'Indianisms' that creep into your English conversations.
 
~ Watch the English news on television
channels like Star World, CNN, BBC and English movies on Star Movies and HBO.
 
~ Listen to and sing English songs. We'd
recommend Westlife, Robbie Williams, Abba, Skeeter Davis and Connie Francis
among others.
 
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