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English Pronunciation in Use 2nd Edition – Intermediate

Mark Hancock

Acknowledgements 5

To the student 6

To the teacher 8

Section A sounds

Letters and sounds

1 From zero to hero – Playing with the sounds of English (10)

2 Plane, plan – The vowel sounds /eɪ/ and /æ/ (12)

3 Back, pack – The consonant sounds /b/ and /p/ (14)

4 Rice, rise – The consonant sounds /s/ and /z/ (16)

5 Down town – The consonant sounds /d/ and /t/ (18)

6 Meet, met – The vowel sounds /iː/ and /e/ (20)

7 Carrot, cabbage – Unstressed vowels /ə/ and /ɪ/ (22)

8 Few, view – The consonant sounds /f/ and /v/ (24)

9 Gate, Kate – The consonant sounds /g/ and /k/ (26)

10 He, we, you – The sounds /h/, /w/ and /j/ (28)

11 Kite, kit – The vowel sounds /aɪ/ and /ɪ/ (30)

12 Sheep, jeep, cheap – The consonant sounds /ʃ/, /dʒ/ and /tʃ/ (32)

13 Lent, rent – The consonant sounds /l/ and /r/ (34)

14 Car, care – The vowel sounds /ɑː(r)/ and /eə(r)/ (36)

15 Some, sun, sung – The consonant sounds /m/, /n/ and /ŋ/ (38)

16 Note, not – The vowel sounds /əʊ/ and /ɒ/ (40)

17 Thick, they – The consonant sounds /θ/ and /ð/ (42)

18 Shut, pull, rude – The vowel sounds /ʌ/, /ʊ/ and /uː/ (44)

19 Shirts, shorts – The vowel sounds /ɜː(r)/ and /ɔː(r)/ (46)

20 Toy, town – The vowel sounds /ɔɪ/ and /aʊ/ (48)

Combining sounds

21 Dream, cream, scream – Consonant groups at the beginning of words (50)

22 Left, lunch, last – Consonant groups at the end of words (52)

23 Wins, weeks, wages – Words with -s endings (54)

24 Rested, played, watched – Words with -ed endings (56)

25 Pets enter, pet centre – Consonant sounds at word boundaries (58)

26 War and peace – Vowel sounds at word boundaries (60)

Section B Stress

Word Stress

27 Saturday September 13th – Introducing word stress (62)

28 Forest, forget – Stress in two-syllable words (64)

29 Second-hand bookshop – Stress in compound words (66)

30 Unforgettable – Stress in longer words 1 (68)

31 Public, publicity – Stress in longer words 2 (70)

Stress patterns

32 Tea for two – Introducing stress patterns (72)

33 He asked her her name – Pronouns in stress patterns (74)

34 The place is clean – The verb to be in stress patterns (76)

35 What do you think? – Auxiliary verbs in stress patterns (78)

36 Some milk and eggs – Pronouncing short words (a, of, or) (80)

Section C Intonation

37 // CHILDREN // DRIVE SLOWLY // – Dividing messages into speech units (82)

38 // His sister // who was clever // won – Speech units and grammar (84)

39 // Sorry to disturb you // – Introduction to main stress (86)

40 // He will win // – Emphasising a contrasting opinion (88)

41 // Schwartz // Pedro Schwartz // – Emphasising added details (90)

42 // What do you do? // – Main stress in questions (92)

43 // I think you’re in my seat // – Main stress for contrasting information (94)

44 // Fifty? // No // fifteen! // – Emphasising corrections (96)

45 Bear! Bear? – Rising and falling tones (98)

Section D Understanding pronunciation in use

Speed

46 // Ehm… // Well… // – Thinking time (100)

47 // I mean // and just kind of // – Unstressed words in conversation (102)

48 Scuba_diving_course – Listening to connected speech (104)

49 White_bread or brown_bread? – Connected speech: sound changes (106)

50 // Do you actually know // – Fast and careful speech (108)

Tone

51 Continuing or finishing tones (110)

52 Sure and unsure tones (112)

53 Intonation in instructions (114)

54 Intonation in opinions (116)

55 Showing enthusiasm (118)

Accents

56 Finders keepers – Accent variation relating to R (120)

57 We had a cat – Vowel sound variation in different accents (122)

58 Rita’s writing a book – Consonant sound variation in different accents (124)

59 Hello. I’m from … – English from around the world (126)

60 Fairtrade – Pronunciation objectives: clarity or speed? (128)

Section E Reference

E1 Introduction to phonemic symbols (130)

E2 Pronunciation test (137)

E3 Guide for speakers of specific languages (143)

E4 Sound pairs (146)

E5 English as a Lingua Franca (163)

E6 Glossary (166)

Answer key 168

Mastering the Music of English: A Definitive Review of the Ultimate Pronunciation Guide

Introduction: Beyond Just Vocabulary

Many English learners reach a point where they know the words and the grammar, but they still struggle to be understood or to understand native speakers in fast-paced conversations. This is usually because of the “invisible” side of the language: Pronunciation. This book is a masterclass in the sounds, rhythms, and melodies of English. It is designed to take you beyond the dictionary and into the real world, where clarity and confidence are the ultimate goals.

What Kind of Book Is This?

This is a specialized English Pronunciation reference and practice manual for intermediate to advanced learners. Unlike basic books that only focus on individual sounds, this volume provides a holistic, four-dimensional approach to communication. It is divided into five logical sections:

Section A (Sounds): Mastering individual vowels and consonants.
Section B (Stress): Understanding the “pulse” of words and sentences.
Section C (Intonation): Learning how to use tone to convey meaning and emotion.
Section D (Pronunciation in Use): Bridging the gap between “textbook English” and real-world conversation (speed, accents, and connected speech).
Section E (Reference): A high-value toolkit including phonemic symbols and language-specific guides.

Who Is the Ideal Reader?

Intermediate to Advanced Learners: Those who have a strong foundation but feel “stuck” when trying to sound natural or fluent.
Business Professionals: Individuals who deliver presentations or lead meetings and need their message to be crystal clear.
English Teachers: Educators looking for a structured, logical way to explain the complexities of stress and intonation.
Global Citizens: Anyone interacting in an international environment where “English as a Lingua Franca” (Section E5) is the primary mode of communication.

Detailed Review: Why This Book Is a Game-Changer

1. The Focus on “Connected Speech”

The biggest hurdle to understanding native speakers isn’t the words they use—it’s how they link them together. This book’s Section D is a revelation. It teaches you about thinking time (fillers), unstressed words, and sound changes in fast speech. Once you understand these mechanics, you will find that “fast” English suddenly becomes much easier to decode.

2. Intonation as a Strategic Tool

Most learners ignore intonation, but this book treats it as a strategic skill. Section C teaches you how to emphasize a contrasting opinion, how to correct someone politely, and how to show enthusiasm through rising and falling tones. This is the difference between sounding like a robot and sounding like a confident, empathetic communicator.

3. Real-World Diversity: Accents and Global English

One of the most modern and impressive features of this guide is its acknowledgment of the real world. Section D60 discusses “Clarity vs. Speed,” and Section D59 explores English from around the world. It doesn’t just push a “Standard” accent; it pushes for Clarity, ensuring you can be understood by everyone, whether you’re in New York, London, or Singapore.

4. Tailored for Your Specific Needs

Section E3 is a “hidden gem”—a guide for speakers of specific languages. It anticipates the exact pronunciation hurdles you will face based on your native tongue. This personalized approach makes your study time incredibly efficient, allowing you to focus on the sounds and patterns that actually need work.

The Verdict: Why You Must Read It

You should read this book because pronunciation is the first thing people notice and the last thing they forget. It determines your confidence level in every social and professional interaction. This guide doesn’t just teach you how to “speak”; it teaches you how to “sound” like you belong in the conversation.

Final Conclusion:
Logical, comprehensive, and deeply practical, this is the gold standard for pronunciation training. It provides the “X-ray vision” to hear English as it is actually spoken and the tools to respond with absolute clarity. If you are serious about your fluency, this is an essential investment in your linguistic future.