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American English Pronunciation
Lesson 22
Learning objectives
  • Pronounce the sound in the words bet, but, bit, beach
  • Learn how to spell this sound
  • Learn the proper mouth position when making this sound
  • Learn the sound type
  • Pronunciation practice
  • Tongue twisters test
How to spell this sound
b bet, bass, bat, but, bit, bunch, boring, bony, beach, bill, best, beak
 

Note: the red letters all have the same sound

 
Mouth position
Your mouth releases air which is then quickly stopped

Your lips should be together at the beginning

Your Tongue: the front part of your tongue should be in the center part of your mouth
(see picture)
Sound Type
  • This is a VOICED sound which means:
    • Your Vocal Cords DO vibrate when making the sound
    • You CAN listen to your Vocal Cords vibrating if you cover your ears with your hands
    • You CAN feel your Vocal Cords vibrating if you place your hands on your neck
Pronunciation practice
Look at your mouth in a mirror and practice pronouncing the following words. Make sure your mouth, lips, and tongue are in their proper positions.
 
bet bass bat but
bit bunch boring bony
beach bill best beak
 

Note: the red letters all have the same sound

 
Tongue twisters test
 
Try saying the following tongue twisters as quickly as possible.
 
  • Betty Botter bought some butter. / "But," she said, "this butter's bitter! / If I put it in my batter, / It will make my batter bitter!" / So she bought a bit of butter / Better than her bitter butter, / And she put it in her batter, / And her batter was not bitter. / So 'twas better Betty Botter / Bought a bit of better butter.

  • Peggy Babcock.

  • The black bloke's back brake block broke.

  • Toy boat [repeated]

  • Rubber buggy bumpers [repeated]

  • Toy boat. Toy boat. Toy boat.

  • A bitter biting bittern Bit a better brother bittern, And the bitter better bittern Bit the bitter biter back. And the bitter bittern, bitten, By the better bitten bittern, Said: "I'm a bitter biter bit, alack!"

  • I cannot bear to see a bear Bear down upon a hare. When bare of hair he strips the hare, Right there I cry, "Forbear!"

  • A box of biscuits, a batch of mixed biscuits.

  • A big black bug bit a big black bear, made the big black bear bleed blood.

  • The boot black bought the black boot back.

  • Black bug's blood.

  • Betty better butter Brad's bread.

  • Brad's big black bath brush broke.

  • Betty and Bob brought back blue balloons from the big bazaar.

  • A bloke's back bike brake block broke.

  • Good blood, bad blood.

  • Brisk brave brigadiers brandished broad bright blades, blunderbusses, and bludgeons -- balancing them badly.

  • The blue bluebird blinks.

  • Pretty Kitty Creighton had a cotton batten cat. The cotton batten cat was bitten by a rat. The kitten that was bitten had a button for an eye, and biting off the button made the cotton batten fly.

  • Ruby Rugby's brother bought and brought her back some rubber baby-buggy bumpers.

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