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Tips, insights, and updates about English learning
Just Touch Your Throat: Understand Voiced vs. Voiceless (B/P, D/T, F/V, S/Z, K/G) Once and For All
Many English consonants actually come in "pairs"—the mouth shape is exactly the same, and the only difference is whether the vocal cords vibrate. By learning a simple trick of touching your throat, you will be able to distinguish between bat and pat, fan and van, and even your word-ending pronunciation will sound much more natural.
bad or bat? A single vibration at the end makes it a completely different word
The only difference between leave and leaf, and bad and bat, is whether the final consonant vibrates. Chinese speaking habits often cause us to 'devoice' voiced final consonants, making bag sound like back, which completely changes the meaning. Learn how to keep the vibration in your final sounds, plus a hidden clue used by native speakers, so your meaning won't be misunderstood.