Listening: Understanding Different Accents (Introduction) B1 - Lesson 2: Developing Awareness of Common International English Pronunciations

Understanding International English Accents CEFR Level B1 Lesson Goals In this lesson, you will develop your awareness of International English and learn strategies to understand speakers from many different countries, even with strong accents. Welcome to Global English! English is a global language spoken by billions of people. This means there is no single "correct" accent. Today, we will explore common ways that pronunciation can differ and learn how to be better listeners. 1. The 'TH' Sound (/θ/ and /ð/) The 'th' sound is difficult for many non-native speakers. It is often replaced with sounds from their first language, like /s/, /z/, /t/, or /d/. Listen to the two examples in the audio. Standard Pronunciation: "I th ink th is is the right number." Simulated International Pronunciation: "I s ink z is is ze right number." 2. Vowel Length (e.g., ship vs. sheep) Another common difference is the length of vowel sounds. For example, a speaker might use a lo…