Roni, my good friend, we were out on a play date with our kids a few days
ago. We were chic-chat rather lively while kids were happily playing at the lake. Out of a sudden, she asked me “XX do you mind if I correct your pronunciation?”
“ Of cause I don’t mind, I would love to have you to teach me.” I replied. BTW, she was a journalist and now a volunteer English tutor for foreign students .
“I know your English is fantastic, you have good vocabulary, nice accent and good pronunciation, I can understand you perfectly well. But there is the ‘th’ sound you always mispronounce and it gives an adverse impression on your overall English.” she continued.
“ I feel so embarrassed now that you have pointed out. I knew exactly how to make the ‘th’ sound I just never put enough effort try to make it correctly while I’m talking.” I said.
“Well, if you want to improve your English speaking, you got to do the right way.” she emphasized. “ I will be your gate keeper, every time you make a mistake I will ring a bell.”
I realize how ignorant of me by so naively thinking that my English pronunciation is very good, courtesy to my husband’s praises and his oblivious of my mistakes. I need to change my habit of speaking English, instead of just try to deliver the right thoughts, grammars and words, I also need to start to pay more attention to my pronunciation. In addition I need to slow down my speaking, try to make every word as clear, as correct as possible. It not going to be easy, along the way I am already making even more mistakes by trying too hard. But I am motivated because I know it will payoff handsomely.
