Key Points
- Learning Objectives: can pronounce /p/ and /b/ sounds
- L1 Influence: /p/ may be confused with /b/ for Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Arabic speakers
- Text for Practice: Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!
- Minimal Pairs: /p/ pin pill pack pig pie pet /b/ bin bill back big buy bet
This lesson suits all learners at all levels.
Transcript:
(Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript)
Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday dear friend, happy birthday to you!
I bet you’ve heard this a thousand times!
My name is Janice Petersen, and I must communicate clearly and effectively as an SBS World News presenter.
In fact, I practised so much that I like to think of myself as a Queen of pronunciation.
Good pronunciation skills can give you more confidence, and people will stop asking you to repeat your words.
So, let’s start!
Wishing someone a happy birthday is a great thing to do, but is difficult for many learners. So if you find it hard, you are not alone!
This is because the sounds /p/ and /b/ are very similar.
For example, it can be a problem if you’re trying to say ‘I want a peach’ (the fruit), but your friend hears ‘I want a beach’ (the ocean), or even worse if you told your friend ‘you have good pitch’ (good at singing), but they hear something else entirely!
So, today we’re going to focus on the difference between the /p/ and /b/ sounds.
Let’s start by comparing the sounds in these word pairs:
- pack - back
- pet - bet
- pill - bill
- pin - bin
Can you hear the difference?
Now, let’s work on how to pronounce these sounds. Both of these sounds are made in the same part of your mouth.
You put your tongue in the centre of your mouth with your teeth slightly open and your lips gently closed. You then blow air through your lips.
So what’s the difference? The /p/ sound is unvoiced. That means you don’t use your voice when you say it.
You might like to try saying these words with your hand on your throat. If you’ve said them correctly, you won’t feel any vibration in your throat.
- pin
- pack
- pet
Now, have a try saying the voiced /b/ sound with your hand on your throat. You should feel a vibration:
- bin
- back
- bet
Did you feel the vibration this time? Feeling the vibration is how you know the sound is voiced.
Have a go saying ‘happy birthday’ with your hand on your throat. Can you feel the difference in the vibrations the different sounds make?
Who is with us today?
Students:
We are leaners from IELS college in Brisbane and we want to wish Happy birthday to Peter.
Janice:
Sure, go ahead.
Students:
Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Peter, happy birthday to you! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!
Janice:
Why don’t you try recording yourself and your friends singing the happy birthday song next time you’re at a party?
Then, you can listen back to the recording and check your pronunciation.
Well done! You’ve just learnt and practised the difference between the ‘p’ and ‘b’ sounds.
CREDITS
