Unfortunately, knowing all of the vocabulary and grammar in the world isn't enough to ensure your spoken English is understood by others.
Many native and non-native speakers struggle with enunciation—pronouncing words clearly and distinctly. And even those who have mastered English often still find themselves mumbling words or talking under their breath.
Poor enunciation affects overall communication and impacts how a person is perceived .
Fortunately, proper enunciation is a skill that anyone can develop with practice and the right techniques.
Enunciation: The Basics Before we dive into improving enunciation, let’s clarify what it actually means—and how it differs from pronunciation.
Pronunciation focuses on saying words correctly, following the rules of how sounds are formed in a language.
Enunciation, on the other hand, is about making those sounds clear and crisp, ensuring every syllable is distinct and easy for listeners to follow. Think of enunciation as giving each word its moment in the spotlight, so nothing gets lost or garbled.
For instance, when you say, “I need to go to the store,” good enunciation ensures each word is pronounced clearly: “I NEED TO GO TO THE STORE.” If you mumble or rush, it might come out as “Ineegota store,” leaving your listener straining to understand.
Ready to fine-tune your clarity? Let’s explore 8 practical tips to help you master enunciation and speak with confidence.
1. Open Your Mouth Wider When Speaking Just like at the dentist, we need you to open wide!
One of the simplest tricks to help you master how to enunciate better is to open your mouth a little wider as you speak. This might feel silly at first, but it makes a real difference in how clear and strong your words come across.
Many people, especially when speaking quickly or nervously, barely move their mouths, which causes words to sound muffled or slurred. By opening your mouth more, you give each sound room to form fully.
In order to develop the habit of using your full mouth to enunciate, you can practice by exaggerating or over-enunciating. Once you become comfortable with the concept, you can dial it back to a more moderate level for native-level enunciation.
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2. Improve Your Voice with Good Posture Believe it or not, your posture and body language also greatly impact how you sound!
When you stand or sit up straight, your lungs open up and you breathe more easily, which helps you speak with a stronger voice.
Slouching, on the other hand, can make your voice sound weaker or even a bit mumbly because it limits your airflow.
And as an added bonus, standing or sitting up straight also makes you feel (and look!) more confident.
Make a habit of sitting or standing up straight with your shoulders relaxed and your feet flat on the ground. Before speaking, take a deep breath and let it out slowly to get comfortable. You’ll notice your voice is clearer and more natural when you take a moment do this.
3. Use Enunciation Apps It's the digital age, and there are plenty of tools that can accelerate the process of improving your enunciation.
One very effective tool is the BoldVoice app. BoldVoice is an AI-powered accent training app that provides real-time corrections and guidance on your enunciation.
This app is especially helpful for non-native speakers, as it offers targeted advice on pronunciation and clarity. Along with feedback, BoldVoice also provides resources that simplify concepts like grammar, tone , and IPA representation, all of which contribute to your overall pronunciation.
You’ll also receive a seven-day free trial that grants you access to all its premium features once you sign up on BoldVoice .
4. Focus on Vowels and Consonants Pay attention to your consonants and vowels if you want to know how to enunciate better.
For example, voiced consonants like the “t” in “cat” /kæt/ or the “d” in “and” /ænd/ might appear insignificant, but they ensure each word stands out. If you don’t pronounce these consonants fully, words can blend.
In the same vein, English has unique vowel sounds that may not exist in other languages. This makes it easier to omit or mispronounce them and change the entire meaning of words. For example, “bit” /bɪt/ and “bet” /bɛt/, or “full” /fʊl/ and “fool” /fuːl/ could sound similar if the vowel sounds aren't clear. Therefore, you want to focus on these subtle differences.
To master these subtle differences, practice each sound independently and engage in minimal pair exercises while standing in front of a mirror. Here, you can observe your lips and tongue placement to see how you differentiate sounds.
For more structured practice, you can use the BoldVoice app.
5. Slow Down Your Speaking Pace Often, non-native English speakers covet quick speech , as they want to convey that they’re proficient in the language. However, this generally isn’t the best decision as far as proper enunciation is concerned.
Slowing down, just a bit, can have a profound impact on your clarity. And in fact, speaking more slowly can even convey more confidence and gravitas.
Take a look at BoldVoice Coach Adeola explaining how you can use speech pacing intentionally to level-up your English skills:
VIDEO
For access to hundreds of pronunciation and enunciation lessons like this one, download BoldVoice !
6. Practice Tongue Twisters for Precision Tongue twisters are really helpful if you want to focus on sounds, and this is exactly what you need to sound crisp and clear in English.
A good example is, “She sells seashells by the seashore.” This phrase sounds simple, but if you try to rush through it, you’ll probably end up saying something closer to “see shells sheshells.”
When you practice with tongue twisters, you end up working every sound individually: “She sells /sɛlz/ seashells /ˈsiːʃɛlz/ by the seashore /ˈsiːʃɔːr/.” It’s a way to your mouth muscles, helping you build control and accuracy to make regular words sound much clearer.
Mind you, the goal isn’t to say it perfectly fast; it’s to strengthen the control you have over each sound. After a few rounds, you’ll likely notice your regular speech sounding more precise and polished.
7. Practice Breath Control To enunciate better, you need a steady supply of air and this is why breath control is important.
When you speak with proper breath support, your voice sounds fuller, clearer, and more expressive. It's like adding a bit of reverb to your speech.
Instead of taking shallow breaths from your chest, you want to engage your diaphragm, the large muscle below your lungs.
This deep, controlled breathing provides the steady stream of air your voice needs.
8. Use Movies and Podcasts to Practice Enunciation about making sure people can hear and understand you. Watching movies or listening to podcasts can help with this, especially if you focus on the body language, gestures, and speech patterns of the actors.
All you need to do is pick some enjoyable American movies or podcasts that feature actors and speakers known for clear enunciation. And as you watch or listen, try mimicking the speech pattern of the speakers.
Enunciate Clearly with BoldVoice Excellent enunciation isn’t just about sounding polished. Rather, it’s about being heard and understood clearly, even in distracting environments.
The tips here address how to enunciate better, and with consistent practice, you'll notice your speech becoming sharper and easier to understand. And to help you reach your speech goals, BoldVoice is on your side.
With its targeted lessons and AI-powered practice sessions, BoldVoice helps you identify your speech problems and improve your overall accent.
Sign up for BoldVoice to enjoy your seven-day free trials and access all that you need to help you improve your accent and elocution.
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