Improving pronunciation in English is a vital part of achieving fluency and mastery of the language. Include it in English lessons regardless of age or proficiency. English pronunciation activities can be a good way to engage students in a more interactive lesson while improving the clarity of their speech.

Man or Men?
Many words in English sound similar, but a slight difference in pronunciation changes the meaning. Create a set of flashcards with two words that sound similar, one on each side of the card. A few examples would be "man" and "men" or "three" and "free." Call a pair of students to the front of the classroom and choose a flashcard. Write the two words from the flashcard on the board, then hand the chalk to Student A. Show Student B one side of the flashcard and ask him to say the word aloud while Student A circles the word she hears. Show the flashcard to see if Student A circled the correct word, and if not, guide both students in pronouncing the word and listening to the difference. Repeat with different pairs of students.

Sentence Memory
This activity is based on the "Memory Chain" game many students may remember playing as a child. Arrange students in either a circle or straight line and write a sentence on a piece of paper. Show one student the sentence. That student whispers the sentence to the student next to him while the other students cover their ears. The sentence is whispered around the circle until it reaches the last student, who says the sentence he heard aloud. Students can compare that sentence to the one on the original sheet of paper. Discuss how the sentence changed and which words or sounds they had a hard time hearing or pronouncing correctly.

Past or Present
Regular verbs, with the past tense suffix "-ed," are often difficult for young English students to differentiate and pronounce, such as "walk" and "walked." Write the word "Now" on one side of the board and "Before" on the other. Call a student to the front of the room and hand him a note card or paper with a sentence that uses a regular verb, for example, "I listened to music." Ask the class whether he should stand under "Now" or "Before." If students are unsure, have the student repeat the sentence, focusing on pronouncing "listened" different than "listen." Continue until each student has had a turn.