For 90 % of the world population, including even a considerable proportion of native English speakers, English is a foreign language. To speak English like a native speaker? So difficult, but really worth a try. Maybe, one can not finally achieve perfection, but he/she can at least try to approach to the ideal as closely as possible. Many foreign English speakers can speak very good English, but their speaking still sounds a little bit foreign to the native. Why? Because they just ignore some minor flaws in their pronunciation.
Along with others, 'r' and 'l' (the 'l' in the final position or followed by a consonant)as consonants are difficult to pronounce for many foreign English speakers. I thought I pronounce these two consonants correctly, before recently Chris, one of my friends from UK, pointed out my minor mistakes in enunciating them. English Pronunciation Lessons with Jennifer ESL (http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=81BCA0A2CB139CB7) explains English pronunciation well.
I How to pronounce 'r':
(i) Round your lip just a little; (ii) Raise the tip of the tongue towards the hard bump behind your upper front teeth, but do not let your tongue touch the bump; (iii) The center of the tongue is a little down; (iv) The back of the tongue is raised and pulled into a tight ball; and (v) The sides of your tongue are up, just enough to touch the upper side teeth.
II How to pronounce 'l' in different conditions:
(i) 'l' is a voiced consonant; (ii) The tip of your tongue makes contact with the bump behind your upper teeth front teeth; (iii) Air flows along the sides of your tongue (because the sides are down)
Life is growth. If we stop growing, life is as good as dead. So is English learning. We should keep correcting our pronunciation till it is perfect.
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