I. To understand what makes native speaker hard to understand
There are 2 main reason of these :
1. The great of numbers vowels and dipthongs in English
Some of them very similiar each other. There are many word where consonant are exactly the same and by changing the vowels sound, the meaning changes. When this vowels sound are very smiliar, and especially if one or the other doesn't exist in our own language, it can make it, quite of challenge to understand a native speaker. For example :
Minimal Pairs : same consonant different vowel
Boat - bought, mad - mud, hurt - heart, man - main, than - then, bit - bet, live - leave.
So notice, the only different is the vowels or the dipthongs and they can be very similiar. in one senteces it is not easy to tell a part.
2. The way native speaker shorten and link sound a sentece
The area 2 speech pattern in native speakers :
2.1. Speech pattern I : contracted verbs and negative
Example : I'm, He/She's, They'll. We've, Won't, Can't
Note : Native speakers always use this pattern when they speak, except when they want to stress the point, that is why there is different between tone and meaning between this example.
Example :
"Ok, I'll do it" will be different stressing with "Ok, I will do it"
When we uses contracted form there is no strees and particular emotion.
When we use default form, there is determination
Note : to practice understand kinds contracted verbs, try to practice for yourself, by listening and pronouncation, it will help us to understand when native speaker use it in conversation. Remember, not to use contraction form in formal writing, when we writing a letter, report, etc.
2.2. Speech pattern II : Weak forms
Examples : I can ski ---> I kn ski, Here's my book --> Here's ma book, It's for you --> It's fa you
We don't need use these form when we speak. however, we do need to aware and anticipate the when listening to native speaker.
2.3. Speech pattern III : phonetic links
Phonetic link is words vowels is link to previous one and this make it hard to listen clearly
He works as an engineer --> he work sazanen gineer
She is interested in it --> She(y)isinterestedinit
They went to an amazing place --> they wentto(w)anamazing place
That 3 speech pattern that we sould familiar to increase our listening skill whe we have a chat with native speakers, the best way to upgrade your skill in it, is practice more in audio file with transcript. First, listening to the audio file which is contain conversation or dialogue. second one, write what you hear in conversation or dialogue, the last, compare what you write with file transcript.
II. Improve your own pronounciation
Do not improve your pronouncation by reading, yo will not able to understand several words if you learn by reading. there are 2 common traps learning pronounciation by reading :
1. Believing that 2 word with same spelling = same sound
Examples :
Letter "ea" is not always sound like "i" in jeans (jins), we will find different sound with this "ea"
Great, Hear, Learn, Instead
Letter "u" is not always sound like "u" in put, we will find different sound like :
Judge, Furios
Letter U many time sound like "U" some tine "A" and occasionally "YU"
2. Word stress
2.1. Which syllable is stressed :
DEvelopment -- deVElopment -- deveLOPment -- developMENT
the coreect one is number 2 : deVElopment
2.2. You migh expect these 2 word to be prounounced similiarity
proPOSE -- PURpose
Conclusion : you have able guessing how the words are pronoun, alwasy check the pronounciation of the words since you learning, others ask someone or use talking dictionary. Do work with our pronouncation is the key to improve our skill to understand when native speaker use it.
III. Learn primarily with your ears rather than your eyes
"What you see is not what the say" therefore, the best way in learn new word and its expression is by first hearing them, then saying and writing them. So, This is the final hint in how to use your ears instead of your eyes :
1. Listen to audio book rather than read the printed version
2. Listen to the radio and watch movie in english as much as possible with english subtitile, subtitile can make you easier to comfirmation what you hear.
3. If you're using a course book, work more with accompanying cd rathe than the book itself
4. If you are using a word you have learnt by reading and have never heard it before, make sure you memorize it (sometime make some note of vocabulary) and check the pronounciation.
Thanks.
Source : Anglo-link.com
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