Farsi

Study the whole book, but also pay special attention to a few points directly related to native Farsi speakers. These are outlined below.

Consonants

The th Sound

Review Chapters Three and Four to learn the correct pronunciation of this sound. Note that you might make the common mistake of substituting a /t/ or a /d/ for a th.

Confusing /v/ and /w/

All explanations and exercises for the “v” and “w” sounds are in Chapter Four. Be careful not to make the common mistake below.

The /s/ Sound + Consonant

The Farsi language has no word that begins with an s and is followed by another consonant. There is usually a vowel in front of the s. Therefore, you will have a tendency to put an extra /ɘ / sound before English words that begin with this letter. Make sure you don’t insert an extra vowel sound when you say the following words:

The /l/ sound

Make sure that you don’t quickly release the tip of your tongue for the l at the ends of words. This will cause you to over-pronounce the /l/. The American /l/ sound is softer and longer than the Farsi /l/, and the tip of the tongue is more relaxed. Review the exercises for the American /l/ sound in Chapter Four.

Pronouncing ing

Over-pronouncing ing is another common mistake for Farsi speakers. Make sure you don’t release the /g/ sound in words that end with ing, such as going and doing. Review the rules for this sound in Chapter Four.

The /r/ Sound

You need to learn to create the correct American /r/ sound by studying Chapter Three, and doing all of the /r/ exercises in Chapter Four. Make sure you do not roll the /r/ with the tip of your tongue, as this creates a harsh-sounding Farsi /r/.

Farsi speakers tend to roll the /r/ particularly when it is followed by another consonant (as in bring, program, friend) or when it is in the beginning of a word (such as red and right).

Vowels

It is recommended that you study all of the American vowel sounds in detail. (See Chapters One and Two.) However, pay special attention to the vowel sounds highlighted below which are the most problematic ones for Iranian speakers of English.

The /I/ Sound

You might have a tendency to pronounce /I/ (as in sit) incorrectly. Make sure you pronounce the following words differently:

The /ɘ/ Sound

You might confuse /ɘ/ as in fun, with /ɑ/ as in hop. Practice pronouncing the following words differently:

The /ʊ/ Sound

Do not make the common error of confusing /ʊ/ as in good, with /u/ as in food. Make sure that you pronounce the following words differently:

Syllable Stress

Speakers of Farsi tend to stress the first syllables of English words. Since there are a lot of exceptions to the rules of English syllable stress, you will need to simply memorize the words that you commonly use.

Intonation

There’s a tendency for Farsi speakers to use rising intonation. This can unintentionally create a tone that sounds sarcastic or doubtful. Study the rules of falling intonation in Chapter Seven. Don’t overly prolong the final part of words and sentences and try not to go up in pitch, unless you’re asking a “yes/no question.”