Mastering the American Accent » Review of /I/ and /i/ Sounds

Review of /I/ and /i/ Sounds

"Real riches are the riches possessed inside."
B. C. Forbes

The /I/ sound is easy to identify because it is almost always spelled with the letter ias in big. The /i/ sound is most commonly spelled with two vowels such as ee or ea, as in meet, or team. Remember to relax your tongue and lips for the /I/ sound and to make them tense for the /i/ sound.

Warning: Dangerous Mistake

Confusing /I/ and /i/ may cause embarrassment or can even be offensive.

Do you mean?Or?
/i//I/
sheetshit
beachbitch
piecepiss

Practice Dialogues

1a. Is it difficult?b. No, it’s unbelievably easy.
2.a. I feel ill.b. Drink some green tea.
3.a. Please meet me for dinner.b. I will be there at six.
4.a. Is it expensive?b. No, it isn’t. It’s really cheap.
5.a. I need a refill of these pills.b. Speak with your physician.
6.a. Is he still really sick?b. No, he’s just feeling a little weak.
7.a. This is completely different.b. But it is interesting, isn’t it?

Practice Paragraph

Guilty or Innocent?

Let’s be realistic. It’s not that difficult to see that he’s guilty. He steals, drinks, and cheats. He has cheated his victims, and he needs to be in prison. He did these terrible things, yet he insists that he’s innocent. Who is he kidding? In the beginning, many people did believe that he was innocent. But now we have the evidence that we need. Even though he won’t admit his guilt, I foresee him being in prison for at least fifteen years. Don’t you agree with me?

Advice from a Successful Student

“When you leave phone messages for people, there’s often the option of listening to your message before you send it. I always listen to the message, and if I think my accent is too strong, I record the message again, sometimes several times, until I am satisfied with the way my speech sounds.”

Sonja Sokolova, Russia

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