Free workshop - Polish Your English Pronunciation: Small Sounds, Big Differences

“If there is one thing certain about English pronunciation, it is that there is nothing certain about it.” (Bill Bryson)

Clear and intelligible pronunciation plays a key role in effective communication in academic and administrative settings. This two-hour workshop offers a practical, awareness-raising introduction to English pronunciation for non-native university staff who use English in meetings, teaching, supervision, and day-to-day professional interactions.

The focus is not on achieving native-like pronunciation—which is neither expected nor realistic—but on understanding which aspects of pronunciation matter most for being understood, and which types of pronunciation features are most likely to cause confusion or distraction.

The workshop combines short instructor explanations with participant input, discussion, and hands-on practice. You will have ample opportunity to explore and practise problem sounds, stress patterns, and intonation in a supportive, low-pressure environment.

Workshop focus

This intensive two-hour workshop concentrates on features of English pronunciation that have the greatest impact on clarity and intelligibility, including:

• key English consonant and vowel sounds, and how small pronunciation differences can signal big differences in meaning
• word and sentence stress, and the role of reduced syllables in English rhythm
• tone group boundaries and how they structure spoken information
• basic intonation patterns and their communicative effect
• selected variations in speech sounds that influence clarity and naturalness (e.g. vowel shortening before certain consonants)
• pronunciation of common grammatical endings (-ed and -s)

The workshop is open to all UCPH staff (VIP and TAP) and will be held in English.