Master the tricky V and W sounds with this interactive pronunciation lesson! Improve your English speaking clarity by practicing mouth positions, minimal pairs, and sentence dictation. Perfect for ESL beginners!
Do you ever try to say "vest" but it sounds like "west"? You are not alone! For many English learners, mixing up the V and W sounds is a very common challenge.
Because these two sounds do not exist in every language, your mouth might not be used to making the correct shapes. But don't worry! With a little bit of practice and by learning exactly where to put your lips and teeth, you will be speaking clearly in no time.
Before you jump into the interactive practice below, let's look at the simple secret to making each sound:
1. The /v/ Sound (The Buzzing Bite)
For the V sound, your lips should never close completely.
The Position: Gently rest your top front teeth on your bottom lip.
The Action: Push air through your teeth and lip while vibrating your vocal cords. It should feel like a little tickle or a buzzing bee!
Try it: Say Van, Vest, Vine. Keep those teeth on your lip!
2. The /w/ Sound (The Kissing Wind)
For the W sound, your teeth are not invited to the party! Keep them hidden.
The Position: Push your lips forward and make them round, like you are going to give a kiss or blow out a candle.
The Action: Push the air out quickly through the small circle of your lips.
Try it: Say Water, West, Wine. Make sure your lips are round!
💡 A Quick Trick: The Mirror Test
Grab a mirror! When you say a V word, you should be able to see your top teeth. When you say a W word, your teeth should be completely hidden by your rounded lips.
Ready to train your ears and your mouth? Try the interactive listening and speaking activities below!
{
"title": "Mastering the V and W Sounds",
"instructions": "Practice distinguishing and pronouncing the /v/ and /w/ sounds through listening, repeating, and word unscrambling.",
"language": "en-US",
"activities": [
{
"type": "listen_record",
"targetText": "The view from the window is very nice.",
"phoneticHint": "ðə vjuː frəm ðə ˈwɪndoʊ ɪz ˈvɛri naɪs",
"translation": "วิวจากหน้าต่างสวยมาก"
},
{
"type": "listen_record",
"targetText": "We will visit the village on Wednesday.",
"phoneticHint": "wi wɪl ˈvɪzɪt ðə ˈvɪlɪdʒ ɑn ˈwɛnzdeɪ",
"translation": "เราจะไปเยี่ยมหมู่บ้านในวันพุธ"
},
{
"type": "listen_record",
"targetText": "William wants a glass of water.",
"phoneticHint": "ˈwɪljəm wɑnts ə ɡlæs ʌv ˈwɔtər",
"translation": "วิลเลียมต้องการน้ำหนึ่งแก้ว"
},
{
"type": "listen_record",
"targetText": "Victoria has a very warm voice.",
"phoneticHint": "vɪkˈtɔriə hæz ə ˈvɛri wɔrm vɔɪs",
"translation": "วิกตอเรียมีเสียงที่อบอุ่นมาก"
},
{
"type": "listen_record",
"targetText": "We wear warm vests in winter.",
"phoneticHint": "wi wɛr wɔrm vɛsts ɪn ˈwɪntər",
"translation": "เราสวมเสื้อกั๊กอุ่นๆ ในฤดูหนาว"
},
{
"type": "listen_record",
"targetText": "The white van is waiting.",
"phoneticHint": "ðə waɪt væn ɪz ˈweɪtɪŋ",
"translation": "รถตู้สีขาวกำลังรออยู่"
},
{
"type": "listen_record",
"targetText": "Wendy likes to watch videos.",
"phoneticHint": "ˈwɛndi laɪks tu wɑtʃ ˈvɪdioʊz",
"translation": "เวนดี้ชอบดูวิดีโอ"
},
{
"type": "listen_record",
"targetText": "I want to travel the world.",
"phoneticHint": "aɪ wɑnt tu ˈtrævəl ðə wɜrld",
"translation": "ฉันต้องการเดินทางรอบโลก"
},
{
"type": "listen_record",
"targetText": "Victor is a very wise man.",
"phoneticHint": "ˈvɪktər ɪz ə ˈvɛri waɪz mæn",
"translation": "วิกเตอร์เป็นผู้ชายที่ฉลาดมาก"
},
{
"type": "listen_record",
"targetText": "Welcome to our lovely village.",
"phoneticHint": "ˈwɛlkəm tu aʊər ˈlʌvli ˈvɪlɪdʒ",
"translation": "ยินดีต้อนรับสู่หมู่บ้านที่น่ารักของเรา"
},
{
"type": "minimal_pair",
"focus": "Consonant /v/ vs /w/",
"options": [
"vet",
"wet"
],
"correctAnswer": "wet"
},
{
"type": "minimal_pair",
"focus": "Consonant /v/ vs /w/",
"options": [
"vest",
"west"
],
"correctAnswer": "vest"
},
{
"type": "minimal_pair",
"focus": "Consonant /v/ vs /w/",
"options": [
"vine",
"wine"
],
"correctAnswer": "wine"
},
{
"type": "minimal_pair",
"focus": "Consonant /v/ vs /w/",
"options": [
"vow",
"wow"
],
"correctAnswer": "vow"
},
{
"type": "minimal_pair",
"focus": "Consonant /v/ vs /w/",
"options": [
"veal",
"wheel"
],
"correctAnswer": "wheel"
},
{
"type": "scramble",
"audioText": "We went to the village.",
"words": [
"We",
"went",
"to",
"the",
"village."
],
"distractors": [
"vent",
"Wee"
]
},
{
"type": "scramble",
"audioText": "Victor wants some water.",
"words": [
"Victor",
"wants",
"some",
"water."
],
"distractors": [
"voter",
"sum"
]
},
{
"type": "scramble",
"audioText": "The white van is fast.",
"words": [
"The",
"white",
"van",
"is",
"fast."
],
"distractors": [
"wight",
"ban"
]
}
]
}
