Many of our clients tell us that these three words are difficult for them to pronounce. Follow our tips and you won’t have a problem.
First, make sure the /v/ sound in each of these words is clear. With the lower lip lightly touching the upper teeth, you should hear a slight buzzing sound as your voice passes through the narrow opening.
The next sound is a vowel sound. This vowel should be the same vowel as in “fat cat,” not the vowel in “father.”
The letter “u” in each of these three words should sound just like the word “you.”
In the words “valuation” and “evaluation,” link the “u” to the “-ation” ending. Insert a slight /w/ sound between these two parts of the word. That way, your pronunciation will sound smooth!
In these same words, the strongest stress in the word should be on the “a” in “-ation.”
Click on the video to see and hear the explanation!
Confident Speech specializes in accent and pronunciation training. For more information about our training programs, explore our web site or contact us.