Everyday small talk
Casual conversation runs on a small set of adverbs and softeners that native speakers heavily compress: probably becomes prob-ly and definitely becomes def-nit-ly. Saying them in full syllable by syllable sounds stilted. Listen for how much gets swallowed.
Accent
15 words · intermediate · your accent and voice are remembered across the site. More options on the settings page.
The words
More lists like this
Words that lose a syllable
Chocolate, comfortable, vegetable: fewer syllables than the spelling suggests. Hear the real count.
WH words
What, where, who, whole: the WH spelling covers three different sounds. Hear which is which.
Business English words
Entrepreneur, niche, liaison, quarterly: office vocabulary you need to say with confidence.
Travel words
Itinerary, concierge, lounge, queue: airport and hotel vocabulary said the right way.
Animal names
Chameleon, hyena, koala, giraffe: animal vocabulary with unexpected stress and vowels.
Colour words
Turquoise, beige, fuchsia, mauve: colour names borrowed from French with tricky vowels.
Keep practising
Browse every practice list, hear two accents back to back on Compare, or test your ear with the listening quiz.