Academics · Adult Learning

One sound at a time,
a few minutes a day.

Pronunciation improves with short, regular practice on one target at a time. Pick the sound or pattern that most often gets you misunderstood, find a minimal pair and log each session with how you practiced and how it went. The organizer tracks your minutes and your rating from the first session to the latest and tells you when to change methods or take the sound into real conversation.

Add a targetWhat you get
$5one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $5

Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the Academics Suite pass, $149 for 144 items.

Practice targets

The worked example is made up: the th in think, practiced five times; stress in two-syllable words, practiced only by listening; and the -ed ending, just started. Saved on this device only.

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What you get

Academics · Adult Learning$5

What you finish with
A record per target: what it is and what kind, a minimal pair, practice words, minutes planned, a row per session with date, minutes, method and a 1 to 5 rating, and five checks. Counts sessions and minutes and shows the change from the first rating to the latest and the days since the last session; flags gaps, short sessions, listening-only practice and when to use the target in conversation.
Who it is for
Adult English learners in ESL, ESOL and workplace English classes, and the teachers and conversation partners who practice with them.
Format
Browser practice log with a saved record per target. Prints one target, every target in a table or a blank log; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
$5 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the tool opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the Academics Suite pass ($149) and the Caveat Suite pass ($299). Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Adult Learning space in Caveat Academics.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Pick one sound or pattern.
  2. Find a minimal pair for it.
  3. Practice ten minutes and log it.
  4. Rate yourself honestly.
  5. Use it in a real conversation.

Add a target

What helps pronunciation most

Sounds that often trade placesSoundPairOften hard for speakers ofththink / sinkMany languages, including Spanish, Frenchv and bvery / berrySpanish, Koreanshort i and eeship / sheepSpanish, Portuguese, Arabicr and lright / lightJapanese, Korean, Chinesefinal consonantswalked / walkVietnamese, Chinese, Spanishword stressREcord / reCORDFrench, and many othersSounds that often trade placesthPair: think / sinkOften hard for speakers of: Manylanguages, including Spanish, Frenchv and bPair: very / berryOften hard for speakers of: Spanish,Koreanshort i and eePair: ship / sheepOften hard for speakers of: Spanish,Portuguese, Arabicr and lPair: right / lightOften hard for speakers of: Japanese,Korean, Chinesefinal consonantsPair: walked / walkOften hard for speakers of: Vietnamese,Chinese, Spanishword stressPair: REcord / reCORDOften hard for speakers of: French, andmany others
These are common patterns, not rules: every learner is different, and a clear message matters more than a perfect accent.

Clear beats perfect

Research on second-language pronunciation finds that being understood matters far more than sounding like a native speaker, and that a few features, such as word stress and some key consonant and vowel contrasts, do most of the work. Choose targets that cause real misunderstandings in your daily life, not every difference from a model accent.

Say it, record it, hear it

Listening alone rarely changes how you speak. Practice works better in a loop: hear a model, say it, record yourself, compare, and try again. Minimal pairs train both your ear and your mouth, and shadowing, speaking along with a recording a moment behind it, builds rhythm and intonation.

Sources

  1. Derwing, T. M., and Munro, M. J. (2015). Pronunciation Fundamentals: Evidence-based Perspectives for L2 Teaching and Research. John Benjamins.
  2. Celce-Murcia, M., Brinton, D. M., Goodwin, J. M., and Griner, B. (2010). Teaching Pronunciation: A Course Book and Reference Guide (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  3. Avery, P., and Ehrlich, S. (1992). Teaching American English Pronunciation. Oxford University Press (problems by first language).
  4. LINCS (Literacy Information and Communication System): English language learner resources for adult education (lincs.ed.gov).

The worked example is made up. Patterns by first language are common tendencies, not rules. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.