English language learners often make the mistake of putting too much emphasis on their pronunciation output and not enough on their input. Both are important components of the learning process, but it’s crucial to find a balance.
It’s important to understand how each individual sound is produced, but that’s just one aspect of the journey. To develop a natural rhythm and intonation, it’s crucial to immerse yourself in British English as much as possible. This is why living in an English-speaking country can be an advantage.
If you don’t have access to native English speakers, audiobooks can provide a great alternative. Audiobooks are typically narrated in a clear and understandable manner, without the distractions of visual cues. Even if you don’t understand everything, simply immerse yourself in the sounds and train your ears to the voice of the narrator. Over time, your mind will become accustomed to the natural rhythm and allow you to differentiate the target sounds more easily. This reinforcement of your pronunciation learning will help you make significant progress.
Here are just some narrators on Audible who speak RP:
John Lee
Juliet Stevenson
Simon Prebble
Moira Quirk
Stephen Fry
Brian King
Simon Vance
Richard Armitage
Adjoa Andoh
Choose a narrator you enjoy and a topic that interests you. Set a goal of listening for just one hour a day, and you’ll be amazed at the progress you make in a month.