English Pronunciation Exercises for Foreign Language Students

This book provides materials and procedures for intensive practice in English pronunciation, focusing on those sounds that most frequently present difficulty for foreign language students. Common intonation patterns and reduced forms are included. The format for the presentation of vowel and consonant phonemes is a unique combination of chart and sentence exercises. Ample practice material relieves the teacher of necessity of preparing supplementary exercises. A special feature is a diagnostic test to help identify each student’s particular problems.The book is a product of 40+ years’ experience with “English as a Second Language” or “English as a Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) students; the exercises have been extensively tested and have proved highly effective at all levels of study – elementary, intermediate, and advanced. Recordings on mp3 of the exercises will be available for use in the classroom, language laboratory, and home. Consonants, vowels, and reduced forms are dealt with in a separate section. Intonation lessons appear at intervals throughout the text; for convenient reference, they are listed as a group at the end of the Table of Contents. Phonemics symbols are used in lesson heads, sub-heads, and sound production instructions. Consonants are represented by International Phonetic Language symbols; vowel symbols are based on the Trager-Smith system.

Harriette Gordon-Grate and Robert A. Grate taught ESL/EFL from 1960-1985 in New York City, primarily to Asian businessmen and their families. Mrs. Grate died from complications due to lung cancer in October 1994 at the age of 65; Mr. Grate died in 2009 at the age of 81. In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the original publication of the text ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION EXERCISES for Japanese Students, their granddaughter Justine R. Grate has chosen to honor Harriette and Robert and reissue this book for publication through GZG Media Group.