Oxford University Press' new YouTube channel

Oxford University Press has launched a new YouTube channel, @LearningEnglishwithOxford, which has some great content for English learners. For example ‘Mastering English Pronunciation - London’s Top Place Names' (you might recognise the teacher in that video:).

Here's a quick Pronunciation Challenge for you - answer the questions below before you watch the video, then check your responses as you watch.

Imagine you're going to London, and you want to visit these places:

Marylebone

Buckingham Palace

Leicester Square

River Thames

The question is, how do you pronounce these place names clearly?

1. How many syllables are there in Marylebone?

2. Where are the stressed syllables in Buckingham Palace?

3. How do you pronounce Leicester - how many syllables does this word have (check the video comments to see a pronunciation breakdown of this word)?

4. Does the vowel in Thames rhyme with ‘sand’ or ‘send’?

Let me know how you get on with this challenge and email me if you have any questions: jenny@jdenglishpronunciation.co.uk.

You could also ask a friend or colleague to answer the questions, and then watch the video together to check your pronunciation.

I hope you enjoy this activity and the video!