Meaning & use
pronunciation issues
Last updated
Meanings
phraseplural
Difficulties or problems with the way someone says words, especially in a foreign language.
Grammar: Always plural; you can say 'a pronunciation issue' for one specific problem.
Patterns
- have pronunciation issues
- pronunciation issues with something
- pronunciation issues in a language
Many learners have pronunciation issues with the 'th' sound in English.
Her pronunciation issues made it hard for people to understand her on the phone.
The teacher gave him extra practice to help with his pronunciation issues.
phraseplural
Specific sounds or words that a person finds hard to say correctly.
Grammar: Often followed by 'with' plus the sound or word: pronunciation issues with 'l' and 'r'.
Patterns
- pronunciation issues with a sound
- pronunciation issues with a word
Spanish speakers often have pronunciation issues with English vowel sounds.
His main pronunciation issues are with words ending in '-ed'.
Common combinations
- have pronunciation issues
- I have pronunciation issues with some consonant clusters.
- pronunciation issues with a sound
- She has pronunciation issues with the 'v' sound.
- serious pronunciation issues
- His serious pronunciation issues required speech therapy.
- common pronunciation issues
- Common pronunciation issues for learners include silent letters.
- address pronunciation issues
- The course helps students address their pronunciation issues.
Synonyms and how they differ
- speech problems
- A broader term that can include medical or physical causes, not just language learning difficulties.
- accent difficulties
- Focuses on the overall way of speaking rather than specific sounds or words.
- articulation problems
- More technical and often used for physical or medical issues with making sounds.
Opposites
Word family
- pronounce verb
- To make the sound of a word or letter.
- pronunciation noun
- The way a word or language is spoken.
- mispronounce verb
- To say a word incorrectly.
Commonly confused: pronunciation issues or pronounciation? pronunciation issues or enunciation?
pronunciation issues vs pronounciation
A common misspelling; the correct spelling is 'pronunciation' (no 'o' after the 'n').
pronunciation issues vs enunciation
Enunciation is about speaking clearly and distinctly, while pronunciation is about saying sounds correctly.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'pronunciation issues' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The phrase is plural and takes 'with' for the specific sound: 'pronunciation issues with the 'th' sound'. Option 1 is wrong because 'issue' should be plural. Option 2 is wrong because 'a' cannot be used with a plural noun. Option 3 uses 'of' instead of 'with'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pronunciation issues”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.