Hello students! In today’s lesson we’re going to practice pronouncing English words starting with DR-.
When we have DR at the beginning of a word, the “D” often takes on a sort of “J” sound. Listen to the difference in the “D” between die and dry:
DIE – DRY
In the word “die,” the D has a regular D sound, and in “dry,” it sounds like J.
The other thing to keep in mind when pronouncing words starting with DR- is to be careful not to “roll” the R. In some languages, the R sound is “rolled”, with your tongue touching or tapping on the roof of your mouth. But in English, the R sound is always made with your tongue low in your mouth, and your tongue shouldn’t move or vibrate. Listen to the difference between the word red pronounced with a “rolled R” (incorrect) and with a regular R (correct):
RED (incorrect) – RED (correct)
OK, now let’s try these words and sentences with DR-. Listen and repeat after me:
drain – The water went down the drain.
drag – She dragged the suitcase to the car.
dream – I had a wonderful dream last night.
draw – My son loves to draw pictures.
drive – It’s a fifteen-minute drive to the beach.
drift – The clouds are drifting across the sky.
drool – The baby is drooling.
drop – Be careful not to drop that dish.
drum – I’ve always wanted to learn how to play the drums.
dry – My mouth is dry; I need a drink of water!
Thanks for practicing with me! If you want to practice all the different sounds in English and improve your pronunciation, you can sign up for my pronunciation and shadowing courses.
