English Pronunciation in Use

by Mark Hancock

Published by: Cambridge University Press 2003

ISBN: 0-521-00185-4 (book)
ISBN: 0-521-00660-0 (set of 4 audio CDs)
ISBN: 0-521-00657-0 (book and audio CD pack)

Published in ETp 37 March 2005

Existing resource manuals have tended to focus almost exclusively on individual sounds. And they generally don’t provide anything like the amount of practice needed for improving learners’ pronunciation. Hancock’s excellent book and accompanying CDs (or audio cassettes) at last make good this gap in the materials market.

An attractive feature of English Pronunciation in Use, then, is the practice material. Those familiar with the other books in this Cambridge series will at once feel at home with this recent addition to the suite. On the left-hand page they will find the presentation of the pronunciation point, and on the opposite page there are the related practice exercises.

The book is divided into three parts plus a reference section and covers the pronunciation of letters and sounds, syllables, as well as word and sentence stress. There is also material for practising larger units of communication, and illustrations of how the most frequent tones are used in English conversation. The four audio CDs give learners excellent exposure to non-RP accents as well as standard RP.

The author has been careful to avoid technical jargon. Descriptions like consonants at the start of syllables rather than initial consonant clusters make the book refreshingly accessible. Phonetic symbols, also a frequent occasion for difference of opinion among teachers, have been kept to a minimum, although there are comprehensive charts in the reference section for those who like that sort of thing.

There is sufficient variety in the length and type of both the presentation and the practice material to hold learners’ attention; no mean feat this, since it is not difficult for pronunciation exercises to be deadly dull! From beginning to end, rubrics are clear and concise. Unlike the proverbial curate’s egg, English Pronunciation in Use is a good quality product throughout. It does, however, raise a couple of questions. Although some of the practice exercises direct the learners to ‘listen and repeat’ the words they hear, the majority of them are weighted towards language recognition. Teachers will additionally need to provide feedback on their learners’ pronunciation, and, where possible, opportunities for them to record and playback what they have said.

It could be argued that Mark Hancock has taken a hammer to crack the pronunciation problem egg. As the author himself acknowledges, learners will rarely have difficulties with all the pronunciation points which are covered here in such detail. Class teachers are often confronted with individuals who have a variety of pronunciation difficulties. Working one’s way through the book with a whole class would be inappropriate, even where the learners all share the same L1. The book lends itself best of all to self-study. The reference section, for example, contains self-diagnostic tests for independent learners, crossreferenced to the relevant units for further practice. There is, too, a special section directing speakers of particular languages to units of the book where they may need focused pronunciation practice. And the book has a comprehensive answer key.

When used by a teacher with either individuals or a class, English Pronunciation in Use is a book to be judiciously dipped into. At the end of the day, the quality of the final dish lies in the blend of the chef’s culinary skills and the raw ingredients. Successful teaching, especially the teaching of pronunciation, depends on how well the teacher combines the ingredients and cooks the food.

Review by David Wilson
York, UK