Learn English with Talkao: The phonological process as the key to better pronunciation

In the second Talkao English class, we’ll dive into the phonological process and why it’s crucial for achieving clear and accurate pronunciation. As you’ll soon discover, understanding this process is essential if you want to sound more natural when speaking English.

Although it may sound technical or complicated, you’ll see that it’s actually much easier than it seems. Mastering the phonological process simply means learning how words should sound. In other words, it’s about learning to pronounce correctly.

With Talkao’s English lessons, you’ll learn how to identify key phonemes in English and how to adjust your speech patterns for better pronunciation. With practice and the step-by-step guidance we provide, you’ll soon notice how just a few simple exercises can dramatically improve your accent and fluency.

What’s more, we’ll show you how to use Talkao’s multilingual conversational AI to create your own personal digital interpreter. Gradually, your diction and speaking confidence will grow—until you start speaking like a native.

Are you ready? Let’s get started!

But first, let’s understand what we really mean when we talk about this process…

What is the phonological process and how does it apply to English?

Improving your English pronunciation goes far beyond memorizing vocabulary or repeating random phrases. One of the most important—yet often misunderstood—aspects of language learning is the phonological process.

To put it simply, the phonological process is a combination of mental and articulatory mechanisms. These mechanisms allow your brain to transform abstract sounds into real, spoken words.

Understanding how this process works—especially when applied to English—can make a huge difference in your learning journey. With Talkao’s English classes, you’ll realize it’s much simpler than it sounds. Before you even start pronouncing correctly, it’s important to know how sound is produced.

Let’s take a quick look—without diving too deep into anatomy or neuroscience—at what happens in your body every time you speak a word.

Have you ever wondered what’s going on inside your mind and body that allows you to say a word? Pronunciation is not a mechanical act—it’s the result of a complex process that involves both mental and physical systems.

Understanding how this works will not only boost your confidence, but also give you the tools you need to fix common pronunciation mistakes when learning a language like English. Let’s break it down:

The mental process: What happens in your brain before you speak?

Everything starts in your mind. Before a single word leaves your mouth, your brain performs a series of invisible tasks that help you select and organize the correct sounds.

Conceptualization

First, you form the intention to express something—a thought, a feeling, or a response. This is called linguistic conceptualization. At this stage, you choose the message you want to communicate.

Linguistic formulation

Next, your brain translates that message into words. This step is called formulation. Here, the mental structures that store your vocabulary and grammar kick into action.

If you’re speaking in English, for example, your mind accesses its mental “filing cabinet.” The broader your vocabulary, the faster and more efficient this process becomes.

Phonological encoding

Once you’ve chosen the words, the next step is to encode them into sounds. This is where your brain’s phonological store comes into play. Each word is broken down into a sequence of phonemes, which are then physically produced by your speech organs.

For example, if you’re about to say “thank you,” your brain prepares the phonemes /θ/, /æ/, /ŋ/, /k/, and /juː/. This is often more difficult in English than in your native language. Why? Because your brain is constantly working to match each unfamiliar phoneme with what it has stored.

This makes phonological encoding a critical step in mastering pronunciation in a foreign language. But don’t worry—we’ll explore this in more detail in the upcoming lessons!

Organic process: How your body produces sounds

After the mental planning phase, your body takes over. This stage is known as the articulatory process, and it involves a set of organs that work together to produce the correct sounds.

Respiratory system

It all starts with air being exhaled from your lungs. This airflow is the base that enables the production of sound.

Larynx and vocal cords

The air then passes through the larynx, where your vocal cords are located. These can either vibrate or remain still, creating voiced sounds (like /z/) or voiceless sounds (like /s/).

Oral and nasal cavities

Next, the air travels through your mouth and nose. Your body automatically decides whether a sound will be oral or nasal. For instance, the sound /m/ is nasal, while /t/ is oral.

Active and passive articulators

Now comes the fine-tuning. Several organs in your mouth work together to shape sounds:

• Tongue: Changes position to create sounds like /l/, /r/, or /ʃ/.
• Lips: Open, close, or round, as when saying /p/ or /u/.
• Teeth and palate: Serve as contact points to produce consonants like /t/, /d/, or /s/.

Each English phoneme has a specific configuration of these articulatory organs. So, if you’re not used to certain tongue or lip movements, your pronunciation may sound unnatural or incorrect.

However, as you’ll learn in Talkao’s English classes, this entire process can be naturalized over time. With the help of multilingual AI conversational technology, it becomes part of your routine. Think of it like a personal digital interpreter that helps you improve your pronunciation step by step.

Still, it’s essential to understand the entire process—especially how it applies to English pronunciation. Let’s dive into that in the next lesson.

The phonological process applied to learning English

As we’ve already seen, the phonological process is a series of organic and systematic transformations. These are subtle and gradual changes that occur when the brain converts phonemes into real speech. Remember, phonemes are the smallest units of sound—and they’re the cornerstone of the phonological process.

Another key point is that this process is natural in all languages, and it begins in early childhood as you start learning to speak.

The phonological process becomes especially noticeable when you’re learning a second language. In the case of English, it’s essential. English has a rich variety of vowel sounds, aspirated consonants, and contextual sound changes—all of which can either help or hinder your pronunciation depending on how you approach them.

Why is the phonological process important for English pronunciation?

English pronunciation has several peculiarities that can be confusing—especially if your native language has a different phonological system. For instance, Spanish has a more regular sound system, where the correspondence between letters and sounds is more predictable.

In contrast, English contains many combinations where the letters don’t always sound the way they’re written. This is where the phonological process becomes crucial.

By recognizing and applying these processes, you’ll better understand why certain English words change their sounds depending on the context. It also helps you automate phonological patterns, enabling you to speak more fluently and naturally.

Key phonological processes in English you need to know

According to Talkao’s English instructors, there are several essential phonological processes that can help you significantly improve your pronunciation. You’ll also discover how using multilingual conversational AI tools can speed up your learning journey. Plus, the voice functions in Talkao can become your personal digital interpreter for everyday situations.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common phonological processes and how you can apply them to enhance your English pronunciation.

Additionally, you’ll notice a series of symbols next to the words that show you how they should be pronounced. These “strange signs” belong to the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet)—a global standard that indicates how each phoneme should sound.

Phase I: Assimilation

Assimilation occurs when a sound changes to resemble a nearby sound. For example:

• “Good boy” may sound like /gʊb bɔɪ/
• “In bed” may sound like /ɪm bɛd/

This change happens naturally and unconsciously. If you learn to recognize and practice it, your pronunciation will sound much more native-like.

Phase II: Elision

In spoken English, some sounds are omitted to make speech flow more smoothly:

• “Friendship” may sound like /frɛnʃɪp/, omitting the d.
• “Next day” may sound like /nɛks deɪ/, dropping the t.

This sound reduction doesn’t change the meaning, but it helps you speak more fluently. English teachers at Talkao often refer to these as “linking sounds”, which prevent words from sounding like isolated units. This is a critical stage in the phonological process—and we’ll dive deeper into it next.

Phase III: Intrusion

Intrusion refers to the insertion of sounds between words to make speech smoother:

• “Go on” may sound like /gəʊ wɒn/
• “I saw it” may sound like /aɪ sɔː rɪt/ with an intrusive r

These “ghost sounds” make it easier to connect one word to the next, allowing for more continuous and natural speech.

Phase IV: Linking

Closely related to intrusion, linking joins words together smoothly:

• “Far away” may sound like /fɑːrəweɪ/
• “He is” may sound like /hiːɪz/

This phenomenon is especially common in fast or informal speech. In these contexts, you don’t need to articulate each word separately as you would in a formal or academic setting. With Talkao’s multilingual conversational AI, you’ll learn to clearly distinguish between formal articulation and natural fluent speech.

Now that you’ve learned the four key stages of the phonological process, it’s time to move forward. Let’s put them into practice and take your pronunciation to the next level.

Practical application of the phonological process to improve your English pronunciation

We’ve already explored how phonological processes work in your native language and when learning English. However, understanding these processes is just the first step—what really matters is how you apply them in your daily practice.

At Talkao, our English teachers strongly recommend following this step-by-step method to boost your pronunciation:

Step 1: Active listening

Pay close attention to how native speakers link, omit, or modify sounds in everyday phrases. Use podcasts (like Talkao’s English learning podcasts), original version movies, or YouTube videos. Focus on rhythm, intonation, and how the sounds naturally flow.

Step 2: Segment repetition

Record short phrases that demonstrate assimilation or elision. Then, repeat them multiple times until the pattern becomes automatic. Talkao’s personal digital interpreter tools can be a great asset for this. With multilingual conversational AI technology, you can review and correct your pronunciation continuously and at your own pace.

Step 3: Phonetic transcription training

Start learning the symbols of the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet). This will help you visualize how words are actually pronounced—beyond traditional spelling. It’s a powerful tool to bridge the gap between how a word is written and how it sounds in real conversation.

Step 4: Guided correction

Working with a phonetics expert or pronunciation coach can help you identify your weak spots and correct them efficiently. But let’s be honest—how many people can afford a personal language coach?

That’s exactly why Talkao’s voice features and multilingual conversational AI are perfect for learners like you. You’ll have your own personal digital pronunciation coach, literally in your pocket, available 24/7. All you need is your mobile phone—no special equipment, no added complexity.

Even better, the AI tools adapt to your voice and progress, becoming more effective the more you use them. In no time, you’ll feel like you’ve got a language expert walking with you wherever you go.

Go beyond English: Master over 125 languages

As if that weren’t enough, Talkao’s AI-powered tools don’t just help you pronounce English better. You can use them to practice accurate pronunciation in over 125 languages and dialects, helping you become a truly global communicator.

What are the benefits of mastering the phonological process in English?

By now, you’ve seen that mastering the phonological process not only improves your English pronunciation—it also enhances other areas of your overall language skills. But are there real, tangible advantages to improving your pronunciation?

According to the English teachers at Talkao, the answer is yes. With better pronunciation, you’ll be able to:

• Improve your listening comprehension: Recognizing phonological patterns helps you understand spoken English more easily, even in fast-paced conversations or with different accents.
• Boost your speaking fluency: By automating phonological changes, you’ll speak more naturally and effortlessly—without constantly thinking about each sound.
• Gain more confidence: When you sound more like a native speaker, you’ll feel more secure speaking in public, during interviews, or in professional settings.

Reduce native language interference: You’ll avoid incorrect phonetic transfers from your first language, making your English more clear and effective.

Talkao’s podcasts and language lessons: A key element in your learning journey

Formal classroom learning might not be for you. Maybe you don’t have time to attend language academies. Or perhaps the cost of private tutors is beyond your budget. You might even be currently taking classes but want to improve your pronunciation from home, at the office, or while doing your favorite activity.

These are just some of the reasons why we created Talkao’s English lessons. Through short, easy-to-follow video classes, we’ve summarized the most essential topics for your language learning. With support from our experienced English, Spanish, and Portuguese teachers, we offer concise, practical learning capsules that go straight to the point.

All you need is your mobile phone and a few minutes of your time to learn from some of today’s top language experts. Visit the Talkao YouTube channel and hit “Subscribe” so you don’t miss any of our English learning podcasts and lessons.

Published Tue, 24 June 2025