In an earlier Magoosh Comics post on the “W” and “V” sounds, we looked at the mouth movements needed for these sounds in English. When you first start practicing this pair of sounds, it can be helpful to exaggerate your mouth movements. But if you keep exaggerating the “W” and “V” sounds as you use them in actual English speech, you’ll sound strange and annoying. This can be seen in the Magoosh Comics image below:
Audio for the passage above
I’ve recorded myself reading the passage from the Magoosh Comic above. Listen carefully to the subtle difference between the “W” and “V” sounds. Then try to read the passage yourself, saying the “W” and “V” sounds naturally in connected English speech.
David is a Test Prep Expert for Magoosh TOEFL and IELTS. Additionally, he’s helped students with TOEIC, PET, FCE, BULATS, Eiken, SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT.
David has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an MA from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His work at Magoosh has been cited in many scholarly articles, his Master’s Thesis is featured on the Reading with Pictures website, and he’s presented at the WITESOL (link to PDF) and NAFSA conferences. David has taught K-12 ESL in South Korea as well as undergraduate English and MBA-level business English at American universities. He has also trained English teachers in America, Italy, and Peru.
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