Anyone who has successfully improved intonation in a non-native environment?
I consider myself as an expert of English grammar as well as when it comes expressing myself in speaking. At least that is what most of the native speakers I have been lucky to have a chat on Skype say. The area of improvement I am constantly suggested is 'intonation'. I do realize that my voice does not go up and down like it should. It's rather plain and dull. I figured it's partly due to the fact that I get nervous and start speaking faster. When I speak slower the intonation is relatively good but still not good enough.
Now I have my IELTS academic exam next month and I want to work on this aspect of my speaking. I am no the way to come somewhere near a native level. I just want to improve enough to not sound so bland as I do now.
The only possible way to improve intonation I have come across are YouTube videos where you repeat what is being said in the video. Has anyone tried that?
If you have any other suggestion to improve intonation, please share.
Answer
I would rather suggest you to 'imitate'
If you go by the book, you have to study and practice too.
Intonation is the later part of syllable stress, which talks about the smallest units of sound in a word. Which is way harder learning until you get here.
Imitating the native speakers is the easiest way of learning an accent and this is exactly the way you learnt your own language.
Here are a few things to learn and have fun too.
Watch Movies, Listen to the narrators on Net.Geo (I love Morgan Freeman), find yours. Sing English songs. Talk to people who speak better than you. Last and the most important 'love this language' it's fun.
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