DIFFICULTIES IN PRONOUNCING SOME ENGLISH CONSONANTS OF THE EFL STUDENTS AT THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

Abstract

The study aimed at determining causes of difficulties that first year students at Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry (TUAF) encountered in pronouncing some English consonants, namely /θ/, /ð/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /tʃ/, /dʒ/. The study used a mixed method of the survey, consisting of quantitative and qualitative method, to gather and analyse the data of the survey, in which the questionnaire and mobile recording were thoroughly utilized to obtain the reliable results.

On the basis of revealed causes of difficulties in producing English consonants, the researchers made some suggestions for teachers and students to be better aware of the importance of correct pronunciation on consonants in conveying and understanding the meaning of words and sentences in communications. Hopefully, it has a high potential of enhancing and improving the quality of their teaching and learning English language in general and students’ correct pronunciation in particular.