Arabic speakers

Vowels
i (ship)
 (man)
(clock)
(a camera)
ei (tail)
(phone)
u (boot)
i (beer)
e (chair)

confused with e (pen)

confused with  (cup) or  (heart)
confused with  (ball)
pronounced as spelling
common error e (pen) or ai (fine)
confused with (clock) or  (ball)
confused with (book)
pronounced as spelling
as spelling or confused with i (sheep)

Consonants
Difficulty with groups of consonants, especially at the beginning of a word.
p
r
w
(thin)
(feather)
v

(television)
(ring)
t (cherry)
d
h

common error b
strongly trilled; pronounced where normally silent
common error v
(but sound exists in classical Arabic)
(but sound exists in classical Arabic)
pronounced f
confused with k or d (jam)
pronounced (shoe)
pronounced n or nk
may be pronounced (shoe)
may be pronounced t in final position
may sound harsh

Intonation
Arabic speakers may sound abrupt, commanding.
Rising tune exercises and joining word exercises will be useful.

Cambridge University Press

www.cambridge.org/elt/shiporsheep

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