Articulate: Give a *k

English is funny. You can be super sloppy with sounds and it sort of all works out most of the time. If, however, you are in front of the room it becomes necessary to get your language to travel further.

Today I want you to focus on /k/ particularly when it begins or ends a word.

Practice relaxing your jaw, placing the tip of the tongue gently behind your lower teeth, then letting the back of the tongue raised to produce the /k/. The raised back of the tongue stops the air, immediately lowering it lets the puff of air move through.

Then, repeat the following sentence 3-5 times slowly, really exaggerating and re-energizing the /k/ sounds especially where they meet.

Walk carefully or you’ll kick cobbles onto those black cases of corn.

Spend just a little time on this and you’ll be producing a better /k/ in no time.

Gina Razón is the principal voice specialist at GROW Voice LLC, a full-service voice and speech studio in Boston’s Back Bay.  She has over 16 years of experience both as a teacher of voice and speech, and a voraciously curious voice user.  Gina has worked professionally as a classical singer for over a decade and more recently as a professional public speaker.  For more information on the studio or to book Gina visit www.growvoice.com.