One of my favorite things about fall in East Tennessee is the beautiful leaves. My backyard seems aglow with bright yellows, oranges, and reds. It leaves me breathless to look out my window at the sun shining down on those leaves. I feel so blessed to experience such beauty every fall, and I thought you would enjoy a glimpse of it.



Even though I know that as the leaves turn colors, they are preparing to fall off of the trees, it doesn't diminish their beauty to me. It is really a sign of hope, because after the leaves fall off the tree and die, new leaves grow in their place the following spring.

I wanted to share some of that hope with you, and you know that one of the best ways to improve your American pronunciation is by listening closely to native speakers, right? That's why I wanted to share with you a recorded short story called The Last Leaf. Take a few minutes to listen to it, both for the literary enjoyment and for the clear American pronunciation that you will hear.

The Last Leaf

What is your "last leaf" - the thing that will make you hold on and try just a little bit longer?

If you are frustrated with your American pronunciation and feel like it just might not get any better, I want you to try something. Let me be like that last leaf for you, clinging tenaciously to life and giving hope when it is most needed.

Here's what I want you to do. Type in your most frustrating pronunciation problem in the comments below. I will do my best to offer a suggestion for each one listed AND I will use your requests to decide what needs to be included in my Christmas home study course.

What is the hardest challenge with American English for you - is it a particular vowel sound, stress patterns, intonation, or something else? Tell me about it in the comments box and I will hopefully be like that last leaf, offering you a suggestion to improve your speech and giving you the assurance to keep on trying.

After you leave your comment, share this post on Facebook and Twitter (click on the green share button below). Do you know what your friends struggle with the most in their American pronunciation? Let's find out and see if we can address their concerns right here.

You could be the last leaf for them. You can give them the hope and encouragement they need to give their pronunciation one more try. So, challenge me with your questions and then invite your friends to join us.

I'm looking forward to chatting with each of you!