When it comes to mastering English pronunciation, it's easy to get caught up in the challenge of perfecting each individual sound. But natural speech moves too fast to focus on every tiny detail. When we speak, individual words blend together in a flow that can only be captured by paying attention to rhythm patterns, intonation, and phrasing. Even if your vowels and consonants are perfect, if your rhythm and phrasing are off, your message may get lost. To truly be understood by native speakers, it's essential to make rhythm a priority.

The good news is that focusing on rhythm can actually be the most rewarding aspect of your pronunciation studies, requiring the least amount of effort for the greatest impact. So, if you're looking to improve your English pronunciation, start with rhythm and let the rest fall into place.

Hi, I’m Joshua Popenoe, the creator of this course. I started out as a professional voice actor and singer, which requires precise control of the mouth and voice. Using this background and ability, I developed an original approach to pronunciation training. You may have studied pronunciation before, but it probably won’t be like this.

In this Rhythm Training Course I will teach you everything you need to speak with natural rhythm, intonation and phrasing. You will be amazed at how easy it is to learn rhythm, and how much better your English pronunciation will sound! 

“Mr. Popenoe has a thorough understanding of the characteristic problems that foreigners have with English pronunciation, and has developed an original method to correct them.  His instructions about how to use the muscles in and around the lips, the various positions of the tongue, etc., were so clear and precise that it’s almost like taking an anatomy class!” - Takao Shimizu

Introduction to Pronunciation Videos

_{1. What is Pronunciation?}

_{2. The 4 Elements} 

_{3. A Note About Practicing}  

_{4. IPA Pronunciation Symbols} 

_{5.  The IPA Vowel Chart}

Course Videos

_{1. Introduction to Rhythm}

_{2. Syllables}

_{3. Counting Syllable}

_{4. Rhythmic Contrast & Schwa}

_{5. Rhythmic Contrast in Multi-Syllable Words}

_{6. Multi-Syllable Rhythm practice}

_{7. The Rhythm Frame}

_{8. Making Sentences with the Rhythm Frame 1}

_{9. Making Sentences with the Rhythm Frame 2}

_{10. More About Content Words & Function Words}

_{11. Rhythm Frame Practice Sentences}

_{12. Final Thought on Rhythm & Phrasing}

"I have taken the Popenoe Method online course. I tried other teaching materials in the past, but since they were audio-only advice and training, I could not understand them well and did not improve. This online course is perfect for people who want to improve their pronunciation because you can see the teacher's actual mouth movements along with graphics in the video, and he explains what is different from the habits and movements of one’s first language."  - Takasato Yoshimura

Rhythm is an essential aspect of good English pronunciation, as it enables us to connect syllables into words and words into smooth flowing phrases, which is essential for effective communication.

Our brains are wired to perceive language in rhythmic patterns, allowing us to understand speech even when individual words are not pronounced clearly. Learning the natural rhythm of English will ensure that our speech flows smoothly and is easy to understand.

Rhythm mistakes can lead to choppy and broken speech, making it difficult for others to understand us. So mastering the rhythm of English is essential for building meaningful personal connections through verbal communication.