Young learners of the English Language, especially those of the Caribbean, often need to watch their pronunciation. One well marked trouble spot for learners of English as a second language is the “ing” syllable. For example, in the word “jumping,” the “ing” is often mispronounced as “in”.
Here the key: “ing” as in “ping.”
Not: “in” as in “pin.”
As I mentioned in another article, most residents of the Caribbean do not have English as their mother tongue. Consequently, many standard English pronunciations elude the “Caribbean English,” and mispronunciations are common. One such is the “ing” sound.
Before going any further, though, it should be noted that there is such a thing as “Caribbean Standard English,” and the Caribbean pronunciation may not necessarily be “wrong” by Caribbean standards.
Nevertheless, when attempting to speak standard American or British English, it is important to watch your pronunciation, especially when it comes to the “ing” sound.
Here are some examples for practice. Remember, “ing” as in “ping,” not as in “pin.”
Jumping
Running
Playing
Talking
Singing
