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British English /S/ & /Sh/ Pronunciation Practice

ACCENT TRAINING MASTERY

10/10/2026

Exercise:

  1. Listen to the recording and repeat each word or sentence in the same way as the speaker.

    (Do your best to imitate them!)

  2. Voice-record yourself reading the words out loud

  3. Play your voice recording audio and listen to your pronunciation

  4. Compare with the original audio and Imitate the speaker

  5. Send your voice recording to your language coach.

grey microphone on brown wooden stand
grey microphone on brown wooden stand

Goal: Help speakers distinguish between the /s/ sound, as in see, and the /ʃ/ sound, as in she.

  • /S/ — see: Keep the tongue close to the ridge behind the upper teeth. Direct a narrow stream of air forward.

  • /SH/ — she: Move the tongue slightly further back and round the lips a little. The sound is softer and more spread out.

Important: The /s/ sound is similar to Spanish s. The /ʃ/ sound does not usually occur in native Peninsular Spanish, so it may require extra practice.

Level 1 — Easy: Separate Sounds

Focus: Pronounce each target sound clearly.

/S/

  1. Sam sees six stars.

  2. Sally sits in the sun.

  3. Seven students speak Spanish.

  4. Simon sells sandwiches on Saturdays.

/SH/

  1. She has shiny shoes.

  2. Sharon shops on Saturdays.

  3. The ship is near the shore.

  4. She showed Shaun her new shoes.

Level 2 — Intermediate: Minimal Pairs

Focus: Make the two sounds different. Avoid pronouncing SH like S.

  1. I can see the sea.

  2. She sells shoes in the shop.

  3. The sip was small, but the ship was enormous.

  4. He said the word, and she shared the sheet.

  5. The sock is beside the shock.

  6. She saw six shops near the station.

Level 3 — Challenging: Mixed Sounds

Focus: Switch quickly between /s/ and /ʃ/ without changing the clarity of either sound.

  1. She sells six silver spoons.

  2. Six shy sheep stood beside the stream.

  3. Sarah showed Sophie her special shoes.

  4. The shop assistant searched for the smallest size.

  5. Sharon's sister washes seven shirts every Sunday.

  6. She switched seats so she could see the stage.

Level 4 — Advanced: Longer Sentences

Focus: Maintain the distinction at normal speaking speed.

  1. Sophie was surprised when she saw the shiny silver shoes in the shop.

  2. She decided to sell her old shoes and save the money for a special occasion.

  3. Six students discussed the differences between the sounds during the session.

  4. The shop assistant suggested several stylish shirts, but she chose the simplest one.

  5. Sarah usually speaks softly, whereas her sister sounds much more confident.

  6. She searched the station for her suitcase before asking someone for assistance.

Level 5 — Expert: Complex Sound Combinations

Focus: Keep /s/ crisp and /ʃ/ distinct in longer phrases, including consonant clusters.

  1. She specifically requested six small silver spoons for the special occasion.

  2. The shop supervisor suggested several suitable shirts, but she chose a shorter style.

  3. Six experienced students shared suggestions about improving their speech.

  4. She successfully explained why the shipping schedule had suddenly changed.

  5. The specialist searched through several sections before selecting the essential supplies.

  6. She was especially pleased when the receptionist showed her the shortest route to the station.

Final Challenge — Read Without Stopping

Read the paragraph three times: slowly, naturally, and then with expression.

Sophie and Sarah decided to visit a special shop near the station. Sophie was searching for shiny shoes, while Sarah wanted a simple shirt for a summer celebration. The shop assistant showed them several styles and suggested a selection of silver accessories. After searching through the shop, they chose six small items and sat outside in the sunshine to discuss their purchases.

Practice routine

  • Round 1: Exaggerate the difference between /s/ and /ʃ/.

  • Round 2: Repeat the minimal pairs until the sounds are clearly different.

  • Round 3: Read the longer sentences without slowing down too much.

  • Round 4: Record yourself and listen for SH becoming S, particularly in words like she, shop, shoes and special.

Teacher tip: For /ʃ/, encourage students to round their lips slightly and move the tongue further back than for /s/. Avoid adding an extra vowel after either sound. The aim is a clean, continuous sound rather than suh or shuh.