One of the skills that is required on the listening section of the IELTS exam is the ability to understand the different varieties of English used in different sociolinguistic contexts.  Part 1 of the IELTS, for example, may feature English spoken by individuals living in the United States; Part 2 may feature English spoken by individuals living in New Zealand or in India.  Part 3 may feature British English or Canadian English.  Students undertaking the IELTS should become familiar with the most common “World Englishes” by listening to a variety of online news podcasts.

However, if you are interested in the pronunciation of a particular word or phrase, there is a wonderful online tool powered by YouGlish.com which is designed to develop your pronunciation.   I have posted this tool on the front page of englishcoachingonline.com

What is unique about this tool is that it offers the ability to search any word or phrase in either American, British or Australian English. Once you have typed in your word of choice, the search engine finds a YouTube video where the word is spoken in context. The words also appear in a textbox directly below the video so that you can easily follow along with the speakers.  Users are also able to adjust the speed of the video. If you’re training for an English proficiency test like the IELTS, you might like to challenge yourself by switching to the “fastest” speed.  I hope it will provide you with many hours of learning fun during the summer.  Enjoy!