A Simple Two-Letter Word “To”

Amazingly enough, how you pronounce the commonly used, simple two-letter word “to” can make a big difference in your speech. When pronounced by itself, not in a sentence, the ‘o’ sounds like ‘oo’. But when we speak in conversational, connected speech, the word “to” often becomes very de-emphasized and sounds more like “tuh”.

For example, in the sentence, “I went to the store to buy chips to take to the party,” try saying it by pronouncing the word ”to” as “too” the first time through. Then on the second time, pronounce the “to” as “tuh” and see which sounds more natural. Most speakers of Standard American English use the second pronunciation “tuh” more frequently.

Why are people interested in reducing their accents?

Most of my clients come from all different parts of the world and can already speak English fluently. With a strong accent, clients find they are embarrassed or can’t communicate as effectively as they want. They feel this is holding them back in terms of getting a job, having better social relationships, or getting a promotion at work. They want to learn to communicate as clearly as possible in a listener-friendly way.

About Derra Huxley, Speech and Language Pathologist

I am a California-licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in Los Angeles. I earned my Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Communicative Disorders from California State University, Northridge. I work as a Preferred Trainer with LDS & Associates – Accent Modification Program, and I am a member of CORSPAN (Corporate Speech Pathology Network). I collaborate with people of all ages to improve their communication and pronunciation skills in schools, hospitals, and private practice settings. To learn more or to contact me, complete this form or reach me at 818-421-7444. I look forward to hearing from you!