Korean speaker difficulties in English

This page is for Korean-speaking IELTS candidates, about band 5 to 6.5. It covers the pronunciation, grammar and speaking habits that cost Korean speakers the most marks, ranked from most to least costly. Read the problems once, then do one lesson a day and go round the six lessons again: every lesson uses new sentences.

Pronunciation

Sentence stress, rhythm and weak words

Makes you sound more natural.

Why it happens: Korean gives every syllable about the same weight and does not make one word louder than the others, so your English can sound flat, as if every word were equally important. English listeners hear the loud words first; if you stress everything, they cannot find your meaning.

Stress the content words (nouns, main verbs, adjectives, adverbs, question words): make them longer, louder and higher. Say the small grammar words (a, the, to, of, at, for, can, was) quickly and softly; their vowel shrinks to /ə/, so a cup of tea sounds like ə CUP əv TEA. The stressed words come at steady beats, so the small words are squashed into the gaps. To correct someone, put the strongest stress on the word that changes.

• Not (flat) Students need more time to practise., but STUdents NEED more TIME to PRACtise.
• Not (flat) She was born in a small town., but She was BORN in a small TOWN.
• Not (flat) We can meet at the station., but We can MEET at the STAtion.
• Not (flat, said to correct) It is on Tuesday., but It is on TUESday. (the day is the new information)

How to make it: Tap the table on every stressed word and let the small words fall between the taps. Make a stressed syllable longer, louder and a little higher; make small words about half as long. Relax the vowel in small words into a quick /ə/: can is /kən/, of is /əv/, to is /tə/. If you are correcting something, give the corrected word the biggest push of all.

Word stress: one strong syllable

Big effect on being understood.

Why it happens: Korean words have no stressed syllable, so you say every syllable of a long English word with the same length and force. English listeners then cannot recognise the word, even when every sound is right.

Every English word of two or more syllables has one strong syllable: longer, louder and higher. The other vowels become short and weak (/ə/). A useful pattern: words ending in -tion, -sion, -ic, -ity are usually stressed on the syllable just before the ending: edu-CA-tion, eco-NO-mic, com-MU-ni-ty. Check new words in a dictionary: the mark ˈ comes before the strong syllable.

• Not (flat) tech-no-lo-gy, but tech-NOL-o-gy
• Not (flat) ed-u-ca-tion, but ed-u-CA-tion
• Not (flat) gov-ern-ment, but GOV-ern-ment
• Not (flat) com-mu-ni-ty, but com-MU-ni-ty

How to make it: Choose the strong syllable first, then say it longer, louder and higher than the rest. Make the other syllables short and quiet; their vowels relax into a lazy /ə/. Tap the table once on the strong syllable as you say the word. Check the dictionary: the mark ˈ comes before the strong syllable.

r and l are two different sounds

Big effect on being understood.

Why it happens: Korean ㄹ is one sound that does the job of both r and l, so right and light or correct and collect come out the same. A listener cannot tell which word you mean.

l: the tip of your tongue presses on the ridge behind your top teeth and stays there while the voice runs round it. r: pull the tongue back so it bunches, and let the tip touch nothing; round your lips a little. In British English a final r is silent (fear ends with a vowel), but a final l is still pronounced (feel): lift the tongue tip and stop, with no vowel after it.

• Not (heard) Turn light at the corner., but Turn right at the corner.
• Not (heard) My brother works at a lailway station., but My brother works at a railway station.
• Not (heard) I want to collect my mistakes., but I want to correct my mistakes.
• Not (heard) The loom is too small., but The room is too small.

How to make it: For l, press the tip of your tongue against the bumpy ridge just behind your top front teeth and keep it there while you make the sound. For r, pull the tongue back so it bunches; the tip lifts a little and touches nothing; round your lips a little. At the end of a word like feel, lift the tongue tip to the ridge and stop. Do not add a vowel.

Finish on the consonant: no extra vowels

Big effect on being understood.

Why it happens: Korean syllables allow only one consonant at the start and one at the end, so clusters like str- or -ngths do not exist. So you slip a small vowel into English words: street becomes su-treet, and match becomes match-i. Words grow extra syllables and the rhythm breaks.

Count vowel sounds, not letters: no new vowel sound means no new syllable. Street, sports, strength, match, dish, bridge are all one syllable. Christmas has only two (Chris-mas); the t is silent. Say a cluster as one quick burst (str, spr) and finish a word by stopping the sound, not by adding voice.

• Not (heard) Ku-ri-su-mas is my favourite holiday., but Christmas is my favourite holiday. (two syllables)
• Not (heard) The match-i was very exciting., but The match was very exciting.
• Not (heard) I want to ask the teacher for help-u., but I want to ask the teacher for help.
• Not (heard) Our school has many su-po-chu clubs., but Our school has many sports clubs.

How to make it: Count the vowel sounds in the word. That is your number of syllables: no more. Say a cluster like str as one fast burst, with your tongue already in position for the next sound. End the word by closing your mouth or tongue and stopping the air. Do not push voice out afterwards. Clap once per syllable: Christmas is two claps.

Vowel length and quality

Big effect on being understood.

Why it happens: Korean has no long and short vowel pairs and no exact match for /ɜː/ (in bird) or /æ/ (in bad). Learners use the nearest Korean vowel, so leave and live, bed and bad, turn and torn sound the same.

/iː/ vs /ɪ/: leave is long and tight with spread lips; live is short and relaxed. /e/ vs /æ/: for bad drop your jaw wide; bed is half open. /ɜː/ vs /ɔː/: for turn keep your lips relaxed; for torn round them. /əʊ/ vs /ɔː/: coat glides and the lips round; caught stays the same all through.

• Not (heard) I will live early tomorrow., but I will leave early tomorrow.
• Not (heard) I had a bed day at work., but I had a bad day at work.
• Not (heard) My jacket is turn at the sleeve., but My jacket is torn at the sleeve.
• Not (heard) She wore a long caught., but She wore a long coat.

How to make it: /iː/: spread your lips in a smile, tongue high and forward, and hold it for two counts. /ɪ/: relax the smile and make it short. /æ/: drop your jaw wide, as if you were yawning. /e/: open your mouth only halfway. /ɜː/: lips relaxed, tongue in the middle, long. /ɔː/: round your lips like a small circle, long. /əʊ/: start with a relaxed /ə/ and glide into rounded lips. /ɔː/ does not move.

Last sounds: cap/cab, -s and -ed

Big effect on being understood.

Why it happens: Korean final consonants are short and unreleased (the mouth closes but nothing pops out), and a Korean listener does not use the English voiced/voiceless and long/short vowel clues, so cap and cab, bat and bad, price and prize sound the same. Learners also say -s and -ed with the wrong sound, or leave them out.

English has two kinds of last sound. After voiceless p, t, k, f, s: short vowel and no buzz. After voiced b, d, g, v, z: longer vowel and keep the buzz until your mouth closes. Endings follow the same idea. -ed: /t/ after voiceless (worked), /d/ after voiced (played), /ɪd/ after t or d (wanted). -s: /s/ (books), /z/ (dogs), /ɪz/ after s, z, sh, ch, j (watches).

• Not (heard) The news was very bat., but The news was very bad.
• Not (heard) I took a cap to the airport., but I took a cab to the airport.
• Not (heard) Yesterday we walk-id along the river., but Yesterday we walked along the river. (one syllable)
• Not (heard) She won first price in the competition., but She won first prize in the competition.

How to make it: Make the vowel longer before a voiced ending (bad) and shorter before a voiceless one (bat). For a voiced ending, keep your throat buzzing until the tongue or lips close. Always finish the word: close the mouth for the last sound, even if it is quiet. For -s and -ed, decide first: voiceless gives a hiss or a click (/s/, /t/), voiced gives a buzz (/z/, /d/).

f and v, not p and b

Big effect on being understood.

Why it happens: Korean has no f or v, so you use the nearest sounds, ㅍ (p) and ㅂ (b). Fruit becomes pruit, very becomes berry, and a word like five ends with a b sound.

f: rest your top teeth lightly on your bottom lip and push air through the gap. No voice. v: the same position, but turn the voice on, so your lip buzzes. For p and b your two lips close and pop; for f and v they never close.

• Not (heard) I eat a lot of pruit., but I eat a lot of fruit.
• Not (heard) She is a belly good singer., but She is a very good singer.
• Not (heard) I will bisit my grandmother., but I will visit my grandmother.
• Not (heard) I pind it hard to wake up., but I find it hard to wake up.

How to make it: Rest your top teeth lightly on your bottom lip. For f, blow air through the small gap. Your throat stays quiet. For v, do the same and add voice: you should feel a buzz on your lip. Never close your two lips together for f or v.

th: tongue tip on the back of your top teeth

Makes you sound more natural.

Why it happens: Korean has no th sounds. Learners use s for the first one (think becomes sink) and d for the second (this becomes dis), or they skip words like the.

Both th sounds use the same tongue position: the tip of your tongue touches the back of your top front teeth. When you practise slowly, the tip can show a little between your teeth. /θ/ (think, three, month) is voiceless: only air. /ð/ (this, that, mother) is voiced: add a buzz. Pull the tongue back straight away. Do not say s (a hiss, with the tip near the ridge) or d (a tap on the ridge).

• Not (heard) I sink it is a good idea., but I think it is a good idea.
• Not (heard) Dis is my brudder., but This is my brother.
• Not (heard) I have sree classes today., but I have three classes today.
• Not (heard) We go dere every summer., but We go there every summer.

How to make it: Touch the back of your top front teeth lightly with the tip of your tongue. When you practise slowly, you can let the tip show a little between your teeth. For /θ/, blow air gently over the tongue. No voice. For /ð/, keep the same position and add voice: feel the buzz. Pull the tongue back quickly. Do not hold it, and do not bite it.

z, j, s and sh

Big effect on being understood.

Why it happens: Korean has no z, so you say j instead: zoo becomes joo. Its s sound also changes with the next vowel, so before the vowel in seat or sip learners often make sh instead, or the other way round: seat and sheet, sip and ship get mixed up.

z is s with the voice on: a buzz, like a bee. The tongue never touches the roof of the mouth. j /dʒ/ starts with the tongue touching the ridge, then releases into a buzz. s: tongue tip near the ridge, lips spread, a thin hiss. sh: push the lips forward and pull the tongue back a little for a wider, softer hush.

• Not (heard) We visited the joo at the weekend., but We visited the zoo at the weekend.
• Not (heard) The temperature was jero., but The temperature was zero.
• Not (heard) I would like a window sheet on the plane., but I would like a window seat on the plane.
• Not (heard) The sip left the harbour., but The ship left the harbour.

How to make it: For z, put your tongue where it is for s, and turn your voice on. Touch your throat: it should buzz. For j, touch the tongue to the ridge, then let it go into a buzz, like d + zh. For s, spread your lips and keep the tongue forward. For sh, push the lips forward like blowing out a candle. Practise see and she with the same vowel: only the first sound changes.

Linking and short forms

Makes you sound more natural.

Why it happens: Korean syllables are said one at a time with clear edges, so you pause between English words (pick / it / up) and say full forms like I will and do not even in conversation. The result sounds careful but jerky.

When a word ends in a consonant sound and the next word starts with a vowel sound, join them: pick it up sounds like pi-ki-tup, an apple like a-napple. Between two vowels, a tiny /w/ or /j/ joins them (go on, see it). Use short forms in speaking: I'm, it's, they're, I'll, don't. After d, the word you often merges: did you sounds like didja.

• Not (separate) pick / it / up, but pi-ki-tup
• Not (separate) an / apple, but a-napple
• Not (full forms) They are late, so I will call., but They're late, so I'll call.
• Not (with a pause) Did / you / enjoy / it?, but Didja enjoy it?

How to make it: Say the group of words as one word, without stopping the air between them. Move the last consonant of the first word onto the vowel that follows: turn off is tur-noff. Between two vowels, glide: /w/ in go on, /j/ in see it. Say short forms quickly and softly: I'll and they're are one syllable each.

Intonation: rising, falling and sounding interested

Makes you sound more natural.

Why it happens: Many Korean speakers use a narrow pitch range in English, which can sound bored or uncertain to a listener. Korean also has rising and falling endings, but English expects big pitch jumps on the key words to show interest.

Fall at the end of a statement and of a question with a question word: Where do you live? Rise at the end of a yes/no question: Do you live near here? In a list, rise on each item and fall on the last: maths, physics and chemistry. To sound interested, start higher and make a big jump up on the key word: That is really interesting! A falling voice at the end tells the listener you have finished.

• Not (flat) Do you like cooking?, but Do you like cooking? (the voice rises at the end)
• Not (flat) I study maths, physics and chemistry., but I study maths (rise), physics (rise) and chemistry (fall).
• Not (flat) That sounds very interesting., but That sounds VERY interesting! (pitch jumps up, then falls)
• Not (flat) Where do you live?, but Where do you live? (the voice falls at the end)

How to make it: Hum a note, then slide up and down like a small roller-coaster on the stressed syllable. Start your answer a little higher than your normal speaking voice. For a statement, let the voice fall on the last stressed word, like closing a door. For a list, keep the voice lifted until the very last item, then drop.

Grammar

Plural -s, and words with no plural

Why it happens: In Korean a noun does not need a plural ending when the number is clear, so three book feels complete. Words like information and advice have no plural in English, but learners often treat them as ordinary countable nouns.

Add -s to every countable noun that means more than one: two books, many students. Say the -s aloud as well as writing it. Homework, equipment, traffic, scenery, research, evidence and feedback never take -s and never take a. Say a piece of equipment or some feedback instead.

• Not I have three brother., but I have three brothers.
• Not Our tutor gave us many homeworks., but Our tutor gave us a lot of homework.
• Not The researches are very recent., but The research is very recent.
• Not The lab bought new equipments., but The lab bought new equipment.

a, an and the

Why it happens: Korean has no articles at all, so a noun can stand on its own. In English you must choose a/an, the or nothing every time, and the choice carries meaning.

Use a/an for one of something, or to say what someone is (I am an engineer). Use the when both people know which one: it was mentioned before, it is the only one, or after best, first, only. Use no article for general plural and uncountable ideas: Education is important. Use an before a vowel sound.

• Not I bought laptop yesterday., but I bought a laptop yesterday.
• Not Laptop was very expensive., but The laptop was very expensive.
• Not She is best singer in Korea., but She is the best singer in Korea.
• Not I want to be engineer., but I want to be an engineer.

he works: the -s on present verbs

Why it happens: Korean verb endings show tense and politeness, but they do not change for who is doing the action. So the verb after he, she, it feels the same as after I.

In the present simple, add -s (or -es) when the subject is he, she, it or one person or thing: My sister works. Use has, does, goes. After doesn't the verb stays plain: She doesn't like, never doesn't likes. Say the -s clearly.

• Not My sister work in a bank., but My sister works in a bank.
• Not He don't eat meat., but He doesn't eat meat.
• Not She have two cats., but She has two cats.
• Not He doesn't likes coffee., but He doesn't like coffee.

Missing be, there is, and empty it

Why it happens: Korean describes things with adjective-verbs where is is already built in. There is also no there is/are, no empty it, and the word for exist also means have.

Every English sentence needs a verb. With an adjective, add be: The city is crowded. To say something is in a place, begin with There is / There are. For weather, time and opinions, begin with It is: It is important to.... Use have for owning, not exist.

• Not The city very crowded., but The city is very crowded.
• Not Near my school exists a big library., but There is a big library near my school.
• Not Next week very busy., but Next week will be very busy.
• Not Important to sleep well., but It is important to sleep well.

Verb before object, adverb after

Why it happens: Korean puts the verb at the end (subject - object - verb) and places an adverb straight before the word it describes. English works the other way round.

Use subject - verb - object: I study English. The verb comes straight after the subject. Put adverbs like fluently, very much and carefully after the object: I read the contract carefully, I enjoyed the lecture very much. Frequency words (always, never) go before the main verb (but after be: She is always late).

• Not I English study every day., but I study English every day.
• Not I fluently speak Chinese., but I speak Chinese fluently.
• Not My father coffee drinks., but My father drinks coffee.
• Not I very enjoyed the trip., but I enjoyed the trip very much.

Past simple, present perfect and -ing habits

Why it happens: Korean has no present perfect, so I lived here for years and I have lived here for years feel the same. Korean also often uses its “is doing” form for things you do regularly, so learners say I am going to the gym every day.

Use the past simple for a finished time (last summer, in 2019, two years ago). Use the present perfect (have + past participle) for time that reaches now (since 2015, for three years, so far). Never put have with a finished time. Use the present simple for habits: I go to the gym every day.

• Not I have visited Jeju last summer., but I visited Jeju last summer.
• Not I live here since 2015., but I have lived here since 2015.
• Not I am going to the gym every day., but I go to the gym every day.
• Not I am living in Seoul for two years., but I have lived in Seoul for two years.

Keep the subject, my, his, and say you

Why it happens: Korean drops the subject and the possessive when the meaning is clear, repeats a topic as a separate noun, and often says teacher where English says you.

An English sentence needs a subject: It is expensive, not Is expensive. Use my, his, her with belongings and body parts: She hurt her back. Do not repeat the subject: My mother works, not My mother she works. Say you to the person you are talking to, not teacher.

• Not My mother she works in a school., but My mother works in a school.
• Not He broke leg while skiing., but He broke his leg while skiing.
• Not Is very expensive., but It is very expensive.
• Not Can teacher check my essay?, but Can you check my essay?

Speaking style

Longer answers, reasons and polite words

Why it happens: In Korean culture a short, measured answer is polite, saying less is often better than saying too much, and please and thank you are shown by tone or a small bow. Silence while you think also feels natural.

In the IELTS Speaking test a one-word answer is weak. Give answer + reason + example: Yes, because... For example.... Say please and thank you aloud. A pause is fine, but fill a long one with a short phrase such as Let me think. Give your own opinion, then explain it.

• Not Yes., but Yes, I do. I find it relaxing, and I often cook at weekends.
• Not Because it is good., but Because it saves time, for example when I travel across the city.
• Not (ten seconds of silence), but Hmm, let me think. I would say that...
• Not Give me the menu., but Could I have the menu, please?

Grammar

Questions: do/does/did, and no inversion inside sentences

Why it happens: Korean has no helper verbs, so a question is the same sentence with a different ending. A question inside a longer sentence is especially hard.

Most questions need do, does or did before the subject: Where do you live? (With be and words like can and will, swap the order instead: Is it far?) Inside a longer sentence (Can you tell me... / I wonder... / I have no idea...), go back to normal order and drop do/does/did: I wonder why she left.

• Not Where you live?, but Where do you live?
• Not Can you tell me how much does the ticket cost?, but Can you tell me how much the ticket costs?
• Not I wonder why did she leave., but I wonder why she left.
• Not What time the lesson starts?, but What time does the lesson start?

Answering questions like 'Don't you...?'

Why it happens: In Korean, yes means you are right, so after Don't you like it? a speaker who does not like it says yes. In English, yes and no follow the facts.

In English, yes goes with a positive answer and no goes with a negative one, whatever the question says. Ignore the not in the question and ask: Do I? If you do, say Yes, I do. If you don't, say No, I don't. Always add the short answer to make it clear.

• Not Don't you like tea? - Yes, I don't., but Don't you like tea? - No, I don't.
• Not Haven't you eaten? - No, I have., but Haven't you eaten? - Yes, I have.
• Not Isn't it cold? - Yes, it isn't., but Isn't it cold? - No, it isn't.
• Not Aren't you tired? - Yes. (meaning: I'm not tired), but Aren't you tired? - No, I'm not.

Reported speech: move the tense back

Why it happens: Korean keeps the original tense in reported speech, so She said she is happy feels natural even when you are telling a past story.

After a past verb (said, told, asked), move the tense back one step: is -> was, will -> would, have -> had, am going -> was going. Time words change too: tomorrow -> the next day, yesterday -> the day before. Keep the story's tenses consistent. (Keeping the present is only fine when it is still true now and you are not telling a past story.)

• Not My coach said I am improving., but My coach said I was improving.
• Not The guide promised he will wait., but The guide promised he would wait.
• Not My parents said they have booked a table., but My parents said they had booked a table.
• Not I asked the waiter if the soup is ready., but I asked the waiter if the soup was ready.

Noun, adjective or adverb? Word families

Why it happens: In Korean an adjective behaves like a verb, adverbs are not built from adjectives, and the idea of a word family (interest, interesting, interested) is new.

Check the job of the word. After be, look, sound, feel, taste use an adjective: He sounds angry. To describe an action use an adverb: She speaks slowly. Use -ed for how you feel and -ing for what causes it. After the or of use a noun: the health of children. Do not say very with extreme words: not very enormous.

• Not He sounds angrily on the phone., but He sounds angry on the phone.
• Not I am very interesting in art., but I am very interested in art.
• Not It matters for the healthy of children., but It matters for the health of children.
• Not The hall was very enormous., but The hall was enormous.

Verb + preposition, phrasal verbs, by/from

Why it happens: Korean shows relationships with endings, not small words, and has no phrasal verbs, so English prepositions look random. In passives, learners often use from where English uses by.

Learn the small word with the verb or adjective: interested in, good at, married to, depend on, look forward to. When the object is a pronoun, put it in the middle of a phrasal verb: pick it up, switch it off. In a passive, the doer comes after by: written by a student.

• Not I pick up it from the floor., but I pick it up from the floor.
• Not She is married with a doctor., but She is married to a doctor.
• Not I am interested on science., but I am interested in science.
• Not The mural was painted from a local artist., but The mural was painted by a local artist.

Relative clauses: who, which, that after the noun

Why it happens: Korean puts the describing clause before the noun it describes. English puts it after, so the clause feels backwards and learners avoid it or leave out the joining word.

Give the noun first, then the extra information. Join it with who (people), which or that (things), or whose (belonging to). I have a friend who lives in Canada. Do not repeat the noun as it or he inside the clause.

• Not I have a friend lives in Canada., but I have a friend who lives in Canada.
• Not The book I borrowed it was expensive., but The book that I borrowed was expensive.
• Not The workers commute long distances feel tired., but The workers who commute long distances feel tired.
• Not The man his daughter studies in London is my uncle., but The man whose daughter studies in London is my uncle.

Sources

Problems chosen with reference to Learner English (Swan & Smith, 2nd edn, Cambridge University Press), chapter on Korean speakers by Jung-Ae Lee. Explanations and examples are IELTS Laboratory’s own.