If you have picked up this book, it probably does. Every day, millions of business professionals like your report to jobs dreading the possibility of not being understood.
This has nothing to do with talent, skill, or advanced knowledge of the subject; it is because you learned precise pronunciation. This is understandable: When learning English as a second language, most students are taught primarily through reading and writing. What many ESOL classes do not emphasize, however, is that English is a nonphonetic language its spelling patterns often seem to have little resemblance to its pronunciation.
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At best, this is puzzling; at worst, it can cost talented individuals their jobs. Consider the words stop, go, and other; all three are spelled with the letter o, but each is pronounced with a different vowel sound. Thus, while you may be fluent in English—even a master of vocabulary—speaking English clearly and naturally may be difficult. You may also have been influenced by your own ESOL teachers’ less-than-perfect pronunciation skills.
