All Ears English Podcast: "Consonant Clusters for Clear English"

Release Date: November 5, 2025
Hosts: Lindsay McMahon and Michelle Kaplan
Episode Objective:
To demystify the challenge of pronouncing final consonant clusters in English, especially the tricky -sps, -sks, and -sts endings, and to empower listeners with practical tips for clear, confident speech.

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the sometimes-daunting territory of final consonant clusters in English, focusing on sounds like those found in “tasks,” “crisps,” and “lists.” Hosts Lindsay and Michelle share why mastering these clusters matters more for clarity than achieving a “perfect” accent, and offer concrete, actionable techniques to help English learners speak with confidence and be easily understood.

The pair emphasizes the philosophy of “connection, not perfection”—the idea that being able to communicate clearly matters much more than erasing one’s unique accent.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Consonant Clusters Are Challenging

• English words often end with multiple consonant sounds grouped together (“clusters”), such as in “tasks,” “asks,” and “lists.”
• Many learners, even at advanced levels, struggle to pronounce these clusters, leading to misunderstandings or requests to repeat.

Michelle [00:40]: “Do you struggle to say words like tasks, asks, and lists? These are consonant clusters, and they are one of eight secrets that you need to know to speak clearly in English.”

2. Clarity Over Accent

• The hosts dismantle the myth that losing your accent is the most important goal. Instead, they argue that listeners should focus on speaking clearly.
• Accents are tied to identity and diversity, and the world would be “boring” if everyone sounded the same.

Lindsay [03:09]: “These consonant clusters are just one of many secrets that native speakers know. … The goal is not learning any one accent. The goal is to speak clearly.”

Michelle [03:32]: “An accent is part of identity. If everyone spoke the same way, it would be very sad and boring.”

3. Featured Consonant Clusters & Pronunciation Tips

• Clusters Covered:

  • -sps (e.g., crisps, wisps)
  • -sks (e.g., tasks, whisks)
  • -sts (e.g., lists, firsts)

• Technique: Prolong the “S” Sound

  • Think of the “S” as a long snake sound, and “interrupt” it briefly with the other consonant, then return to the “S.”
  • Practice exaggerated pronunciation to train your muscles, then pull back in real conversation for natural clarity.

Michelle [06:51]: “Here’s the trick … really let that S be prolonged. … You’re acting as if the next letter is just interrupting it, but then you’re getting back to it. Right.”

Lindsay [07:28]: “We’re exaggerating here, but sometimes you actually need to exaggerate a sound to develop it. … You’re going to train that muscle so it'll feel much more natural and you’ll be more clear when you do say the words apple crisps.”

4. Real-Life Examples & Mini Role Play

• Vocabulary highlighted includes: crisps, tasks, whisks, wisps, lists, firsts, wasps, asks
• The hosts model these words in a natural dialogue, highlighting how cluster pronunciations change if the word is at the end of a sentence vs. connected to the next word.

Lindsay [09:43]: “Oh, those gross me out. Whenever Jerry asks me to spray for bugs, I get so scared.”

Michelle [10:25]: “So many lists. … I can't skip over that last S sound because I’m stopping. I have a period.”

5. Course Introduction & Broader Pronunciation Strategy

• Announcement of the new “Global English Pronunciation” course, which focuses on the eight secrets of clear speech, including rhythm and stress patterns, not just individual sounds.
• Emphasizes the idea of English as a “stress-timed language,” and the long-term benefit of focusing on flow and understandability.

Lindsay [11:18]: “We want to prepare you for a global life, whether you're traveling, whether you’re working abroad … we’re going to show you how to speak clearly no matter where you are in the world and no matter who's listening to you.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Clarity vs. Accent:

  • Michelle [03:32]: “At a certain point, [sounding like a native] may not actually be realistic. … An accent, to me, it's part of identity.”
  • Lindsay [03:09]: “The goal is to speak clearly, don’t you think?”

• On Practice:

  • Michelle [07:51]: “I always like that idea of kind of exaggerating something with pronunciation when you’re practicing it, because when you get down into the real world, naturally... we pull back a little.”

• On Stress and Fluency:

  • Lindsay [04:39]: “Many of our students have told us... they say something and then they worry that they’ll be asked to repeat again and again. How stressful could that be, right?”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:40 – Introduction to consonant clusters and why they matter
• 03:09 – Discussion on accent vs. clear speech
• 05:31 – Introduction of target clusters for the episode: -sps, -sks, -sts
• 06:25 – “The trick”: prolonging the S sound
• 08:23 – Common words that use these clusters
• 09:31 – Mini role play and pronunciation in context
• 10:46 – When to fully pronounce vs. connect the cluster (word-final vs. mid-sentence)
• 11:18 – Rationale for a global approach to English pronunciation

Final Takeaways

• Mastering final consonant clusters like -sps, -sks, and -sts is key for being understood in English, regardless of your accent.
• Focus your efforts on clarity, not “perfectly native” pronunciation.
• Don’t be afraid to exaggerate cluster sounds in practice; this builds muscle memory for natural, clear speech.
• Understanding when clusters are pronounced fully (end of sentences) vs. connected (middle of phrases) helps with natural fluency.
• For more in-depth practice and feedback, check out their “Global English Pronunciation” course.

Listen to this episode if you want to:

• Sharpen your pronunciation of tricky final consonant clusters
• Gain practical strategies to speak more clearly
• Embrace your unique accent while becoming a more effective communicator
• Get a friendly, confidence-boosting push from two engaging and empathetic coaches

“Connection, not perfection!”