Knowledge of phonetics definitely helps when learning pronunciation of a foreign language on your own.

Step 1: Tongue position

Tongue position is a two dimensional game.

This link shows a Bengali vowel chart. You can interpret it either in articulatory terms (tongue position) or in acoustic terms (this is more complicated) or in terms of perception (that tends to get either subjective or prohibitively complicated). So let's stick with the articulatory interpretation.

The vowels shown on the left hand side of the diagram are called front vowels. The most closed one is written (still in Bengali) with ই, the other two (going down toward increasing openness) are both written with এ. If you add a new, even more open front vowel to the chart, you get the vowel pronounced in the English word "tan". One way of pronouncing it is to set your lips as if planning to pronounce a আ, but saying ই. This might trick your tongue to get into about the right position (which you can later refine further by listening to native speakers).

Once you get familiar with charts such as linked above, you will be able to navigate similar charts for English. Look for æ.

If you don't speak Bengali (neither do I), you might still be able to use the described general method to locate the desired vowel relative to a language you are fluent in. Mouth shapes are language independent; vowel positions are language dependent.

Step 2: Duration

The existing answer covers that magnificently. Listen to speakers of your favorite dialect of English say it, repeatedly, and then try to match their pronunciation.

Return to the same sample after a few days to test what you have learned; this time say the example word a few times to yourself (but aloud); and only then check the recording.

Repeat until your "tan" stops sounding like "ten".

posted over 3 years ago

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3y ago

Jirka Hanika‭

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