Before going into a situation where you know you will be conversing with native English speakers, predict how the conversation might proceed. Depending on the context you should be able to anticipate many of the words and phrases that you will need to say.

Review those words and phrases in your head or even write them down. Rehearse the conversation by yourself or make a recording that you can listen to.  Use a checklist to remind yourself of the pronunciation features that you are trying to change.

Holding a rehearsal may seem simple but it is a very effective way to practice the pronunciation features you are working on.

If you are not sure what aspects of your pronunciation are contributing to your accent you need to consider an Accent Assessment. Getting an assessment will tell you the specific pronunciations that YOU need to work on in order to improve the way you speak.

How much you improve will depend on these factors:

1. Your ability to target the speech features that are contributing to your accent
2. Your motivation to improve
3. Your ability to practice daily

Learning to improve your spoken American English does not mean simply learning the 44 vowel and consonant sounds. You must also learn the key factor to speaking English like an American. That means learning to use the correct stress patterns in words and thought groups.

You will not change your accent overnight but with focused practice and commitment you can speak English more confidently and clearly!

If you are not sure which sounds and patterns you need to change to reduce your accent you may want to consider an Accent Assessment. This is a very valuable and affordable way to start your personal accent reduction program!

Sometimes it’s hard to know how to practice your pronunciation outside of class. Here are three strategies that I use with my students.

1. Use a checklist

Make a checklist of the pronunciation features that you need to work on. You can use the results of your accent assessment or feedback from your pronunciation teacher to make this list. Each day choose one of the pronunciation features that you need to improve and practice it for 20-30 minutes. You can practice using an audio CD, TV, online videos or you can practice with a friend. After a while you can work on 2 or 3 pronunciation features at time.

2. Rehearse

Before going into a situation where you know you will be conversing in English predict how the conversation might proceed. Depending on the context you should be able to anticipate many of the words and phrases that you will need to say. Review those words and phrases in your head or even write them down. Rehearse the conversation a few times aloud. Use your checklist to remind yourself of the pronunciation features that you are trying to improve.

4. Memorize patterns & phrases

Memorize short quotes, dialogues and poems as well as words with difficult syllable stress patterns. Practice saying these over and over while exercising, bathing, walking or driving. I often do this in the car when I am driving alone. I still remember the Spanish dialogs I had to memorize back in high school so I know that this is effective!

Whatever strategies you chose, you must practice consistently, just like you would if you were training for an athletic event or learning to play a musical instrument. Consistent practice will help your mouth and tongue develop the “muscle memory” needed for you to articulate American English sounds correctly.

That’s a great question!

Although most people will never sound like a native American English speaker, everyone is capable of reducing their accent and making their speech more comprehensible. As an adult learner you will continue to have an accent.  But you can change your speech so that American listeners will understand you and this will make speaking English much more enjoyable!

One of the most effective and efficient ways to reduce your accent is to get an ACCENT ASSESSMENT. An accent assessment will tell you the specific pronunciation features that YOU need to learn in order to reduce your accent.

Using the results of your ACCENT ASSESSMENT you can focus on the areas of your pronunciation that keep American English speakers from understanding you. You won’t need to spend time working on vowel and consonant sounds that are not problematic.

You can read more about getting an  ACCENT ASSESSMENT here. This is a very valuable service for serious students who want to reduce their accent without wasting precious time or money!

If you are still uncertain about how accent assessments work please listen to this article on Accent Improvement.

The written and spoken language don’t always seem to work together very well! This can cause problems when you want to pronounce English words from a text!

For example, did you know that: 

• the 26 letters in the English alphabet make up to 52 different sounds?
• the sound of a vowel or consonant changes according to its position in a word?
• the way a syllable is stressed determines the meaning of a word? 
• sentence stress & intonation are vitally important to comprehensible spoken English? 

Many people realize that they have a foreign accent when they speak English, but they don’t know exactly what their pronunciation problems are and how to correct them. That’s how taking an accent assessment can help you.

I offer a very affordable ACCENT ASSESSMENT that you can take to find out exactly WHY Americans don’t understand you when you speak. After I analyze your speech I tell you the specific areas you need to study in order to improve your pronunciation. I also tell you the accent redcution techniques and resources you need to use to do this.

The results of your Accent Assessment will enable you to improve your American English pronunciation quickly and efficiently!