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10 Accent Reduction Hints to help you speak English more clearly

Written by on August 1st, 2012.      0 comments

Accent reduction - Hint 1
When listening to other English speakers, for example at work, when you watch TV or listen to the radio in English, try to repeat the speech you hear.  Pay attention to the way English speakers pronounce words, listen to the tone and the rhythm, or music of the English language.

Accent reduction - Hint 2
Slow down your speech.   If you speak too quickly, it can make it more difficult for native English speakers to understand you.   It is not necessary to speak as quickly in English as in your first language.  Slowing down your speech will help people to understand the message you are trying to send. 

Accent reduction - Hint 3
Carry a notebook with you and write down the areas that are difficult for you.  You can then practice these daily.   You can also write down the names of people you work with or common work terms that are a problem for you to pronounce.  Ask a native speaker to pronounce them correctly for you. You can then record these words, listen and practice saying them.
 
Accent reduction - Hint 4
Practice speaking with other people or if you can't find other English speakers to talk to, practice speaking by yourself.  The more opportunities you have to practice your pronunciation, the sooner you will improve. 
 
Accent reduction - Hint 5
 
Record yourself when you practice speaking.  This will help you to become more aware of the common mistakes you are making, so you can work on the specific areas that are causing you the most difficulty.
 
Accent reduction - Hint 6 
Use your dictionary regularly. Many dictionaries show how to pronounce English words by including the phonetic alphabet.   Once you understand how this works, you can then use this resource to learn how to pronounce the words you are finding difficult to say.
 
Accent reduction - Hint 7
Find an audio book or cd in English.  Record and re-play listening carefully to their pronunciation.   This can increase your awareness of what your speaking target should sound like.   Repeat some sentences and record yourself. Record yourself and replay to compare the sound of your English with that of the speaker you are listening to.
 
Accent reduction - Hint 8 
Practice reading aloud in English every day by reading a newspaper, magazine or book.   This helps to strengthen the mouth muscles that you must use to articulate English sounds correctly.  
 
Accent reduction - Hint 9
Take care when you pronounce the endings of words.  Often these can be left out by some speakers of other languages. 
 
Accent reduction - Hint 10 
Be patient and keep practising every day.   With hard work and dedication, you will soon begin to see an improvement in your pronunciation.   
 

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