Though there is no such thing as perfectly correct English, there is presentable English which we call ‘Good English’. - Bernard Shaw
Accents are influenced by geographical location, cultural background, education, exposure to people and environment, etc.
BEST TIPS FOR IMPROVING ENGLISH ACCENT
Imitating / Shadowing:
Listen to native English speakers which may include audiobooks, TV shows, podcasts etc, and imitate their pronunciation, sounds and flow. The more you listen to people talk in English, the more you are likely to attain better fluency in English.
Voice over / Dub :
To improve your fluency in a fun and effective way, try voicing over to the speakers you listen to. The tongue muscles will get familiar with the flow and pick up on the fluency of the accent.
Practice Speaking:
Give yourself 10-15 minutes a day and practice speaking with native english speakers. In the beginning, practice speaking slowly and clearly. Record yourself talking in English and re-record it to see your progressing line on your fluency.
Read aloud:
Practice reading aloud daily and listen to your pronunciation and the rhythm of your flowing words.
Figure out the trouble:
Focus on a particular sound that troubles you with the pronunciation. Practice words and sounds that challenge you until it is no more a challenge.
Practice Consistency:
Be patient and practice regularly. Enjoy and appreciate yourself with every small improvement.
IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH ACCENT AND PRONUNCIATION
Choose a target accent:
People belonging to different countries have different accents. Choose an accent and get familiarized with the flow and pronunciation of the accent. Focus on one accent at a time.
Listen to native speakers:
Take time to listen to native speakers talk in your target accent. Focus on the pronunciation, intonation, and word stress. Importantly, try imitating every sound and every word stress which helps you with improving your accent.
Seek Feedback:
Record yourself talking in your target accent and seek feedback from native speakers or ESL speakers.
Refer to the training resources below:
- YouTube channels: English with Lucy, Rachel’s English, Accent help
- Online courses: Coursera, Udemy
- Apps: Duolingo, Babbel, Accent Helper
- Audiobooks and podcasts.
FAQ's
Yes, anyone can improve their English accent with dedication, practice and exposure to the accent.
Learning phonetics may help in understanding but it is not necessarily important in the journey taken towards improving one’s accent.
Yes, self study and consistency in that can improve your accent.
Definitely. The more you listen, the more you are likely to get stuck up with that.
Pronunciation. Flow, sounds, word stress, etc,.
How to Improve Your English Accent.