This is what my student have said. Why do YOU want to reduce your accent?
1. “My boss told me that some clients are complaining that they don’t understand me.”
2. “I am an actor and I my agent told me I have to get rid of my accent.”
3. I am tired of always being asked “Where are you from?”
4. “People treat me differently because I don’t sound like them.”
5. “I am ambitious and driven in every area of my life. I believe in self-improvement and I know that I can improve the way that I communicate in English.”
6. “My American friends are not able to correct me. I need a professional to help me. I know the mistakes that I am making but I don’t know how to fix them.”
7. “I went to an audition and I didn’t get the part in the film because my accent was too strong.”
8. “I think people have negative stereotypes about my accent.”
9. “I get the impression that people take me less seriously at work because of the way that I speak.”
10. “I am a nurse and sometimes my patients complain to my supervisor that they don’t understand me.”
11. “I love the American culture and the way the accent sounds. I want to learn to sound like that.”
12. “My boss told me I need this class. He told me to call you and that he would pay for the classes.”
13. “I want to feel more confident when I give presentations in English.”
14. “I get nervous to speak at work meetings because of the way that I sound.”
15. “Everyone else in my company is American. I feel that I am seen as different.”
16. “I am a college professor. My students complain that they don’t understand me. Sometimes they also use it as an excuse for not doing their assignments.”
17. “My kids make fun of my accent.”
18. “People love my foreign accent and I don’t want to lose it, but I just want to reduce it a bit.”
19. “I want to learn the rules of correct English pronunciation.”
20. “I hate speaking on the phone in English.”
Friday, July 22, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Video Lesson - How to reduce vowels
Here is a new video that I just posted on YouTube. It will teach you the very important rule vowel reduction. English vowels can be pronounced differently, depending on whether they are stressed or reduced.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Some books I recommend for advanced speakers of English
My accent reduction students usually have an advanced knowledge of English, but they still occassionally make mistakes with English grammar or vocabulary usage. Here are some books that I recommend that they purchase to perfect their skills. I have also included the links to Amazon.com where you can purchase the books. I have used these books when teaching college ESL classes as well as with my private clients who need to brush up on their skills.
"Understanding and Using English Grammar" by Betty Azar. This is an excellent grammar book. I have used it in my classes for many years. Very detailed.
The Article Book by Tom Cole and Three Little Words by Elizabeth Claire. I recommend buying these together. If your native language does not have articles (a, an, the) these two books will be helpful to you. They are pretty short but they cover a lot of the rules and exceptions of article usage.
Speak Business English Like an American by Amy Gillett. This book has very useful idioms and expressions that are used in the workplace. Great self-study and audio.
"Understanding and Using English Grammar" by Betty Azar. This is an excellent grammar book. I have used it in my classes for many years. Very detailed.
The Article Book by Tom Cole and Three Little Words by Elizabeth Claire. I recommend buying these together. If your native language does not have articles (a, an, the) these two books will be helpful to you. They are pretty short but they cover a lot of the rules and exceptions of article usage.
Speak Business English Like an American by Amy Gillett. This book has very useful idioms and expressions that are used in the workplace. Great self-study and audio.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
More advice for reducing your accent
1. Slow down your speech. Actually, you can speak as quickly as you wish, as long as you are pronouncing every sound of every word and you are following the rules of good stress and melody. You will notice that newscasters often speak quickly but clearly. If you cannot do that, you need to practice. Meanwhile, slow down!
2. Make sure your articulators fully touch. What are your articulators? Your lips and your tongue - the parts of your mouth used to create sounds, specifically consonant sounds. Don't get lazy and don't allow them to touch only half way. For example word "general" if said quickly and in a lazy way can be very unclear. The sounds, N R and L in the word "general" require the tongue tip to be in the front for the N, and then curled back for the R and then in the front again touching the top of your mouth for the L. That's a lot of work! Good speakers do that quickly and correctly. If you practice your tongue will get stronger, and some of these difficult sounds will require a lot less effort to produce.
To learn the correct mouth movements of the most difficult American English sounds, you can get my DVDs, "American Accent Course - 50 Rules You Must Know."
3. Dont' stop practicing!! Read aloud every day for 20 or 30 minutes. Record your voice. How does it sound? Are you pronouncing every word clearly or are you mumbling?
Best wishes!
Lisa Mojsin
2. Make sure your articulators fully touch. What are your articulators? Your lips and your tongue - the parts of your mouth used to create sounds, specifically consonant sounds. Don't get lazy and don't allow them to touch only half way. For example word "general" if said quickly and in a lazy way can be very unclear. The sounds, N R and L in the word "general" require the tongue tip to be in the front for the N, and then curled back for the R and then in the front again touching the top of your mouth for the L. That's a lot of work! Good speakers do that quickly and correctly. If you practice your tongue will get stronger, and some of these difficult sounds will require a lot less effort to produce.
To learn the correct mouth movements of the most difficult American English sounds, you can get my DVDs, "American Accent Course - 50 Rules You Must Know."
3. Dont' stop practicing!! Read aloud every day for 20 or 30 minutes. Record your voice. How does it sound? Are you pronouncing every word clearly or are you mumbling?
Best wishes!
Lisa Mojsin
Friday, February 4, 2011
American Accent Course for Japanese Speakers
The new DVD course is available. It helps Japanese speakers of English speak more clearly and learn to fix all of the most common pronunciation mistakes. Learn to correctly pronounce the difficult American consonant sounds. Fix the most common mistakes. Purchase the videos here:
http://accurateenglish.com/dvds_for_japanes_speakers.htm
http://accurateenglish.com/dvds_for_japanes_speakers.htm
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Good Online Dictionary for Pronuncation
I recommend this dictionary for looking up the pronunciation of words: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/.
I like the fact that it has two different accent options - one American Accent and one British. The vowels and consonants are mostly pretty authentic to an American Accent. Many other online English dictionaries are confusing in this regard.
Also, if you have studied British English in your country, it's useful to hear both versions of the same word. Just for fun, look up the words, "better," "student" and "awful."
Big differences in the two different accents!
I like the fact that it has two different accent options - one American Accent and one British. The vowels and consonants are mostly pretty authentic to an American Accent. Many other online English dictionaries are confusing in this regard.
Also, if you have studied British English in your country, it's useful to hear both versions of the same word. Just for fun, look up the words, "better," "student" and "awful."
Big differences in the two different accents!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Don't Give Up!
How is this about accent reduction? Well, I believe that any time we have a goal, sometimes we will feel like giving up. I try to encourage all of my students to keep trying, to follow their dreams. It brings me much joy to see them succeed. Some are Hollywood actors trying to get a part in a movie, some are recently graduated MBA's going on their job interviews and others are people who are simply tired of always being asked to repeat themselves and what country they come from. I post these quotes by famous people to inspire you to keep going. Never let your dreams die! :)
“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”
-- Mark Twain
It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer. ~Albert Einstein
“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”
-- Dale Carnegie
Don't be discouraged. It's often the last key in the bunch that opens the lock. ~Author Unknown
"Studies indicate that the one quality all successful people have is persistence."
-- Joyce Brothers (1928-) U.S. psychologist and talk show host
"All of us have bad luck and good luck. The man who persists through the bad luck - who keeps right on going - is the man who is there when the good luck comes - and is ready to receive it."
-- Robert Collier
"It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop."
-- Confucius
"Our greatest joy is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."
-- Confucius (551-479 BC), (K'ung Fu-tse) Chinese philosopher "
"Decide carefully, exactly what you want in life, then work like mad to make sure you get it!"
-- Hector Crawford
“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”
-- Mark Twain
It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer. ~Albert Einstein
“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”
-- Dale Carnegie
Don't be discouraged. It's often the last key in the bunch that opens the lock. ~Author Unknown
"Studies indicate that the one quality all successful people have is persistence."
-- Joyce Brothers (1928-) U.S. psychologist and talk show host
"All of us have bad luck and good luck. The man who persists through the bad luck - who keeps right on going - is the man who is there when the good luck comes - and is ready to receive it."
-- Robert Collier
"It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop."
-- Confucius
"Our greatest joy is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."
-- Confucius (551-479 BC), (K'ung Fu-tse) Chinese philosopher "
"Decide carefully, exactly what you want in life, then work like mad to make sure you get it!"
-- Hector Crawford
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