how to pronounce "WORLD" and other similar words

Take a look at my new video that will teach you how to correctly pronounce the word "world." Almost all of my students have a hard time with this word. It consists of combinations of sounds that don't exist in other languages.

Celebrities Talking About their Accents

Here are some interesting quotes from some famous people discussing how their accents have affected their lives:

I learned to change my accent; in England, your accent identifies you very strongly with a class, and I did not want to be held back.
Sting

I guess when I first started speaking with an American accent, there's a tendency to create a caricature of the accent because you just exaggerate the pieces that stand out to you.
Radha Mitchell

I am trying to make my accent so it won't bother anyone, but I am not going to drive myself crazy trying to pretend I am an American girl when I am from Colombia.
Shakira

I think it's sort of a rite of passage for a British actor to try and get the American accent and have a good crack at doing that.
Orlando Bloom


I used to say that whenever people heard my Southern accent, they always wanted to deduct 100 IQ points.
Jeff Foxworthy

I will buy any creme, cosmetic, or elixir from a woman with a European accent.
Erma Bombeck My accent depends on whom I'm around.


My accent remained terrible. It was very hard for me to initiate any conversation with someone I didn't know.
Lawrence Welk

My own dreams fortunately came true in this great state. I became Mr. Universe; I became a successful businessman. And even though some people say I still speak with a slight accent, I have reached the top of the acting profession.
Arnold Schwarzenegger

No, no, no. Your accent is so beautiful.
Maya Rudolph

Only very rarely are foreigners or first-generation immigrants allowed to be nice people in American films. Those with an accent are bad guys.
Max von Sydow

You know what? I'm really attracted to British women, there's something innately proper about them. However badly they behave their accent is so cute that it makes up for everything!
Josh Hartnett

DVDs and YouTube videos

Nouman from India wrote:

I dont find your Course DVD's in India. Is there a way I can order them?
Thank you and wish to see more of your videos in Youtube
- Nouman

Hi Nouman,
I will be making more YouTube videos soon. You can buy the DVDs "Mastering the American Accent" - (over 4 hours of instructional video) by going to the website: accurateenglish.com. You can pay by credit card and they will be sent to you on the following day. However, if you don't have a credit card, you can send a check to the following address:

Accurate English
13101 Washington Blvd, suite 231
Los Angeles, CA 90066
USA

"warm" and "worm"

I often get asked how to pronounce these two words. Are they the same or different?

They are different. Here is how to pronounce them:

For "worm" say "were" and then add a "m" sound at the end.

for "warm" say "wore" (past tense of wear) and then add an "m" at the end.

So "warm" actually has an "o" sound in it, but "worm" has an "er" sound like the words "her" or " "bird."

Practicing the American Accent with TV scripts

You can find a lot of different film and TV scripts on line. An excellent way to practice your American Accent is to have the script while you are watching the show/movie. That way, you can underline difficult words and sounds and make various marks for melody and intonation.

Pay close attention to how the actors are speaking. Then try to read the lines the same way.

Warning! Certain types of films have a lot of slang and bad words. Be careful about who you imitate. Is the character a gangster or a lawyer? Of course, the language they use would be very different.

The American Accent Videos Are Here!

The videos are available for purchase finally. Go to AccurateEnglish.com and click on the DVD's link.
The video course is called: "The American Accent Course - 50 Rules You Must Know"

There are 4 different videos:
1. Vowels
2. Consonants
3. Rhythm Stress and Intonation
4. Advanced Section

In total, there is more than 4 hours of instruction - all the rules you need to know to speak English with an American accent!

Of course, all four topics are important elements of learning pronunciation/accent reduction. However, I would say that learning the rules of Video 3, rhythm, stress and intonation, is the quickest way to sound more like a native speaker. These topics are almost never discussed in an English classroom.

Once you learn the correct music or melody of English, your speech will sound so much clearer and native-like.

The American Accent Course DVD's

Thank you all for your patience regarding the release of the American Accent Training videos. There have been a few delays related to the production/uploading on the website etc.

The technical side of things often takes longer than expected.

They should be available for purchase in a week or two!!

Check back on the website: accurateenglish.com Send us an email expressing interest, and we will contact you as soon as the videos are available.


Czech quote about language:

Kolik jazyků znáš, tolikrát jsi člověkem.

"You live a new life for every new language you speak. If you know only one language, you live only once."