Category Archives: Accent reduction

• Did you wear green?

  Americans often wear green on March 17 in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day. The “ee” sound (as in the word “green”) is usually spelled with a letter “e” alone or in combination with other vowel letters; whereas the letter “i” in American English is usually not pronounced “ee” as it is in some languages.

• Fun discovery

  Have you ever noticed that American speakers don’t move their mouths much when they talk? We use a lot of neutral vowel sounds and don’t round our lips much. Non-native speakers often sound like they are over-pronouncing. So, use less mouth opening and mouth movements. It will likely reduce your accent! Try it with the […]

• March wind

  March is known to be a windy month in some areas of the United States. The noun, “wind” has a different vowel sound than the verb, “wind”. Just as a sea “bass” has a different vowel sound than a “bass” drum. Same spelling — pronounced differently! In American English, you can’t be sure how a […]

• President’s Day

  The letter “s” can sometimes be an “s” sound (e.g., case), and sometimes a “z” sound (e.g., rise).  Common spellings for the “s” sound are the letters “c” and “s” (e.g., peace, bus).  Common spellings for the “z” sound are the letters “z” and “s” (e.g., prize, lose). The word “President’s” has a “z” sound […]

• Happy Valentine’s Day!

  Some non-native speakers say the “v” sound like a “w” sound. This is common with Russian and Indian accents. A trick for pronouncing the “v” sound is to think of saying the “f” sound. The “v” sound made with your mouth in exactly the same position as the “f” sound.