Accent Training Podcast

The spelling of English words doesn't always give us a clear indication of the pronunciation. Many people learned at a young age that | Oo | spelling makes a moving, " ihw " sound 100% of the time. While this is often the case, | Oo | sometimes requires no movement of the lips. We see this with dozens of common, everyday words and expressions.  Listen along here and better understan...

Today's episode takes a few words from British Entrepreneur Rob Moore regarding overcoming one's fear of failure, illuminates how we can overcome our fear of failure with language skills! Listen in and get motivated to use what you've learned, and take your spoken English to another level! Check out my video course on Udemy to master your use of Syllable stress! https://www.udemy.co...

This lesson has no rules, and the only way to fully grasp it is through memorization. That doesn't make this easy, of course, but keep an open mind and you'll accomplish more than you can imagine! Open the google doc at the bottom of the description for more words and expressions where O spelling sounds like U! Check out my video course on Udemy to master your use of Syllable stress! htt...

Quitting is a part of life, so let's consider how to best describe your quitting experience. Whether you're quitting a job, a bad habit, or out on someone, we want to make sure that you communicate your message clearly and effortlessly. Check out my video course on Udemy to master your use of Syllable stress! https://www.udemy.com/course/command-the-american-accents-rhythm-and-pronunciat...

ER and OR word endings often sound the exact same. The flat, unstressed sound produced is a schwa + R, and understanding how to use it will help you take further control over your speech stress. Today we dive further into the contrast between strong and weak syllables of the American accent. Take the time to repeat these common words and phrases along with me, and feel the difference for yourself!...

Colin Vorster is a high school teacher, military veteran, community builder, dedicated rugby coach, and former vagabond. He was raised in South Africa, and has lived in Canada for many years. He speaks a number of languages, traveled much of the world, and has taken the time today to share his thoughts on life and what it means to reach one's potential. Be sure to listen for some of Mr. Vorst...

When working on language skills, it can be extremely beneficial to focus on key words and phrases which are used often. That way you can maximize your conversation abilities by enhancing the words you'll use the most. The article " The " is the most commonly used word in the English language, and its pronunciation changes all of the time! Dive in with me as we practice the different...

For today's episode, I read out a short news article from BreakingNewsEnglish, and identify a number of schwas to help you catch these easier in your own life. Read along with me here, and we can practice together:  Pristine coral reef discovered off coast of Tahiti Check out my video course on Udemy to master your use of Syllable stress! https://www.udemy.com/course/command-the-american-acce...

Sometimes when schwa ə appears midword, the American accent omits the sound altogether, and drops it. This doesn't happen with all midword schwas ə, but is found in many 3 and 4 syllable words. Many people say silent schwas ə as the actual letter. Know that while you are well understood, this may make your speech sound slowed down. Check out my video course on Udemy to master your use of Syll...

Comments and questions that are casual in one culture may be disrespectful in another. The English language is full of subtle words and expressions which, if used without consideration, but may disturb those that you're trying to communicate with. I'm not saying never use these phrases, I invite you to speak however you're comfortable. However, being aware of the meanings of some ph...

Do you ever notice that Americans won't always pronounce vowel sounds as they are written. Vowels will often be reduced to a quick and quiet "uh" sound to create clear contrast between rising and falling syllables. We call this The Schwa, and it is the most commonly used sound in the American accent. Listen closely to learn a few common words and expressions using schwas, and keep r...

It takes work to keep one's house in order, and the words that we use to describe these actions can be confusing. Listen along as I give context to 25 must-know American English phrases to keep your house spotless! Check out my video course on Udemy to take your spoken English to another level! https://www.udemy.com/course/command-the-american-accents-rhythm-and-pronunciation/?referralCode=C9...

Take a good look at how you connect your speech. Do you do this at all, or is this something that usually goes right over your head? Face this concept head-on with everyday phrases like "you" and "your", and understand how and when we reduce and blend the sounds of these words with T endings.    Follow along with these quick, common phrases: Didn’t you go?  =  Didn’chuh’go? I t...

Mornings can be a drag, but if you take them head-on, you might find them to be a great way to prepare yourself to take on the day! Listen in to learn about my personal morning routine, and what words you can use to best describe your own! Listen closely for the following vocabulary and phrasal verbs in the episode: Groggy - The feeling of sleepiness when you wake up Early birds - People who wake...

Blending sounds helps to eliminate the choppy sound from your speech. Sometimes sounds blend between words, and sometimes to transition smoothly between sounds within a word. When T precedes u in an unstressed syllable, blend the sounds together. This habit will help you to better control your stress and transitions between sounds. Want more tips on controlling your stress and sound of American sp...

We all take a little leisure time now and then, so let's take a moment to consider the words we use to express what we're doing! Tune in to learn about 10 great idioms to better explain your leisure activities, then practice using these phrases as soon as you can! Follow along with these 10 idioms here: Chilling  |  Keeping it low key   | Disco nap   | Hanging around   |  Hanging out  | ...

Today I teach you all about a the au / aw Digraph, and why you're overthinking this sound. It's an easy letter combination to pronounce, all that you need to do is forget what you previously learned in school and open your ears to this episode! Let's get to work, and learn to say vowel sounds clearly and confidently! Follow along with these practice phrases: Auto shop   |  Self-taug...

Today I interviewed Stephen Greene, an English teacher from the U.K. Stephen has taught English for many years in many different countries. In this chat Stephen breaks down for us some of his favourite teaching methods to ensure success when learning ANY language! Tune in to see what it's all about! Check out Stephen's website here! https://englishwithstephen.com/ Also, check out my vide...

Glides are used all over spoken English, and getting used to them will help you take more control over your speech when it comes to learning an American Accent. Here we discuss 2 more Y glides, and consider how they can improve your vowel pronunciation, and enhance your American pronunciation! Read these phrases along with me and shadow my pronunciation and stress:   I don't feel like it  | ...

I'm here to help, and the best way to do that is to make sure that those who need my help can find me. For this reason, I have changed the name of this podcast to "AccenTraining Club". I have also changed the name of my Instagram account to the same @accentrainingclub, so make sure to check me out there! And finally, I'm proud to announce that I have completed my first video co...

In order to take control of your spoken English using an American accent, it's essential to understand what makes vowels sound the way they do. What do Americans do differently from yourself, and what can you do to harness these subtleties in your own speech? Y glides are a major key to vowel sounds, and today we dive into a number of examples that you can get started using in your daily life...

When you're learning to speak clear American English, I suggest starting with words you use on a daily basis. Money idiomatic expressions are a great place topic to cover in reaching this goal. Understanding how we talk about money will not only help your casual English speech, but may also render significant results for your professional English. Lets consider a handful of these money relate...

If you want to improve your English speaking in your, I have a challenge for you! When speaking English professionally, you want to ensure that you clearly pronounce STS , SKS and SPS consonant clusters. Practice with me here to make sure you're clearly pronouncing each letter. The movement for these is subtle, so take time to focus closely on the movements of your muscles. These exercises fo...

Daniel Alfaro is an American Accent coach from Mexico with a ton to offer. He is the founder of Pronunciationandfluency.com. Daniel breaks down learning spoken English from an overwhelming task to achievable goals, then provides the strategies necessary to achieve each goal. If you're looking into American accent training but are not sure of what to expect, here's an episode to help expl...

Whaaaa? Pfft! Mhmm... Mhm? Huh? Huh.. Hmm.. Ooo! This silly combination sounds tells a story. Tune in to learn what, and go on to retell it yourself! COACH WITH ME 1 ON 1