Find an accent reduction coach online

If you’ve ever watched a period drama TV show like Downton Abbey or Bridgerton, you may well have found yourself wishing that you could talk like some of the characters. To those outside the UK, there’s only one accent, and that is the ‘Queen’s English’, or to put it in simple terms, how the characters in ‘The Crown’ converse with one another.

As such, other accents outside of this accent that emphasizes well-enunciated, perfectly-pronounced words, come with various stereotypes and associations.

While it’s unfortunate that there is prejudice towards particular accents, and how they make a person sound, it’s a reality of life in the UK. 

This is a big reason why many people are enrolling in accent reduction classes so that they can soften their regional accent to be better understood in certain circles. It isn’t the only reason people want to soften their accents, though.

For instance, some people take accent reduction classes so that they can become more confident in job interviews or when delivering speeches. While a lot of communication is made up of physical cues and body language, the rise of remote work has led to an increase in video call meetings which rely primarily on the clarity of your words.

What to expect working with a tutor

If you’re serious about reducing or softening your accent, then your best bet is to work closely with a tutor.

It would be a monumental undertaking to tackle accent reduction by yourself since there’s a lot more involved than simply saying words differently.

For example, there’s getting to grips with the ‘right’ way of saying each vowel and consonant. Then there are all the clusters of letters to deal with such as ‘th’ and ‘ch’, which can prove more challenging than you might think.

Basically, if you’ve ever tried to pick up a foreign language, you’ll be somewhat familiar with what it takes to soften your accent. Most native English speakers that make the effort to learn another language to a degree of fluency still struggle to imitate closely the accent of the language they’re speaking.

As a result, we implore you to work with a tutor to make the journey to accent reduction more enjoyable and less frustrating. A tutor will be there with you every step of the way to provide encouragement, correct your mistakes, and put you on the shortest path to success.

The main challenges of accent reduction

As we’ve already touched upon, the journey to a clearer accent isn’t without its challenges.

Among the obstacles, you’ll have to navigate as you progress are the repetitive vocal drills that can leave you feeling hoarse, the various vowel and consonant sound to practise, and the process of putting it all together.

Manipulating your accent is no easy feat, so it would be naive to go into the process expecting instant results.

The benefits of accent reduction

Now we’ve got the main challenges out of the way, let’s focus on the positives: what exactly is the point of accent reduction and what could you stand to gain from it?

Accent reduction is the process of softening the way you speak so that you can make yourself understood more clearly by others. 

Most of the benefits of accent reduction centre around confidence. When you can speak like the young version of the queen in ‘The Crown’ or a young Prince Phillip, you’ll command attention in whatever room you’re in.

That includes the job interview room, the room you’re giving a work presentation in, and the room you’re socializing in with myriad new people. 

Clarity of communication is the goal with accent reduction, and it’s becoming even more important as we transition from the traditional 9-5 office job to a new way of working. With Zoom calls scheduled in regularly, you have to rely on your voice more than ever in the workplace. 

Sure, others can read your body language if your camera is turned on, but not as well as they’d be able to in person. As such, it’s crucial that you take steps to make yourself as easy to understand to others as possible.

Find an accent reduction tutor on Superprof

If you’re looking for an online accent reduction tutor, head to the Superprof website. There, you’ll find a wide range of highly experienced, qualified tutors that can work with you to reduce your accent over time and help you build the confidence to communicate clearly in any situation.