Pronunciation training: how it works

What pronunciation or accent is

The sounds you make when you talk rely on two main factors:

• The system of speech sounds in your mind (your 'phonology');
• Your physical ability to make sounds using your breath, tongue, cheeks, lips, palate, and so on (your 'articulation').

Different languages have different phonologies. This mental sound system takes information from your ears and eyes (and your inference from context) to help make meaning out of sounds in the real world. You can see your phonology at work in The McGurk Effect — an illusion where your mind can be tricked into hearing different sounds, depending on what your eyes can see.

Different languages have different sound systems: if your language doesn't have a particular sound (e.g. the English 'h' or 'th' sounds), it may be hard for you to hear that sound, let alone make it yourself. This explains why, for example, some English learners have difficulty distinguishing between 'ship' and 'sheep' or between 'hungry' and 'angry': the sound systems in their mind don't allow them to hear the difference. A native English speaker's phonology, however, easily discriminates between these words.

How we help you modify your accent

The English Clinic uses evidence-based assessment and training to help you change both your phonology (your mind) and your articulation (your body).

• We talk to you to understand what your goals are for changing your pronunciation;
• We assess your current speech sounds;
• We provide exercises for you both in the clinic and at home first to hear the sounds of English, and then to make them yourself. You'll learn to modify your accent — first individual speech sounds, then single words, phrases, and eventually normal speech.

We can't say for certain how much you will be able to change your accent, or how long it will take: it depends both on your goals (e.g. how many sounds you want to target; how different you want your accent to be) and on how easily you can change. As a rough guide, however, expect to do 6–12 sessions (with a home practice programme).