10 Sep
Ever listened to someone speak and thought, “Wow, I wish I sounded like that.” Perhaps it was their smooth delivery, their engaging rhythm, or the way their pitch varied.
The good news? You can also speak like them! All it would take is learning the rhythm and melody of your speech, that is placement of stress, intonation, reduction of sounds, and linking between words.
👇Make sure to read all the way to the end to get your free downloadable practice audio 🎁.
To change your overall sound, it’s crucial to:
- Use only your ears. The first step, which is essential in accent modification, is to break free from the written word. When you speak, rely on your ears, not your sight.
- Focus on how phrases and words connect in natural speech, rather than dissecting them individually.
- Do lots of listen-and-repeat practice. The key to mastering your English pronunciation and accent is consistent practice. Aim for daily sessions, even if it’s just a few minutes. Integrate this practice seamlessly into your routine. For example, try shadowing (more on that later!) while getting ready in the morning or during your lunch break.
How to integrate new pronunciation into your normal speech
- Learning pronunciation involves areas of the brain that go beyond just the language area. Explore music, rhymes, and even movement to break through current limitations and solidify these new speech patterns.
- Note the Overall Sound, Not the Letters. Pay attention to how words actually sound, not their spelling. Focus on the overall melody – the rises and falls in pitch, the lengthening of vowels, and all the sounds.
- Don’t translate. If you hear “bird”, you should imagine the little flying creature, not the word for “bird” in your language.
Shadowing: Your Secret Weapon
One of my favorite practice ideas for improving overall sound is shadowing. So what is shadowing? It’s taking real speech and repeating it line by line or phrase by phrase, trying to match the speaker as closely as possible.
How to Master Shadowing?
- Start practicing with very simple material.
- Once you’re feeling good about your simple shadow practice, start working with more complicated material, with longer sentences and bigger words. But then, make sure you’re only shadowing a very small part. Start with only one sentence, and break it into small pieces.
- Find a speaker or speakers you admire – actors, politicians, motivational speakers, podcast hosts, or Toastmasters winners whose voice resonates with you.
- Search YouTube for a video or movie clip, TV scene, or TED Talk from your chosen speaker.
- Before you begin, decide what aspect of speech you’ll focus on. It could be linking words smoothly, mastering pitch variations, or emphasizing focus words.
- Ditch the captions! Train your ear to hear the nuances of speech without visual cues.
Even if you don’t hit all the consonant and vowel sounds exactly, a more accurate rhythm and melody can make you sound near-native.
Imagine this! What would your English speech sound like 3 months from now if all you did was shadow daily? Even if you’re super busy, what if you made the time to only shadow one sentence per day?
When people are just starting a shadowing practice, they often make the error of choosing material that is too complicated. To make sure you get started right, with a practice that is actually effective, click on the button below for 15 very simple sentences that you can use to get started on your shadow practice.
To download, click the “Download Audio” button, click the three dots on the right, then click “Download”.
Consistent practice, even just a tiny bit, is the key to big changes. As you practice, your speech will become more natural. Following these tips will help you master the melody of your speech and capture your listeners with your confident and clear English!
