Improve your American English Accent with the Listen-Think-Copy-Check-Repeat Method

Learning a new accent can be difficult.  You must use your lip, tongue, cheek, throat, and chest muscles in a new way.  You might feel tired and frustrated.

 

Here is a method that might help you.

 

Listen - Think - Copy - Check - Repeat Method for Improving American English Accent

 

1.  Review the information about pronunciation in this tip sheet. 

 

2.   Make sure you understand these ideas

• pitch - high and low sound
• stress - emphasis
• stretchy vowels - sometimes vowels streeeetch out looooong
• connection - wordsmushingtogether - ends of words connect with beginnings of words

3.   Go to http://esl-bits.net/

 

4.    Click on audio books.

 

5.     Find a book you like.  (Pick a book that is narrated by an American.)

 

6.     Copy and print out the text.

 

7.     Listen to the audio version of the text. (You can listen to the fast or slow version.)

 

8.     Mark your text with

• Check mark for stress
• Underline to show where words connect
• Mark HP or LP for high and low pitch
• Draw wavy line for stretchy vowels

Here is an example:

 

9.  Now try reading the text out loud the same way the narrator did.  Use your notes to help you.

10.  You can read along with the narrator.  This is called reading in unison.

11.  You can read just behind the narrator, a little later.  This is called shadowing.  

12.  If you have a smart phone, record your reading with your voice recorder.

13.  Listen to your recording and the audio recording.  Compare the two.

14.  Repeat!