5 Mistakes English Learners Make When Trying to Improve Their Pronunciation & American Accent

In this video, I share five mistakes that English learners often make when trying to improve their pronunciation and develop a more American or Canadian accent. This video was inspired by a recent accent analysis I did of an English learner.

These mistakes are common, especially for learners who have a strong foreign accent.

Mistake #1: Not Choosing an Accent

The first mistake is not choosing a specific accent. Some learners want their English to improve but are not intentional about which accent they want to develop. They may watch content from speakers in England, Canada, the United States, or other countries and end up mixing multiple accents.

If the goal is to acquire a more American or Canadian accent, specifically a General American accent, it is necessary to choose that accent.

Mistake #2: Too Much Input From People With a Foreign Accent

The second mistake is getting too much input from people with a foreign accent. While having a foreign accent is not bad, learners who want to reduce their foreign accent and develop a more American accent need to be careful about where they get their English input.

If learners choose teachers with foreign accents or only practice with other English learners, they may adopt those pronunciation patterns themselves, which can be counterproductive.

Mistake #3: Not Identifying Mispronounced Sounds

The third mistake is not identifying which sounds are mispronounced. If learners do not know which sounds they pronounce incorrectly or which sounds are difficult for speakers of their native language, progress can be very slow, if there is any at all.

To improve an American accent effectively, learners need to identify which sounds are difficult for them and which sounds they pronounce that do not sound American.

Mistake #4: Not Getting Feedback

The fourth mistake is not getting feedback. Learners may practice sounds without feedback from an English coach, teacher, or a native speaker who is qualified to help.

If a learner practices a sound and believes it is correct when it is not, that incorrect sound can become part of their accent. Getting feedback helps confirm whether a sound is pronounced correctly or if it still needs work.

Mistake #5: Forgetting to Use Learned Sounds

The fifth mistake is forgetting to use sounds that have already been learned and mastered. Learners may know how to pronounce a sound correctly, but if they do not use it in their day-to-day English, it does not become part of their accent, and their accent does not improve.

Learning the correct pronunciation alone is not enough if it is not applied in everyday speech.

If you’d like more accent reduction tips and pronunciation practice, you can explore my accent reduction tips YouTube playlist, where I share more videos focused on American pronunciation and common learner mistakes.

Thanks for reading. Progress takes time, and consistency matters.

I’m rooting for you,
Jess
Accent Coach