| I used to have an accent. I didn't mind the accent | | | | advantage of the fact that you live near |
| itself, what bothered me was constantly being | | | | thousands of native speakers. Go out there and |
| judged by strangers. If you have an accent too, | | | | socialize with them. This is what most people fail |
| I'm sure you've noticed that you are being | | | | to realize, you cannot expect your accent to go |
| treated differently than your friends who are | | | | away if everybody around you speaks your |
| native English speakers. Anybody who judges | | | | mother tongue and you rarely even speak English. |
| people with accents probably doesn't even mean | | | | Then, speaking English as much as possible is a |
| to. It's mainly a subconscious thing and, of course, | | | | pretty obvious step. All the books you read and |
| labeling people with accents as unsophisticated isn't | | | | the hours you work on your accent won't be of |
| limited to the United States; it happens in every | | | | any use unless you go out there and talk to |
| part of the world. Growing up in another country I | | | | people. Remember that mistakes are part of the |
| used to stereotype people with accents too and | | | | learning process, so don't be ashamed to |
| it probably wasn't different wherever you grew | | | | mispronounce things. Keep talking and you will see |
| up. | | | | your English improving very quickly. Also, tell all |
| Understandably, almost everyone working and | | | | your friends and family that you want them to |
| living in the US would like to be able to speak | | | | speak English with you. This is very helpful, |
| without an accent, but relatively few people | | | | especially in the beginning, since you already feel |
| succeed. Effects of accent reduction programs | | | | comfortable talking with them. |
| are rarely immediate, so most students give up | | | | Last but not least, an often overlooked factor is |
| the battle against the accent shortly after having | | | | how important active listening is. By carefully |
| started. So, first of all you need to have the right | | | | paying attention to what native English speakers |
| attitude. Try to avoid saying things like "I'm too | | | | around you are saying, you will not only learn lots |
| old to work on my accent now." or "Who cares | | | | of new terms, but also learn the correct |
| whether I have an accent or not?" Yes, getting | | | | pronunciation of words. If you don't have many |
| rid of an accent gets increasingly difficult as you | | | | English speaking friends yet, you can watch TV |
| get older, but it's most certainly not impossible. No | | | | and listen to the radio which will basically give you |
| matter how old you are, it will require a big effort | | | | the same results. |
| and a great deal of determination. | | | | Whether you already have some experience in |
| There are three key steps that are essential to | | | | eliminating your accent or you're just getting |
| anybody's success when getting rid of an accent. | | | | started, these basic rules should be a big help. |
| In the end, how successful you will be and how | | | | Naturally, you'll have to find out yourself what |
| long it will take depends on the time you are | | | | methods and exercises work best for you. I |
| willing to invest and how open you are to | | | | advice you to talk to people who have |
| changes. | | | | successfully eliminated their accents. I'm one of |
| First, you need to accept that reducing or | | | | those lucky few and my friends are often |
| eliminating your accent has affects on your whole | | | | surprised at how simple the things are that I did |
| life. It's crucial that you step out of the comfort | | | | to get rid of my accent. Give all the methods and |
| zone and realize that you need to make new | | | | exercises that sound right for you a try and stick |
| friends and surround yourself with as many | | | | with what works best - that's how I succeeded. |
| English speaking people as possible. Take | | | | |