The Truth About Accent Training: Why Quick Fixes Don’t Work

Quick fix: get the accent of your dreams in minutes? I don’t think so

Sometimes, I receive enquiries from busy people who want to know if I can help them 'do something about their accent'.

In two hours.

Right…

They often have an event like a keynote speech to prepare for, and often, they speak English as a second or additional language. And they want to sound 'good', and that means sounding more 'English'

I do offer intensive short courses, including 2-day training sessions that condense what would usually take ten weeks to learn gradually.

However, if two days - or two hours! - is all you can commit to for developing your communication skills, I cannot promise lasting results.

Your speaking habits—whether it’s your accent, tone, speed, or hesitation—are deeply ingrained. You've been practicing them unconsciously since childhood. Do you really expect to undo them in just a few days?

It’s not just about time—it takes commitment.

Beyond what I cover in each session with clients - which is looking in detail at how we move our mouths to form the sounds of a Standard British English or 'Received Pronunciation' accent - you have to  consistently practice to retrain your vocal muscles and brain pathways.

Changing how you speak is like forming any new habit: it requires frequent, focused effort. This is the hardest part for most people.

Many clients struggle to find time for regular practice. Between work, family, and social commitments, it’s challenging to prioritise communication training.

That’s why I've found that we get better results when people opt for structured courses of ten 1-hour sessions spread over several months, rather than just covering the basics in five intensive sessions.

Long-term learning supports lasting change, whereas with shorter courses, we can do some useful work, but we're sort of just scratching the surface: if you're personally disciplined enough to form a lasting habit after a month or so of sessions with me, that's great - I salute you!

Because once the sessions end, maintaining progress is up to you—and let’s be honest, how many of us stick to new habits without ongoing support?

If you’re serious about improving your speech and communication skills, here are five essential tips that I suggest to my clients.

If you’ve worked with me before, you’ll recognise these.

The real question is—are you still following them?

1. Balance Work and Play

If you're refining your pronunciation, be disciplined: practice your vowel and consonant sounds regularly, daily if possible, until they become second nature. This repetition is essential.

However, when working on aspects like intonation, pace, and expression, take a different approach. Experiment. Trust your intuition. Step outside your comfort zone and explore your vocal range. Speaking practice should sometimes feel like a creative exercise—like dancing in a Zumba class or kicking a football around in the park. Have fun with your voice!

By playing with different speaking styles, you'll develop a way of communicating that feels natural and authentic.

For more on expressive speaking, check out an oldie but a goodie: Julian Treasure's TED talk about public speaking. The warmups at the end really work well!

2. Make It Like Brushing Your Teeth

Improving your speech isn’t about cramming hours of practice into one day. Instead, focus on short, frequent sessions—just 3 to 5 minutes a day is enough.

The key is consistency. Regular practice ensures that new sounds and techniques become second nature, replacing ingrained habits.

Finding the right time and place to practice can be tricky. Public transport isn't ideal—repeating vowel sounds on a packed Tube train might earn you some odd looks! Instead, integrate practice into your daily routine. Try the bathroom mirror while getting ready in the morning. Many clients also find the car a great place to practise on the way to work. Choose a spot that works for you, and make it a daily habit.

For pronunciation exercises, the British Council's LearnEnglish Sounds Right app is a super-simple chart of all the vowel and consonants sounds of the 'BBC English' accent. The only fiddly bit is that it uses phonetic symbols, so it's a load of new letters to learn :(

Try watching my pronunciation videos instead!

3. If You Can’t Speak, Listen

If you’re in a setting where speaking practice isn’t possible, use the time to listen. Play recordings of your practice exercises or listen to skilled communicators—podcasts, audiobooks, or BBC Radio 4 are excellent options. Focus on how they speak, not just what they say. Notice their emphasis, pauses, and clarity of diction.

Even without audio, you can train your ears by observing others. Listen to colleagues, fellow commuters, or TV presenters. Analysing different speech patterns sharpens your awareness, helping you apply similar techniques in your own speech.

A good podcast for hearing a 'BBC English' accent, is Helena Bonham Carter on the History's Heroes podcast on BBC Sounds.

4. Focus—Then Let It Go

When practising, concentrate fully on making the correct sounds. But outside of practice, forget about it!

When you're at work or with family and friends, focus on the conversation, not whether you’re pronouncing every word perfectly.

If you try to use new sounds too soon, you’ll feel self-conscious—and those close to you might even tease you! That can be discouraging.

Instead, trust the process. Regular practice will gradually reshape your speech patterns, and improvement will happen naturally over time.

This is quite a helpful article about self-consciousness that I hope will encourage you to take the focus off yourself and onto where it should be - your listener's needs.

5. Be Patient—Change Takes Time

As 'one of London’s leading speech and accent coaches' featured in the Guardian and the Daily Telegraph (sorry to sound smug: it's for the search engines!) I’d love to promise overnight results.

But the truth is, effective communication training is a gradual process. It’s not like a nose job—you won’t wake up one morning with a completely transformed voice. It’s more like adopting a healthier diet: the benefits appear gradually.

After a few weeks of practice, you may not notice much difference. But one day, a colleague or friend will point out that you sound clearer and more confident. That’s when you’ll realise your hard work is paying off. And that moment makes it all worthwhile!

For expert speech coaching in London — although with the joy of Zoom I can see you wherever you are in the world - whether it’s accent reduction, public speaking, or communication skills, get in touch today and lets have a free 1-hour taster session.

A tailored course with me can help you develop a confident, articulate voice that truly represents you.