Your Accent in English Isn’t the Problem. This is

People say I have an English accent when I speak French (even after living here for many years) I used to think Jane Birkin was faking it… but no. I can now confirm, she wasn’t. 😉

They also say I have a French accent when I speak Portuguese. Which is weird, but I put that down to the fact that I learned to speak French. So subconsciously, when I speak any other language than my native English, it’s that way of speaking that takes over. 🤷‍♀️

And the strangest thing of all? When I speak English in England, people now ask me if I’m French! Apparently, I have a French intonation 😁

But you know what? I don’t care. Really, I don’t.

Because, you see, for me, the most important thing is that everyone understands me. (It hasn’t always been the case, but that’s another story …😅)

Many people who learn English as a second language worry about their accent.
Some a little.
Some a lot.

They say:

• “I hate my English accent.”

• “People hear immediately that I’m not native.”

• “I’ll never sound professional because of my accent.”

Let’s clear something up straight away:

👉 Your English accent is not the problem.
👉 Unclear pronunciation is the real issue, and that’s fixable.

Everyone Has an Accent (Including Native Speakers) 🌍

One of the biggest myths about English is the idea of a “neutral” accent.

It doesn’t exist.

Native speakers have:

• Regional accents (British, American, Australian, and dozens more)

• Social and cultural accents

• Professional vs informal pronunciation styles

Even native speakers sometimes struggle to understand each other. I remember a most embarrassing moment 🤭in the North of England while trying to communicate with a Geordie (Northumberland region)

So, if accents exist within English, why would they disappear when English is your second language?

They don’t. And they shouldn’t.

Accent vs Intelligibility: The Key Difference 🔍

This is where most learners get stuck.

• Accent = how you sound

• Intelligibility = how easily you’re understood

You can:
✅ speak English with a strong accent and be perfectly clear
❌ sound almost native and still be hard to understand

An accent only becomes a problem when it reduces intelligibility.

And that’s the only part worth working on.

Why Some English Accents Sound “Stronger” 🧠

Some languages influence English pronunciation more than others. Not because learners try less, but because of phonetic differences.

Every language has:

• Specific sounds

• Its own rhythm

• Its own stress patterns

For example:

• French speakers may struggle with word stress

• German speakers may transfer a more rigid rhythm

• Russian speakers may find English vowel contrasts difficult

This doesn’t mean these learners speak worse English.
It means their native language leaves a stronger phonetic imprint.

That’s normal. And don’t forget, it works both ways… especially for native English speakers learning your language. 😉

Why Trying to “Lose Your Accent” Doesn’t Work 🚫

Many learners say: “I want to get rid of my accent.”

This goal usually leads to:

• Tension while speaking

• Over-monitoring pronunciation

• Less fluency

• Lower confidence

Trying to sound native often makes people sound less natural, not more.

The real goal isn’t perfection.
It’s clear, confident communication.

What Actually Improves Your English Pronunciation 🎯

Instead of trying to erase your accent, focus on what truly affects intelligibility:

• Word stress (which syllable is strong)

• Sentence rhythm (English is stress-timed)

• Key vowel contrasts

• Clarity over speed

You don’t need to change everything.

What I do:

Listen and copy word stress. Stop the recording and repeat tricky words several times. Try shadowing to catch the rhythm. Slow down. You don’t have to speak quickly to prove you speak well.

You need to work on the small number of pronunciation features that block understanding.

That’s where progress feels fast and motivating. ⚡

A Better Way to Think About Your Accent ✨

Your accent is not a flaw.
It’s proof that you:

• Learned another language

• Adapted to a new system

• Communicate across cultures

The goal of speaking English is not to sound native.
It’s to be understood, confident, and yourself. 🫵

When communication works, accents stop being a problem and often become part of your identity.

👉 Want help improving your English pronunciation without losing your accent or confidence ?

I help learners focus on intelligibility, clarity, and real-life speaking. Not impossible perfection.

If you want to learn English with me, I’m Liz Aldam, an English teacher with more than twenty years of experience, having worked with companies like Yamaha, Faurecia, and others. I live in the Val-d’Oise region in France and I teach online.

📲 Click the WhatsApp icon below and contact me 😊