Guide to American English Pronunciation and Accent Reduction
Why Pronuncian? In a word: feedback! It's what we offer that no other online ESL or accent reduction program can. You can buy books and CDs, but there is nothing to tell you if they are working. With our system of tracking based recommendations, we not only provide you with the material, but we change it based on your progress! We tell you exactly what you need to work on; you don't have to look through things you already know.
Using Pronuncian is simple! "Accent" happens when a person:
- Says a sound differently than a native speaker: Sound
- Stresses a word differently than a native speaker: Stress
- Blends one word into the next differently than a native speaker: Linking
- Raises and lowers the pitch of their voice differently than a native speaker: Intonation
Each of those components of accent is addressed in lessons and exercises using more than 8000 individual audio practice files. Start with Sound practice and work your way down the list! You don't have to subscribe to use our many free sound and lesson materials, but members can check the Recommendations in their Account page for a customized lesson plan based on their native language, their progression through our course materials, and their demonstrated aptitude on quizzes.
There is no substitute for face to face instruction with a qualified spoken-language teacher to improve your English pronunciation (which is why Seattle Learning Academy also offers regular classes, and phone based assessments and coaching). But when that isn't an option for reasons of cost or location, Pronuncian is the next best thing.
Pronuncian was developed as a resource for ESL(English as a Second Language) and EFL(English as a Foreign Language) teachers and students around the world who are working to improve their American English pronunciation, or their teaching of pronunciation. Improving pronunciation (also called "accent reduction") can dramatically improve communication skills even for students who already have a technical mastery of English. With language, it's not just what you know: it's how you say it!
Pronuncian also offers other services specifically designed for ESL teachers and for businesses which need ESL or pronunciation training for their staff. See our Services page for more details.
Parts of Pronuncian are free for anyone to use; others require a subscription. New features and material are being added all the time. See the latest additions in our free forums. Thanks for checking us out! We appreciate it!