If your native language is Vietnamese, these are the most likely accent patterns you will find in your speech. The pronunciation targets you can work on to improve your American Accent are listed below. The links will take you to the appropriate video lessons and additional practice materials. You can purchase this module on the Subscriptions button or in our store.
Practice in the order listed, as the most important patterns are listed first.
Practice in the order listed, as the most important patterns are listed first.
Step 1: Z
can sound like s or be left off the ends of words
was /wʌz/ sounds like wass or wa
Step 2: D
can sound like “t” at the ends of words,
or be left off the ends of words
code sounds like coat,
or we’d sounds like we
Step 3: T
can be left off the ends of words
boat sounds like bow
Step 4: /ɪ/ vowel /ɪ/
can sound like /i/ “vowel ee”
it sounds like eat
Step 5: TH /θ/ (as in “think, with”)
can sound like t, can be left off
thing sounds like ting
with sounds like wi
Step 6: TH /ð/ (as in those, breathe)
can sound like d, z or th
those sounds like dose or zoze
breathe sounds like breeth
Step 7: N
can be switched with ng or left off
man sounds like ma
thin sounds like thing
Step 8: L
can be left off the ends of words
Step 9: /æ/ “vowel a”
can sound like vowel ah /a/
cat sounds like cot
Step 10: V
can sound like F of be left off the ends of words
leave sounds like leaf or lee
Step 11: /ɹ, ɚ/ "vowel er"
can sound like vowel schwa /ə/
bird sounds like bud
Step 12: Consonant Clusters
can have sounds left off,
or the same error patterns as above
lived sounds like li, lift or live,
want sounds like wan,
words sounds like word or worts
Step 13: P
can sound like “b” at the start of words
pay sounds like bay
Step 14: /e/ “vowel ay”
can sound like vowel eh /ɛ/
wait sounds like wet
Step 15: /a/ “vowel ah”
can sound like vowel o /o/
not sounds like note
Step 16: /ʊ/ “vowel U”
can sound like vowel oo /u/
look sounds like Luke
Step 17: /ə/ “vowel schwa”
can sound like written letter rather than the American "uh" sound
between sounds like bee-tween
above sounds like ay-bove
Step 18: G
can sound like K at the ends of words
pig sounds like pick
Step 19: /i/ “vowel ee”
can sound like /ɪ/ "vowel ɪ"
it sounds like eat
Step 20: J
can sound like ch or zh
ridge sounds like rich or rizh
jump sounds like chump or zhump
can be left off the ends of words
boat sounds like bow
Step 4: /ɪ/ vowel /ɪ/
can sound like /i/ “vowel ee”
it sounds like eat
Step 5: TH /θ/ (as in “think, with”)
can sound like t, can be left off
thing sounds like ting
with sounds like wi
Step 6: TH /ð/ (as in those, breathe)
can sound like d, z or th
those sounds like dose or zoze
breathe sounds like breeth
Step 7: N
can be switched with ng or left off
man sounds like ma
thin sounds like thing
Step 8: L
can be left off the ends of words
Step 9: /æ/ “vowel a”
can sound like vowel ah /a/
cat sounds like cot
Step 10: V
can sound like F of be left off the ends of words
leave sounds like leaf or lee
Step 11: /ɹ, ɚ/ "vowel er"
can sound like vowel schwa /ə/
bird sounds like bud
Step 12: Consonant Clusters
can have sounds left off,
or the same error patterns as above
lived sounds like li, lift or live,
want sounds like wan,
words sounds like word or worts
Step 13: P
can sound like “b” at the start of words
pay sounds like bay
Step 14: /e/ “vowel ay”
can sound like vowel eh /ɛ/
wait sounds like wet
Step 15: /a/ “vowel ah”
can sound like vowel o /o/
not sounds like note
Step 16: /ʊ/ “vowel U”
can sound like vowel oo /u/
look sounds like Luke
Step 17: /ə/ “vowel schwa”
can sound like written letter rather than the American "uh" sound
between sounds like bee-tween
above sounds like ay-bove
Step 18: G
can sound like K at the ends of words
pig sounds like pick
Step 19: /i/ “vowel ee”
can sound like /ɪ/ "vowel ɪ"
it sounds like eat
Step 20: J
can sound like ch or zh
ridge sounds like rich or rizh
jump sounds like chump or zhump
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