Find Accent Reduction Classes in Manchester

Accent reduction is common as a process only necessary for those who speak English as a second or third language, yet this isn’t its only application. Learning how to soften your accent, even if you’re a native English speaker, can be highly beneficial for many reasons.

There are many strong accents in the UK, regardless of what people on the other side of the pond tend to think is the real British accent. The Mancunian accent, for example, is certainly distinct and forms a strong part of the identity of people from the area.

The likes of the Gallagher brothers, for instance, are products of the northern city and proudly represent it primarily in the way they talk.

So wouldn’t reducing this accent remove part of what makes people like this who they are?

There’s certainly an interesting debate to be had on the subject, but that implies accent reduction is all about elimination, whereas the truth is much less severe. Accent reduction is a common practice for aspiring actors, those who want to build confidence and be better understood with their words, and anyone who wants to develop a more neutral accent when they talk.

What to expect working with a tutor

Accent reduction isn’t a process many people would want to go through without the assistance and guidance of a tutor who knows all the nuances of how to soften one’s accent.

Sure, there are a wealth of resources online you could draw upon to reduce your accent, such as pronunciation videos showing how your tongue and mouth should be, but these alone won’t teach you everything you need to know.

Absorbing information is only part of the learning process, and arguably takes second place to take action on that information. It’s easy enough to get sucked into the consumption phase of learning, but this won’t get you very far - you need someone or something to urge you on to put what you learn into practice in a real-world context.

When you work with a tutor, you have access to a database of knowledge, but more importantly, you have someone to guide you through practical exercises and help you consolidate what you learn so that you can improve quickly and effectively.

There’s no saying the harm you can do by learning a technique such as the pronunciation of a consonant the wrong way, so it’s best to do things right from the outset.

The main challenges of accent reduction

Accent reduction requires a firm understanding of linguistics in that you need to know how to form sounds in the ‘right’ way.

This isn’t to say that someone from London pronounces a sound better than someone from Manchester, but that there are generally agreed-upon pronunciation rules for universal clarity. By that we mean there’s a way of pronouncing sounds that increases your chances of being understood by more people - native and non-native English speakers alike.

Yet this isn’t an easy process, as you effectively have to unlearn what you already know and relearn a new way of producing the same sounds.

The benefits of accent reduction

Softening your strong regional accent can be beneficial both to you and those you communicate with.

For you, it can be a confidence boost as you’ll find that over time as your accent becomes more neutral, you’ll have no problems being understood, be it in a professional context in a meeting or a personal context at a social event.

As for others, you will come across as well-spoken and eloquent, which is great for establishing strong connections in work and in your personal life. Zoom calls are a great example of when accent reduction shines, as your international colleagues will pick up everything you say and conversations will run smoothly.

Find an accent reduction tutor on Superprof

If you’re in Manchester or the surrounding areas, you can find an accent reduction tutor to work with on the Superprof website. 

Accent reduction tutors on Superprof are highly qualified and experienced in what they do, so you can receive a comprehensive education that’s catered to your specific needs. What’s more, you can take classes either in-person or online, depending on your preferences.