Master Your Professional & Individual Vocabulary
I remember staying in a hotel in San Francisco where the receptionist was a young Mexican woman. When she spoke to me, she had a flawless American accent. Her pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation sounded completely natural.
She handed me my room key and then turned to speak to a friend nearby. To my surprise, I immediately heard a very strong Spanish accent. The contrast was remarkable. The same person had two completely different ways of speaking depending on the situation.
It made me realise something important: accent is not simply about the ability to speak a language — it is about adapting your speech to the environment, audience, and purpose.
The United States is an extremely competitive society, and in many professional environments, spoken communication can influence how people perceive your confidence, competence, and credibility. In some industries, a strong foreign accent may unfortunately create barriers, even when a person’s knowledge and qualifications are exceptional.
I believe that for many professionals, mastering professional communication — including vocabulary, pronunciation, rhythm, and delivery — becomes an essential part of career development.
Over the years, we have worked with many students on our elocution courses who were highly educated professionals, including diplomats and people with degrees in English Language and Literature. However, despite their academic achievements, their strong foreign accents sometimes prevented them from expressing their true potential.
This highlights a common challenge in language education.
Many people spend years learning English through books, grammar exercises, and academic study. They build a vast amount of knowledge in their minds, but when they speak, their pronunciation and speech patterns may prevent others from understanding them easily.
I remember a French PhD student who told me with frustration:
"I am a PhD, but people speak to me in pidgin English because of my strong French accent."
His problem was not intelligence, education, or vocabulary. His challenge was the connection between knowledge and spoken expression.
To address this, we have developed 9 iOS apps and 9 Android apps based on our 5 elocution books. They are designed to help learners master the patterns of English speech and accent while developing the speech muscles needed to produce English sounds with greater accuracy, clarity, and confidence.
However, pronunciation is only one part of effective communication.
We also encourage students to develop their individual and professional vocabulary. The language of a doctor is different from the language of a lawyer, an engineer, or a business professional. True fluency means being able to communicate naturally within your own field and daily life.
One of the most effective methods for improving speech is simple but powerful:
Record yourself speaking and choose topics that you regularly discuss in your professional and personal life. This allows you to identify the words, sounds, and speech patterns that need improvement, then practise them with focused repetition until they become natural.
Develop the habit of recording your speech daily for 2–5 minutes. Focus on topics you commonly discuss in your professional and personal life. Analyse your recording, identify 1–3 pronunciation patterns or sounds that need improvement, and practise them systematically using our apps and books from the Get Rid of Your Accent series.
Warmly
Olga Smith
www.batcsglobal.com
What Is the Most Difficult Diphthong in British English?
Students who take elocution lessons often find English diphthongs quite difficult to pronounce.
A diphthong is a voiced sound consisting of two vowel sounds glided together. There are eight diphthongs in English:
[ɪə] – hear – [hɪə]
[eɪ] – pay – [peɪ]
[eə] – pair – [peə]
[aɪ] – pie – [paɪ]
[aʊ] – how – [haʊ]
[əʊ] – boat – [bəʊt] - this diphthong does not exist in other languages, not even in American English
[ɔɪ] – boy – [bɔɪ]
[ʊə] – sewer – [sʊə]
The most difficult for most nationalities is diphthong [əʊ] – boat – [bəʊt].
When I started to work on it, I thought I would never be able to pronounce it correctly. Then, my tutor, Linda James, explained that if I break it into two parts, it will be easier. The first vowel is [ə] as in "the" and the second vowel is [ʊ] as in "book", and we glide from the first vowel into the second, making one complete sound [əʊ] as in "boat".
Most students make a mistake at the start of this diphthong: they round their lips for the [o] sound because it is easier, then glide to [u]. Whilst the correct way is to start with a neutral mouth position, mouth is slightly open, relaxed lips (not rounded, not pushed forward) and then move them into a slightly round position. Watch our video to make sure you place your mouth and lips correctly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fWj5raKwcE
Then practise it in Lesson 16 in the apps:
Android:
Elocution Lessons: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.batcs.accentukbegin
Get Rid of your Accent: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.batcs.accentukone
Business English Speech:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.batcs.accentukthree
iOS
Elocution Lessons: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/elocution-lessons/id1411601245
Get Rid of your Accent: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/get-rid-of-your-accent-uk1/id673687753
Business English Speech:https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/business-english-speech/id1447774697
More tips on www.batcsglobal.com
What Is the Most Important Aspect of Elocution?
People expect a technical answer to this question. Good articulation. Vowel placement. Breath support. Projection. These are the building blocks of good speech, and they matter. But after years of teaching elocution — and many more years of living with the results of it — I have come to believe that the most important aspect of elocution is none of these things.
It is this: the elevation of life through speech.
That may sound grand. It is meant to. Because what elocution does, at its best, is not simply correct the way a person sounds. It changes the way they move through the world.
I have watched people walk into a first lesson hunched under the weight of being misunderstood — not once, but daily, for years.
Professionals who dreaded chairing meetings.
Recently, I had a student from the North of England. He looked well off and sounded highly intelligent. He worked all his life in the oil industry. Recently, he divorced, and his reason for having elocution lessons with me was: "I want to meet a better class of women; that is why I want to work on my speech."
Elocution does not just improve pronunciation. It opens up more opportunities.
That is elevation.
Good elocution tutors know how to remove the static. And that, I believe, is the highest purpose of elocution. It is a profound, entirely practical act of helping a person to express thoughts, emotions and beliefs with clarity, power and authenticity.
Warmly
Olga Smith
Do I need an Elocution Tutor in the Age of AI?
As a published of elocution apps, books and video courses and as a person with a strong foreign accent in the past, I learned that mastering speech has different levels and different efficiency.
I also run speech/elocution courses and classes for diplomats and professionals and the most frequent question they ask: How many lessons do I need?
My answer is this: book your speech analysis, then I can tell you how many lessons roughly you would need.
I do not see many advantages of Speech training offered by AI.
I am particularly disturbed by a computer generated voice.
Moreover, even advanced AI speech training is shallow and unstructured, there are no patterns to learn.
With AI, students just repeat but without specific feedback about their speech organ position which AI cannot offer, such training often leads to repeating the same pronunciation mistakes. Because only an experienced elocution tutor with professional pronunciation training can tell what is happening in the mouth: is the tongue high or low, is the jaw open or half-open.
People who take our elocution lessons often tell us: I wish I came to you 20 years ago, my life would have been different.
Indeed, good speech is a key to a better life. The sooner if master it the sooner you will enjoy the benefits.
Warmly
Olga Smith
British Accent Training: Introduction
British accent training consists of several parts.
We recommend starting by mastering RP vowel sounds.
Each vowel sound has a specific speech organ position.
Start your training by learning how to place your tongue, lips and jaw for a particular sound first:
Get Rid of Your Accent Part One video course helps to see and understand how the sounds are formed in the mouth.
Practising each sound for 3 days, 20 minutes a day in words, sentences and verses with the app or book will train your muscle memory to produce the correct sound automatically.
To start your practice today, download the Get Rid of Your Accent UK1 App on iOS/Android
Apps functionality
🎧 Listen & Repeat – Hear model pronunciation for every sound
🎤 Record & Compare – Match your voice against native speakers
The book Get Rid of Your Accent Part One (available on Audible/Amazon) would be perfect for those who prefer audio, paperback, or Kindle versions.
To book your individual speech analysis visit:
https://www.batcsglobal.com/contact
Warmly
Olga Smith
Does It Really Matter to Have a Strong Accent?
In 2004, I, Olga Smith, was looking for an elocution tutor. My American husband could not understand some of the words I was saying. People often asked me to repeat what I said. Then I was saying it in the same way; it was a vicious circle. I felt my foreign accent was a nuisance for me and others.
After a long, difficult search and failed attempts with numerous "elocution tutors”, I found Linda James, a qualified phonetician with 20+ years of teaching speech in London drama schools and accent reduction to international professionals. From the very first lesson, I fell in love with Linda's teaching method and could see the progress straight away.
In 2006, I told Linda I wanted to write a book based on her method and asked her to co-author it. I wanted to make Linda's exclusive and very enjoyable lessons available to a wide audience. This is how the international bestselling book Get Rid of Your Accent, Part One (Audible/Amazon) was born.
Linda and I later co-authored Parts Two - Advanced Level and Three - for Business, and our most recent book is Get Rid of Your Accent for Beginners.
We recently created accompanying video courses for the mentioned above apps:
All our books have been converted into iOS and Android apps by developer Yury Kravchenko. Yury himself had a strong Russian accent, and his elocution tutor recommended our Get Rid of Your Accent book. He enjoyed the book and the progress he was making with it. Yury proposed turning the entire series into apps:
British English
4Ps, Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause
American English
Today, nearly 20 years later, what started as my personal struggle has become a global resource.
If you've ever felt held back by your accent — in meetings, on stage, or simply in conversation — I want you to know: clear, confident speech is a skill. And like any skill, it can be learned.
Whether you prefer books, apps, video courses, or 1-to-1 coaching, we have a path for you:
📗 Bestselling books on Amazon & Audible
📱iOS & Android apps (British & American English)
🎓 Video courses on Udemy
🎙️ Online & in-person coaching in London
Find free tips on www.batcsglobal.com
Warmly
Olga Smith
How to Enjoy Elocution?
Elocution does not have to be a long and exhausting practise. It works whe it is consistent.
It can be a lot of fun.
Do not wait for a perfect moment.
Let’s say you have a spare 5 minutes before starting an important meeting or task, or you are waiting for something.
Waiting can be boring.
Instead of another coffee or useless social media scrolling, take your phone and start practising with the app for 5 minutes.
Listen to amusing sentences and verses, repeat, record yourself, and then listen to how your speech becomes more precise and clear.
I recommend downloading all our apps to give yourself a variety of practice:
British English
American English
Do not wait for a perfect moment, practise one lesson today for 5 minutes.
Try not to miss a day of elocution practice.
Warmly
Olga Smith
How to Develop Confident Business English Speech?
In order to develop confidence when speaking English in business, practise business vocabulary with Received Pronunciation, good vocal variety and English intonation patterns:
Start with the book Get Rid of your Accent for Business, Part Three
and an accompanying app Business English Speech (iOS/Android)
About the book:
Get Rid of Your Accent for Business, Part 3 is a groundbreaking first of its kind — the only book on the market that combines Received Pronunciation training with contemporary business vocabulary to communicate with authority in the workplace.
This book is based on the material we prepared for our elocution lessons and accent-reduction courses for diplomats and professionals. Below is what our clients told us before they mastered their speech:
"If I don't speak clearly, I will just remain a junior IT guy making peanuts who is staring at the computer all day and never even allowed to go to meetings." — Yago, IT Consultant
"My boss told me: If I don't lose my accent, I will lose my job." — Gulnara, Financial Advisor
"In our company, we have two bosses: a Japanese one who does everything, and an English one who does very little apart from talking, but makes more money as he has great speech and presentation skills!" — Judy, Marketing Firm
The book covers:
🔤 Long vowels, short vowels, diphthongs and consonants — with clear speech organ positioning guides for every target sound
💼 Contemporary business words and expressions used in today's professional world
✍️ Quotes and proverbs that make learning both effective and enjoyable
🔗 Contractions, silent letters and French expressions used by educated English speakers
🗣️ Warm-up articulation exercises to build crisp, dynamic speech from day one
The Method
As with our previous books, the approach is rooted in drama-school technique:
Understand the precise positioning of lips, tongue and jaw for each sound
Build muscle memory through words, phrases, sentences, verses and tongue-twisters — 10% theory, 90% practice.
All exercises are supported by audio tracks recorded by professional actors, available on Audible and through the companion app Business English Speech
Get Rid of Your Accent for Business is the definitive guide for any professional who understands that how you speak can be just as important as what you say.
👉 Available on Amazon and in UK Flagship book stores such Foyles and Waterstones.
How to Pronounce the /w/ Sound?
/w/ sound does not exist in many languages, for example, in Hindi, Russian, French, and Hebrew.
My native language was Russian, and it took me 6 months to strengthen my lip muscles in order to pronounce this sound correctly without thinking about it. In the past, I was substituting it with the /v/, and people could not understand me. As you can see from the examples below, the meaning of the word changes if the pronunciation of the /w/ sound is incorrect:
wet - vet, west - vest, whale - vale, wane - vain, worse -verse, wheel - veal.
If you want to achieve great results, practise the long /u:/ sound for three days, Lesson 2 and then /w/ sound, Lesson 25, in the apps:
You will feel your lip muscles getting used to the forward position. The practice will take 10-20 minutes a day.
307. The Day I Recorded Myself and Got a Shock
I was confident. I thought my English was excellent.
I had a linguistics degree, an MBA, and I had been living and working in London for years. I genuinely believed I communicated well.
Then one day I recorded myself.
I played it back and I was shocked. I could not understand some of the words I was saying. Not because my vocabulary was wrong or my grammar was poor — but because my sounds were unclear, my speech very quiet, and what felt clear inside my head was actually quite difficult to follow from the outside.
That recording changed everything.
Not because it embarrassed me. But because it fascinated me. As a linguist I immediately wanted to understand the gap between how we sound in our own heads and how we actually sound to others.
That gap, I discovered, is where some communication problems live.
Here is what I found after years of research and teaching:
The professionals who struggle most are rarely struggling because of where they are from. They are struggling because of unclear sounds, rushed speech, swallowed endings and hesitant delivery.
These are technical problems. With technical solutions.
I know because I solved them myself — systematically, as a linguist. And that process became the Get Rid of Your Accent series — books, apps and video courses now used by international professionals in over 40 countries.
The recording feature in our apps exists for exactly this reason.
Because you cannot fix what you cannot hear. And most people — just like me — have never actually listened to themselves properly.
Try this today: Record yourself for 60 seconds talking about your work. Play it back. Listen not as yourself — but as a stranger hearing you for the first time.
What do you notice?
That moment of honest listening — however uncomfortable — is where transformation begins.
I'd love to know — have you ever recorded yourself and been surprised by what you heard? Share in the comments below.
Warmly, Olga Smith
296. The List of Our Apps, Books and Video Courses
Choose your format and product: iOS / Android
Public speaking:
Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause
British English
iOs Apps:
Elocution Lessons
Get Rid of your Accent UK1
Business English Speech
Fluent English Speech
Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause
Android Apps:
Elocution Lessons
Get Rid of Your Accent
Business English Speech
Fluent English Speech
Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause
Books:
Get Rid of your Accent for Beginners
Get Rid of your Accent Part One
Get Rid of your Accent Part Two, Advanced Level
Get Rid of your Accent for Business, Part Three
Pace, Pitch, Pause, Power: Public Speaking Skills Training Manual
Video Courses:
Get Rid of your Accent Part One
Get Rid of your Accent Part Two
American English
American Accent App
Available on Android
294. Accent Reduction Method
⭐ How Our Method Works
Step 1: Practice the sounds that challenge you most
Start with your video course, app or book.
Focus on the specific sounds that are difficult for your nationality.
Track your progress with exercises and recordings built into the apps.
Step 2: Work on fluency and intonation
Gradually practice words, sentences, and natural speech patterns.
Apply your learning in real-life speaking situations, like meetings, presentations, and conversations.
Step 3: Optional Personalised Support: Speech Analysis & Elocution Lessons
How Sounds are Produced
You learn how to physically produce sounds correctly:
Where to place your tongue and
How to shape your lips;
Jaw position: open, half-open or half-closed, etc. Many people have very stiff jaw muscles, which affects pronunciation.
Fluency Training Involves:
Connected speech patterns
Sentence stress
Natural flow of speech
Strong and weak forms of words
Schwa and fluency
Difficult speech patterns: words anding s and consinant clusters
Use of colloquial expressions and idioms
Intonation
293. How Long Does It Take to Get Rid of Accent?
How long will it take me to get rid of my accent?
This is one of the most common questions we’re asked—and the honest answer is: it depends.
Your progress is highly individual and influenced by several factors. Accents are deeply connected to muscle memory and personal identity, so changing them takes time and consistent practice.
Here are four key factors that affect how quickly you can get rid of your accent:
1. Your native language
Some languages are closer to English than others. For example, speakers of Italian or German may find it easier to adapt to English pronunciation, while speakers of Japanese or Chinese often face more differences to overcome.
2. How long you’ve been speaking English
The longer you’ve used certain pronunciation patterns, the more ingrained they become. Changing established habits takes time—but it’s absolutely possible.
3. When you started learning English
Early exposure can make pronunciation more intuitive, but starting later doesn’t mean you can’t make significant progress.
4. Your listening ability (“your ear”)
Some people naturally pick up sounds and rhythm more easily, while others need more focused listening practice. The good news is that this skill can be trained.
Here’s a realistic timeline (if you practice regularly):
1-2 weeks: You’ll start noticing specific sounds
1–3 months: Your speech becomes clearer and easier for others to understand.
6–12 months: You can sound quite close to your target accent in many situations.
1+ year: Near-native fluency is possible, but subtle traces of your original accent often remain.
What speeds it up:
Daily speaking practice (even 15–45 mins)
Recording yourself and comparing
Shadowing native speakers (copying rhythm + intonation)
Focusing on patterns, not just individual words
291. Confusing Sounds for Japanese, Chinese and Spanish Speakers of English
Many English learners struggle with certain pronunciation sounds, especially when those sounds do not exist in their native language. Based on my experience teaching students from Japan, Spain and China, two of the most common pronunciation mistakes involve the /v/ and /b/ sounds, and the /l/ and /r/ sounds.
Confusing /v/ and /b/ sounds change the meaning of words:
berry - very
boat - vote
The /v/ sound is made by placing your top teeth on your bottom lip and letting air pass through.
The /b/sound is made purely with lips: the lips are pressed tightly together and suddenly move to allow the compressed air to escape in a small explosion
Practise articulation exercises 3 times a day for a week, repeat each line 3 times:
Vet, vote, very, van, veal
Virtually everyone voted to leave the village undeveloped.
Bet, boat, berry, ban, bill
The brace of brown birds was bagged by Billy Butler.
The second most common mistake for Japanese, Chinese and Spanish Speakers of English is mixing up /l/ and /r/ sounds:
light - right
glass - grass
To pronounce the /l/ sound, the tip of the tongue touches the alveolar ridge.
To pronounce the /r/, the tip of the tongue curls back but does not touch the roof of the mouth.
Practise articulation exercises 3 times a day for a week, repeat each line 3 times:
link, lake, love, late, loan
The lanky Lord of London built a castle and a mill.rat, right, role, ring, rock
Three red lorries drove over the rusty railway bridge.
Pronunciation improves with consistent practice. Spend just a few minutes every day repeating these exercises, and you will notice your clarity and confidence improving. Small daily practice can make a big difference. With patience and practice, the correct pronunciation will become your second nature.
You can find more exercises for these sounds in Lessons 26, 35, 33, 42 in the app Get Rid of your Accent (British English) and American Accent App (American English)
Warmly
Olga Smith
289. One-Minute Tongue Exercise to Improve Pronunciation
Most people trying to improve their English pronunciation focus on learning more vocabulary or memorising rules. But pronunciation is actually a muscle skill.
Like any muscle skill, sometimes a tiny exercise can make a huge difference.
Here’s a simple one-minute tongue exercise you can try right now:
Step 1: Place your tongue on the alveolar ridge, about 1 cm above and behind your top teeth.
Step 2: Tap your tongue lightly against that spot. Do this rhythmic exercise from the app Get Rid of your Accent, Lesson 27:
t-t-t-t-t
tt-tt-tt-t
ttt-ttt-ttt-t
tttt-tttt-tttt-t
Step 3: Practise the sound in words, sentences and verses:
time, today, test, talk, terrible, torts, table, tennis, try, tend
Two toads totally tired of trying to trot to Tetbury
You’ll notice your /t/ sound becomes clearer and sharper.
Many learners keep their tongue too low or too relaxed, which makes pronunciation sound unclear. This quick exercise wakes up the tongue position used in many English consonants /t, d, l, n/: Lessons 27a, 27b, 30, 33 from the app Get Rid of your Accent.
Think of it like a one-minute warm-up for your mouth.
Try it before:
a meeting
a presentation
a job interview
recording a video
Small habits like this can improve clarity more than hours of passive listening.
Do this exercise 3 times a day for one week and notice how much easier certain sounds feel.
Sometimes improving your pronunciation isn’t about studying more — it’s about training the right muscles that create the sound.
Have you tried any pronunciation warm-ups before?
Share your favourite technique in the comments
Warmly
Olga Smith
285. Accent myth: Adults can’t change their accent
Most students who come to our elocution courses and take elocution lessons are adults aged 30–65.
Almost all of them ask the same question:
“Is it possible at my age to change my accent?”
The short answer is yes.
In fact, 99% of our students are highly motivated, which is a key factor in their success. With our method and their dedication, they achieve remarkable results. Their speech becomes clear and easy to understand, and their accent becomes neutral, making it difficult for others to identify where they originally come from.
They are no longer placed in a box: French, German, Russian, or another nationality simply based on how they speak.
Many students later tell us that they wish they had started this process years earlier. They often explain that before coming to us, they had tried different tutors and courses, but the results were minimal.
At BATCS Global, we combine professional elocution training with specialised learning apps to help students practise every day, which is essential for lasting change.
So why do many accent reduction attempts fail?
From our experience working with adult learners, there are two common reasons why accent training does not produce results.
1. An Unqualified Tutor
Accent training requires specialised knowledge. Only a trained phonetician understands how sounds are formed in the mouth and how to correct pronunciation effectively.
A general English tutor usually has limited training in phonetics and pronunciation mechanics.
Other professionals focus on different areas:
Speech therapists specialise in correcting speech disorders and problems with speech organs.
Voice coaches focus on voice projection and vocal quality.
While both professions are valuable, their training is not focused on accent reduction. Nevertheless, speech therapists and voice coaches sometimes promise accent improvement, which often leads to disappointing results.
Accent reduction requires phonetic expertise, structured exercises, and a proven methodology.
2. Irregular and Insufficient Practice
Even with an excellent teacher, success depends on consistent practice.
Accent training works best when students practise every day using targeted exercises. Regular repetition trains the muscles involved in speech and helps build new pronunciation habits.
This is why we developed a range of specialised video courses, iOS and Android training apps that allow students to practise anywhere and reinforce what they learn during lessons.
Three apps to master all the sounds of Received Pronunciation:
An accompanying video course for these three apps: Get Rid of your Accent Part One
One app to master intonation, sentence stress, fluency and connoceted speech patterns:
An accompanying video course for these three apps: Get Rid of your Accent Part Two
One app to master public speaking skills
American English Speech Apps
For learners who want to master American pronunciation, we offer:
Accent-Specific Training Apps
Some learners need targeted help with pronunciation patterns typical of certain languages. For this purpose, we developed:
These apps focus on correcting the most common pronunciation challenges for speakers of those languages.
The Key to Success
Changing your accent as an adult is absolutely possible. What it requires is:
Expert phonetic guidance
Structured exercises
Daily practice
With the right method, consistent effort, and the support of tools such as the training programmes and apps developed by BATCS Global, adults can achieve clear, confident, and neutral English speech.
Many of our students tell us the same thing after completing their training:
“I only wish I had started sooner.”
Ready to Transform Your Speech?
If you want to change the way you speak English and reduce your accent, the most important step is to start with a professional speech analysis.
At BATCS Global, we offer students an individual speech analysis that identifies the exact pronunciation patterns affecting their speech. During this process, our trained phoneticians analyse:
how you produce individual sounds
stress and rhythm patterns
intonation and speech melody
pronunciation habits and speech patterns influenced by your native language
This detailed assessment allows us to create a personalised training plan targeting only the sounds and speech patterns that need correction. You will get a written report.
Because the training becomes precise and focused, students typically achieve results up to 80% faster compared with general pronunciation practice or traditional language lessons.
Instead of guessing what to improve, you will know exactly what to work on and how to practise effectively.
Combined with our structured lessons and specialised pronunciation apps, this approach helps learners achieve results very fast.
Take the first step today. Visit batcsglobal.com and book your individual speech analysis with BATCS Global to start transforming the way you speak.
Olga Smith
283. 4 Mistakes in a 4-Letter Word
Are you mispronouncing these common English words? Many professionals do, and it can affect clarity.
These words are: “work, word, worm”
I am a non-native English Speaker. It took me several lessons with my speech tutor and a few months of strengthening my lip muscles to pronounce these words correctly. Before learning and mastering the correct pronunciation, I made 3 mistakes in these 4-letter words
The first word: “work”
Mistake N1
The /w/ sound does not exist in my native language, and I used to substitute it with the /v/ sound as in “vet”.
Mistake N2
In my Native lanaguage, we pronounce all letters, so I pronounced the/r/ sound, but in British English, it is not pronounced in this word
Mistake N3
The long /ɜː/ sound as in “Sir” does not exist in my native language either, and I used to pronounce it as /o/.
Mistake N4
Long words do not exist in my native language, and I could not pronounce the /ɜː/ as “Sir” as a long vowel
The result of these 4 mistakes:
Instead of “work” /wɜːk/ I was pronouncing /vɔrk/
Instead of “word” /wɜːd/ I was saying /vɔrd/
Instead of “worm” //wɜːm/ I was saying /vɔrm/
How To Do Right
Many learners of English struggle with these words. Because it is really a tough combination:
For the /w/ sound, your lips should go forward into a tight whistle- shape circle for a split second, and then they should be pushed back into the neutral position.
For the /ɜː/ as “Sir”, the lips should be in a relaxed, neutral position.
Pro Tip: Push lips forward and then quickly move them into the neutral position and keep them there for much longer to pronounce the long /ɜː/ sound.
What often happens is that students keep their lips forward in the round poision for too long and instead of /ɜː/ they say /ɔː/
“walk -“work”
Practice
Repeat each sentence 3 times:
The word werm is hard work.
I worked one term as a nurse.
I wanted to help many people and published apps where you can practise all English sounds. Practise /ɜː/ in lesson 5 and /w/ in lesson 25 with the apps:
Warmly
Olga Smith
278. Executive Presence (3/4): Speech & Voice
In the third edition of my Executive Presence series, I’ll break down the features of executive language—and what undermines it. We’ll look at what to say, what to avoid, and how to speak with authority and a strong presence.
Words That Weaken Your Presence
Softening statements with “just,” “maybe,” or “I’m not sure”.
Instead of them, use definite verbs and deadlines, for example: “let’s get this done by 2 pm”, “I need this report on my desk by 4 pm today”.
Swear words and rude words.
Be careful and pause, select words carefully. If you cannot find an appropriate word, feel frustrated, pause.
Filler words such as "eeh, uh, like, basically, you know", etc.
Substitute them with pauses.
Executive Language Features
Concision. Executive language is clear and economical. “Brevity is the soul of wit.” — William Shakespeare.
Instead of: “I just wanted to quickly touch base and kind of go over a few thoughts I had regarding the project.”
Say: “Let’s review the key points of the project.”
Specific words. Executive language avoids vague expressions and replaces them with precise, measurable terms.
Instead of: “We need to improve results.” Say: “We need to increase revenue by 10% this quarter.”
Instead of: “There are some issues.” Say: “We’re facing delays in delivery and a 5% budget overrun.”
Specific language communicates control, direction, and leadership.
How to Say It
Stress key messages and use optimistic and uplifting intonation. Download the app Fluent English Speech to master sentence stress and intonation.
Use pitch and pace strategically to enhance clarity and authority. Download the app Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause and have a few elocution lessons to master the 4Ps of public speaking.
Articulate clearly and precisely. Strong articulation reinforces credibility and presence. You can master it with the app Get Rid of your Accent.
In the final edition of this series, I will focus on the body language and nonverbal cues that complete executive presence.
Warmly
Olga Smith
277. Executive Presence (1/4): The Components
In our elocution lessons, we don’t focus only on speech and accent. We also help students develop a stronger presence and greater confidence overall.
This is something many of our students actively want to work on — what is often called executive presence.
With this article, I’m starting an Executive Presence series based on more than 20 years of teaching and coaching top-level professionals and diplomats.
In this edition, I’ll walk you through five core components of executive presence, explain why they matter, and show how they work together.
You can think of executive presence much like a good golf swing. It isn’t built on one single movement, but on several elements working together — posture, balance, timing, and follow-through. If one part is off, the entire swing suffers. Executive presence works the same way.
The five core components are:
Authenticity: the ability to act as your true self without pretence
Physical presence: energy level, dress code, fitness level
Confidence: ability to act decisively
Body language: eye contact, gestures, posture
Speech and voice: pronunciation, articulation, voice modulation and use of pauses
The key point is this: to look and feel truly confident, a person must be authentic. Confidence is communicated through actions and body language — gestures, eye contact, and tone of voice. Clear speech and good articulation further strengthen executive presence and how others perceive you. In just a few seconds, your physical presence communicates a great deal about you, including energy level and overall status. All these components send signals about who you are and determine how people treat you.
In the next editions of this series, I’ll share practical techniques you can use to build executive presence and show you how to remove the obstacles that often get in the way.
Warmly
Olga Smith
www.batcsglobal.com
271. How to Become a Successful Speech, Elocution, and Accent Reduction Tutor
In today’s globalised world, effective communication is more important than ever. Many people seek guidance to improve their speech clarity, elocution, and accent. If you want to become a good and well-paid speech, elocution, and accent reduction tutor, here is a comprehensive guide on how to excel in this field.
1. Develop Your Expertise
Before you can teach, you need a solid foundation. Understanding the mechanics of speech is essential. Focus on:
Phonetics and Phonology: Learn how sounds are produced and how they differ across languages and dialects.
Articulation and Pronunciation: Master the positioning of the tongue, lips, and jaw to produce accurate sounds.
Intonation, Stress, and Rhythm: Train to help clients sound natural and fluent in their target accent. To obtain this knowledge efficiently, use professional apps and books that contain over 25 years of teaching experience by a top London speech coach:
British English Books and Accompanying Apps:
Get Rid of your Accent for Beginners. The accompanying app: Elocution Lessons
The accompanying app: Get Rid of your Accent UK1
Get Rid of your Accent Part Two, Advanced Level. The accompanying apps: Fluent English Speech and Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause
Get Rid of your Accent for Business, Part Three. The accompanying app: Business English Speech
Pace, Pitch, Pause, Power: Public Speaking Skills Training Manual. The accompanying app: Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause
The book Get Rid f your Accent For Beginners contains a whole chapter with tips and drils for teachers to make their lessons fun and enjoyable
American English Apps:
The Audio and Kindle book: GET RID OF YOUR ACCENT, PART ONE AND TWO: GENERAL AMERICAN ACCENT TRAINING MANUAL, Second Edition
2. Hone Your Teaching Skills
Knowing how to speak clearly is one thing—teaching it effectively is another. To become an excellent tutor:
Be Patient and Empathetic: Accent reduction can be a sensitive subject. Do not jump on students’ speech with corrections; use a measured pace and a calm, friendly attitude.
Adapt Your Approach: Every learner is unique. Tailor lessons to individual needs, learning speeds, and goals.
Praise often, do not overcorrect: Let a student feel that they are making continuous progress. Focus on actionable corrections, celebrate small wins to build confidence.
Make your lessons enjoyable: The book Get Rid of your Accent for Beginners contains a whole chapter with tips and drills for teachers to make their lessons enjoyable and fun!
3. Gain Practical Experience
Practical experience is invaluable. Start by:
Offering free or low-cost sessions to friends, colleagues, or community groups.
Observing experienced tutors and noting their techniques.
Recording your own practice sessions to analyse your teaching style and speech clarity.
The more you practice teaching, the better you’ll understand common challenges and how to address them effectively.
4. Build Trust and Professionalism
Your reputation as a tutor depends on your reliability and professionalism. Key strategies include:
Establishing clear lesson plans and learning objectives.
Communicating openly about progress and areas needing improvement.
Being punctual, organised, and prepared for each session.
Maintaining a positive, encouraging learning environment.
5. Market Yourself Effectively
Once you’ve honed your skills, it’s time to attract clients. You can:
Build a professional website highlighting your expertise and testimonials.
Create Quora and Reddit Profiles. Answer questions related to English Speech.
Publish LinkedIn Newsletter
Use social media to share tips, exercises, and success stories.
Network with language schools, corporate training programs, and public speaking clubs.
You can find free tips and resources on www.batcsglobal.com and contact me directly to get professional advice.
Warmly
Olga Smith