235. The Power of Three

Have you noticed how often the power of three shows up in our daily lives? A good meal consists of a starter, a main course, and a dessert. A good day includes work, rest, and play.

Take my belly dancing class today. It felt amazing because it had:

1️⃣ A nice warm-up

2️⃣ A well-paced rehearsal of our routine for the upcoming show

3️⃣ A wonderfully relaxing stretch to finish

The same principle applies to public speaking. A strong speech always has:

1️⃣ An engaging introduction

2️⃣ An interesting main part

3️⃣ A memorable conclusion

And yes, even in elocution lessons, the pattern holds true:

1️⃣ Warm-up muscular exercises

2️⃣ Practising a sound or speech pattern

3️⃣ A fun verse or rhyme exercise at the end

Why does this work? Because our brains love structure. Three feels complete, balanced, and easy to remember. If you’d like to apply the power of three to your own speech and communication, you can explore my apps:

Now, I’d love to hear from you. What’s an example of the power of three in your own life? Share it in the comments—I can’t wait to read your ideas

232. Overcoming the Fear of Speaking English in Public

Speaking English in public can feel intimidating, even for people who have studied the language for years. The fear of making mistakes, being misunderstood, or sounding “different” is common—but the good news is that it can be managed and overcome with the right mindset and practical techniques.

Why We Fear Public Speaking in English

There are several reasons why speaking English in front of others can feel scary:

1. Fear of Mistakes
Worrying about mispronunciation or grammar errors can make you hesitant to speak at all.

2. Lack of Confidence
Not being sure about your vocabulary or fluency can make public speaking stressful.

3. High Expectations
Many people compare themselves to native speakers and feel pressure to “sound perfect.”

Understanding the cause of your fear is the first step to addressing it.

Practical Steps to Build Confidence

Here are some strategies that can help you speak more confidently in English, whether in meetings, presentations, or social situations:

1. Start Small
Practice speaking English in low-pressure situations—like ordering a meal, speaking with friends, or reading out loud at home. Small wins help build confidence gradually.

2. Focus on Clarity, Not Perfection
Instead of worrying about sounding like a native speaker, aim to be clear and understandable. Your audience values clarity more than perfect pronunciation.

3. Use Pauses Effectively
Pausing after each idea gives you time to think and reduces nervousness. Practising Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause (4Ps) can make your speech more natural and easier to follow.

4. Record and Listen to Yourself
Recording your voice and listening back allows you to notice your strengths and areas for improvement. Apps like Get Rid of Your Accent or Fluent English Speech provide guided exercises for intonation, articulation, and fluency, making this process easier.

5. Practice Public Speaking Gradually
Start with a small audience, then gradually increase the number of listeners. Toastmasters, online language meetups, or even speaking to family members can help you practice in a supportive environment.

Mindset Matters
Remember, everyone makes mistakes, even native speakers. Mistakes are part of the learning process and do not define your ability to communicate effectively. Celebrate your uniqnes and your progress, no matter how small, and be patient with yourself.

Final Thought
Overcoming the fear of speaking English in public takes practice, patience, and perseverance. Start small, focus on clarity, and gradually challenge yourself. With consistent effort, you’ll progress and feel proud of your progress.

Useful Tip
Incorporate a few minutes of daily practice with guided exercises from apps like Get Rid of Your Accent or Fluent English Speech—you’ll be amazed at how quickly your confidence grows.

More on www.batcsglobal.com

231. Get Rid of Russian Accent

This app is designed especially for Russian speakers who want to reduce their accent and speak clear, confident English. Based on the bestselling series Get Rid of Your Accent, it combines proven elocution lessons with step-by-step practice. All speech organ positions are translated into Russian, making it easy for learners to master English sounds and correct pronunciation quickly.

Why It Works

Trusted by actors, diplomats, teachers, and business professionals, this accent app helps you:

  1. Understand how each English sound is formed with Russian explanations

  2. Practise pronunciation, articulation and intonation

  3. Master all sounds of Received Pronunciation (RP) – also called Queen’s English, Oxford English, or BBC English

  4. Improve fluency for public speaking and everyday conversation

App Content

  • 48 lessons with words, phrases, short sentences, verses, and articulation drills, tongue twisters, rhythmic exercises, and passages

  • Audio recordings of native English speakers for accurate English pronunciation

Functionality

  1. Listen & Repeat– copy pronunciation, liaisons, and intonation

  2. Record & Compare – hear your voice and track your progress

With regular practice, you will:

• Neutralise your Russian accent within 1–3 months

• Speak English that is clear and easy to understand

• Gain confidence for teaching, studying, or working internationally

• Sound professional and fluent in English communication

Meet the Authors

Linda James (RAM, Dip. Ed., IPD, LRAM), Speech and Drama coach, trained at the Royal Academy of Music, with 20+ years of experience teaching RP and accent reduction in London drama schools, films, and TV.

Olga Smith (BA Linguistics, MBA), Linguist, public speaker, and co-author of the best-selling *Get Rid of Your Accent book series. Having overcome her own strong Russian accent, Olga brings practical expertise to learners worldwide.

Visit www.batcsglobal.com to book a professional speech analysis.

228. Fluent American Speech App

Based on the international bestseller Get Rid of Your Accent Part One and Two, General American Accent Training Manual, ISBN 9780955330087, this app helps you reduce your accent, perfect your American English pronunciation, and speak fluently with confidence.

With practical elocution lessons and vocal techniques, Fluent American Speech explains the rules of difficult American speech patterns, intonation, and sentence stress. Step by step, you’ll learn how to neutralise your accent and achieve a clear, natural speaking style.

App Content

  • Contractions for natural fluency

  • Liaisons for smooth connections between words

  • Strong and weak forms for authentic speech

  • Intonation and sentence stress for clarity and impact

  • Difficult word endings & silent letters with guided practice

Functionality
1. Native model audio tracks
2. Listen & repeat training
3. Record your voice
4. Compare pronunciation instantly

What You’ll Gain:

1. A fluent American accent in just 1–3 months of practice

2. Confidence in social and professional English speech as well as in public speaking

3. Improved job prospects, education, and social interactions

4. A professional voice that sounds natural, clear, and persuasive

Whether you want to get rid of your accent, prepare for public speaking, or simply improve your fluency in English, this accent app works like a personal coach in your pocket.

Start your journey to perfect American English pronunciation and fluency today and watch your career and social life blossom!

227. Business English Speech App

Whether you want to neutralise your accent, speak with authority, or master business English fluency, this is your shortcut to success in the global workplace. Based on the bestselling book Get Rid of Your Accent for Business by Linda James and Olga Smith, this app includes 43 lessons built on real business language from interviews with CEOs, CFOs, and managing directors of global companies.

 Why This App?

  • The most complete resource for Business English speech training

  • Written in the style of the Financial Times and The Economist

  • Covers finance, IT, law, HR, and marketing vocabulary

  • Used by professionals worldwide to advance their careers

  • Many of our clients have been promoted after improving their speech clarity and business communication with this app and lessons

 With this app, you will:
1. Neutralise your accent in as little as 1–3 months
2. Make your Business English clear and easy to understand
3. Improve presentation, negotiation, and public speaking skills
4. Speak with confidence and authority in professional settings
5. Expand your business vocabulary with up-to-date lingo
6. Master Received Pronunciation (RP) – the clear, neutral accent of educated English speakers

 App Content  

  • 43 structured lessons with audio guidance

  • Clear explanations of tongue, lip, and jaw placement for each English sound

  • Practice with words, phrases, sentences, idioms, tongue twisters, and business passages and interviews

  • Lessons on contractions, silent letters, and French expressions used in business

App Functionality

✔ Listen to professional model recordings

✔ Record your own voice and play it back

✔ Compare your speech with the model for instant feedback

✔ Train anytime, anywhere at your own pace

Meet the Authors

Linda James (RAM, Dip. Ed., IPD, LRAM), Speech and Drama coach, trained at the Royal Academy of Music, with 20+ years of experience teaching RP and accent reduction in London drama schools, films, and TV.

Olga Smith (BA Linguistics, MBA), Linguist, public speaker, and co-author of the best-selling *Get Rid of Your Accent book series. Having overcome her own strong Russian accent, Olga brings practical expertise to learners worldwide.

Visit www.batcsglobal.com to book a professional speech analysis.

225. Fluent English Speech App

The follow-up to the bestselling Get Rid of Your Accent UK1 app. Designed for learners who want to speak English fluently, clearly, and confidently—just like a native speaker.

App Contents
Part 1: Master difficult speech patterns — word endings, consonant clusters, schwa, strong & weak forms.
Part 2: Connected speech — learn to speak in natural phrases instead of separate words.
Part 3: Improve intonation, sentence stress & rhythm — make your speech smooth, clear, and engaging.

Functionality
1. Native model audio tracks
2. Listen & repeat training
3. Record your voice
4. Compare pronunciation instantly

With this app, you will:

  • Develop English fluency and natural flow

  • Improve pronunciation, intonation & rhythm

  • Learn idioms & colloquial expressions to sound authentic

  • Reduce your foreign accent and speak with confidence

  • Boost career opportunities and personal impact through clear communication

    Meet the Authors

    Linda James (RAM, Dip. Ed., IPD, LRAM), Speech and Drama coach, trained at the Royal Academy of Music, with 20+ years of experience teaching RP and accent reduction in London drama schools, films, and TV.

    Olga Smith (BA Linguistics, MBA), Linguist, public speaker, and co-author of the best-selling *Get Rid of Your Accent book series. Having overcome her own strong Russian accent, Olga brings practical expertise to learners worldwide.

    Visit www.batcsglobal.com to book a professional speech analysis.

219. How to Reduce Your Accent in 3 Months or Less

Why Accent Reduction Can Be a Game-Changer

If you speak English as a second language, you might have noticed that sometimes people ask you to repeat yourself — not because your ideas aren’t good, but because your words aren’t clear. In professional settings, this can be frustrating and even limit your opportunities.

The good news? You don’t need years of training to make a noticeable difference. With the right tools and consistent practice, you can reduce your accent and speak English clearly in as little as three months.

Step 1: Understand How Accent Reduction Works

Accent reduction isn’t about erasing your identity — it’s about making your speech easier to understand. This means:

·        Correct pronunciation of English sounds

·        Clear word stress and intonation

·        Proper pace, pauses, and projection

Step 2: Use a Structured Accent Training Program

Random YouTube videos can help, but a structured accent reduction app like Get Rid of Your Accent gives you:

·        Step-by-step lessons for all English sounds

·        Audio models from native speakers

·        Record & compare tools to track progress

Step 3: Practice Daily for 15–20 Minutes

Just like going to the gym, you’ll see results if you train regularly. Focus on:

1. Repeating words, sentences and verses after the model

2. Recording yourself and spotting mistakes

3. Practising fluency in social phrases

Step 4: Apply Your New Skills in Real Conversations

Start using your improved pronunciation in meetings, networking events, or even casual chats with friends. The more you speak, the faster you’ll internalise your new habits.

 The Bottom Line

A heavy accent doesn’t have to hold you back. With consistent practice and the right guidance, you can sound clearer, more confident, and more professional — in just three months.

Start your transformation today with the Get Rid of Your Accent app — your personal accent reduction coach, right in your pocket.

218. The Role of Voice and Accent in Job Interviews

When it comes to landing your dream job, most people focus on polishing their résumé, practising common interview questions, and researching the company. But there’s another factor that plays a huge role in how you’re perceived — your voice and accent.

In a job interview, your words matter — but how you say them can matter even more.

 Why Your Voice Matters

Your voice is more than just a tool for communication — it’s part of your personal brand. The tone, pace, and clarity of your speech can instantly influence whether you come across as confident, competent, and trustworthy.

Here’s what interviewers often pick up on: 

1. Clarity – Clear speech signals professionalism and attention to detail.

2. Confidence – A steady, well-projected voice makes you sound self-assured.

3. Energy – A lively tone helps you sound engaged and interested in the role.

A nervous, rushed, or monotone delivery can unintentionally send the wrong message — even if your answers are perfect.

 Accent and First Impressions

In today’s global job market, accents are normal — but they can still affect comprehension. If an interviewer struggles to understand you, they might (consciously or unconsciously) question your ability to communicate effectively with clients, colleagues, or stakeholders.

This doesn’t mean you need to erase your accent entirely. But reducing a heavy accent and improving pronunciation can make your speech easier to follow, helping you connect with your interviewer and keep their focus on your skills and ideas — not on deciphering your words.

Key Skills to Improve Before Your Interview

If you want to make a strong vocal impression, focus on these areas: 

1. Pronunciation – Aim for crisp, accurate sounds, especially for common industry terms.

2. Pace – Slow enough to be clear, but not so slow that you lose momentum.

3. Pausing – Use pauses to emphasize key points and give the interviewer time to process.

4. Intonation – Add variety to your pitch to sound natural and engaging.

5. Volume & Projection – Speak loudly enough to be heard without sounding aggressive.

How to Train Your Voice for Interview Success 

Improving your voice and accent doesn’t have to take years — with targeted practice, you can make noticeable changes in just weeks.

Get Rid of Your Accent for Business app provides: 

Audio models of clear, neutral English speech.

Step-by-step lessons to improve pronunciation and intonation.

Record & compare tools to track your progress.

Practice materials based on real-world speaking situations, including interviews.

By training your ear, practising key sounds, and mastering vocal techniques, you can walk into your interview sounding confident, professional, and easy to understand.

Your qualifications get you in the door, but your communication skills can seal the deal. A clear, confident voice helps interviewers focus on you — your ideas, your expertise, and your potential. 

Ready to sound your best in your next interview?

Start training today with the Get Rid of Your Accent for Business app — your personal voice coach, right in your pocket.

217. The Ingredients of Boring Speech

Have you ever sat through a talk where you just couldn’t keep your eyes open? I have — and usually, it’s not because the topic was boring. It’s how the speaker delivered it.

 As a member of a public speaking club, I’ve noticed that many people don’t realize how dull their speech sounds to others. They’re not trying to be boring — it just happens.

Here are 6 reasons why a speech might put people to sleep:

 1. Monotonous tone

Speaking in a flat, unchanging voice that makes listeners zone out.

 2. Speaking too fast

Rushing through your points so quickly that no one can keep up.

 3. Long, complicated sentences

By the time you finish, the audience has already forgotten what you said at the start.

 4. Lack of emphasis

Failing to stress the important words that give meaning and energy to your message.

 5. No pauses

Skipping breaks between ideas, so listeners don’t get a chance to absorb what you’re saying.

 6. Using jargon or heavy accent

Speaking in a way that’s hard to understand because of technical terms or pronunciation.

 The good news? These are all fixable.

 With the right practice and tools, you can transform your speaking style and engage your audience — often in just a few weeks. There’s even an app designed to be your personal voice coach, helping you with everything from pacing to pronunciation:

Ready to make your next speech interesting and memorable? It’s easier than you think!

216. Disadvantages of poor voice projection

Have you ever felt invisible? You said something, and there was no reaction. You felt that what you said was not interesting enough to pay attention to. Most likely, people did not hear what you said.

The reason is poor voice projection. The power of our voice depends on breathing and lung capacity. Actors do regular exercises to master voice projection.

When your voice has power:

  • You appear and feel confident

  • You make it easier for people to follow you

  • People will be more likely to be persuaded that what you are saying is important

To master voice projection, I recommend 5 minutes of daily exercises from the app Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause. These exercises are easy yet very effective. You will see the results in a week.

More tips on www.batcsglobal.com

209. 7 features of the British Accent

There are over two hundred accents and dialects in Britain: Southern (RP), Northern, Scottish, Cockney, etc. RP or Received Pronunciation is taught to foreigners because it is understood around the world and is called Standard English. RP is also a compulsory accent for actors to learn in British drama schools. RP is associated with high class and good education, and many learn RP to blend in with the upper classes.

I am an expert in RP, and in this article, I will share my knowledge that will help you learn to speak with RP, the most popular British accent and avoid main pronunciation mistakes. Below are the main characteristics and patterns of the British accent.
1. Pure English vowels
There are five long and seven short pure English vowels. Each vowel has a specific speech organ position. Lean on long vowels; do not shorten them. It's important to mention that the meaning of the word may change if you shorten a long vowel. For example, if you don't pronounce long [i:] in the word "sheet" people will hear another word, "shit". Spend extra time to make sure your vowels are precise.
Pay extra attention to the long [a:] sound as in “dance”. In some American and Northern English, this sound is substituted by [æ] as in “cat”. Read my article about the [a:] sound.
2. Crisp articulation
English consonants are crisp, which makes the British accent very clear and precise.I recommend doing articulation exercises regularly. Crisp articulation is important for those who speak on the phone and deliver public speeches. The best app to train articulation is Get Rid of your Accent
3. [t, d, l, n] sounds
In RP, [t, d, l, n] are pronounced with the tip of the tongue touching the alveolar ridge. It helps to train your tongue. If the tongue is much lower, that creates a harsh "dental" sound.
In the Cockney accent, [t] sounds are substituted by a glottal stop in the middle of the word, for example, “water, later”. That makes speech hard to understand for those who are not used to hearing Cockney. In American English, [t, d] sounds in the middle of the word are substituted by the fast [d] sound.
4. Word endings [t, d. s, z]
It is important to pronounce [t, d. s, z] sounds at the end of the word in the past tense of verbs and the 3rd person singular. For example, Spanish speakers find it hard to pronounce [t] and [d] sounds at the end of the word, and that might create an impact that they don't know basic grammar, but it could be just a pronunciation mistake.
5. Spelling and pronunciation are not identical
English inherited foreign words from Latin, French, Dutch, and German. They kept the original spelling but anglicised the pronunciation.
One sound can have several spelling variations. Below are a few examples:
- The [a:] sound as in “father” can be spelt with “er” in words “Derby, clerk, sergeant”
- The [f] sound is usually spelt with “f” in words “ fake, fix, frame”, but it can also be spelt with “gh” in words “laugh, tough” or with “ph” in words “phone, philosophy”
- The [ʌ] sound as in “duck” can be spelt with "o" in words “oven, front, company”, or with “u” in words “bus, lunch, pub” and with “ou” in words “ country, double, trouble”.
6. Silent letters
Many letters are silent in English. For example:
- silent [w] in words “write, who, whimsical, wholesale”
- silent [l] in words “walk, talk, chalk”
-silent [h] in words “why, when, where”
7. The usage of the schwa [ə] as in “the” for speech fluency
The schwa is used to make the speech more fluent because many unstressed syllables and even unimportant words are pronounced with the schwa. For example, in the phrases “fish and chips, ”a cup of tea”, the schwa is highlighted.
It is used in contracting unimportant words for the meaning of the sentence or phrases.

More on www.batcsglobal.com

208. Earn Respect

The ability to own the respect of others is connected to our survival instinct. By and large, people respect us if they can rely on us, trust us, and see that we are useful to them.

I like observing people’s behaviour and reactions. I want to share with you my observations on the topic of respect.

People respect us unconsciously if we possess the following qualities:

1. Straight back and good posture - a sign of physical and spiritual strength
2. Confident eye contact and open gestures. These non-verbal clues signify openness and honesty. People who lie and lack confidence often cannot look straight in the eyes
3. Decent clothes and shoes, groomed appearance. This is the sign of high self-esteem
4. Good, clear speech. It is essential for easy communication. We maintain a friendly intonation that shows a positive attitude
5. Ability to keep a pause and talk to the point. This adds gravitas and weight to our words
6. Measured pace and relaxed way of doing things. When we are relaxed, others feel relaxed too
7. When we are grateful for what is offered to us and respect other people's space and time rather than beg, ask or push for more
8. Ability to listen to others.
9. Honour commitments
10. Respect the values of the society in which we operate
11. Respect people’s privacy

My findings revealed that people do not respect those who (despite their achievements):

1. Talk too much and do very little
2. Neither try to understand nor respect the values of the society in which they operate
3. Have a scruffy and ungroomed look that causes an emotion of disgust
4. Rush themselves and others, thus creating unnecessary stress that increases cortisol levels and damages health
5. Constantly ask for favours, try to take advantage of other people's time, space and resources
6. Rushed, unclear, badly articulated speech; intonation that transmits a toxic negative attitude
7. Make silly jokes
8. Waste their own and other people’s time
9. Do not keep their promise and overpromise
10. Have bad posture and a very hunched back
11. TMI - Give too much information about themselves and others, particularly private and sensitive information. Invade their privacy with inappropriate questions

We can conclude that to be respected, we do not have to earn millions, have a PhD or win a gold medal in the Olympics. To earn respect, we should think of the ways we can be useful and master the necessary attributes and skills that facilitate it. We should also exercise a degree of self-control. Whether we start a new job or join a new social group, often our survival in this group depends on whether we can earn their respect.

Let me bring an example from my life. When I had a strong foreign accent, people looked down on me, and my native intonation sounded a bit aggressive in English culture. These facts hindered my success. When I mastered my speech and intonation, I began to feel respected and even admired.
You can master your speech with the apps:
Elocution Lessons, Get Rid of your Accent, American Accent App, Fluent English Speech, Fluent American Speech, Business English Speech, and 4Ps, Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause.

More on www.batcsglobal.com

116. What habits should I develop to be more energetic?

My list of habits is based on my personal experience and I cannot guarantee it works for everyone, but it works for me. In order to feel energetic I do the following:

  1. Go to bed before 11.30 pm and ensure a good night's sleep of 7-9 hours. I perform Sundo belly button tapping and healing, stretching and toe-tapping

  2. A slow run or a walk in fresh air, a fast run takes my energy away and makes me tired, but a slow run or a walk improves my blood circulation and I feel great

  3. Set up daily goals and ticking boxes once I achieved them

  4. Communicate with people who I love and love me and make me laugh

  5. Eat delicious fresh food: mainly fresh seafood, salads and fruits

  6. Attend classical music concerts

  7. Swimming in the sea and pools

  8. Having short naps during the day

  9. Do things at a well-measured pace without rushing

  10. Planning activities well

It is equally important to remove certain activities from our lives in order to not waste or lose energy. I avoid:

  1. Alcohol

  2. Watching TV

  3. Shopping

  4. Talking too much and doing little

  5. Rushing, hustle and bustle

More on Get Rid of your Accent | Elocution Lessons

115. A very English sound /a:/ as in "car"

By Olga Smith

All people who take our elocution lessons start their speech training with this sound, it is the long [ɑː] vowel sound as in "father, car, clerk, calm". As you can see it has different spelling variations. In English, it is typical to have many spelling variations for a sound because English inherited many foreign words, they anglicised the pronunciation but left the original foreign spelling.

This exact English sound does not exist in many other languages and that is why it is absolutely essential to master it if you want to adopt RP (Received Pronunciation) or Standard British model of pronunciation.

There is a sound that is similar to the long [ɑː] sound and it exists in many languages, it is a cardinal vowel [ɑ] as in the French word "grave". Both sounds have an open jaw position. The placement of the tongue for the English sound is a slightly different, it is flat at the back of the mouth, but not quite so far back.

Foreign students often suffer from Americanisms because they learned English from American films and sitcoms. We recommend getting rid of them if you want to master RP.

Here is a list of words that are pronounced with a long [ɑː] sound in British English and with  short [æ] as in "cat" in American English:

"fast, example, demand, chancellor, dance, pass, past, can't, chance, answer, last, laugh, path"

This sound often has the letter /r/ in spelling and in British English you should not pronounce it, below are a few examples:
"bar, mark, party, garden, pardon, park, dark, art, star, hard, start, chart, heart, heart, smart". In General American /r/ is pronounced.

We have a wonderful video course where we make it absolutely clear how to produce this sound and all sounds of Received Pronunciation in the mouth. Once you know the exact placement of this sound, you can practise it with the apps ‎Get Rid of your Accent UK1, Business English Speech and Elocution Lessons.                    

113. The rule of communication

Great communication makes life wonderfully enjoyable. Many people who take our elocution lessons ask us how they can become good at expressing their thoughts and communicating them to others. The key word is “others.” This word defines the main rule of communication: think of others when communicating.
Ask yourself the following questions:

  1. Is what I am saying interesting to my listeners? Am I saying it in an interesting way?

  2. Is my speech clear to understand and follow?

  3. Can what I say in any way offend others?

  4. Do I understand a person I communicate with? Who is this person? What are their needs and wishes?

When people are eager to share their thoughts with others often get excited and speak without pauses which makes it hard to follow. Good communicators make pauses and allow listeners to absorb one idea at a time and get ready for the next one.

Many, particularly shy people, tend to avoid eye contact. Eye contact helps us to see if the person is engaged with what we are saying or not. It helps to connect with the person on a deeper level.

When people communicate on an international level they might find that not many people understand their accent because they are not used to hearing it. As a result, they are often asked to repeat themselves which can be frustrating and embarrassing for both parties.

You can finetune your communication with the apps Elocution Lessons, Get Rid of your Accent, Fluent English Speech, Business English Speech, 4Ps, Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause, American Accent App, and Fluent American Speech. There are also supporting video courses Get Rid of your Accent Part One and Get Rid of your Accent Part Two.

Thinking of others is a universal rule that works in other areas: if you want to be a good driver think of others and not just charge fast; if you want to be a good teacher it is not enough to showcase your knowledge, think of how you can best serve your students; if you want to be a good leader, think of empowering others; if your want to be a good business person, think of how you can satisfy the needs of others.

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112. The difference between the long /i:/ and the short /ɪ/ sounds

Many students who take our elocution lessons struggle to distinguish the long /i:/ as in “please” and the short /ɪ/ as in “big”. We found, that the long /i:/ is easier to pronounce for most nationalities.

The difference between these two sounds is in the tongue position. For the long /i:/ the front of the tongue goes up and for the short /ɪ/ the tongue position is only slightly lower. That difference is so slight and there is the difficulty.

It is important that students of English get it right. Below are a few examples that demonstrate the meaning of the word changes if they do not:

Long /i:/ Short /ɪ/

feel fill

leek lick

feet fit

deal dill

peak pick

I think my new shoes do not quite fit my feet.

Often our students ask us how they can know when to use the long /i:/ and to use the short /ɪ/. The first tip is spelling, the long /i:/ is spelt with “ee” and “ea” and the short /ɪ/ is spelt with “i”.

Secondly, students should practice both sounds and then comparison chapters with the books:

Get Rid of your Accent for Beginners, Get Rid of your Accent Part One and Get Rid of your Accent for Business, Part Three., and the apps:

Elocution Lessons, Get Rid of your Accent and Business English Speech.

It is advisable to take a few elocution lessons to make sure you are on the right track.

More on Get Rid of your Accent | Elocution Lessons

111. Slow down!

Many students who take our elocution lessons make the same mistake: they speak very fast and this results in a lot of pronunciation and punctuation mistakes. Fast speech can be difficult to listen to and irritating because the listeners cannot follow it. Even professional speakers such as TV presenters often make the mistake of speaking too fast. Slowing down is particularly important for public speakers.

There can be a number of reasons to speak fast. I will focus on the two obvious:

1. Feeling nervous. To overcome nervousness, we recommend that you take a couple of nice deep breaths to release the tension.

2. Fast brain 

A fast brain is something people are born with, you cannot change it.

One may ask: can I learn to slow down and overcome my fast brain that forces me to speak fast?

I personally have the tendency to speak fast. In this blog post, I will share with you a simple yet very effective exercise that can help you to slow down.

Exercises: 

1. When you speak, try to separate each idea of thought by using pauses. Count 1, 2, 3 in your head after each idea and allow yourself to breathe and relax. Don't link all ideas; don't deliver them all in one breath.

2. In a conversation with another person, make a pause after each question, do not jump on the answer straight away.

3. Read out loud using the punctuation. In your head, count 1,2,3 in place of a full stop, and count 1 in place of a comma. Make even longer pauses between paragraphs.

Conclusion 

To slow down, be disciplined with pauses. Take a few elocution lessons and practise pauses with the app 4Ps, Power,Pitch,Pace,Pause. 

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110. How can you be confident in talking in any place?

What are the ingredients of confident communication? Is it the knowledge of the topic discussed? Well, I personally know brilliant PhDs and scientists who know their subject really well, but when it comes to talking about it they often sound boring and feel shy. The number one reason why people take our elocution lessons is their lack of confidence when communicating.

During our elocution lessons, we recommend that students pay attention to their physical presence, maintain a good straight posture and have a confident way of moving their body.

Together we work on:

  1. Clarity of speech and articulation with the apps ‎Get Rid of your Accent UK1, ‎American Accent App, Business English Speech

  2. Voice projection

  3. Stressing the key messages

  4. Using pauses effectively

  5. Developing measured pace

  6. Speech structure, you can read our popular blog about it.


    Many students who take our elocution lessons tend to rush their speech and it takes time to slow down. They speak fast and try to say all they know in a short period of time. In order to sound clear and confident, it would be better to speak less and pay attention to how you speak.

    Another common problem is boring, monotonous speech. To sound interesting, we work on:

    1. Inflexions. There are some useful exercises in the apps Fluent English Speech, ‎Fluent American Speech

    2. Voice modulation. You can find great material on that in the app Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause

We highly recommend our life-changing elocution apps, books and classes which will bring you confidence and success!

Free tips are on Get Rid of your Accent | Elocution Lessons

109. Social dos and don'ts in a first meeting

By Olga Smith

Social dos and don'ts may differ in various cultures. In this blog post, I will focus on English culture.

The main principles or values upon which social dos and don'ts in England depend are:

1. Be polite and kind

2. Respect other people's privacy

3. Respect other people's space

What should be avoided when you meet people for the first time? That depends on who you are and who you are talking to.

There is a famous English proverb: "If you have nothing nice to say, do not say anything."

English society is class orientated and there is a pecking order to observe. For example, ordinary people cannot approach Royalty first, they have to wait for the Royalty to start talking to them. That trickles down to the other layers of society. People senior in social and business positions are expected to start a conversation.

It is advisable to not push yourself on people and allow them to come to you first. Do not be too forward and respect other people's space. Your friendly smile and open body language would signal that you welcome them to approach you. If you avoid eye contact, looking tense and uptight would signal that you are not quite ready to meet others.

It would be wise to avoid negative and sensitive topics, such as politics, religion and money to avert conflicts and offending others.

Another thing to avoid when you meet a person for the first time is to become too personal and say things like "Oh I like your earrings" - don't do it!

How can we start communication successfully when we meet people for the first time?

Once you have been approached, you can introduce yourself and start talking about something very general.  

For example, if you are at an international conference you may ask: "Have you come far?", "Are you a member or ..?" "This venue looks rather nice"

If you are at a parents' meeting for the first time, you can say things like "My boy is in year twelve, do you have a boy in this year?"

I have noticed, that some people try to talk a lot, and make silly jokes in order to feel comfortable. In my opinion, it is better to not say much and listen and smile more. Use active listening and pay attention to what people say, how they say it and their body language. I recommend avoiding judging what the other person is saying. Just listen and engage your mind and heart by listening to another person. This practice will help you to make a deeper connection with them.

Jacqueline Kennedy once said: "I sometimes have regretted what I said, but I have never regretted my silence."

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