French Accent: 9 Proven Ways to improve it

In case you are not a French native, you may have noticed that it is really hard to get rid of the mother tongue accent. This prevents an individual from speaking like a French native, not allowing you to speak effortlessly; this may make it quite hard to understand. Still, sometimes, people do not realize the importance of good pronunciation. This matters quite a bit, especially when it comes to corporate environments.

Steps to improve your French accent:

The following are some of the main ways to improve the accent.

1. Be conscious of the movement of your tongue and lips

The force of habit will make the mouth and tongue try to move as they do when speaking English. This causes the native accent to come in even when it is not wanted. To develop a clear accent, training the lips and mouth is therefore essential.

• Practice in sound syllables

It is essential to connect the letters to the sound spoken when speaking French. More particularly it is important to concentrate on the sounds which do not exist in English. You can practice improving the accent in the same way by means of mastering the individual sounds in groups.

• Avoid reading the transcript at first

This should be taken into consideration when the pronunciation only matters. Understanding what is being said is not an issue. Reading the silent letterforms of French will only be fooling a beginner into the wrong pronunciation.

• Listen to French speakers

Mastering an accent needs you to know how the words sound like. It is essential to not forget how to make regular time to listen to French through French movies, television programs, audio recordings or songs. It is essential to note down phrases when listening.

• Speaking with natives

Speaking with a French teacher or French friend is the best way to perfect the accent. Making a specific point to ask them to correct the accent and watch their movement when they speak.

• Utilize tongue twisters

French pronunciation can be quite tricky even without trying to speak about a tangle of words that are difficult for native French speakers. They are an excellent way to test oneself and discover pronunciation patterns.

• Exaggerate the accent

It is essential to push the accent to its limits. The chances are that the sound will be ridiculous to the ear as if you are making fun of it. This, however, can be quite useful as it helps in developing your accent for the future.

• Keep repeating

You will never be able to repeat enough. No matter how many times you repeat, it will still fall short. This should be done as long as the pronunciation comes completely natural to you.

• Note the transcript

The sounds Z, T, N are not written. They are liaisons. It is therefore essential to first master the pronunciations and then go for the transcripts.

Using your own speaker and microphone when practicing French pronunciation can be quite helpful. It helps you measure yourself at every step. So, follow the above-mentioned steps in case you are worried about your French pronunciation. You can see the results in no time.

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