Why is it so hard to lose an accent?

Answer each question with 2–3 sentences.

1. Do you think you have an accent in English?
2. Is it important to sound like a native speaker?
3. Which English accent do you find the easiest to understand?
4. Have you ever been judged because of your accent?
5. Is it easier for children to learn a new accent?
6. What is the hardest sound in English for you?

Read each word and the example. Then say a sentence about accents.

Choose the word that fits.

1. Her is so clear that everyone understands her.
2. Children a new language without formal lessons.
3. His accent is strong, but his speech is perfectly .
4. A fixed, oversimplified idea about a group of people is a .
5. Comedians often famous people by copying their voices.
6. The rise and fall of the voice when we speak is called .
7. A speaker who sounds unsure may lose some with the audience.
8. Some researchers believe that childhood is a period for learning sounds.

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

1. pronunciation is the way a word is
   writtensaidspelled
2. intelligible =
   easy to understandhard to hearvery long
3. a stereotype is a
   kind of examkind of accentfixed idea about a group
4. to imitate = to
   copytranslateforget
5. credibility is the quality of being
   trustedfunnyloud
6. a critical period is a time when learning is
   impossibleeasiestboring

Use these phrases to emphasise your point.

• What really matters is...Що справді важливо — це...What really matters is being understood.
• It's the stress that...Саме наголос...It's the stress that makes my English sound foreign.
• It was my teacher who...Саме мій учитель...It was my teacher who corrected my vowels.
• What I find hardest is...Що мені найважче — це...What I find hardest is the intonation.
• All I want is to...Все, чого я хочу, — це...All I want is to be understood.
• The reason why... is that...Причина, чому..., у тому, що...The reason why it is hard is that we learn habits early.
• Rather than..., it's...Не..., а...Rather than the vocabulary, it's the rhythm that gives me away.
• I don't mind having an accent.Я не проти мати акцент.I don't mind having an accent as long as I'm clear.

Read the text. Hover over the dotted words for help.

1. Adults cannot learn grammar after childhood.
   TrueFalse
2. Researchers completely agree that there is a sharp deadline for learning sounds.
   TrueFalse
3. Daily contact with a language affects how close to native you sound.
   TrueFalse
4. In one study, accented speakers were judged slightly less credible.
   TrueFalse
5. The text suggests that being understood matters more than losing an accent.
   TrueFalse

1. Why do some people feel ashamed of their accent?
2. Is an accent part of your identity?
3. Should schools teach one standard accent?
4. What would you do if you were judged for your accent?

Common mistakes: in a cleft sentence use It is / was + focus + that / who or What + clause + is / was. Do not drop that after a long focus and do not use what with a person. ✗ It was my teacher what told me → It was my teacher who told me. ✗ What bothers me it is the stress → What bothers me is the stress. ✗ It is the intonation makes it difficult → It is the intonation that makes it difficult.

1. It
   wasis
   my teacher who corrected my vowels.
2. What bothers me
   isit is
   the stress.
3. It is the intonation
   thatwhat
   makes it difficult.
4. All I want
   isare
   to be understood.
5. The reason why it is hard
   is because thatis that
   habits form early.
6. It was
   not the grammar but the rhythmthe rhythm but not the grammar
   that gave me away.
7. ItWhat
   I find hardest is the vowel length.
8. It was
   my sister whatmy sister who
   encouraged me.

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

1. It was my teacher what told me. →
2. What bothers me it is the stress. →
3. It is the intonation makes it difficult. →
4. All I want are to be understood. →
5. The reason why it is hard it is that habits form early. →
6. It was my teacher which helped me most. →

Answer in detail. Use cleft sentences and hedging.

1. What is it that makes your accent distinctive?
2. What do you find hardest about English pronunciation?
3. Who was it that helped you most with your English?
4. What matters more to you: being correct or being understood?
5. Have you ever been judged because of the way you speak?
6. Would you like to lose your accent? Why, or why not?

Three people talk about their accents. Compare them. Who minds their accent the most? Who is the most relaxed about it? Whose view is closest to yours?

Your teacher will time you.

1. Plan for one minute, then speak for one or two minutes.
2. Part 1: describe your accent and what makes it distinctive (use a cleft sentence).
3. Part 2: say what is hardest for you in English pronunciation.
4. Part 3: give your view on whether accents matter, with a cleft sentence for emphasis.

1. Do you think your accent is strong?
2. What is hardest for you to pronounce?
3. Who was it that taught you English pronunciation?
4. Do you imitate native speakers when you practise?
5. Which accent do you like most?
6. Do you notice a stress or intonation difference between English and your language?
7. Do you adjust your accent when you speak to foreigners?
8. Would you like to lose your accent?

1. Who do you know with a strong accent?
2. Who in your family speaks a dialect?
3. Who was the first person to correct your pronunciation?
4. Who has the best English accent among your friends?
5. Who made fun of accents when you were at school?
6. Who would you like to sound like?

1. Should we try to lose our accent?
2. Is accent prejudice a real problem?
3. Is it better to sound native or to sound clear?
4. Should employers ignore accents?
5. Is a regional dialect worth protecting?