Finding a British pronunciation or accent coach
Katerina Galkina · EN · 07/10/2026
Читать на русскомDefine the change you want
A “British accent” can mean several regional and social varieties. For work, useful goals often involve clear vowels, word stress, endings and intonation. Record a minute of yourself speaking and identify situations in which people ask you to repeat. Tell the teacher separately if you need a particular regional accent or performance voice.
Find a suitable specialist
Search for a pronunciation teacher, accent coach or voice coach who teaches adults using English as an additional language. A general English teaching qualification alone does not demonstrate specialist phonetics experience. Ask about training, teaching methods and sample exercises.
London’s City Lit pronunciation course ↗ works on Standard English/RP sounds and expects learners to speak fluently and take part in group discussion. It is an example of specialist provision, rather than an entry-level English class. For basic language skills, compare ESOL courses ↗ first.
Use a trial lesson well
A useful assessment distinguishes pronunciation from grammar and vocabulary. The teacher should identify two or three priorities, demonstrate how to hear and produce them, and explain feedback between lessons. Ask whether sessions include recordings, phonetic symbols, connected speech and language from your actual work.
For online lessons, test the sound quality: noise suppression can obscure speech details. Agree how recordings are stored and whether anyone may reuse them. Neutral practice texts can replace confidential workplace presentations.
Compare costs and progress
Compare lessons of the same length, group size, homework feedback, cancellation rules and package expiry. Start with assessment before committing to a large package. After several weeks, repeat your original recording and compare intelligibility in an everyday setting. A promise to remove an accent entirely within a fixed number of lessons cannot replace individual assessment. Agree a manageable practice schedule with the teacher; short, regular practice is easier to sustain than occasional lengthy sessions.