Personalised British English Accent Coaching for Clarity and Confidence

In practice, these all refer to the same thing: making your English clearer, more confident, and more aligned with a target accent — usually Standard Southern British English (SSBE) in my coaching.

Here’s the key idea: you can’t ‘remove’ an accent without ‘adding’ a new one. Everyone has an accent — and how we judge them is often subjective and tied to culture or class. So the real question is: what kind of accent do you want to acquire?

You could even call this accent addition. Some prefer “accent reduction” because they want to reduce features of their first language accent. Others choose “softening” to keep their identity but sound more neutral. “Accent removal” tends to reflect a stronger desire for change. “Accent modification” is a broader, more technical term often used in elocution or professional speech training.

Whichever term you use, I offer expert British English pronunciation coaching that helps you adjust sounds, stress, rhythm, and intonation to speak clearly, naturally, and with more control.

Not at all. You can be clearly understood in any accent, it just depends on a couple of things:

- if you are a skilled speaker, either naturally or through training (pacing, precision, emphasis)

- familiarity (e.g. a clear Glaswegian accent might be perfectly understandable to many Brits, but other people who are less familiar with that accent might struggle to understand)

Accent coaching isn’t about erasing your identity: it’s about improving your clarity, confidence, and fluency. If you want to change your accent too, that's a personal choice and I can help with that.

SSBE (Standard Southern British English) is the clearest and most up-to-date label for the accent I speak — you can hear it in the video above. It’s also sometimes called Modern RP or Contemporary RP, and these terms are often used interchangeably.

When people say “RP” (Received Pronunciation), they might also mean Traditional RP — a more old-fashioned accent associated with the British upper class. “BBC English” once meant this, but these days, the BBC rightly showcases a wider range of regional British accents.

I can teach any accent, but my coaching materials — and my own speech model — are based on SSBE.

Absolutely. Many of my clients are native speakers from regional UK backgrounds who want to speak more clearly, sound more neutral or polished, or feel more confident. Accent refinement for native English speakers can help with mumbling, articulation, or nerves — particularly in professional settings.

Many newsreaders speak with a neutral Standard Southern British English accent. If that's what you mean, I can certainly help.

However, the “newsreader voice” also includes very specific intonation patterns and a formal delivery style designed for broadcast. Used outside the newsroom, this can sound a bit stiff or artificial.

If you’re aiming for a British English accent that’s crisp and confident but still sounds natural, I’ll help you find that balance — and we can absolutely borrow elements of the newsreader style to get there.

Definitely. While SSBE is my own accent and the one used in my resources, my British English accent coaching is fully customisable. I can teach you any accent — including regional British accents or even the speech patterns of a particular speaker you admire.

I’ll model your chosen accent, break it down step by step, and give you tools to practise it in context — plus I’ll point you to high-quality examples online so you can build a bank of reference material.

Many clients come to me because they hear this question far too often — and while it’s often well-meaning curiosity, it can get exhausting when it’s the first thing people ask.

The good news? Most clients report that the question comes up far less after doing pronunciation or accent reduction coaching.

Yes — this is something I work on a lot. Beyond technical pronunciation, I also help you develop a more expressive, engaging speaking style. This includes vocal exercises and rhythm work to help you sound natural and dynamic without feeling fake or performative.

Yes and no. Traditional elocution often focused on overly formal “Queen’s English.” My coaching is more modern and flexible. If you want clear British English pronunciation, natural rhythm and intonation, and professional polish — without sounding posh or stiff — you’re in the right place.

It varies. Most people gain new awareness and useful tools after just one session. More noticeable change — in terms of clarity, fluency, or accent modification — tends to begin around session 5, and strengthens with practice.

In the 12-Session Course, we cover all your top priorities from the initial assessment. In the 6-Session Course, I’ll prioritise the highest-impact areas for change.

You can always extend your coaching later to build, refine, or go deeper.

Yes — as much or as little as you want. Some clients love homework, others hate it. I’ll provide pronunciation practice materials that match your goals and learning style.

You’ll also get access to a comprehensive digital resource:

British English Pronunciation Roadmap – a 319-page eBook with 12 hours of audio, authored by my colleague and mentor Ashley Howard. It covers everything from individual sounds to intonation and connected speech.

This resource is included when you book a 5- or 10-session block. During your Initial Session, I may also send excerpts from it to get you started.

The Initial Session is 60 minutes. Follow-up sessions are 45 minutes. All sessions — including accent reduction, elocution training, and British English pronunciation classes — are delivered online.

In-person sessions

These are rare but possible. If face-to-face is your only option, I may be able to arrange it (I’m based in Greater Manchester). Just note that I charge extra for travel time and expenses.

I don’t currently offer a self-paced course, but I do offer personalised British English pronunciation coaching online. 

 You’ll get a clear structure, practice materials, and targeted support. Many people find this far more effective than a generic pronunciation course because it’s built around your voice and goals.

Yes — many clients come to me for help with interviews, meetings, or public speaking. Whether you’re looking to reduce a foreign or regional accent, sound more polished, or speak British English more clearly, I’ll tailor your coaching to your specific context and objectives.