Accent Modification

Pronunciation support for everyday communication

You may want pronunciation support if you are often asked to repeat yourself, find phone conversations difficult, or want to feel more comfortable presenting ideas in English or French. We choose goals around the speaking situations that matter to you, whether that means talking with coworkers, meeting clients, preparing for an interview, or joining a conversation.

At West End Speech, coaching is provided by a speech-language pathologist. Our founder, Maëlle Le Rudulier, is a bilingual French-English SLP with a master’s degree in speech-language pathology from UBC and a background in linguistics.

What is accent modification?

Accent modification helps adults work on pronunciation, rhythm, stress, and intonation in a second language. Every accent reflects a person’s language background and identity. You choose the changes you want to work on, with clarity and confidence in your own communication as the goal.

The aim is to help you be understood in the situations you care about. You do not need to eliminate your accent or sound like a native speaker.

Examples of what we may work on

We target the sounds and patterns that affect your clarity. Depending on your language background and goals, this may include:

• English sounds: distinguishing between similar sounds like “ship” and “sheep,” “light” and “right,” or “think” and “sink”
• French sounds: French /r/, nasal vowels (on, an, in), and vowel distinctions
• Word stress: learning which syllable to emphasize (e.g., “record” as a noun vs. “record” as a verb)
• Sentence rhythm: using natural pauses and stress patterns so speech flows more smoothly

We also work on connected speech, meaning how sounds change when words are linked together in natural conversation.

How accent coaching works

1. Start with a free phone consultation. In a 15-minute call, tell us about your language background and the speaking situations you want help with. We will discuss whether accent coaching fits your goals and which session format suits you.
2. Get a pronunciation assessment and a plan. If you decide to proceed, a separate paid assessment helps identify the sounds and patterns that affect your clarity. Your SLP works with you to choose practical targets.
3. Practise with feedback, then use it in conversation. Sessions move from specific sounds to words, sentences, and natural speech. We practise tasks such as explaining an idea in a meeting, making a phone call, or giving a presentation.

Practice between sessions

We give you materials and exercises based on your targets, so you can practise outside appointments. Together, we choose speaking tasks that fit your daily life and discuss how to make practice manageable alongside work and other commitments.

Reviewing your progress

We track progress throughout coaching and review your goals as new patterns become more familiar. A program may involve weekly sessions over 2–4 months, but the pace and amount of support depend on your starting point, priorities, and practice. We review the plan with you as your needs and goals change.

One client’s experience

One trilingual professional worked with Maëlle on French pronunciation and communication for work and a language exam. He reported raising his French TCF score by two grades and improving his accent over three months. His story describes one person’s experience; it does not predict your progress or how long your coaching will take.

Support for related speaking goals

If you want help with vocabulary, understanding, or expressing ideas beyond pronunciation, explore our French language support. For practice answering questions and explaining your experience, see our interview prep program.

Preparing for a language exam? See our coaching for IELTS, CELPIP & PTE Core, OET, TOEFL & CAEL, and TCF Canada & TEF Canada.

Prefer to ask a question first? Get in touch about your goals or session options.