The Accent Journey Podcast
Claim This Podcastby Steven D. Nelson
Podcast Overview
<p>Do you have an accent when you speak English and aren't happy with it? Then the Accent Journey Podcast is for you!</p><p>Every week, host and American English accent coach Steven Nelson discuss topics to help non-native speakers improve their communication skills and sound more natural when expressing themselves in English. Join our community and see the transformation within yourself. Brought to you by accentfirst.com.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
1/30/2026
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Recent Episodes
August 16, 2026
Didja Hear That? Assimilation in American English (Part 2)
<p>Why does <strong>did you</strong> sometimes sound like didja? Why can <strong>could you</strong> sound like couldja? And why does <strong>don't you</strong> sometimes sound like don-chu?</p><p>In this episode of The Accent Journey, we continue our exploration of <strong>assimilation in connected American English</strong>. We look at how neighboring sounds influence one another in everyday conversation, causing words to blend together and sometimes produce pronunciations that sound very different from their written forms.</p><p>In this episode, you'll learn about:</p><ul><li><strong>did you → didja</strong></li><li><strong>could you → couldja</strong></li><li><strong>would you → wouldja</strong></li><li><strong>don't you → don-chu</strong></li></ul><p>You'll learn what's happening physically when these sounds combine and why these patterns are so common in fluent American speech.</p><p><strong>Key takeaway:</strong> Natural American English isn't always pronounced the way it's written. When words meet in connected speech, their sounds can influence one another, creating forms such as didja, couldja, wouldja, and don-chu.</p><p><strong>Practice Passage: "</strong>Did you hear about the meeting tomorrow? I think it's supposed to start at nine. Could you send me the updated schedule? I want to know what the manager plans to discuss. Would you like to meet for coffee beforehand? Don't you think it would be easier to go over everything together? If you're available, let me know how you want to handle it."</p><p>Follow The Accent Journey, hosted by accent coach Steven Nelson, for weekly episodes designed to help non-native speakers build clearer, more confident American English pronunciation - one sound and pattern at a time.</p><p>------------------------------</p><p>The Accent Journey Podcast is brought to you by AccentFirst Speech Communication Services. Find us online at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://accentfirst.com">accentfirst.com</a>. We'd love to hear your feedback. Visit us and leave a message at <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://accentfirst.com/contact">accentfirst.com/contact</a></p><p>Music: Vendredi - Hypnosis ( Free Download & Free Copyright ) by <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://soundcloud.com/vendrediduo">Vendredi</a> is licensed under a <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/">Creative Commons License</a>.</p>
August 9, 2026
When Sounds Change: Assimilation in American English (Part 1)
<p>Why does <strong>have to</strong> sometimes sound like haf-ta? Why can <strong>supposed to</strong> sound more like suppose-ta?</p><p>In this episode of The Accent Journey, we explore the first of two episodes on <strong>assimilation in connected American English</strong>, the natural processes that cause neighboring sounds to influence one another during fluent speech.</p><p>Rather than pronouncing every sound separately, native speakers often allow sounds to blend or change. Understanding these patterns can make both your listening comprehension and your own pronunciation much more natural.</p><p>In this episode, you'll learn about:</p><ul><li><strong>supposed to → suppose-ta</strong></li><li><strong>used to → yoos-ta</strong></li><li><strong>have to → haf-ta</strong></li><li><strong>has to → has-ta</strong></li></ul><p>You'll also learn the difference between <strong>assimilation</strong>, where one sound is influenced by a neighboring sound, and <strong>devoicing</strong>, where a normally voiced consonant becomes voiceless because of the sound that follows it.</p><p><strong>Key takeaway:</strong> Don't pronounce words as isolated units. Pay attention to what happens <strong>when sounds meet</strong>. That's where much of the natural rhythm and pronunciation of American English comes from.</p><p><strong>This week's challenge</strong>: listen to an American podcast, TV show, or movie and find five examples of sounds changing or blending in connected speech.</p><p><strong>Practice Passage: </strong>"I used to work in an office downtown, but now I work from home most of the time. I'm supposed to have a meeting tomorrow morning, so I have to get up early. My manager said I should call him if I have any questions, and I think I'll probably do that tonight. As my manager, he has to help me if I ever need it."</p><p>Follow The Accent Journey, hosted by accent coach Steven Nelson, for weekly episodes designed to help non-native speakers build clearer, more confident American English pronunciation - one sound and pattern at a time.</p><p>------------------------------</p><p>The Accent Journey Podcast is brought to you by AccentFirst Speech Communication Services. Find us online at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://accentfirst.com">accentfirst.com</a>. We'd love to hear your feedback. Visit us and leave a message at <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://accentfirst.com/contact">accentfirst.com/contact</a></p><p>Music: Vendredi - Hypnosis ( Free Download & Free Copyright ) by <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://soundcloud.com/vendrediduo">Vendredi</a> is licensed under a <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/">Creative Commons License</a>.</p>
August 2, 2026
The Words You Barely Hear: Weak Forms in American English
<p>Why do words like to, for, of, and can seem to disappear when native speakers talk? In this episode of The Accent Journey, we explore <strong>weak forms</strong>—the reduced pronunciations of common function words that give spoken American English its natural rhythm.</p><p>You'll learn the difference between <strong>content words</strong> and <strong>function words</strong>, discover why the <strong>schwa</strong> appears so often in everyday speech, and practice recognizing and using weak forms in sentences and conversations.</p><p>The episode includes:</p><ul><li>An introduction to weak forms</li><li>Practice with <strong>to</strong>, <strong>for</strong>, <strong>of</strong>, and <strong>can</strong></li><li>Listening comparisons between careful and natural speech</li><li>Guided dialogue practice</li><li>A shadowing passage</li><li>A weekly listening challenge</li></ul><p><strong>Key takeaway:</strong> Native speakers don't stress every word equally. Learning to weaken common function words while emphasizing important content words will make both your listening and your speaking sound much more natural.</p><p><strong>Practice Passage: </strong>"I'm looking for a new apartment because I'd like to live closer to work. I can walk to the office in about fifteen minutes, and that gives me more time for exercise before I start my day. At the end of the week, I like to meet a few friends for dinner and relax before another busy week begins."</p><p>Follow The Accent Journey, hosted by accent coach Steven Nelson, for weekly episodes designed to help non-native speakers build clearer, more confident American English pronunciation - one sound and pattern at a time.</p><p>------------------------------</p><p>The Accent Journey Podcast is brought to you by AccentFirst Speech Communication Services. Find us online at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://accentfirst.com">accentfirst.com</a>. We'd love to hear your feedback. Visit us and leave a message at <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://accentfirst.com/contact">accentfirst.com/contact</a></p><p>Music: Vendredi - Hypnosis ( Free Download & Free Copyright ) by <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://soundcloud.com/vendrediduo">Vendredi</a> is licensed under a <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/">Creative Commons License</a>.</p><p></p>
28 total episodes available
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Frequently asked questions
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- What is The Accent Journey Podcast?
<p>Do you have an accent when you speak English and aren't happy with it? Then the Accent Journey Podcast is for you!</p><p>Every week, host and American English accent coach Steven Nelson discuss topics to help non-native speakers improve their communication skills and sound more natural when expressing themselves in English. Join our community and see the transformation within yourself. Brought to you by accentfirst.com.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
No, this podcast does not typically feature guests.
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