This is the third in a series of articles that describe accent reduction strategies you can use to improve your American English pronunciation. Here are three important tips for improving your American accent.

Accent Reduction Strategy 7-Learn to Pronounce the 2 "th" Sounds Correctly

The letter combination "th" has two different sounds in spoken English. One of the "th" sounds is a voiced sound as in the words the and there. Non-native English speakers often substitute the /z/ sound for the voiced "th" sound and this creates a noticeable accent.

The other "th" sound is a voiceless sound as in the words thanks and Thursday. Non-native English speakers often use the sounds /d/, /t/ for the voiceless "th" sound and this sound substitution will also contribute to your accent.

Since the "th" sounds are two of the most frequent consonant sounds in spoken English you must learn to pronounce them correctly if you want to improve your American English pronunciation.

Accent Reduction Strategy 8-Learn to Pronounce Word Medial "t" Like Americans Do

When you are speaking American English the medial letter "t" in words such as water and butter often takes on a new sound. This sound is called the flap and it sounds like more like a quick /d/ than a /t/. The flap is made by tapping your tongue quickly behind your gum ridge.

The flap is sound that occurs frequently in spoken American English. Pronouncing this sound correctly will greatly improve your American accent!

Accent Reduction Strategy 9-Learn to Use the Correct Sentence Intonation in Questions

American English speakers use rising-falling intonation when they ask questions that begin with "wh" words such as what, where, why, when and how. However, many English learners pronounce "wh" questions using the rising intonation used when asking yes/no questions and this causes communication problems for American listeners and it contributes to your foreign accent.

It is important to pronounce 'wh' questions with rising falling intonation in order to improve your American English pronunciation.

Susan Ryan is an American English pronunciation and accent reduction teacher in Washington, D.C. To learn more rules and patterns that will help you improve the way you speak English visit her Accent Reduction http://accentreductionclassroom.com/ Classroom or view her recommended American English Pronunciation http://pronunciation.confidentvoice.com/ books and software.