"Not" — just three little letters, but one of the most common words in English. And yet, many non-native speakers pronounce it in a way that sounds unnatural. In this episode, we break down why that happens, how native speakers actually use and pronounce "not" (hint: they almost always contract it), and how mastering this tiny word can make a huge difference in how natural your English sounds. We'll cover common mistakes, explain why contractions matter, and give you real practice so you can start sounding more fluent today. Let's check it out!

Do people keep mishearing you say "can't" when you say "can"? Are you unsure if you're even pronouncing it correctly? That's probably because there are TWO pronunciations of "can"- the most common version and the less common version, and you're probably using the less common version when you should be using the other version. In this episode, I'll teach you how and when to use the right form!

The word "that" is a super common word, yet many English learners stress it incorrectly, especially if their native tongue is a language with a rhythm that's different from English's. Speakers of syllable-timed languages such as Spanish, French, Polish, Chinese languages, and other East Asian languages, will pronounce it as the full version but it is often pronounced as a reduced version. In this episode we will explore how the two versions of this super common word are pronounced, when to use them, as well as some tips to remember when each version should be used.

A subtle feature of certain accents is the lack of /b, d, g/ sounds, the voiced counterpart to /p, t, k/. In addition, various languages devoice /b, d, g/ sounds as a feature of their accent in English. In this episode we examine what voicing is and how to do it so you can sound more native when speaking English and other languages with these sounds you may lack

In many languages the letter sequences "tr" and "dr" are fairly simple: it's just a /t/ or /d/ sound followed by an /r/ sound. In English? Not so. Instead, these sounds "affricate", changing to a whole other sound. In today's episode, let's learn what affrication is, show you how to do it, and learn about how this is actually natural process in many languages historically and presently.

Is improving your accent a betrayal of your culture—or just a form of adaptation? In this episode, I dive into the complex relationship between language, identity, and mindset. From stories about my Russian language partner, my British ex, and a college confrontation over pronunciation, to my own struggles with Cantonese and shifting accents, we explore what it really means to change the way we speak. Whether you’re trying to sound more native or holding onto the voice that shaped you, this one's for you.

Lack of aspiration is one of the biggest non-native accent features that English learners lack, especially those who speak Slavic or Romance languagesǃ In this episode, learn how to make this sound and where it occursǃ

What is the difference between pronunciation and accent? In today's episode, we will learn how they differ and how it matters to you if you want to speak in a more easily understandable way, or even if you want to pass as a native speaker of your target language!