I’m going to cover the basics of American English. This post contains some useful tips, but if you want to learn more, you should start by reading my article about learning American English.
STEP 1: Speak with confidence
In America, speaking with confidence is a necessity. Americans don’t like being spoken down to, and when you speak with an accent, you’ll come across as someone who’s uneducated and disrespectful.
When you’re trying to speak American English, be sure to speak confidently. If you struggle with confidence, you can start by practicing in front of a mirror. Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can practice in front of friends or family members.
STEP 2: Be confident in your accent
Even if you can speak American English well, if you have an accent, you still need to be confident about it. When you speak with an accent, you may seem like you’re talking to a foreigner, and that’s not a good impression.
There are many ways to hide your accent, including the use of proper pronunciation and slang. For instance, you could say “I’m gonna go buy some ice cream”, instead of saying “I’m gonna go get some ice cream”.
STEP 3: Understand the difference between American and British English
When people talk about American English, they usually mean American English as spoken in the U.S. However, there are several variations in American English, and not all of them are accepted by native speakers.
To make things even more confusing, some people call American English “British English” because they think it’s the same as British English. In reality, American English and British English are completely different.
American English tends to be much more casual and informal, and it has its own set of vocabulary. If you’re trying to speak American English, it’s important to understand the differences between the two styles.
STEP 4: Use the correct grammar
In America, American English is spoken with the standard rules of grammar. Using incorrect grammar is common in the UK and Australia, but it’s considered poor form in the U.S.
When you’re writing or speaking American English, it’s important to use the correct words and phrases. You don’t have to learn a different set of rules. Instead, you can follow the rules of American English as written in the Oxford English Dictionary.
STEP 5: Avoid slang
While using slang is common in other parts of the world, it’s not appropriate for American English. Slang is a shortcut to a word or phrase that’s already in the language, and it often sounds awkward.
American English is full of colloquialisms that are unique to the language. If you want to sound more American, it’s best to avoid these unless you have mastered their meaning and use.