Does this sound like you? ↴
You’re an expert in your field, but your pronunciation is holding you back
People ask you to repeat yourself
People seem to switch off while they’re listening to you
People misjudge or underestimate you based on how you sound
You get nervous about speaking because of your pronunciation
You want people to pay full attention to what you say rather than how you sound
To be highly knowledgeable but not listened to because of your pronunciation is very frustrating.
If the way you sound is costing you opportunities, there is something you can do about it. Honest accent coaching can make a real difference.
“Honest” accent coaching?
I mean that. Many accent reduction courses make promises like “sound native in 10 weeks”, but by the end of week 10, the client’s heavy accent remains and they are disappointed that they don’t sound more British or American.
It’s no surprise. Studies show time and again that, as adults, most of us just can’t pick up foreign accents wholesale – our brains have moved on to other, more important things!*
So what’s the point of accent coaching?
Changing your pronunciation for good is entirely possible – with the right methods. I say this as a linguist who has spent years both reading and carrying out research on exactly this.
Although you may never fully “lose” your native accent*, you can sound much clearer and easier to understand internationally through focused training in sounds, rhythm and expression. Not only is this highly effective, it produces rapid results.
*If your native language is very close to English, like Dutch, and/or you have a sharp ear for sounds and mimicry, you may be able to develop a native-like accent as an adult. In our first session, you can take a specialised test to discover if this could be you. While I am British, I can train you in any accent of your choice.
*It's quite rare, but some people can pick up almost-native accents as adults. I have a test for this
Before and after coaching
This client from China had a way of speaking that was making people tired listening to her.
This client had training in:
– Deleting intrusive sounds: “I haduh to” → “I had to”
– Weakening vowels: “to choose” → “tuh choose”
– Stressing the right words: “specialize in” → “specialize in”
– Intonation: from flat to varied
– th sound: “pass” → “path”
– sheep & ship vowels: “beeznis” → “biznis” for business
Click for Transcript I was taught media and business, and I had to choose a main region to specialize in, and I chose East Asia because that was the easy path.
Honest Accent Coaching Methods
Position your tongue, lips, jaw, teeth and vocal cords
Discover what your body is doing when you speak and learn the precise differences between your language and English. By building your muscle memory through repetition, you can sound consistently clear
Train your ear to recognise different sounds
Once you can tell sounds apart, you’ll be able to catch and correct yourself if you slip back into old habits
These symbols are the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). It’s simple to learn, and with it you’ll always know how a word is pronounced – no guesswork.
Vary your vocal tone & Connect sounds together
No more flatness – when you let your voice purposefully rise, fall, stretch and pause, you can capture people’s interest and hold their attention
Record your voice and get focused feedback
Pinpoint the exact problems with your pronunciation, compare your voice with target sounds, and track your progress
Make connections between sound and spelling
English spelling rules are fiendish, but they do exist. Once you know them, you’ll be able to pronounce new words with high confidence
How fast can I improve?
With intensive focus, clients make rapid improvements, and listeners rate them as easier and more pleasant to listen to. Research backs this up, including my own master’s thesis. This is why I’ve created a 12-week personalised coaching programme.
This isn’t an overnight fix – it’s a targeted coaching programme for people who expect measurable progress and are willing to put in the work. Daily practice between sessions is essential. This is an investment in yourself, so expect to put in effort and you’ll reap the rewards: clear, confident and natural English speech that people will want to listen to.
Twelve-week Accent Coaching course
What’s included?
Week 1: Pronunciation assessment & personalised plan
– Detailed analysis of your pronunciation
– Custom coaching plan prioritising what will make the most significant improvement
Weeks 2–11: One-to-one coaching sessions
– 60-minute sessions tailored to your needs
– Practical exercises and real-time feedback to help you sound clear and confident
– Flexible scheduling to fit your availability
Between sessions: Ongoing support
– Lifetime access to your personalised training materials
– Instructions for self-led practice after each session
– Direct email and WhatsApp access to your coach (Tom)
Week 12: Final review & next steps
– Progress review comparing your initial and final assessments
– Personalised recommendations to maintain your results
4 Key Stages
Detailed assessment
Quality coaching
Practice exercises
Measurable results
Your Coaching Package
12 hours of coaching, with one session per week, is typically the minimum for clients to make significant and lasting change to their English pronunciation. However, there are other options depending on your goals, needs and budget. In a free intake appointment, we can discuss the programme that’s right for you.
Upfront about price.
€1020, VAT-exempted, for a package of 12 hours of Accent Coaching sessions online (€85/h). In-person coaching may incur additional costs to cover transport and commute times. Invoices can be made out to individuals or organisations, with payment in one or two instalments.
Flexible scheduling with custom contents.
Scheduling is flexible, so you can prepare for your real, lived communication situations as and when you need it. All courses are tailored to the individual client based on your needs, goals and preferences.
Hi, I’m Tom Lewisohn
tɔm ˈlejvɪsən in the International Phonetic Alphabet
I’m a teacher, speech coach and storyteller from the UK.
Over the past 13 years, I’ve seen many talented speakers being held back because of how they sounded. I’ve also seen an industry filled with exaggerated claims about achieving a native accent within a month – even though research shows this just isn’t doable for most of us. I wanted to change that, so I launched the Honest Accent Coaching programme to help people make rapid improvements with real measurable results.
English & Linguistics (MA)
Teaching (Cambridge CELTA)
Published researcher in English pronunciation teaching
My methods are always backed by research, experience and student feedback. That’s important to me – I want my coaching to be as impactful as possible, not guesswork.
Although I take coaching seriously – and I want my students to as well – my classes are also light-hearted and warm. People learn best when they’re enjoying themselves and feeling deeply interested, and that is my promise to you.
I will correct your mistakes often, but I will never shame or embarrass you for making them. My class is a place where people come to grow in confidence and competence.
What my clients are saying
The accent training lessons were nicely tailored based on your own native language background and needs. We practiced a lot on different vowels and did a lot of exercises with recordings. The feedback on the recordings is very valuable and very detailed. We zoomed into these recordings, analysed the differences between us and iterated on them until I improved.
My feeling is that Tom's linguistic background helps with this kind of training in a very professional way. After these lessons, I’m definitely more confident speaking English.
Ethan, Mandarin speaker
★★★★★
While my English pronunciation was already quite solid, I wanted to take it a step further and sound more like a native speaker—specifically with an American accent. Even though Tom is from the UK, he tailored the sessions so well that I often forgot he wasn’t American.
He explains everything in a clear and engaging way. What I appreciated most is how he combined insight with practical training. I now feel a much stronger connection between my mind and speech muscles. It has made a real difference in how natural my accent sounds.
Tom is also very flexible in his approach. When one method didn’t suit me, he quickly adapted and introduced exercises that worked much better for me, which made the sessions both effective and enjoyable.
Anita, Dutch speaker
★★★★★
Tom has shown great professionalism, backed by deep academic knowledge and experience. The way he conducts his lessons is effective, interesting, personalized for me, and—in the end—productive.
Following our sessions, I have implemented what I learned and felt an improvement in my pronunciation and a better confidence in social interactions.
Tom is a very likable person; he always creates a great atmosphere that boosts my motivation and helps me progress. It is a pleasure to give him my warmest recommendation to anyone seeking a way to improve their accent and enjoy the process while doing so.
Rami, Hebrew speaker
★★★★★
Summary of what’s included
Initial assessment of your pronunciation
Coaching plan tailored for your language background, needs and goals
10 one-to-one personalised coaching sessions (60 minutes each)
Materials for independent practice between sessions
Ongoing support via email and WhatsApp
Final progress review with measurable results
Ready to get started? Book an intro chat
Start with a free 30-minute video intake
During the call, we’ll discuss your background, needs and goals.
I’ll listen closely to your pronunciation, and we’ll figure out whether accent coaching could benefit you. I’ll also answer any questions you have.
If you’re interested, I'll explain how coaching works and propose ideas for your personalised course plan.
Reach out below with your preferred dates & times
Reach Out
I typically respond within one business day.
You might want to say:
What you do for a living
How your accent or communication is holding you back
What you’d like to work on with a coach
When you’re available for an intro chat
LOW PRESSURE COMMITMENT
I don’t pressure potential clients to sign up, nor do I push past students to keep going. I advise you honestly when I think there’s something you can benefit from.
Amsterdam Den Haag Rotterdam Utrecht Eindhoven Groningen Tilburg Almere Breda Nijmegen