Sterling blog: the British accent and speaking English with confidence
Pronunciation
The trap–bath split: which words take the long "ah" in British English
The trap–bath split explained: why bath, grass and can't take a long 'ah' in Modern RP while cat, gas and classic don't, with word lists and how to say it.
· · 7 min read
Accents
Types of British accents: 12 accents of the UK and how they sound
Types of British accents, from Modern RP and Cockney to Scouse, Geordie, Scottish and Welsh: what each sounds like, how to tell them apart and which to learn.
· · 12 min read
Pronunciation
Australian vs British accent: six differences to listen for
Australian vs British accent: both drop the r, so the giveaways are in the vowels. Hear how day, high, water and dance change, and how to keep Modern RP.
· · 7 min read
History
Where did the American accent come from? How one accent became two
Where did the American accent come from? Neither accent is the original. See when British and American speech split, and how England changed the r and the 'ah'.
· · 7 min read
Pronunciation
Received Pronunciation: what RP is and how Modern RP sounds today
Received Pronunciation, or RP, explained: where the name came from, what Modern RP sounds like today and how to decide whether it is the accent you want.
· · 6 min read
Pronunciation
How to do a British accent: a step-by-step guide to Modern RP
How to do a British accent in seven steps: choose Modern RP, train your ear, drop the r, keep a crisp t and learn which words take a long "ah", like bath.
· · 10 min read
Pronunciation
British vs American accent: the 8 differences you can hear
The r, the t in water, the vowel in bath: the eight sounds that separate a British accent from an American one, with examples and how to say each.
· · 9 min read