How can I improve my accent?

Question

I can hear that I have some sort of non-native accent, but I just can't identify what's making me sound different. Is it the intonation and word stress? Are there certain words or sounds that I'm not pronouncing right? How do I reduce or eliminate my accent to sound more "**General American**" or "**Western Canadian**" (Vancouver)? **Recording**: https://vocaroo.com/i/s1icJPHx5ivT **Recording#2** (better sound quality): https://vocaroo.com/i/s1jgETeeL1ab **Transcription** > There was once a poor shepherd boy who used to watch his flocks in the > fields next to a dark forest near the foot of a mountain. One hot > afternoon, he thought up a good plan to get some company for himself > and also have a little fun. Raising his fist in the air, he ran down > to the village shouting "Wolf, Wolf." As soon as they heard him, the > villagers all rushed from their homes, full of concern for his safety, > and two of his cousins even stayed with him for a short while. This > gave the boy so much pleasure that a few days later he tried exactly > the same trick again, and once more he was successful. However, not > long after, a wolf that had just escaped from the zoo was looking for > a change from its usual diet of chicken and duck. So, overcoming its > fear of being shot, it actually did come out from the forest and began > to threaten the sheep. Racing down to the village, the boy of course > cried out even louder than before. Unfortunately, as all the villagers > were convinced that he was trying to fool them a third time, they told > him, "Go away and don’t bother us again." And so the wolf had a feast.

Answer 1

You have an accent because you are moving your mouth differently than a native speaker would.

I specialize in advanced oral and written English. I help my students achieve American accents by focusing on the mechanics of speech.

If you want to improve your accent you will need to work with a professional. There are videos that can help you practice, but you need a professional to assess your accent to see what errors you are making. I could critique your accent and say "you are pronouncing the short i incorrectly" but that is the least productive way to improve your accent. Knowing what you are doing "wrong" is not the same as understanding how to do it "right."