How Long Does It Take To Modify An Accent?
Author: Anna Pasternak, Reg. CASLPO, Speech-Language Pathologist
Date: Wednesday, July 02, 2025
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Many times, clients ask, “How long will it take me to sound like a native speaker?” or “Will I be able to fully change my current accent?” The answer is that it is difficult to fully change your accent in a short amount of time. Fully changing your accent is possible, though it is a process that can often take a year or two—as long as you are deeply committed and motivated.
That being said, accents can definitely be improved within weeks, and noticeable improvement is often made within a few months. Depending on whether the client is practicing daily and motivated, others may start to notice the change fairly quickly.
Reasons for Modifying an Accent
Often, clients seek accent modification services because they want to speak more clearly and be better understood. Many report that, due to their accent, they are often misunderstood or asked to repeat themselves. This can lead to heightened self-awareness about their speech, and a constant feeling of needing to correct themselves. As a result, some clients begin to feel anxious in both professional and social settings, or even choose not to speak up at all out of fear of saying something incorrectly.
Clients frequently express frustration from feeling like they’re constantly making mistakes and having to self-correct. Others say they want to improve their accent for professional reasons—sometimes feeling they’re not taken as seriously due to their accent, or that they may not be offered leadership roles. The repeated need to clarify or repeat themselves can make them hesitant to speak up, fearing they’ll be judged or misunderstood. Some simply want to improve their accent to be taken more seriously in general.
Here in Canada, I find people are generally fairly accepting of accents, as we are used to hearing a wide variety of them. However, depending on how strong someone’s accent is, it can still affect how they’re perceived in professional settings—especially when working with individuals who may not be familiar with that particular accent.
Some people move to Canada from another country and simply want to fit in, to avoid feeling like outsiders. Modifying one’s accent, along with learning vocabulary and forms of speech commonly used in the region, can help build that sense of belonging and confidence.
Factors Affecting Accent Modification
A person’s age plays a major role in how easily and quickly they can modify their accent. The younger someone is when they start learning a second language, the more likely they are to develop a native-like accent. This is because they have spent less time reinforcing the sound patterns of their first language, making it easier to form new speech habits. That said, adults can still make significant improvements—it just may take longer to reach the same goal.
Clients who have better phonetic awareness—sometimes referred to as having a “good ear”—are often able to distinguish between the sounds they are producing and the target sounds more easily. This heightened awareness allows them to correct themselves more accurately in real time and makes learning a new accent easier.
Your native language also influences how easily you can pick up an English accent. Some languages are much more phonetically distant from English than others, making certain sound patterns more difficult to implement.
While all of these factors contribute to how quickly someone may pick up a new accent, the most important factor by far is how often someone practices what they’re learning. It’s not enough to see a speech-language pathologist once a week and expect major changes. While sessions provide guided feedback and practice, the real progress happens with consistent daily effort. Even five minutes a day can make a difference. Clients who commit to regular practice outside of sessions and remain highly motivated are always the ones who see the biggest results.
I’ve also had clients ask how actors manage to adopt new accents so quickly. In many cases, the answer relates to the factors mentioned above—age, phonetic awareness, and frequent practice. Many actors have been practicing different accents from a young age, especially if they always hoped to act professionally. Some also work with on-set speech coaches. Importantly, actors only have to learn one script, with limited vocabulary and predictable lines. This makes it much easier to adopt a new accent in a scripted role compared to everyday conversation or spontaneous professional interactions.
How Long Will It Take?
Though accent change is not easy, it is absolutely possible. The exact timeline varies from person to person, depending on the factors described above.
I find that clients begin noticing small changes within the first few weeks, especially in terms of awareness. They begin to identify specific sounds they’re producing differently, and they begin self-correcting. This awareness is a critical first step.
Within about three months—and with consistent practice—noticeable improvements in pronunciation and clarity typically begin to show. At this stage, clients often feel more confident in their speech, and others may start to comment on the improvements.
Achieving a more native-like accent typically takes over a year. It requires consistent effort, daily practice, and motivation. It’s also important that clients apply what they learn in everyday conversations and immerse themselves in English-speaking environments as much as possible. This real-life usage is where meaningful, lasting change occurs.
What to Expect from Accent Modification Therapy
When you first come to Well Said, you’ll begin with a consultation to discuss your goals and determine the right therapy plan. During your first full session, a speech-language pathologist will conduct a comprehensive assessment to generate more detailed goals and a personalized treatment plan.
Usually, we begin by identifying which consonants and vowels most affect your speech clarity. From there, we prioritize which sounds to target—often starting with those that have the biggest impact on how easily others understand you. That said, we may also start with a sound the client personally finds difficult and wants to work on first.
The therapist will explain how a sound is formed, which articulators are involved, and where correct placement occurs in the mouth. We’ll also explore voiced vs. voiceless sounds. From there, therapy begins with auditory discrimination tasks and isolated sound production.
Once the client can produce the sound accurately, we move into practicing that sound in single words—whether it appears at the beginning, middle, or end. Once accuracy improves, we progress to placing the words in sentences, then reading passages, and ultimately conversational speech.
This gradual approach allows clients to build confidence at every stage so that when they reach conversational practice, they feel prepared.
Of course, many other tasks will be included depending on the client’s individual needs—but this gives a general idea of what therapy looks like. The therapist will continue working through this process for each sound that needs to be addressed, at a pace that matches the client’s progress and comfort. A home practice plan will also be developed during each session, and clients will be assigned homework so that they can continue working on their goals throughout the week.
In summary, modifying your accent and achieving noticeable results is absolutely possible. While it may feel like a lengthy process, with motivation and consistent practice, meaningful changes can be made. If you're looking to improve your accent to boost confidence or increase clarity, speech therapy can provide the tools and guidance to help you reach your goals.
To speak with a psychotherapist or one of the speech-language pathologists at Well Said: Toronto Speech Therapy, schedule an initial consultation by clicking the link below or calling (647) 795-5277.
