How to reduce your accent for work
A live lesson on the stress patterns of long workplace words, from Boost Up English Live.
Over 8,000 lessons taught · Updated Nov 1, 2026
The short answer
Start with the rhythm of the long words you use every day at work. Words like “evaluation” and “decision” follow stress patterns, and shrinking the unstressed syllables to a schwa keeps your meetings flowing.
What Josh points out
Stress shifts with the ending
“Evaluate” and “evaluation” have different rhythms. Josh covers this after a project manager student kept getting confused by it.
Endings that set the stress
Words ending in -ic, -tion and -sion put the stress on the syllable right before the ending: photographic, information, decision.
Shrink the unstressed syllables
The syllables around the stress shrink to a schwa, so the stressed one stands out.
Common phrase chunks
The lesson also covers how natives say “always” in workplace conversations, without over-pronouncing the unstressed part.
What American ears listen for
Learners listen for the letters. Native speakers listen for the parts in between the letters: the size and shape of the sounds.
FAQ
How do I reduce my accent for work?
Start with the stress patterns of the long words you use in meetings, and shrink the unstressed syllables so the stressed one stands out.
Where does the stress go in words ending in -tion or -ic?
On the syllable right before the ending, like in information, decision and photographic.
Why do “evaluate” and “evaluation” sound so different?
Adding the ending moves the stress, which changes the rhythm of the whole word.
What should I listen for?
Learners listen for the letters. Native speakers listen for the parts in between the letters: the size and shape of the sounds.
About Josh
Josh Lewis is an American accent coach with over 8,000 lessons taught. He helps fluent professionals get understood the first time in meetings, standups and client calls.
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