A free English accent test that starts with your ear
Most online accent tests record your voice and let software score it. This quiz checks something that comes first: whether you can hear the sounds that turn one American English word into another, like thing and sing, or cat and cut. When two sounds seem the same to you, it's much harder to say them differently.
The recordings are from Julie Cunningham, MA, CCC-SLP, a licensed speech-language pathologist who has taught English since 2007. She works online with professionals throughout the U.S. and around the world.
How it works
- Choose your first language, or skip this step. The quiz then focuses on sounds that are often hard for speakers of that language.
- Listen to a word and choose which of two words you heard. There are 8 pairs, and it takes about two minutes.
- See your score and the pairs you missed. For each missed pair, you can hear the difference, see how each sound is made, and test yourself again.
Questions
Does this quiz test my accent?
It checks what you hear, not how you sound. To improve your speech, it's best to have a professional listen to you. Contact Julie if you'd like to know where to start.
Is it free?
Yes, and you don't need an account. If you like, you can have your results and Julie's lessons for the sounds you missed sent to your email.
Can I take it again?
Yes, twice a week. Each time you get a new set of word pairs.
How can I improve my American accent?
Start with the sounds you missed. Julie's free lessons for every American English vowel and consonant are on this site. You can also train with her in English Pro, her online accent course with live classes every week, or one-to-one in private training on Zoom.