Conversation Skills | San Diego Voice and Accent

I'm Julie Cunningham, MA, CCC-SLP, a licensed speech-language pathologist. I help people who want everyday conversations in English to feel easier and more natural.

Prefer one-on-one help? See my private accent reduction training.

You can start for free with English Pro Lite, my online American accent course, with 45 lessons and 2.5 hours of video.

English Pro is my full program, for intermediate learners and above. It's $49.99 a month or $479 for lifetime access, with a 10-day money-back guarantee.

Does this sound like you?

You understand most English, but fast speech is hard to follow.
You can't find the right words fast enough to join the conversation.
People ask you to repeat yourself.
Idioms and casual phrases confuse you.

English Conversation Skills: What We Work On

We practice the skills that help a conversation keep moving:

Understanding fast speech: reductions and linking
Rhythm and stress, so people understand you the first time
Common phrases and idioms that Americans use
Taking turns: how to join a conversation, interrupt politely, and keep it going
Asking someone to repeat or explain, without feeling awkward
Real situations: meetings, small talk, and phone calls

How I Can Help

In private sessions on Zoom, we role-play the conversations you have at work and in daily life. I give you feedback on your pronunciation and phrasing as we go.

English Pro includes my Natural English Conversation course, along with courses on rhythm, reductions, and linking.

Start practicing now with these free lessons:

Questions about training? Contact me.

Common questions from speakers who struggle having conversations in English

What are the biggest communication challenges for speakers who struggle having conversations in English?

The most common are following fast speech, finding the right words quickly enough to join in, being asked to repeat yourself, and understanding idioms and casual phrases.