Start with sounds that change meaning
Prioritize contrasts that can turn one word into another or repeatedly affect words central to your work. A small number of high-impact sounds is more useful than trying to master the entire chart at once.
American English Sounds Guide
A visual reference for the vowel and consonant contrasts that most often affect intelligibility.
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Want to know which pattern matters most for you?
Take the Clarity Check. Record one minute and tell Jay what you would like him to focus on. Record and save a private copy, or check whether Jay is accepting recordings for personal feedback.
Already have a recording? Go to the send formA practical guide to the sounds that shape American English clarity
American English pronunciation combines individual consonants and vowels with stress, linking, and rhythm. A sound chart is a reference point; intelligible speech comes from using those sounds inside connected language.
Notice position in the word
A sound may feel easy at the beginning of a word and disappear at the end. Test it initially, between vowels, and finally. Then combine it with the sounds that most often come before and after it.
Add stress and rhythm
Once the sound is stable, stop isolating it. Place the word in a phrase, identify the important word in the sentence, and let the surrounding words become lighter. That is how precise sounds begin to support natural delivery.
Use the result as a starting point, not a verdict.
A useful tool should make one pattern easier to hear or practice. It cannot diagnose everything about a voice, and it should never tell you to erase the identity in your accent.
Choose one cue, practice it inside a real sentence, and check whether your listener has to work less hard to follow the idea.
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