Is it necessary to have the right English accent to be understood?

February 15, 2026

Is it necessary to have the right English accent to be understood?

I'm seeing so much conflicting advice on language learning on networks, one being having the right "accent".

A reminder: an accent is a distinctive way of pronouncing a language, especially one associated with a particular country, area, or social class.

If we look at the English language, we have so many different accents among native speakers, yet we all speak the same language and despite the different "accents" we can understand each other.

I don't deny that speaking clearly is essential but real communication and interaction is more important than having a polished accent!

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Brid Doherty-Appriou

Brid is a native English speaker, fluent in French, a graduate in both International Business Communication and in Instructional Design. She is also accredited (TEFL) to teach English as a foreign language. Her professional experience spans over 20 years in an international environment, working in CAC 40 communication groups and as a consultant in Executive Search.

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