Dear Cafetalk Community,

Hi! How are you doing? I hope you are doing well!

It's already getting chilly in the morning and evening here in Saskatchewan, Canada. Autumn, and in fact, winter is just around the corner. We expect snow by the end of October. We're in for a long winter again.

[Today's topic]
If you listen to the attached video, you can tell how many different accents there are in English. It depends on the country and what accent you have. For example, the Indian accent from India is completely different from the Australian accent. 

Each country has a distinct rhythm, intonation, and way of speaking, so it's no wonder many of you have difficulty listening to such a variety of English accents. So, it's good to listen to English accents from different countries to improve your listening skills. Pronunciation is the key to better listening.

At the same time, please understand why you might have trouble listening and understanding English from various parts of the world. Although it is not in the video, there are a variety of accents in Asian and European countries as well.

Give yourself a break if you can't understand the English you hear. Be patient with yourself and listen to as much English as you can. Eventually, you will be able to decipher the various English accents. As they say, "Practice makes perfect"! Keep up the good work and see you soon!

Warmest regards,

Lady Ayame
(Patricia Ayame Thomson)