'I didn't speak the Queen's English': Why people worry about their accents

This is a list of key vocabulary and expressions from the article in order of how useful they are. The student must choose 6 items from the list to study in the lesson.

Rather than

Used to show preference for one thing instead of another

Example: Rather than take the bus, he decided to walk

Aim

A goal or purpose; to try to achieve something

Example: Their aim is to improve access to education

To hire

To employ someone for a job

Example: They hired a new guide for the summer tours

Anxious

Worried or nervous about something

Example: She felt anxious before the interview

Beyond

Further than; outside the limits of something

Example: The village lies beyond the hills

To be willing

To be prepared or happy to do something

Example: He was willing to help even though he was busy

Regardless

Without being affected by something; despite

Example: Regardless of the weather, the event will continue

To admit

To accept or confess something is true

Example: She admitted she had made a mistake

I wish it was more Welsh

This uses WISH + PAST SIMPLE to express a desire for the present to be different

Grammar formula:wish + subject + past simple

Example: I wish it was more Welsh — I want it to be more Welsh now

Bias

Unfair preference or prejudice for or against something

Example: The study showed a clear bias towards older voters

To stand out

To be easily noticeable or different from others

Example: Her bright jacket made her stand out in the crowd

To not give much thought

To not think carefully about something

Example: He didn’t give much thought to the consequences

A poll

A survey asking people’s opinions

Example: The poll showed strong support for the new policy

To mock

To make fun of someone in a cruel or unkind way

Example: They mocked his accent at school

To pick up

To collect something or learn something naturally

Example: She picked up the keys from reception

Geordie / Cockney / Brummie

Names for English regional accents or people from those regions . Geordie (Newcastle), Cockney (London), Brummie (Bimingham)

Example: He speaks with a strong Geordie accent

High stakes

Involving serious risk or important consequences

Example: It was a high‑stakes decision that could change everything

To imply

To suggest something without saying it directly

Example: His tone implied that he disagreed

To speak up

To express your opinion clearly and confidently

Example: She finally spoke up during the meeting

To scrutinise

To examine something very carefully

Example: The committee scrutinised every detail of the report

To smooth out

To remove problems or difficulties; to make something more even

Example: They smoothed out the final details before launching

To speak the ‘Queen’s English’

To speak very standard, formal, traditional English

Example: He was taught to speak the Queen’s English at school

I am incredibly realistic about what would have happened had I gone to university

This uses an inverted third conditional to talk about an unreal past and its imagined result Grammar formula:Had + subject + past participle, subject + would have + past participle

Example: I am realistic about what would have happened had I gone to university — If I had gone, my life would have been different

To set aside

To save or reserve something for later

Example: She set aside some money for emergencies

To get ahead

To make progress or succeed, especially in work or life

Example: He worked hard to get ahead in his career

15 conversation-provoking questions related to the article.

1.       What is this article about?

2.       What did the polling say?

3.       What did Mia say?

4.       What did Martha say?

5.       What did Benjamin say?

6.       Do you feel discriminated against because of your accent?

7.       What type of accents might be discriminated against in your native country?

8.       Do you think you seem more intelligent when you are speaking your native language?

9.       How would you describe your accent in the context of your native country?

10.     Do you change your accent or the way you speak based on the context?

11.     In your native country, are there any generational differences in the way people speak?

12.     Should schools teach kids to be proud of their accents, or should they try to stamp them out?

13.     How easy is it for you to recognise different accents in the English language?

14.     Do you ever get tired of speaking English?

15.     What is your favourite accent?