Received Pronunciation

Spoken natively by roughly 3% of the UK population, Received Pronunciation (RP) serves around the world as the benchmark for clear English pronunciation. This course teaches “Modern RP” as spoken by contemporary British newsreaders and actors.

The accent’s name dates back to 1869, when phonetician Alexander J. Ellis coined the term “Received Pronunciation” in On Early English Pronunciation. Half a century later, Daniel Jones mapped its exact sound system using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) in his English Pronouncing Dictionary. That phonetic precision is the backbone of how you train here: instead of relying on guesswork or passive mimicry, you learn how to articulate the sounds using the IPA and the Vowel Sound Chart.   

RP’s reputation for effortless comprehension was solidified in 1926, when the BBC’s founding Director-General, John Reith (later Lord Reith), established the Advisory Committee on Spoken English alongside Daniel Jones. Their goal was practical rather than ornamental: to define a non-regional standard of speech that cut cleanly through the static of early wireless broadcasts and could be understood across the British Isles without strong regional bias.

Over the decades, RP has meant different things to different people. While some still associate it with social heritage or prestige, this course approaches RP strictly as a practical skill for clear, accessible communication. Through structured lessons, guided exercises, and targeted repetition drills, you can build an articulate British accent that is effortlessly understood anywhere in the world.  

My name is Anton, and I will be your instructor on this journey. With a background in mathematics and a lifelong passion for languages, I take a structured, analytical approach to breaking down the mechanics of English pronunciation. Having lived in Japan and spent extensive time in France, I am fluent in both languages and previously worked as a Japanese–English medical translator in clinical research. These are experiences that taught me firsthand how to master unfamiliar sounds and why precision matters in communication.

Sign up for your free lesson here.