On the podcast this week:

Mhm, Right, Wow: The Hidden Sounds That Make You Sound More Fluent

In this episode of The Accent Journey, we explore one of the least taught but most important aspects of conversational fluency: backchannels and discourse markers.

Native speakers constantly use small listener responses such as mhm, uh-huh, right, I see, really?, and wow to show attention, understanding, interest, and engagement. They also use discourse markers like so, well, anyway, and I mean to organize ideas and guide conversations.

You’ll learn:

• What backchannels are and why they matter
• The six most common backchannels in American English
• How intonation changes the meaning of expressions like uh-huh and really
• What discourse markers are and how they help conversations flow
• How to sound more engaged and natural during conversations

The episode includes:

• Pronunciation practice
• Intonation exercises
• Guided dialogues
• Conversation drills
• An extended practice passage

See the post on our blog about this topic for more information on backchannels and discourse markers.

Key takeaway: Fluency isn’t only about speaking clearly – it’s also about showing that you’re listening.

This week’s challenge: Listen to a podcast interview and keep track of every time you hear a backchannel such as mhm, right, wow, or uh-huh. Then start using one or two of these expressions deliberately in your own conversations and observe how interactions become smoother and more natural.

Practice Passage: “So, last weekend I visited some friends in another city. We spent the afternoon exploring local restaurants and walking around downtown. At one point, we got completely lost. Well, eventually we found our way back, and everything worked out fine. Anyway, it turned into a really fun day.”

Follow The Accent Journey, hosted by accent coach Steven Nelson, for weekly episodes designed to help non-native speakers build clearer, more confident American English pronunciation – one sound and pattern at a time.