Indian English and Speech Practice: Keep Your Accent, Practise S and Z

✓ Reviewed against ASHA Practice Portal: Accent Modification, Wiltshire & Harnsberger 2006 (World Englishes), Wells 1982, Accents of EnglishEvidence level BLast reviewed October 30, 2026Published October 30, 2026

Indian English is a variety of English with its own sound patterns: accent, not error. Practising a speech sound doesn’t mean changing your accent. On S and Z, SpeechStep listens for swapped sounds, such as a TH where the S should be; TH and L have no AI judgement, so a TH said as T or D is never marked.

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The short answer: keep your accent

Indian English is a variety of English with distinct sound patterns of its own, and research shows those patterns also vary with a speaker’s first language, such as Gujarati or Tamil. Accents are not a communication disorder, and everyone has one.^2,1

So practising a speech sound doesn’t mean sounding American or British. It means making that sound clearly within your own English.

Indian English features that aren’t errors

Typical Indian English features. Each is a regular part of the accent; individual speakers vary, often with their first language.
Feature	Example	In Indian English
TH	think, this	often T- and D-like sounds made against the teeth
T and D	water, day	often made with the tongue tip curled back
W and V	wine, vine	often one sound between W and V
Vowels in “face” and “goat”	day, go	often single, steady vowels rather than glides
Rhythm	whole sentences	often more even syllable by syllable, with its own intonation

Typical Indian English features. Each is a regular part of the accent; individual speakers vary, often with their first language.^3,2

Four Englishes side by side — the full chart

English varieties, side by side

American, British, Australian and Indian English each follow their own rules: TH is a TH sound in most American, British and Australian speech, a T- or D-like sound in much Indian English, and an F or V in some London speech. None of these is more correct than the others.^3,1

Practising S and Z in Indian English

S and Z are the sounds where a lisp shows up, in any accent. A lisp is about how the S itself is made: an S that sounds like TH (“thun” for “sun”), or a wet, slushy S. Those signs aren’t features of Indian English or any other English.⁵

Words to practise S and Z.
Sound	Start of word	Middle	End
S	sun, sip, seven	pencil, missing, basket	bus, glass, nice
Z	zoo, zero, zip	busy, lazy, puzzle	buzz, quiz

Words to practise S and Z.

1Say each word slowly, in your normal accent.
2Record and listen back. Listen for a TH sound or a slushy sound in the S, not for how “foreign” or “local” it sounds.
3Move from words to short sentences: “Sita sits on the sofa.”

Free Lisp Test

A quick listening check of S and Z, for yourself or your child. A preliminary screen, not a diagnosis.

Try it free →

What SpeechStep checks, and what it doesn’t

For Indian English speakers, as of 30 October 2026.
Sound	What SpeechStep does
S, Z	The AI listens for swapped sounds, such as a TH where the S should be, and tells you when it heard one, or that it heard the sound in place
TH	Practice and listen-and-compare; no AI judgement, so a TH said as T or D is never marked
L	Practice and listen-and-compare; no AI judgement
Any recording it isn’t confident about	It asks you to try again rather than give a verdict

For Indian English speakers, as of 30 October 2026.

If you sign up from India, SpeechStep suggests its Indian English profile, and you can change it on the practice screen. It doesn’t detect a lisp, diagnose anything, or try to change your accent.

Practise your own speech, one sound at a time

Free with an account: your first practice day is a full session of 14 words, then 5 words a day, with AI feedback on the sounds it supports. SpeechStep is practice, not therapy, and it doesn’t diagnose.

Start free practice →Take the free lisp test

Need a licensed professional? Where to find a speech-language pathologist

Practising in English when you speak other languages too

Speaking more than one language is normal, and it isn’t a cause of speech sound disorders. SpeechStep’s practice is in English; if you work with a speech-language pathologist, they can look at your sounds across your languages.⁴

Finding a speech-language pathologist in India

Look for a professional registered with the Rehabilitation Council of India; the Indian Speech-Language and Hearing Association is the professional body. Surveys of Indian clinicians show online sessions are used in India, with clinicians reporting both benefits and practical challenges.^6,7,8,9

Frequently asked questions

Will SpeechStep change my Indian accent?＋

No. SpeechStep isn’t accent reduction. It practises speech sounds within your own English, and if you sign up from India it suggests the Indian English profile, which you can change on the practice screen.

Is it wrong to say TH like T or D?＋

No. In Indian English, TH is often made as a T- or D-like sound with the tongue against the teeth. It’s a regular feature of the accent. SpeechStep doesn’t judge TH with AI in any profile, so it’s never marked as an error.

What does SpeechStep check for Indian English speakers?＋

On S and Z, the AI listens for swapped sounds, such as a TH where the S should be, and tells you when it heard one, or that it heard the sound in place. When it isn’t confident, it asks you to try again. TH and L are practice with listen-and-compare.

I speak Hindi, Tamil or another language too. Which language should I practise in?＋

SpeechStep’s practice is in English. Speaking more than one language is normal and isn’t a cause of speech sound disorders. If a speech-language pathologist is involved, they can advise across your languages.

Where do I find a speech-language pathologist in India?＋

Look for a professional registered with the Rehabilitation Council of India. The Indian Speech-Language and Hearing Association is the professional body. Online sessions are increasingly common in India, too.