An exploration of pronunciation tutorials designed for speakers of English as an additional language (EAL) in a university context in Australia suggests that developing abilities to speak clearly involves more than just focusing on the sounds that are uttered. Students' comments and observations collected during pronunciation tutorials highlight factors that are important for understanding how these speakers successfully manage their spoken interactions. This article reports on what these students say about their experiences and strategies for communicating clearly and effectively at university and while in their professional placements. Implications for the ways that pronunciation tutorials are run include the need to focus not only on the sounds that the speakers make, but also to provide opportunities for them to develop awareness of themselves as speakers and to develop their understanding of the speaking contexts and the associated pragmatic language skills that are required for becoming clearer and more confident speakers.