SPEAK FLUENTLY

IS IT YOUR DREAM, RIGHT?

PRACTICE PRACTICE AND PRACTICE!!!

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11 Tips on How to Improve Your English
Speaking Skills
English is the world’s lingua franca, a common language that people with
different native languages can use to communicate. Thanks to English,
people with completely different native languages—maybe Hindi, French
and Japanese—can sit down and have a conversation together. English
now spans across countries and cultures, and the ability to speak it well
will open many doors for your career and social life. The more fluent you
are in English, the more interesting, exciting and insightful conversations
you can have. It enables life-enriching experiences like traveling, studying
and working abroad, not only in the US but also many other countries
where English is widely spoken. The world is your oyster (the world is
yours). The other good news is that you can improve English speaking
skills without a classroom partner or stressful lessons. It’s totally possible
to have fun and master speaking a language at the same time.
Pronouncing the words correctly is the key to eloquence, but it is not
everything. This article will take you beyond the foundational aspects
to reach communicative competence.

How to Improve Your English-Speaking Skills

Build a Strong Foundation
In order to express yourself eloquently in English, you need a wide variety
of vocabulary and the correct pronunciation.

1. Expand Your Vocabulary

Learn New Words Every Day

Gleaning new words day in, day out is a good way to widen your
vocabulary. Commit to a suitable target: it can be three daily words or it
can be ten daily words.

Even if you only have time to learn one new word per day, it is still worth
trying. By learning one word every day, after one year you will have
learned 365 new English words.

Write the number down to remind yourself frequently. If you have a

learning partner, share it with her so that she can check on your progress.

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Some good resources for words are the news, songs and TV shows,
depending on your daily habits. If you love listening to music, pay
attention to the lyrics and take note of the words you do not know. Songs
often contain a lot of useful vocabulary, phrases and expressions,
therefore, they are great for learning English. You can do the same thing
with FluentU videos.

Learn Words in Phrases and Chunks

It is important that you learn words in groups. For example, you refer to
beverages as a glass of wine, a pint of beer, a cup of tea, a pot of
coffee, etc. It is better to learn those phrases than
merely wine, beer, tea and so on.

You can also benefit from learning words that are related. The moon has
four phases during a lunar month: crescent, gibbon, waxing and waning. It
is more efficient to learn all four words at the same time.

2. Improve Your Pronunciation

You might know a lot of words, but if you fail to say them correctly, you
will not be understood. That seems like a waste of the time spent on
remembering words, right?

When using online dictionaries such as Macmillan and Merriam-Webster,

make use of the little speaker symbol to check the pronunciation of any
word that you are not sure about. There are English pronunciation
tutorials on YouTube or podcasts like English Pronunciation
Pod or American English Pronunciation to teach you the many aspects of
American English pronunciation.
When you are ready for something more challenging, try out tongue
twisters. Some examples are available here. Personally, I love the Fork
handles sketch from the show “The Two Ronnies.” It might not be a
typical example of everyday conversation, but it shows you the richness
of spoken English. Besides, you will have a good laugh.

3. Learn The Natural Flow Of English

Being able to say individual words correctly is great, but the secret of
speaking fluently lies in the flow of sentences. Whenever you read a piece
of poetry, listen to a melodic song or watch a hilarious sitcom, pay
attention to the following:

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 Linking. Notice how native speakers link words together: joining
two sounds, making a sound to disappear or changing a sound for a better
flow.
 Contractions. Contractions are shortened forms of two words. For
example:
 I + am = I’m
 he + will = he’ll
 they + have = they’ve
 do + not = don’t
 Stress. There are stressed syllables in a word and stressed words in
a sentence.
 Rhythm. The rhythm is the overall result of stress, contractions and
linking. It is the ups and downs, the musical feature of English.

Techniques to Improve English Speaking Skills

Now that you have a strong foundation, you can apply some techniques to
hone (improve) your English speaking skills.

4. Speech Shadowing

In a nutshell, this technique is about imitation. You listen to how a native

speaker says something and try to copy it.

 Pick your favorite video with subtitles. Make sure that it is

something you enjoy watching because you will…
 Listen to it many times. Listen to the video once and read the
subtitles to get a good grasp of the general content and flow. While you
are playing it again, complete the next step.
 Imitate the narrator sentence by sentence. Play. Listen. Pause.
Speak. Record (optional). Copy the speech pattern as best as you can. If
you choose to record your practice, you can compare yours and the
original. Or else, just listen to your own sound and be critical of the
difference or similarity. Repeat this step until the end of the video.

5. Self-Talk
Talk to yourself in English loudly. It can be anything from a suggestion
like, “Shall we go get a glass of water?” or a reminder, “I need to do a
load of laundry today.”

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Alternatively, pick up a book and read a couple of pages out loud. This
exercise might slow down your reading, but it will speed up your speaking
skills.

You can also record yourself, listen to the recording and watch out for any
wrong pronunciations. If it is possible, ask for feedback from a native
speaker.

6. Think in English

If you already think in English, it takes less time to produce or respond in

everyday conversations. No translation needed!

A good way to start rethinking is to keep a diary where you express your
daily thoughts in English. It does not have to be perfect, it is more about
getting out thoughts in English with less and less effort.

7. Retell a Story in English

Take the challenge a step further by retelling a story. You retrace other
people’s line of thoughts in your own words.

I would start with a familiar story from your culture. Your translation
needs to convey not only the meaning of words but all rhetorical and
cultural nuances.

Alternatively, you can choose different words to retell a simple story in

English. Start from the basics, reading something like a fairy tale or a
fable. Either way will be beneficial to your English communication skills.

Frequently Practice to Improve Your English Speaking

Skills

Practice makes perfect, so do speak English in plenty. Some people think

that they do not have the opportunity to practice speaking because they
do not live in the US or another English-speaking country. They might also

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be discouraged because English is not used at their workplace, or they do
not know any native speakers.

There is some validity in those excuses, but do not let them hinder your
learning. Thanks to the growth of globalization and technology, you have
more chances than ever to practice speaking English. You’ll find many
ideas below.

8. Participate in Public Speaking Events

Big universities, theaters and culture societies organize events like open
debates, spoken word readings and improvised storytelling gatherings.
These are places where you can come and mingle with like-minded people
and practice speaking English.

Many cities are now hosting TED or TEDx talks where you can register to

participate and share your innovative ideas. Check the events page of
your local university to see if there are any available. It might be a nerve-
racking experience, but it would be great for your English!

9. Go to Language Cafes

If public speaking terrifies you (and I know it does for many), you can opt
for language cafes. Those cafes create a friendly and relaxing atmosphere
for people who want to practice and exchange languages. You can find
language cafes through local universities or the Meet up groups available
in your cities.

10. Using Apps

Another option is to use an app to talk to native speakers online, in the
comfort of your own home. Some popular apps
are HelloTalk, Tandem, WeSpeke. Basically, you register for an account,
introduce yourself, your native language and your hobbies. The app will
find you some matches—the people who speak English and want to
practice the language you know well. All you need to do is to press a few
buttons and start talking.

11. Chat with Siri

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I find chatting with Siri is a great way to force myself to speak more
clearly. As Siri is a machine, you cannot rely on environmental clues and
facial gestures to get your ideas across. Your words are the only tool you
have to make yourself understood. Thus, you need to speak as clearly and
precisely as you could.

Another plus point of using Siri is that she is always available (as long as
your phone is charged and connected to a WiFi network). Just press the
home button and start asking questions.

So, off you go! Choose your preferred method to expand your vocabulary,
correct your pronunciation, and boost your English speaking with the
methods that are right for you. Do not forget to practice as much as
possible.

How to Improve English Speaking Skills

 

How to Improve English Speaking Skills

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Many students master the fine points of English grammar but find themselves at a loss when
it comes to actually having a conversation with native speakers. In reality, the only way to
develop fluency in speaking is by huge amounts of listening, and then practicing. The
following are a few tips for improving English speaking skills. Don’t forget that listening is
the foundation for speaking! When you also want to practice speaking, here are some
suggestions for how to improve English speaking skills. 

Find an English-Speaking Conversation Partner

First of all, it’s important to find native speakers to practice with. Students who are living
around many English speakers may be able to find informal opportunities to chat with
neighbors and local business people. Joining a club or a volunteer organization can be a great
way to get to know people informally. If that isn’t an option, consider hiring a private tutor. A
lot of students find and meet with tutors online via tools like Skype or Google Hangouts.

Make Sure To Listen As Well As Speak

When practicing with a native speaker, try to balance your listening and speaking. It’s a good
idea to prepare questions in advance so that the conversation will flow back and forth. If your
conversation partner asks you a question and you answer at length, you can always turn the
question back to your partner by asking, “What do you think?” or “What about you?”

Record Your Conversation Practice

Recording is a great way to get the maximum benefit from a conversation with a native
speaker. When you listen again, you can evaluate your own pronunciation and notice areas
where you need to improve. You can also review the content of the conversation, take notes
on new vocabulary or misunderstandings, and prepare questions for the next meeting.

Surround Yourself with the English Language

Another way to improve your English speaking skills is to immerse yourself in English as
much as possible. Watch movies or TV in English, with subtitles if you need them, and watch
the same programs over and over. Most people find that they understand more each time.
Listening helps you become familiar with the rhythms and intonations of English. Once the
sounds are familiar, try imitating them.

Practice with Music and Movies

Listen to music in English and sing along. Music is one of the best tools for learning
intonation pronunciation. Listening to and singing songs might also help you remember
vocabulary and phrases (if the song is easy to understand), and it will help you learn to
pronounce English rhythm in a more natural way. By unconsciously imitating the singer,

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you’ll learn to pronounce phrases the way native speakers do. One good song for ESL or EFL
students is “Tom’s Diner” by Suzanne Vega because it uses simple language to describe
everyday scenes and actions.  Movies are a much better choice for learning English.  You’ll
learn vocabulary, idioms, slang, pronunciation, and listening by watching movies.  Be sure to
use my movie technique when you do this!

Read Aloud
Reading out loud is a great way to practice speaking when there are no conversation partners
available. Reading aloud gives you a chance to focus on pronunciation and pacing without
worrying about coming up with words. Make sure to practice with material that you can
understand. Some students find videos online that have transcripts. Many TED talks, for
example, include word-for word transcripts of the talk. By reading aloud from a transcript,
you can check your pronunciation by listening to how the speaker says something.

Talk to Yourself
Saying your thoughts out loud or narrating your actions (“I am drinking coffee, and now I’m
going to open my book”) can be a very effective way to practice spoken English. By talking
to yourself, you can become more fluent in translating your thoughts into spoken words.
Practicing alone is also a low-pressure way to practice, since no one will hear your mistakes.

Spanish people said “la repetición es la madre del éxito” or in English,

“repetition is the key to success”. Of course, it’s true. Learning anything, you
have to repeat, repeat and repeat. All the ways won’t work if you don’t repeat
all the time. So every day, set aside some time to improve your English
speaking skill. It doesn’t matter how you do it, but it is important that you
practice a little daily, it will create a good habit.

9|Good Luck!:)