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How to speak English fluently: 7 teacher tips to improve your English
1. Focus on your interests!
If you don’t care about tennis or sailing then there isn’t much point learning English vocabulary about these sports if you don’t like them and are never going to talk about them. No – you should focus on learning English language that relates to your interests, hobbies, plans and personality. You should take note of the English vocabulary and phrases you frequently use in your own language and find out how to say them in English. You shouldn’t directly translate the phrases – instead you should learn what English speakers say in place of that phrase. They’re often very different!2. English Conversation: Find a language partner
Practicing with a native speaker will help to improve your English speaking skills. You can look into language exchange sites, like Tandem, or paid services, like iTalki, to find a native speaker who can help you practice English conversation. Both these sites allow you to find online tutors for English lessons on Skype. If you can’t find or can’t afford a native speaker, speaking English with people who speak English as a second language is still beneficial. Many students who are fluent English speakers admit that they rarely spoke with native speakers whilst they were learning. In fact, approximately 70% of English speakers are people whose second language is English.3. Use content created by native speakers: Consume content you like in English
Using content created in English for native speakers can help you get a feel for how native speakers use the language. You will hear the natural rhythm and tones of the English. You can use sources like:- YouTube videos on topics you like
- Watch movies or TV series in English - use subtitles if necessary
- Spotify or youtube for music- find lyrics online
- Audiobooks - services like Audible are great for listening to Books in English
4. Stop translating!
Translating from English to your own language in necessary in the beginning, but if you continue to do it as you get better in English it is actually a huge block to fluency. You should use feelings and your physical senses to learn vocabulary, not a translator. Don’t think of an apple as whatever the word for apple is in your language. Imagine the fruit when you say it instead. Try to do this with all of the language that you use! It can be more difficult for non-physical words, like jealousy and disappointment. Here, you should use a dictionary (not google translate!) to find the definition in English and some sample sentences so that you can feel how English speakers use the word. Then, instead of translating jealousy - you can imagine your partner speaking to an ex-lover, or that time that your friend bought a new, expensive car. Having a mental visual image of a word will help you remember it much easier.5. Learn about linking words in English
Linking is a way of joining the pronunciation of two words so that they are easy to say and flow together smoothly English speakers often link certain sounds and learning to mimic this will make your speech sound more natural. You can check this website for the linking rules and some examples. I recommend downloading songs, using the rules to work out which words in the song should be linked and then listening to the song to see whether you were right! You should also copy the speech as practice. Singing is a great way to practice forming sounds and linking correctly in English.6. Increase your vocabulary
A wide vocabulary is key to speaking English fluently. English has a huge range of adverbs and adjectives to help you express yourself. You might know the adjective ‘good’ in English, but fluent English speakers naturally use lots of synonyms of ‘good’. If you know the words good, great, amazing, incredible, awesome, and excellent then you’ll be able to have a much more exciting conversation with someone than you could if you only knew “good”. You can search for synonyms of a word here on this website When you learn new English vocabulary you should also practice saying the words in different example sentences. Again, choose sentences that make sense to you and that you will remember.7. And finally,......Practice, practice, practice!
It’s usually easy to find time to practice reading, writing and listening to English – but conversation practice requires the help of another person. If you can only meet up with your language partner once or twice a week, you should still devote a few minutes to improving your English speaking skills each day. There are plenty of ways to practice speaking alone. You can have conversations with yourself, or you can think of questions that people might ask you and practice answering them. If you live in an English speaking country, you can walk into a store or talk to someone on the bus. Any practice is good practice! Improving your English fluency will take time and practice. If you follow our helpful advice and stick with it, we are sure that your will learn how to speak fluently in English much faster than you thought possible!
The importance of English: 7 great reasons to learn English today!
We know that learning to speak English can be tough. It takes time and effort to learn to speak fluently. However, we can clearly see the importance of English when we look at our global economy and the key role that English plays in almost every part of your global society. So, in the past people used to ask each other “why are you learning English?”. Today, a better question to ask is” Why are you not learning English? In this article we’ve put together the top reasons to learn English so that you can remember why you started learning English and also find some inspiration to continue:
1. English is the global language
English is the lingua franca of business, politics and science. If you want to understand these fields, or even work in one of them, you’ll need to speak English. English is by far the most popular language to learn as a second language and is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. This map shows the percentages of English speakers in various countries:
2. Learning English increases job prospects
Being able to speak English will open up many employment opportunities for you. You are more likely to be able to work in a global company (Facebook, Google, Microsoft) if you speak English. There are jobs that require the applicant to speak at least the local language and English. Obviously, if your English isn’t good enough – you won’t get these jobs! Being fluent in English could also mean that you are more likely to be chosen to attend corporate events abroad. If you work in a local company that doesn’t require English and they want to send someone to a conference internationally, you are the person that they will chose. This might even lead to a promotion.3. Increased salary for English speakers
Speaking English is a skill that might set you apart from the other applicants and this means that you can ask for a higher salary. As mentioned above, you can also apply for global companies if you speak English and the wages are usually higher at these companies. Check out this table that shows the hourly wages for fluent English speakers in India, for example:
Source: https://voxeu.org/article/it-pays-speak-english
4. More friendship and dating opportunities
If you speak one language, you can find friends or a boyfriend/girlfriend from the pool of people who speak that language. If you speak English as well, the pool of people gets a lot bigger! If you want to make friends from other countries, including expats in your own country, it is important for you to learn to speak English. There is research that suggests that apps like Tinder and OKCupid are increasing the number of intercultural relationships. So, if you’ve been unlucky in love or friendship in your native language – learning English might be just what you need to meet people who are interesting to you.5. Better cultural understanding
Learning about another culture is inevitable when you learn English. Many aspects of the English speaking countries culture are unique, interesting and beautiful and can only be discovered if you speak English. You can also understand reactions to your culture a little better if you can see the perspective of people from other cultures. Understanding different cultures can prevent arguments and confusion when you interact with people from these cultures, which is a big benefit.6. Travel is so much easier with English!
English is the language of travel too. In most places around the world, you’ll be able to book hotels, tours, guides, and find restaurants if you speak English. If you go backpacking and stay in hostels you’ll be able to meet other travelers and make friends in English too. English is the language that people most often use if they are in a foreign place and they don’t know the local language. This means that you’ll be able to help tourists in your home country and ask for help when you’re abroad too.