You may have noticed that over the past few years, fluent verbal communication in English has come to symbolize a superior personality. The way you speak English and communicate, rates you as a winner or loser in this age of cut-throat competition. However, speaking English is as easy or difficult as the effort you’re willing to put into it. So fear not, help is at hand. Read on and imbibe the 10 tips to make your words and sentences in English flow like a charming river.
1. Think in English
The mind is a powerful tool. Use it. Speak to yourself in English and let your thoughts about everything from the local train to the shopping list be in English. Even if you do nothing else, do this!
2. Do not translate from your native language to English
If you do not know the correct sentence or phrase in English, do not ever translate from your native tongue. Doing this will not take you any further in your learning plus you end up becoming a joke. So, find out what the correct usage is by reading or asking someone.
3. Speak English at every opportunity
Don’t worry if it doesn’t sound perfect at first. It’s like driving -- initially, the traffic lights and other vehicles will give you a scare but after some practice, you can do it without thinking.
4. Learn sentences or phrases -- don’t concentrate on single words
Instead of concentrating on learning new words by themselves, try using them in a sentence. Learn as sentences, not single words. The aim is to get comfortable speaking; improving your vocabulary is a different lesson.
5. Listen to others speaking English
Listen, listen, listen. Whether it is the radio or the television or a movie. Or a colleague or teacher who speaks good English. Keep listening. This will help you improve pronunciation and accent. Do not imagine that your speaking skills can be enhanced through reading alone.
6. Learn how to say the same thing differently
As with other languages, so in English, one sentence can be framed in multiple ways, all conveying the same meaning. Learning these will help you form clearer and simpler sentences.
7. Make sure there is someone to correct you if you go wrong
Making mistakes is natural. So there must be someone to correct your English. Speaking it incorrectly for a long time will imprint it in the brain and it’ll be hard to correct later.
8. Do not lose confidence
It is common to lose your drive along the way but if you keep seeing results, no matter how tiny, it will keep up your motivation. So keep note of the little achievements and soon, they’ll add up to a big one -- fluent spoken English!
9. Keep it simple
Do not complicate your goals by trying to accomplish too much. Reading, writing, spelling, vocabulary -- they will all come in due course. Your goal is to speak better English. Stick to it.
10. And most of all, have fun!
If you imagine learning English as a fun contest or race, the sooner you will reach the end. So take joy in it and enjoy each moment of learning. If you look upon it as torture, that is what it will be and you wouldn’t make much progress.
Use these 10 tips diligently to improve the way you speak English and thank us when you start seeing positive results. Feel free to tell us what you think about these tips and don't forget to share what you found useful.
Read more articles on how to improve English speaking
- Improve your English vocabulary -- Tips and Tricks
- Improve English Pronunciation -- Tips and Tricks
- Tips for Speaking English with Neutral Accent
- How to Speak English Fluently -- Few Tips
- Improve English grammar -- Tips and Tricks
