FLUENCY IN 5 EASY STEPS

Wil - 30/05/2015

Becoming fluent in English can seem like a daunting task. However, like any journey, the most difficult part is often taking the first step. Follow these five easy steps to make your English sound more fluent starting today.

Smile and breathe

No matter what your level of English, confidence is vital. When you speak English, smiling will make you feel more confident. It might even help you make some new friends. Make sure to take time to breathe while you are speaking, too. If you get stuck for what to say, just pause, take a breath, and you will feel your confidence returning.

Memorize examples with vocabulary

Don’t just memorize lists of words. Make sure to include examples, too. If you are using flashcards, write a whole sentence on each card so you know how to use the words in context. Make the examples as memorable as possible with a funny story or use something related to your life to help them stick in your mind.

Listen to learn

When listening to English radio, news or movies, pay close attention to what you hear. Keep a notebook to write down new phrases, and look up or ask your teacher about any that you don’t understand. If you are speaking to a native speaker, don’t be afraid to ask them to explain any idioms or expressions that you don’t understand. Learning from the real world will make your English more relevant and natural than learning from a textbook.

Exercise your mouth muscles

English probably uses some sounds that you don’t have in your first language. To make these sounds accurately, you need to develop the muscles in your mouth by exercising them. Practise speaking loudly and clearly at home and record yourself to make sure you are doing it right. Exaggerate each sound when you practise alone and you will find it easier to speak clearly in a normal conversation.

Copy a native speaker

You can learn a lot from mimicking the way a native speaker speaks. Choose someone whose voice you like and find a recording of them speaking. Select a few sentences in the recording and practise saying them yourself exactly how they sound on the recording. Pay attention to the sound of each syllable and which words are stressed.

Remember, however you practice your spoken English, keep it fun and relevant. Practise a variety of techniques and do it regularly to reach your goal of speaking fluent English.

Wil is a writer, teacher, learning technologist and keen language learner. He’s taught English in classrooms and online for nearly 10 years, trained teachers in using classroom and web technology, and written e-learning materials for several major websites. He speaks four languages and is currently looking for another one to start learning.

WIL