Those wishing to understand how to learn to speak English well must adopt the experience of its native speakers from the UK and the USA. Natives of these countries grow in an environment where this language dominates, and learn it through constant contact and social interaction. They use English as a very practical tool for establishing relationships with other people, studying, working, receiving and sharing information. Without fluency in their language, life would be difficult for them, because it is the foundation of almost everything they do.
One must ask: “Do I really want to learn to speak English?” If the answer is yes and there is a strong desire, then more time should be devoted to learning the language. To do this, you should change your lifestyle so that contact with it becomes regular. The article gives recommendations on how to do this most effectively.
Immersion method
It is not enough to say to yourself: "I want to learn how to speak English." You need to set aside time for daily activities and give them high priority. They should be seen as an investment in the future. Classes should be regular - the speed with which the desired result will be achieved depends on this.
It is necessary to actively introduce English into everyday life. For example, you can read the news on your tablet during breakfast, listen to an audiobook or radio station on the way to work, use your phone to test 10 new words during the lunch break, write an email to a foreign colleague or friend, watch a 5-minute video from training channel, read the grammar, work on Skype several times a week, watch a movie in the original once a month, etc.
How to learn to speak English if 99% of the time is devoted to the native language? It is necessary to reduce its use. This method involves changing the language on the mobile phone, watching TV shows, and reading books in a foreign, rather than a native language.
English should be seen as a way of life, and not as a subject of study. Any contact with the language over time will help to speak more freely, so you should not limit yourself exclusively to traditional classes and textbooks. This will make the learning process much more interesting.
People should be involved: ask them to help practice, check vocabulary, or correct the letter. They can play an important role in supporting the new “English lifestyle”.
Perseverance and realism
The best things in life often happen due to the consistent achievement of the goal for a long time. This is also true in this case. Today there are many books and websites that promise to tell you how to quickly learn how to speak English. However, there are no easy ways. Failure awaits those who seek a quick solution or invest in studying not enough time, effort and money. It is necessary to take responsibility on yourself, and not shift it to others. It’s impossible to quickly learn how to speak English as a native speaker.
Many set unrealistic goals for themselves, do not follow the schedule, and then are disappointed with the end result. Do not fall into this trap. You can start with a series of small and achievable short-term goals (for example, for 3 months) and, finding free time, make a plan.
It is necessary to reconcile in advance that it is impossible to reach the 100% level of a native English speaker. But 90% is a very real goal. You should work on improving your skills. You must always remember your goals. For example, for emphasis, the main thing is that everyone understands it, that is, you need to have a clear standard pronunciation with minimal confusion in similar sounds.
You should visualize your progress in order to assess the level achieved. This will help control the improvement of skills. For example, you can take a 20-word test every week. Vocabulary simplifies understanding and also helps to speak English more fluently.
Motivation
One of the problems of traditional education is that it lacks an individual approach. An old teaching style can destroy the interest in language and demotivate learning. Those who want to know how to learn to speak English should focus on themselves, establish a closer connection with the language and increase their own motivation in order to get more freedom of action.
You need to connect your hobbies and interests with English. A language will never get bored if you read something interesting on it. You can take paper and write down a list of your hobbies and interests that motivate and stimulate in everyday life, and figure out how to tie them to English. For example, tennis fans who read articles about this sport in their native language should start doing this in English. At the same time, they will get quick access to the latest news, as there is no need to wait for the transfer to appear.
Boring textbooks can demotivate, so you cannot use them. You should try a variety of materials, checking what works best.
How to learn to speak English fluently? You need to communicate regularly with other people. These can be relatives or friends, members of a local English club, co-group members, a Skype teacher, etc.
Thanks to the Internet, even outside the English-speaking country, you can access the “opportunities” of English by joining forums where like-minded people correspond on interesting topics. You can study there by noting commonly used expressions and constructions that you can use later. Another advantage of forums is the use of modern colloquial expressions.
How to achieve a fluent pronunciation?
Fluent spoken English is not possible without a wide vocabulary, a good understanding of speech and grammar. Therefore, you should not focus only on communication.
In order to independently learn to speak English as a native speaker, you need to continue to learn new words. This will provide more opportunities to express your thoughts. It is important to constantly work on increasing your vocabulary through conscious and passive learning. Many simply do not have enough words to express their thoughts, or they cannot quickly formulate a proposal. In this case, work on expanding the vocabulary helps a lot.
You should study the words and phrases that will be regularly used. You can write them in the dictionary and take tests every month to select the most useful ones, or use an application such as Wordsteps to compile lists and check your vocabulary over time.
Want to start to speak good English? Then you need to learn to listen well. Fluency is often achieved by remembering what others are saying. There are many accents and regional forms in English, so it is important to improve auditory perception skills. To do this, you can watch modern TV shows, films with subtitles, Youtube channels, etc. Music lovers can choose their favorite track, print the text, translate it, and possibly even sing.
Reading will help you learn word order, grammar, idioms and expressions used by native speakers. If you read many articles on one topic or several books of the same author, you will find that some words and phrases are repeated from time to time. The more you read such texts, the easier it becomes to understand them.
For a more natural speech, you need to study how native speakers use the language in their everyday conversations. You can take dialogs from textbooks or rewrite them from television programs (for example, soap operas and comedies). At the same time, you can notice that in colloquial speech more phrasal verbs, abbreviations and simplified forms of time are used (especially in American). This one differs from traditional textbooks and provides valuable information about modern English. You can try role-playing games and practice conversations in various situations. Many words and phrases are often repeated, so they should be well known.
Grammar or speech?
The main problem for English learners is that they were taught by non-native speakers who are more oriented toward grammar than speech. This is understandable because school programs often prefer structure to interaction, and teachers lack confidence in their oral skills. However, the fact is that students cannot learn to speak English fluently if they are unable to regularly develop their speaking skills.
Grammar is important, but it is studied not only from textbooks. English rarely learn grammar formally. This mainly happens through trial and error in writing essays and other texts, which are then corrected by their teacher. They learn the rules of grammar through communication and constant contact with the language. Therefore, you can learn by regularly listening to foreign speech and copying the correct constructions and expressions.
Those who want to know how to learn to speak English well should not ignore non-standard forms, regional accents and dialects. According to statistics, only 2% of Britons speak normative English. This "elite" form is in decline and is not considered desirable. Many BBC announcers now use the standard version with soft regional accents - Welsh, Scottish, northern, southern, etc. On TV you can hear a wide range of accents and dialects. Although it is not necessary to adopt them, it is important to understand them, because most native speakers are at least somewhat different from the standard.
Using modern content
To learn how to speak English as a native speaker, you need a modern role model. Even outside the English-speaking countries, the Internet provides fantastic learning opportunities in the form of news websites, forums, social networks, teachers, training sites, etc. You do not need to use outdated textbooks or materials that do not reflect the modern language. Literature can be used if there is a distinction between obsolete forms and the ability to make the right choice.
Most ESL students cannot identify the right words and phrases that are appropriate for the context. This is a difficult skill, and mistakes often arise due to the use of old textbooks and manuals. Foreigners speak too formally. This is due to the wrong choice of words - for example, the formal terms postpone and collect instead of put off and pick up.
Often it is better not to use textbooks and other resources written by non-native speakers, as they most likely contain errors and are outdated.
Continuous development
To learn how to speak English as a native speaker, you must adapt to the changing nature of the language and constantly learn. Local residents never stop studying it, because it is constantly developing under the influence of the media, advertising, fashion, politics, foreign languages, etc. Therefore, you need to constantly listen to modern content. Communication with carriers is also a big advantage.
Watching reality shows, TV shows, and soap operas can provide valuable information about the English used today in most English-speaking countries. It is not always beautiful, polite, or complies with standard pronunciation and grammar, but illustrates modern usage and gives an idea of ​​the language that the British and Americans speak today.
The importance of practice
To learn how to speak English as a native speaker, you need to maintain a good active vocabulary. Most of this is hampered by a lack of practice (i.e., repetition). The human brain is like a computer, and the active dictionary is stored in a “temporary files folder”. If the information is not used for a certain period of time, it is simply deleted or forgotten. Therefore, if you want to learn how to speak English fluently, you need to use memorable vocabulary and grammar in practice and communicate regularly.
The use of materials that relate to the same topics is a good way to get acquainted with a certain set of vocabulary due to constant contact with the same words, phrases and constructions. For example, after reading 25 articles about tennis, you can learn all the common phrases related to sports. The same goes for any other topic.
Applying the latest technology
Scientific and technological progress is changing the way knowledge is gained. Students around the world use the Internet to improve their English proficiency through educational sites, social networks, webinars, Skype lessons, etc. Many people prefer to install language learning applications on mobile phones. This is a great idea because it allows you to practice more without having to carry books with you.
Although much progress has been made in the creation of artificial intelligence over the past decade, computers still cannot understand and reproduce speech the way people do. This means that English-oriented applications are often limited. Therefore, regular communication with native speakers and just people who own it is necessary.
Imitation
To learn how to speak English as a native speaker on your own, you need the right role model. In the same way that children learn to speak, imitating their parents and others, you can learn the language through content (texts, audio, video) and communicating with the teacher or friends.
You should choose one English option. There are significant differences between vocabulary, pronunciation, and even grammar between the languages ​​used in the United States and Great Britain. During the conversation and in writing, there is often confusion when different versions of English are mixed. To avoid this, you need to choose one thing.
A teacher can be an excellent source of regular communication and error correction practice. He can become an example to follow, increasing motivation and interest in the language. You can also choose a TV presenter, a Youtube star or a celebrity if you have access to video and audio materials.
Regular communication
You can learn to speak English as a native speaker if you provide continuous speech practice. Live communication helps improve listening skills and makes it possible to put theory into practice. This type of communication is less formal and organized than the lessons, and not all mistakes will be corrected, but the presence of an English-language social network can be extremely useful for improving confidence in a conversation.
English is the most popular foreign language studied in the modern world. This means that there are clubs and societies everywhere to study it. Information about them can be found through Google or Facebook. Often they are free, but some collect small membership dues. The idea of ​​these clubs is to organize weekly or monthly meetings, during which people can communicate in an informal setting.
In addition, by installing a microphone, you can communicate with other players during the game and discover a lot in common with people around the world.
Classes with a native speaker
Despite the fact that many skills can be improved independently, fluency is rarely achieved in isolation due to the need for regular interaction and correction of errors. Having a teacher can help coordinate daily activities. It should be a qualified teacher with experience, who can provide instruction and practical training several times a week.
This can be done in the classroom of a private language school, at home or with a teacher. In addition, English lessons are available on Skype (or using another VoIP program). This method gives you more choice and saves time and money.
You can search for carriers residing in the city.This can be done through Google or Facebook, as well as through the international department of a local university or even a Mormon mission. If they are interested in learning the language of the host country, then you can offer them an “exchange” and meet weekly in a cafe to practice for 30-60 minutes.