Learn How to Speak English Fluently: Proven Tips and Techniques

Do you feel embarrassed to speak English in public? Or feel left out in a group of classmates who all speak English as though they are native speakers?

Well, you are not alone.

Take the case of Casey. Casey grew up in a village on the outskirts of the city. She went to the only school in the village where the medium of instruction was the local language. She did learn English but only as a second language. She learnt English grammar and vocabulary of course, but her teacher explained concepts mainly in the local language. So, she never had an opportunity to speak English fluently. As Casey grew up, she had to move to the city to look for a job. And then reality hit hard. How to speak English fluently so that she can impress an interview board? How to speak English fluently so that she will not feel left out in her workplace?

Being the determined and hardworking person she was, Casey decided to tackle the problem. She knew the words and the rules of the language. All she needed was fluent speaking. She read all she could about the ways in which she could speak fluently in English.

1. Live in an English environment

Can you afford to travel to a place where they speak only English?

Believe it or not, this is the most effective way to be fluent in English. If you have reached an all-English-speaking place, you go to a shop. You want to buy something. You definitely have to ask in English. Such interactions as this are the easiest way to achieve fluency in English.

Another way to immerse yourself in an English environment is to be friends with a person who knows nothing but English. Over the course of the a few days or months, with constant interaction, it is guaranteed that you will speak English fluently.

2. Get a personal tutor

If you can afford it, get a personal tutor.

Yes, it is quite expensive. But it is worth it.

The advantage of learning to speak English with a personal tutor is that you will get tailor-made practice. This means that the tutor can give much needed guidelines on the areas where you keep making errors. Otherwise, these errors may turn into habits.

You can also ask your doubts and clear them with a personal tutor.

Most importantly, with your tutor constantly monitoring you and coaxing you to try harder, your motivation to learn is likely to be high all the time.

3. Listen to standard English every day

Make it a habit to listen to BBC English News every day.

Watch good English movies without subtitles. At first you will not understand anything. But slowly, very slowly, you will. Be patient.

Listen to English songs. Again, you will not understand anything at first. Be patient.

4. Don’t aim for perfection; just start speaking

There is no such person as a perfect English speaker. Your average garden variety English speaker does not speak Queen’s English. Never be afraid to speak English thinking that you are making mistakes in grammar and pronunciation. You will learn by making mistakes and correcting yourself. One strategy to overcome the fear of speaking English is to start speaking with people whom you don’t have to impress. The waitress at a restaurant for example. Or a cab driver. Or a shopkeeper. They will not mind if you make grammatical mistakes as long as you get the message across. After a lot of such practice, your difficulty in speaking English will melt away.

5. Learn common phrases

In your learning journal, make a list of the phrases in English that are used commonly. Make sure to read it often so that those phrases get registered in your mind. For example, there are phrases in English to express thanks, to apologize, to greet someone you are meeting for the first time, to express a wish, and so on. Learn them and use them in appropriate situations.

● Why is Learning Common English Phrases Important?

Learning common English phrases is important for those interested in becoming fluent in the language. These phrases are constantly used in informal as well as formal settings, which is why they are so important in proper communication. You will feel free to talk by using such phrases and express your feelings correctly and understand the native speakers better.

● How Can You Learn Common English Phrases?

Some ways to know common English phrases are the following:

1. Online Resources: Websites, apps, online courses, which give some lists of common English phrases as well as their meanings can be used.
   
2. Language Exchange: Language exchange programs with the native speakers help in knowing phrases that go with contexts and further helps in speaking.
   
3. Reading and Watching: Reading books or articles and watching movies or television shows in English is helpful to know the common expressions that are commonly used in informal talks.

● Top 10 Common English Phrases to Learn

1. How’s it going? – A casual approach in asking how someone else is doing.
   
2. I am at a loss. May someone be helped me? – A respectful method of asking for something done or provided.
   
3. Sorry, I don’t get it. Could someone repeat that? – An idiomatic expression used while polite as the request to have an earlier saying restated.
   
4. What do you think? – A way of asking someone for their opinion on something.
   
5. Let’s order food ourselves. – An invitation to have a meal.
   
6. I am looking forward to it. – The expression of excitement toward an upcoming event.
   
7. You are welcome. – A polite way of answering “thank you.”
   
8. It is not a big deal. – The downplaying of a situation.
   
9. I do not know. – A statement wherein you don’t know anything.
   
10. Long time no see! – A greeting when you haven’t seen someone in ages.

By using such phrases in your daily talk, you will not only improve your skills in the English language but also enhance your self-confidence in expressing yourself appropriately.

6. Use technology to learn to speak English fluently

Your smartphone, laptop and tablet are great allies when it comes to learning to speak English fluently. If you use Duolingo every day for about 20 minutes, you can quickly master the basics of the language. Babbel is another app to acquire basic conversational skills in English. Other useful apps are FluentU, Rosetta Stone, Memrise and HelloEnglish. Listening to podcasts and talk shows are also very effective ways to acquire good English.