Do you want to speak English fluently? Well, it is not rocket science. Speaking in English confidently is easy, possible, and attainable. Effective English-speaking skills help you to stand out in a crowd because English is one of the most popular languages in the world. Strong communication skills can help you to converse easily with different types of people. Guess what, as a spoken English Trainer, I have heard the following question umpteen times.
‘Ma’am, I understand English, I can write in English, but I am not able to speak fluently in English.’ How to speak in English, Ma’am?’
I have told each one of them: speak like nobody is listening, make mistakes, and learn from them! Learning and speaking sentences are not spoken English so stop cramming! English communication requires knowledge of basic grammar and of course your time and effort. Also, effective communication skills can
- Improve your chances at job interviews
- Help with job promotions.
- Help you to score well in international English examinations such as IELTS.
- Add confidence to your personality
- Improve your entrance exam scores
Let’s talk about the 8 best ways to improve your English-speaking skills
- Go Grammar: Basic grammar is necessary! -Yes, it is. How can you grow a tree without a seed? Grammar is the seed of English! You must know the basic time frames, natural flow of words, and basic grammar patterns in addition to pronunciation and vocabulary. You can use Google’s word pronunciation symbol to learn the correct pronunciation.
- Practice, practice, practice to the power of infinity– Watch English shows with subtitles, listen to English music with lyrics or English podcasts on a variety of topics. It is a great way to improve speaking skills.
- Reading -Read aloud but start with basic books such as short stories for children if you are a beginner, preferably Panchatantra or any other easy-to-read book. When you read, try to understand what you just read. It will help you to communicate your thoughts.
- Repeat -Summarize the story in your own words. Try to recollect the main events of the story and summarize the main points in English.
- Speak in word groups– Word groups are a great way to improve your speaking skills. For example- a cup of tea or on the table.
- Record yourself– It is a great way to improve your speaking skills as you will listen to your pitch, pronunciation of words and natural flow of speech.
- Self-Talk– If you don’t have a conversation partner, talk to yourself about the tasks to complete, people to meet or places to go to or just about anything that comes to your mind. Think in English.
- Join English-speaking groups – It will help you to speak confidently and act as a platform to practice your speaking skills.
If you master these 8 pro tips, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a confident and articulate speaker. As the next step, you can consider taking the help of a qualified trainer to develop advanced spoken English language skills.
About the Author
Ms Neha Sharma Jha is the founder of Potential Success Academy – Spoken English/ IELTS/ Study Abroad/ Test Prep. She is a professional CAT, GMAT, GRE, SAT, TOEFL, IELTS and ESL English Trainer, GD/PI Instructor, Life Skills Coach, Author, Content writer, Educational Modules Designer, and English Literature faculty. She also holds MA and M.Phil degrees in English along with being a certified TESOL Instructor.
