Do you understand English really well when it’s written down, but stumble over your words when you try to speak? Here are three simple tips to help you in conversation!
1. Try Not to Translate Everything in Your Head
The key sign that you are starting to become fluent is when you begin to think in a different language. It may sound like something you are not able to control, but you can train your brain to do this.
Start by getting into the habit of saying or thinking the English word when you look at something.
The goal is to make your brain associate the vocabulary with the physical object, rather than the word in your own language. Once you begin to do this, you will find that you speak more quickly, easily and fluently than before.
2. Don’t Overthink the Strange Rules
The English language is a very weird mix of Latin, Greek, Old German, French, Dutch, Danish and several other ancient languages, with words from India and many other countries thrown in.
Over the centuries, some words have also changed their meaning or pronunciation, which makes things even more confusing!
This can be very frustrating when you are trying to learn grammatical rules. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot you can do about it other than having to accept that the English language doesn’t always make perfect sense.
One thing you can try is to read books, watch television, listen to music and have actual conversations to understand how words and phrases are used in real life, rather than trying to learn everything from textbooks!
3. Be Brave!
The only way to become fluent in English is to use it as much as you can. You can’t study alone in your room for one day and then step outside as a fluent English speaker.
Learning a new language is a process. You try, you make mistakes, people correct you and you learn something new. You have to be very brave and keep trying your best to communicate. If you’re not making errors or picking up new phrases, you’re not pushing yourself hard enough.
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