Speak English fluently with these 20 useful tips

By Tushar On September 5, 2020 In olympiad exams

English, being a globally accepted language, is considered to be the stepping stone in one’s career. Practice is the key to acquire mastery over any language. The fact that people are comfortable with their mother tongue, proves that constant exposure to a particular language, be it spoken or written, helps improve proficiency.

Let us look at how we can speak English fluently with 20 useful tips:

Engage in real conversations – It is believed that children are very good at grasping languages when they are little. This is because, learn through real conversations. Thus, they are able to absorb any language with perfect pronunciation. Consider yourself to be a child who is bound to make mistakes. Converse in English with people around you.
Consider mistakes to be a part learning process – It is human being’s tendency to err. Nobody has learnt anything without making mistakes. Even native English speakers make errors at times. These errors are a part of the learning curve. Each time you make blunders, make it a point to rectify those immediately. Doing so would help you understand minor slip-ups, and you would automatically avoid it the next time.
Listen to conversations – It is a good habit to watch English movies or serials to understand the nuances of the language. Listening to conversations make people use different terms from the vocabulary. It helps to understand how to form opinions. The more your ears are exposed to listening English, the easier it becomes for you to speak confidently.
Read books – Books can be a great companion for beginners looking to improve English. It not only helps them remember sentence phrases, but introduces them to new words from the vocabulary. It gives people an idea to use idioms and phrases in the right places. To develop a reading habit, one must make it a point to pick interesting topics to read. It can be short stories, novels, editorials from the newspapers or any good reading material.
Enroll for English Olympiad exams – English Olympiad is a national and international exam conducted annually. It is open for class 1 to class 10. It provides the best platform for students to improve their written and spoken English. The exam introduces students to international levels and proves beneficial in the long run. It corrects basic grammar usage, improves writing skills and makes them ready for competitive exams.
Set realistic goals – Many learners fail to follow their own timetable. It is recommended to set goals that are practically achievable. Allow enough time for improvement. Language skills are not developed in a day. It takes a lot of practice to attain proficiency on any language. Make it a habit to include daily reading, writing, speaking and other learning exercises.
Talk to yourself – It is a good habit to converse with our inner-self in English. Also, talking in front of the mirror for a few minutes every day also helps to learn different expressions. It lets individuals know how they look when they use a new word or a phrase. It also helps them to realize where most mistakes can be made.
Think in English – From speaking to writing, the next aspect is thinking in English. It may seem a little tough in the beginning, but slowly it can become a habit. Switching between one’s mother tongue to a foreign language also may seem weird. But, doing so allows more conversations in English.
Practice using Olympiad books – Apart from story books, novels and other study material, English Olympiad books provide in-depth knowledge on grammar, comprehension, style of writing, and idioms. These books are very handy for beginners and even for those who want to improve their fundamentals.
Visualize your progress – Being self-motivated is the first step towards success. Learning a language is a never ending process. Set goals for oneself and visualize that you have already achieved those. This makes you determined to ensure that all goals turn into reality. Try to test yourself at every weekend and see where you stand.
Make a list of interesting topics to discuss with others – To gain fluency in English it is important to speak the language more regularly with native English speakers. These can be your peers, tutors, colleagues or even friends. Chalk out topics that interest to you and discuss more about the same with others.
Analyze native English conversations – Listen to how native speakers talk. Reflect on the type of words used in their day to day life. Take examples and learn from their dialogues. Native speakers have a tendency to use more contractions, phrasal verbs, and simple tenses. This will provide valuable insights into how English is spoken today.
Apply grammar do not memorize – It might seem easy for people to memorize grammar, however, with languages, applying the same seems to be most difficult. Grammar has to be simple, easy to comprehend, and apply the same in real-life situations. The key to improve English is to practice and not to memorize.
Focus on natural English – It is difficult for non-native English speakers to pick up a native accent. It’s perfectly alright to not have an accent, but to be grammatically correct. It is equally important to have right pronunciations, no matter what accent one sticks to.
Learning a language is a continuous process – Learning English involves learning new things every day. Learners must be in touch with the language regularly. Learning a language is a continuous process and if stopped one may forget the basics learnt previously. After all, forgetting is an inevitable part of the process.
Practice English Olympiad question papers – No matter how old you are; it is never late to start afresh. Pick up English Olympiad question papers to practice tricky questions. These provide an overview of what is expected at international levels. Mock tests and other assessments are also methods to test oneself.
Listen attentively – While listening to dialogues on television, pay close attention to the phrases being used. Try listening not only to the meaning of the words, but also how it has been used in the sentence. Remember the minute details and use the same next time in your conversation.
Record yourself – While practicing to speak or to ready, record your own voice to understand where are the possible loopholes. Whenever you read, read it aloud. After you finish recording, play it for yourself and understand areas that require improvement.
Share opinions online – Social media can be a good learning platform. Leaving comments on social media websites, may get you connected with others. It may start an online conversation with people you may not know in person. Participate in such conversations to understand how others communicate.
Connect your hobbies with English – It is important to make English interesting and relevant. Identify personal likes, jot it down on a piece of paper. Try reading more about it through online platforms in English. Doing so, would make you read the language and also feel connected.

There are no shortcuts to acquire fluency over English. Practice is vital to develop a good command over the language. Learning English can be fun only if you create a suitable learning environment. Adopting the right approach can make you better at speaking and writing English.