10/1/2021 How To Speak English Fluently: Tips To Improve Your Speaking Skills - italki

Encontrar un profesor Comunidad Iniciar sesión Registrarse

Versión web de la Comunidad ya disponible VER DETALLES

italki

COMPETENCIAS LINGÜÍSTICAS

Chino (mandarín), Francés, Coreano, Ruso,

Español

IDIOMA DE APRENDIZAJE

Francés, Ruso, Español

SEGUIR

How To Speak English Fluently: Tips Recomendación

To Improve Your Speaking Skills How To Be Proactive In Your

Is your usual English routine becoming too familiar? Try this article for some awesome new ideas and Language Studies
strategies to bring into your learning. 22 votos positivos · 0 Comentarios

  Skyrocket Your Vocabulary

  With italki!
Many students manage to master the fine points of English grammar; yet find it difficult to
129 votos positivos · 0 Comentarios
start and carry on a conversation with native speakers. Fluency in speaking English, though,
only comes with sharpening your listening skills, rather than just your reading and
Why You Should Never Put
comprehension skills, given that listening is the basis of speaking. Unfortunately, when we
A Cat In The Washing…
learn languages at school there are really not many opportunities to speak English. The
following are some actionable tips to help improve your English speaking skills within the 23 votos positivos · 0 Comentarios
shortest amount of time possible.
 
  Descarga la aplicación
de italki
1. Speaking Out Loud Interactúa con hablantes nativos de
 
todo el mundo.
You could start by reading an italki article out loud (no murmuring please!). The magazine,
blog or newspaper you usually read are also good sources of content that you could read
aloud. You may even act out a script of your favorite TV show. In short, whatever you would
enjoy reading, do so in a louder fashion!
 
Another good idea is to start recording audio podcasts or videos on your smartphone about
whatever you feel like talking about while, say, you are commuting to work or working out.
Or you could talk to yourself when you are alone at home (i.e. doing the chores or having a
shower). No need to make elaborate sentences; simple and short, precise ones will do.
 
Other ideas you could try:
 
Sing English songs.
Make a list of “sentence starters”, such as “From my point of view...” or “Off the top of my
head...” and use them when you start speaking out loud or having a conversation in English.
While you are speaking, think aloud if you have no clue what you should reply to a question.
(i.e. “I have no idea what the answer to this question is”).

https://www.italki.com/article/1092/how-to-speak-english-fluently-tips-to-improve-your-speaking-skills?bsft_eid=a7e10160-0dbc-42e5-943a-b62e1e8c8… 1/5
10/1/2021 How To Speak English Fluently: Tips To Improve Your Speaking Skills - italki
 

The more you hear yourself speak English, the more your mouth will get used to forming
English words. And, don't worry about how your English sounds like. Eventually, your
pronunciation will become more similar to a native English speaker's pronunciation (see
shadowing section below for extra help). Even if you feel you are not clearly understood or
make mistakes, it is okay. The more you move on with reading this article, the more you will
understand why!
 
Just remember that even native English speakers make mistakes when they speak. Not to
mention the different accents people from English-speaking countries have. Do you think
than an Australian can be clearly understood by a Brit? Yet, they both speak English! That
aside, your spoken English might not sound as weird as you may think to a native speaker. It
is just your fear; so get over it. The key to your success, at this phase, is to speak freely and
not care about how others perceive you or whether you make grammatical mistakes.
 
 
Shadowing
 
Shadowing is a technique where you listen to some English, be it a monologue, audiobook,
radio show, conversation or anything else, and repeat it right after. Just make sure whatever
you choose is to your level or slightly more difficult. The key is to have something fairly easy
to exercise.
 
Modeling native English speakers you like (preferably those with a speaking style similar to
your mother tongue) is the next best thing you can do to learn proper pronunciation.
Shadowing helps train your ear to listen carefully to how words are pronounced (also the
rhythm and tone in which phrases are spoken) and how ideas are turned into words. Pay
close attention to little things, such as the number of pauses and the length of the speech so
you can copy what you listened and then repeat properly. This will not only “teach” your
mouth muscles to move in the right way but also allow your ear to become accustomed to
the way native speakers speak. Your spoken English will become smoother through making
the right sounds.
 
 

2. Improve Your Listening

 
Mastering your listening skills will help you more with improving your English speaking skills.
Listen to as many English materials as possible, from podcasts (i.e. ESL Aloud or BBC's 6
Minute English) and book recordings to songs (mind the lyrics) and conversations on
YouTube. Watching movies, interviews, short TED talks, and TV series (always with native
English speakers) without subtitles can also help. At first, chances are many words will
appear to be unfamiliar and the accent of a native English speaker may not be too
understandable on your end.
 
There are many different accents depending on one's origins. For example, a British speaks
differently than an American and an American from Texas speaks differently than an
American from New York or an Australian. It is perfectly fine if you cannot understand every
single word. Just be patient, persistent, and choose which accent you like the best and then
be consistent about what you listen and how you talk (don't mix, say, American English with
British English). The more you listen, the more you will be able to comprehend different
accents too while also learn new expressions at the same time.
 
Tips:
Try not to translate as you listen; just grasp the general meaning of what it is you are
listening to.
To enhance the way you listen to things, close your eyes and amplify your hearing sense.
Repeat the sounds exactly as you hear them. You can start with small words and slowly move
on to phrases. This exercise will also help boost your self-confidence too.
Listen to something and then record yourself saying that same thing. That way, you will be
able to address any weaknesses by comparing the two pronunciations.

https://www.italki.com/article/1092/how-to-speak-english-fluently-tips-to-improve-your-speaking-skills?bsft_eid=a7e10160-0dbc-42e5-943a-b62e1e8c8… 2/5
10/1/2021 How To Speak English Fluently: Tips To Improve Your Speaking Skills - italki
 
 

3. Improve Your Presentation Skills

 
Although not directly related to languages, improving your presentation skills will also help
you improve your spoken English. Being able to present clearly and effectively in English will
allow you to gain the confidence you need to put your English speaking skills into motion.
You may have an excellent level of English already but without the ability and confidence to
speak freely to others, all that knowledge is wasted. Also, adapting your presentation skills
according to your audience's expectations will eventually make you an eloquent orator!
 
Here is what you can do to better your presentation skills:
 
Turn nervous energy into enthusiasm – Take deep breaths to get oxygen to your brain,
listen to some music before making a presentation, or do some Yoga. Whatever relaxes you
and makes you shed off negative thoughts and nervousness. If you are nervous, you will
speak faster than what you normally do, which may make you less understandable by your
audience.
Implement positive visualization techniques- If you can visualize the success of what you
are about to do, chances are that is what you will receive in the end!
Release your fears – Nobody is there to laugh at you. On the contrary, they do understand
how stressful this is to you and are there to watch you succeed.
Smile – Besides exhibiting enthusiasm and confidence to the crowd, studies have also found
that smiling increases the production of endorphins.
Avoid voids – Pauses are inevitable when you are hosting a webinar or presentation. You
can address them by slowing down rather than trying to fill the void with groans and grunts
(you know, the “ermmm”, “uhhhh...” sounds). Instead, use pauses as a means to emphasize
key points. Your talk will also feel more conversational too. Or you can comment on
something before you make your statement (i.e. “This is a difficult question”, etc).
Mind your articulation – Speaking in a fashion that makes you completely understandable
by your audience will help people relate more to what you are saying and think highly of
you.
Come to terms that you may not have all the answers – Admitting not knowing every
little thing about a given topic doesn't make you weak; it makes you human and helps
improve your credibility.
 
 

4. Speaking With a Native Teacher

 
If you have people that speak English fluently, then do ask them if they would like to
communicate with you in English so that you can practice your speaking skills. If you don't
have anybody to help you, you can make friends with English speakers (i.e. through the
social media) or exchange ideas with other people also learning English. People say that if
you want to be successful, surround yourself with successful people. Likewise, if you want
your spoken English to sound as if coming from the mouth of a native speaker, surround
yourself with English speakers! Having a so-called language buddy also helps boost your
self-confidence. However, it is important your language buddy is better at English than you
so that your skills can only go up.
 
Of course, there is nothing better than speaking with a qualified professional that holds
expertise in English. At italki, we can match you to experienced English teachers and tutors
who will make sure your speaking skills are taken to an upper level the soonest possible. It is
a superb opportunity to practice what you have learned or read in English with a person that
not only speaks English as their mother tongue but also knows how to pass on valuable
knowledge and advice to people trying to master every aspect of the language. That aside,
italki teachers come from a vast array of backgrounds, which allows them to broaden a topic
matter raised by learners and discussed in class to another level, giving learners the
opportunity to expand their knowledge base.
 
Your communication errors are instantly corrected, you get to hear the right pronunciation,
clear doubts related to sentence and grammatical construction, have the chance to sound
like you were born in an English speaking country and progress much faster than without
https://www.italki.com/article/1092/how-to-speak-english-fluently-tips-to-improve-your-speaking-skills?bsft_eid=a7e10160-0dbc-42e5-943a-b62e1e8c8… 3/5
10/1/2021 How To Speak English Fluently: Tips To Improve Your Speaking Skills - italki
like you were born in an English-speaking country, and progress much faster than without

professional help. And, if you feel shy, you can always have one-on-one audio sessions
rather than video calls; as simple as that!
 
Other Practical Tips:
 
When you get stuck, use vague language (i.e “I suppose...”, “I guess...”) to give yourself time
to think how to explain something you are struggling with at the time, or explain it using
other words/phrases you know.
Avoid putting too much pressure on you or being too harsh on yourself. Let yourself go with
the flow
Try to improve your speaking speed, without stressing yourself over it, and have as much of
a continuous flow as possible without distractions.
It is perfectly okay to pause for a while (especially when you want to increase excitement
about what you are about to say next), change your mind halfway through a sentence,
correct yourself, repeat yourself, go back to something you forgot to mention, explain
something and make grammatical mistakes while doing so. What matters the most is that
you try to better your skills; the rest will come with time and practice.
Respond to the easiest part of a question first. If, for example, you are asked “How and when
did you find that cute puppy?” start answering with whichever part you feel is the easiest
(the “when” or the “how”) and not necessarily in that order. Then give more details.
Feel free to go off topic if you must. Use phrases like “by the way...”, say what you need to
say, and get back on track with something like “Where were we?” (followed by “Oh, yes!”) or
“Anyway,...”.
Make sure you distinctly mark the end of your turn, either with the help of eye contact, body
language, or using tag questions (“...isn't it?).
 
 

Embracing Difficulties
 
This is probably going to be a challenging road, which is actually a great thing because it will
push you to get out of your comfort zone and explore your true potential. There may come
times when you might think that practice isn't working for you and you feel frustrated. As
soon as you embrace difficulty, you will realize that you are indeed pushing your spoken
English to the next level. Dare to make mistakes and learn from them. Making mistakes is
also part of the learning process; perhaps the most critical one. Your goal is clearly defined,
right? You know where you want to go. So don't let anything get in between until you finally
reach your dream. Along the way, you will find people willing and ready to help you out; to
show you that you can make it! Yes, it takes time to make new brain synapses, but once you
do, they will be there for the rest of your life.
 
What are you waiting for? Join our community of over 3 million language learners and come
one step closer to achieving your goal.

References
10 Top Tips For Improving Your Spoken English
Tips for improving your English speaking skills and pronunciation
How To Improve Your English Pronunciation In 1 Week
Tutorial on The Imitation Technique
57 ways to improve your fluency
How can I improve my English speaking skills?
The only way to really improve your English skills
27 Top Ways to Improve Oral Communication Skills in English
10 easy ways to improve your public speaking
20 Ways to Improve Your Presentation Skills
 
 

10 de ago de 2017 23:24 1 69

https://www.italki.com/article/1092/how-to-speak-english-fluently-tips-to-improve-your-speaking-skills?bsft_eid=a7e10160-0dbc-42e5-943a-b62e1e8c8… 4/5
10/1/2021 How To Speak English Fluently: Tips To Improve Your Speaking Skills - italki

Comentarios

Ades

Positive thinking means, the best is going to happen, not the  worst.

24 de Julio de 2012 0 0

Profesores de idiomas Aprende un idioma Enseñanza Español

Profesores de Inglés Aprende Inglés Conviértete en profesor

Profesores de Chino (mandarín) Aprende Francés Código de conducta docente USD $

Profesores de Francés Aprende Español

Profesores de Español Aprende Portugués Más

Profesores de Portugués Aprende Alemán Aplicaciones de italki
Profesores de Alemán Aprende Japonés Recomienda a un amigo y consigue 10 USD
Profesores de Japonés Aprende Coreano Compra una tarjeta regalo
Profesores de Coreano Aprende Árabe italki Empresas
Profesores de Árabe Aprende Hindi Programa de socios
Profesores de Hindi Aprende Italiano Programa de afiliados
Profesores de Italiano Aprende Ruso Comprueba tu nivel de inglés
Profesores de Ruso Aprende más idiomas Historias de italki
Profesores de Otro Language Challenge de italki

Language Hacking

Empresa Oportunidades profesionales OFERTAS DE TRABAJO Prensa Asistencia Información legal Privacidad Contacto © 2020 italki HK Limited.

https://www.italki.com/article/1092/how-to-speak-english-fluently-tips-to-improve-your-speaking-skills?bsft_eid=a7e10160-0dbc-42e5-943a-b62e1e8c8… 5/5