How to improve speaking English? A famous study estimated that people spend 70-80% of their conscious time communicating. Of that time, we spend a whopping 75% communicating verbally, or listening and speaking! As language learners, we face the crucial task of refining our speaking skills so that we can express ourselves clearly and naturally. In this article, we'll give you four key ways to take your English speaking skills to the next level. Let's jump in!
How to Improve English Speaking Skills Efficiently
1. Speech shadowing
Imitation is a great way to work on your pronunciation and learn natural English expressions. Here's how it works:
A. Find a song/movie you enjoy and pull up the lyrics/subtitles. Make sure it's something you like because we promise you'll be replaying it at least a few times...
B. Play the clip a few times to hear how native speakers say the lines. Take note of the timing, tone, and pronunciation of each word.
C. Now it's your turn to imitate the speaker word by word. Try and copy what you heard as closely as possible. You can even record your own voice and compare it to the original to clearly identify which words you need more practice with.
Over time, you'll start to sound more like a native speaker, so we recommend being consistent with the English accent you choose to imitate.
2. Practice thinking in English
When people start learning English, it is common to think in your native language and translate word by word into English. One way to start thinking directly in English is by keeping a diary and writing your thoughts down in English. Don't worry too much about getting the writing perfect as the exercise is meant to help you develop your inner English voice.
3. Give public speaking a try
The digital age has made it easier than ever to find communities that share the same interests as you. In addition to in-person meeting groups such as Toastmasters International, there are a host of online communities such as HelloTalk Live, where you can practice debating and public speaking over video calls. This is a great way to get out of your comfort zone and take your speaking skills to the next level!
4. Get a language partner
Having a language is arguably one of the best ways to improve your spoken English. Pairing up with a native speaker gives you direct feedback from an expert English speaker. You also benefit from hearing how they speak and express themselves.
5. Read aloud
Read an article out to yourself. To help you stay motivated, we recommend finding content that you already find interesting. Reading aloud is an excellent way to practice pronunciation while also paying attention to sentence structure and grammar patterns.
Join HelloTalk - the easiest way to practice and speak with English native speakers
HelloTalk is the world’s #1 language exchange app and home to a global community of language learners and culture lovers. Join over 35 million people from 190 countries who’ve made HelloTalk a language practicing hub. Did you know English is the most popular language on HelloTalk? Search for language partners and practice speaking English with native speakers for free through text, voice, or video. The app also includes self-paced lessons, instructional English livestreams, and intuitive language tools such as translation, transcription, and transliteration to get you talking with native English speakers in no time! Download the free app today at hellotalk.com.
