Fluency is the stage of
learning a language
when things just “click.” It takes a lot of time and effort to reach this level, so many people don’t think it’s realistic.
But, thousands of people reach
English language
fluency every year, and with enough determination, you can too! To help you out, we asked Preply’s expert language tutors for their best tips and advice. Keep reading to find out what they said.
12 tips for speaking English fluently
1. Start speaking English as much as possible
The one thing you absolutely have to do to speak English
fluently
is
get more speaking practice
. Almost all advice on achieving your fluency goals will eventually come down to this. Nothing else you can do is as effective, or as important.
If you’re living in a country
where
spoken English
is not common
, finding opportunities to practice can be difficult. Try some of these methods:
Buddy up
with an English speaker who is learning your
native language. I
f you don’t know anyone, try downloading a
language exchange app
.
Schedule 1-on-1 online classes
with an
English
tutor
to get expert advice on your
English speaking skills
.
If you are
serious about
becoming fluent
in English, invest in a personal language tutor. Talking to an expert English tutor even just once per week can dramatically boost your progress.
You’ll be able to ask
questions
about English regularly, discuss
new words
relevant to your own life, and will receive feedback on your
English conversation
skills in real-time. It’s much easier to stick to a regular learning routine when you feel
accountable to and comfortable
with somebody. Study with an English teacher and you’ll have your own
personal language coach
.
With
Preply
, 1-on-1
English lessons
have never been more convenient or affordable.
There are tutors in different time zones and from all across the world, so there will be an expert
available at any time
.
The unique search filter
also allows you to
choose what you can afford
to pay — prices start from as low as $10/ hour.
Prefer working in a group? No problem. Preply’s
English group classes
can help you
connect with people around the world
and learn from their mistakes and strengths. They are also a great option if you want to combine interactive video chat lessons alongside a course, but don’t want to be tied into an expensive solution.
3. Expose yourself to English every single day
If you want to speak
fluently
, it’s vital to get as much exposure to English as possible. You should be doing something in English
every day
, even if you’re not actively studying. There are
simple changes
you can make to your environment to help expose yourself to English:
Change your phone/social media/tablet settings to English
This technique is called “
language immersion
.” It’s a great way to get used to the sounds and text of a
new language
and to reinforce what you have learned.
How many
apps to learn English
do you have on your phone right now? Probably at least one! The digital age has revolutionized
language learning
, and it’s easy to forget how lucky that makes us.
There’s a wealth of study technology available, so choose carefully. Make sure that you’re using the most effective resources for your own study habits, and that you’re not falling into the trap of
relying too heavily on game-like apps
.
Apps have many limitations, and you will still need to mix up your activities to learn English faster. As John Fotheringham, creator of languagemastery.com says: “
Language apps are a great supplement to a balanced language diet… but they shouldn’t be the main course
“:
It’s also easy to forget what a great resource
YouTube videos
are for
ESL
learners. There are more hours of expert advice on YouTube than any student could watch in a single lifetime.
Even better, almost every video can be watched with
subtitles
, played at slower speeds, paused, and replayed until you understand every word. Check out our article on top
YouTube channels for learning English.
5. Use resources made for your level
If you’re determined to reach fluency, it can be tempting to skip over resources made for intermediate-level
English learners
and jump straight into content made for
fluent English speakers
.
Every ambitious
language learner
has done this at some point or another! However, the reality is that you’ll
get a lot more from your study hours
if you
use resources made for your level
.
For instance, instead of watching the latest American blockbuster with
subtitles
on in your own language, try watching an episode of an
English-language
cartoon without any
subtitles
. You will understand far more and will gain more
new vocabulary
from the context.
6. Work on your pronunciation
Working on your pronunciation is helpful for a few reasons.
We all need to be understood
, and pronunciation practice helps us
speak with clarity
. This doesn’t mean that you need to get rid of your accent, not at all. But it will be frustrating for yourself and other English speakers if they do not understand you.
Some of the work in becoming fluent and pronouncing words clearly is physical. If your
native language
sounds very different from English, then you will need to
pay attention
to
moving your mouth and tongue in a new way
.
Native Spanish speakers, for example, sometimes say that speaking English for long periods of time makes their jaw ache!
One exercise you can try is using
YouGlish
: a tool where you can hear any sentence in a variety of English accents. This is great to repeat along to and practice your pronunciation but also improves your listening skills too.
Fluency is being able to speak whole sentences without hesitation. If you
learn English
one word at a time, it will be very hard not to hesitate when constructing sentences. That’s because you’ll have to
translate every
English sentence
in your head from your
native language
, word by word.
There is another way: learning
new words
as
part of a common phrase
can ease mental strain when speaking.
To take a very basic example, if you are learning the word “tonight,” it would help to try and learn a whole phrase, such as: “tonight, I am going to…” This way, when you need to discuss your plans for the evening, your brain has half of the reply pre-prepared — there’s less pausing and thinking involved.
Learning lists of phrases in a
new language
is also known as “
sentence mining
”. Fans claim that it makes them able to use
new vocabulary
faster and memorize grammar in a more natural way.
8. Accept that you will feel uncomfortable speaking English
For almost everyone, speaking any
new language
means
fighting through a fear barrier
. This is
completely normal
! Your
native language
is a very precise tool for describing concepts. You are completely aware of the subtle implications your words carry, how to use irony and humor, and how word stress can slightly change the meaning of what you’re saying.
By comparison, speaking in any
new language
feels like using a blunt axe. You can’t say exactly what you mean. You might offend someone, or make a fool of yourself. You certainly won’t seem as smart as you really are. It’s intimidating! Few
language learners
talk about how much it sucks.
Language expert and polyglot, Olly Richards, states that
language learners
have to have a “tolerance for ambiguity”. His method to
learn languages quickly
includes accepting confusion when learning a language.
You’re not going to understand everything
or speak
perfect English
as you try and reach fluency, and
that’s ok
.
Real progress comes when you get over the embarrassment of putting yourself in
English-speaking
situations, and
allow yourself to make mistakes
and learn from them.
9. Consider a big lifestyle change
It almost goes without saying: the
fastest way
to become fluent in English is to
move to an
English-speaking
country
. If you are determined to speak
fluent English
and can relocate for a few months, this will save you a lot of time.
However, for most people, this just won’t be possible. Don’t worry if that applies to you because there are
other big lifestyle changes
you can make to boost your English level, including:
Get a job or intensive hobby that involves
speaking English
. (You could always teach English speakers your
native language
on Preply!)
Clean out your spare room and use it to host
English-speaking
travelers, via a service like
couch-surfing
.
If others in your household are
learning English
, create times when you only speak English together — perhaps at mealtimes/on Monday evenings/in the car.
Fall in love with a
native English speaker
. Of course, this is something you absolutely cannot plan, but this is a guaranteed way to learn fast! Read our stories of
people who have learned a language for love
.
All of these are big changes, but they’re about
building the language into your life
. If you’re speaking your
native language
99% of the time, then, of course, it’s going to take a long time for English to feel natural. If there are
English-speaking
situations
in your routine
, then progress will seriously speed up.
10. Plan your conversations when you can
This might seem like a silly tip for people who want to gain fluency. After all, fluency means being able to talk easily about anything you like! Well, that’s true — but if you aren’t there yet, then a bit of
planning might boost your confidence
.
If you are heading to an event where you know you can practice your English skills, try
planning the small talk
you are going to make ahead of time. Are you going to talk about your kids? Your knitting group? Your job?
Whilst this may seem a bit silly, it can be helpful to have some
conversation starters
“ready to go” so that you can practice the vocabulary that you have been studying. This way, you won’t feel under too much pressure to come up with something interesting to say in the moment.
Need some inspiration? When you sign up for lessons on Preply, you get free conversation starters every week for you to learn new vocabulary, and talk about current trends and events with your tutor.
Preply’s conversation starters
11. Don’t focus too much on English grammar
Native speakers disobey the rules of their own language all of the time. This is something you’ll know if you’ve ever had to type out a recording of a spoken English conversation. Many British high school students don’t know what a
phrasal verb
is, even though they use them all the time!
Grammar rules
are useful
to be aware of — they’re essential to study at some point. But they should be lower down your list of priorities than getting
English-speaking practice
. Most of the time,
you will be understood if your grammar isn’t perfect
! Aim to be understandable, and after a little bit of work, grammatical rules will start to sink in naturally.
12. Try some karaoke
There’s no “hack” to become fluent fast, but using
songs to learn English
comes pretty close. Music is fantastic for learning languages, especially now that so many songs can be found on YouTube with free lyric videos.
Learn
how to sing some of your favorite songs from memory
, and you will
easily gain new
English words and phrases
! Learning songs is also helpful for improving your
listening skills
, and absorbing grammatical rules in a more natural way.
Summary: Conversation practice is the key to fluency
Fluency is not a one-time destination to be conquered, but a continuous process of learning. Once you have achieved fluency, it will still take a degree of practice to keep your
English language skills
at the front of your mind.
Try to find this fact motivating rather than off-putting, and remember to celebrate every small success along the English learning journey. If you’re reading this article, you’ve mastered an impressive amount of English already!
Frequently asked questions
How can I learn English fluently in 10 days?
It’s impossible to learn any language
fluently
in 10 days. You could take an
English course
or work with a tutor intensively to boost your skills in 10 days but reaching fluent level from beginner takes a lot longer.
Use this
study plan calculator
to work out how long it will take you to reach
English fluency
from your current level.
Getting confidence with
spoken English
is all about practice. To feel confident in speaking you have to have a
conversation partner
with whom you practice regularly. A great way to do this is by finding an expert
English tutor
on Preply.
You can select a tutor based on price, speciality, and ratings from other students so you can find the perfect one for you. They will work with you on your conversation skills to improve your confidence.
Nadiia is a Marketing Specialist with 7 years of experience in digital communications. In the past, she co-founded an educational organization for teachers in Ukraine and helped educators all over the country integrate blended learning methodology in their classrooms. Nadia speaks English, French, Ukrainian, Russian and is currently learning Spanish on Preply.
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