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Top 10 Ways to Improve Your English – Improve your English Speaking skills and learn to Speak like a native.

 

Top 10 ways to improve your english
Top 10 ways to improve your English

Improve your English Speaking skills and learn to Speak like a native.

Do you feel extremely nervous or overwhelmed by the thought of improving your English?

This is because when you think about improving your spoken English, you start having thoughts like – Learning 20 words each day, memorizing complicated grammar rules, or joining English classes. It is just like a ‘mountain to climb.’ 

But that’s not true at all! 

There are many other ways that you can follow to improve your English sitting at home without joining any English classes. 

In this blog, you’ll get 10 ways to improve your spoken English competency and help you have an insightful conversation with anyone in English. 

  • Set monthly or weekly goals to improve your English. 

If you have a goal in mind, it makes it easier to stay motivated. Set monthly or weekly goals that are specific and measurable, then break them down into smaller tasks. These smaller tasks will help you reach your larger goal. 

This is why, when you log in to the EngVarta app, the first step is selecting a goal. Whether you want to improve your English for IELTS, or for cracking an interview.

For example, if your goal is to read more books in English, set a target number of pages you want to read each day and stick with it until you reach your goal. You can also create flashcards with new vocabulary words and practice speaking with English speakers so that you have opportunities to use them in real-life situations.

  • Set realistic deadlines for completing tasks.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the things you want to do and never quite get around to doing anything.

 Setting deadlines for completing tasks is one way to stay organized and motivated. If you know exactly when you’re going to do something, it makes the task seem less intimidating so you’ll feel more inclined to get started right away. 

For example, setting a timer for speaking English for 15 minutes every day. 

  • Practice Elaborative Encoding to learn vocabulary.  

Elaborative encoding is a memory technique where you connect what you are trying to remember and what you already know. 

For example, if you want to learn the word “orange,” you might connect it with something like an orange tree or an orange fruit salad because these images will help you recall the word better later on.

When people use elaborative encoding techniques, they tend to remember more than those who don’t use them at all or use less effective techniques such as rote memorization. 

  • Find YOUR way of improving your English.

The first thing you need to do is figure out what kind of learner you are. Do you learn better by hearing something or seeing it written down? Do you prefer reading or writing? Are there certain things you like to do that help you learn?

Once you know your own learning style and preferences, it will be easier for you to decide how to improve your English.

  1. Have an accountability language partner.  

If you want to improve your English, it’s essential to have a language partner. 

A language partner is someone who speaks the language you’re learning and helps you with your pronunciation and grammar.

All you need to do is make sure that both people are committed to improving their English and that you have similar goals for what you want to achieve by studying together. Then, meet up regularly and study together online or face-to-face!

  • Speak with different English speakers every day

When students ask us why they get connected with different Experts at EngVarta, this the reason we tell them. When you just speak to one person daily, you limit your oral competence. One of the best ways to improve your spoken English is to talk to different English speakers every day. In real-life situations, you don’t talk to one person, but you meet different people and all have different nuances of the language. This is the reason when you practice with different Experts, you get more exposure to the language. You get constructive feedback from all of them. 

  • Build English-speaking confidence 

As a fluent speaker, I bet you probably think that English speakers are very confident, they never run out of words or they know a lot of vocabulary. 

But even the most confident speakers can fall prey to self-doubt in new situations. The good news is, that confidence is a skill that can be learned—and it’s not nearly as hard as you might think.

The first step is to know your strengths. If there are activities where you always feel comfortable speaking English or you’re happy with your results, start with those situations when practicing your speaking skills

  • Practice speaking English as much as you can. 

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it bears repeating: the best way to improve your English is to practice using it!

I know, I know. You hate talking in English because you’re afraid of making mistakes, or you think your accent is too thick, or you don’t have anyone to practice with—this is all perfectly normal. But the more you avoid speaking in English, the harder it will be to improve your English. So stop avoiding it! Just start practicing whenever and wherever you can. 

  • Think in English 

One way to improve your English is to start thinking in English. Thinking in a language is the same as speaking it, so if you can get into the habit of thinking in English, you’ll find that your vocabulary and sentence structure will improve.

Your mind will have more opportunity to naturally absorb the structure and flow of the language. You won’t have to expend mental energy on translating from your mother tongue into the target language, which will free up brainpower to focus on the matter at hand.

  • Read as much as possible 

 The best way to improve your vocabulary is by reading as much as possible and by writing down new words. 

It improves your understanding of words and the structure of sentences. If you’re learning a new language, reading is an excellent way to get in touch with its nuances as well as the culture of the people who speak that language. 

Takeaway : 

One of the mandatory things you need to do to improve your English is pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Start doing things that you fear. Take charge of your language skills and grab as many opportunities as you can. 

Lastly, if you are looking for someone to help you improve your English or wish to practice English daily for 15-60 minutes, join the Engvarta app. EngVarta is an English speaking practice app where you can practice speaking in English daily without any hesitation.

Write down what you think about the article.

Thanks for reading! 

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Top 5 Steps that has Helped me to Improve my English

 

Top 5 Steps that has helped me to improve my English
Top 5 Steps that has helped me to improve my English

Just by the thought of speaking in English, I get numb. 

Do you feel relatable?

So the question is how can you overcome this fear & speak in English like a pro?

Firstly, let me tell you that:

 It is not just ‘Your problem’ – but a problem shared by almost every English learner. 

And there are two reasons behind it –

  1. First, you never had an environment where you could learn & speak in English. Your medium of education was not in English. And also, you don’t have people around you to speak in English.
  2. You had people around you & studied in an English medium school. But that traditional method of teaching never helped you to speak English. You fear from making mistakes and being judged. 

If you find yourself struggling with any of these situations – It is totally okay & not to be something embarrassed about. 

Speaking in English is not a measure of your intelligence or success. 

It is just a medium through  which you can broaden your horizons. Whether you are in a corporate world, own a business, a home maker or a student, it can help you to drive towards success & become more confident in life.

English is just like any other skill you acquire. Some may take time to acquire the skill & some may learn it fast. It all depends upon how easy peasy & stress free you make the whole journey of learning for yourself.

If I talk about me – I don’t have an infinite jargon of words. I have a limited vocabulary but this doesn’t stop me from speaking in English. My thinking language has always been English & also I have clarity in my thoughts which makes me confident.

I will share with you today all the best steps that I have up my sleeves.

Step 1 : Start making English your ‘thinking language’. 

If someone is still suggesting you start by ‘learning grammar rules’ and ‘reading newspapers’ – You need to stop doing that right now. 

The biggest mistake that you are making  is ‘You’re still thinking in your native language’. You know when you think in English – it becomes really easy to put down your words into expressions. Language becomes faster & easier when speaking it out loud.  

In no time, Speaking in mind becomes speaking with mouth. By thinking in English you internalize the language. That means the language is part of your life. You don’t have to remember any rules or read bulky textbooks. All comes from within you.

I want to really stress on this step because it is what has helped me in speaking in English. 

Step 2 : Speak chunks of sentences

If you’re a beginner or you are unable to speak in English without gaps, you must start speaking in chunks. A word makes a sentence and sentences makes a paragraph. If you know the right word, you are good to go.

 So, start using English words more frequently while speaking even in your native tongue. Instead of calling out things in your native language, try to Speak it out in English. This step is highly recommended to those who don’t speak in English at all or have just started to speak in English.

Because if you are a learner, I assume that you have already started listening to a lot of English content and also reading them. There is a lot of intake happening and now you need to focus on input & output. Listening & reading is the process of intaking the language whereas writing & speaking is the output. 

After you start gaining confidence in speaking in chunks, you can finally start speaking in English.

Step 3 : Observation of English language. ( Acquire Instead of Learning )

 Whether you want to improve your Public speaking skills, spoken English or writing skills – Observation is the best tool to master it.

You are not ‘learning’ the language but acquiring it. And there is a major difference between both. You may deliver a speech by memorizing but you cannot start a conversation until you have words  to express your thoughts . The best way to acquire a language is – Observe the language from outside. 

Don’t worry I am not suggesting you watch tedious English lessons but you can watch anyone or anything who speaks in English. You may watch vlogs, food channels, music, travel videos or anything that grabs your attention. 

Listening to English speakers will help you acquire their style of speaking. We have the power to mirror anyone we follow if you observe them closely.

Also, repeated exposure to English speakers will help you to know the right way to structure sentences. 

In my experience, I also realized that extensive listening helps to understand grammar rules implicitly. And the best part about this step is – You’ll definitely enjoy it !

EngVarta follows the same philosophy. You learned your native language by listening to people around you. In the same way, listening & talking to English Experts can also help to learn English. EngVarta Experts push English learners out of their comfort zone and help them speak English by correcting their mistakes. 

The less mistakes you start making, the more you get confident.

This is how it works. 

Step 4 : Clarity in thoughts

Getting lost in thoughts can be frustrating!

When your thoughts are grounded  & you are clear about what you want to say, speaking English becomes really easy.  When you speak a language, you need to have words on what you are speaking about and your target is to sound as easy as possible for the listener. 

Now, there are two ways in which you can easily speak with clarity –

  • Speak slowly and clearly.

My biggest flaw while speaking in English was I used to speak fast. Speaking fast did blunders and hampered my speaking skills so much. While I kept on speaking, I lost in my thoughts & skipped words. 

  • Use simple English words

We think we sound cooler when we use fancy words. The truth is we hardly use them in our daily conversations. People love to listen to someone who speaks easy to understand English. In short, use words that are easier to sound. 

Step 5 :  Confidence is the key 

My fifth point is not about practicing. Because this is where a major portion of the English learners face difficulty.  You may be surprised to hear that a lot of people amongst you make great speakers. But just because of lack of confidence, you never dare to speak in English. 

Embracing mistakes is a crucial part of learning any skill. Until you keep on saying, “ What will people think about me if I make a mistake”, you’re not going to improve. Because even if you become ‘A Perfectionist’, People are gonna judge you for that too.

Confidence is actually a ‘catalyst’ to the whole process. And somewhere someone had truly said that ‘ Confidence doesn’t come from you always being right, but fearing from being wrong.’