What is spoken English?
It’s the way we use words and phrases to communicate. But, you might be wondering how this is different from “written English.” Written English, such as books and articles, is written down. Spoken English is created in the moment by speaking.
Speaking English is a daily thing. You don’t just speak it once and you’re done. Rather, it’s something that needs to be practiced all the time. Whether you’re learning English with your kids, trying to practice for an interview or test, or simply want to communicate better with your coworkers, speaking good English is important.
Since spoken English relies on being present in the moment, it’s difficult to edit your mistakes after you’ve made them.
That’s why it’s important to improve your pronunciation and improve your grammar before speaking.
The more you practice your English, the better your pronunciation will be and the more confident you will be when speaking out loud.
Learning a language like English takes time and dedication, but this guide will show you how to improve your spoken English over time- from learning vocabulary, practicing verbal expression, and reading aloud to learning grammar and building conversation skills.
Here are some tips on how to improve your spoken English
Why you need to improve your spoken English
Of course, it’s not just the general public that is concerned about what you’re saying – some companies are even willing to hire people with questionable English skills. With such demand, it’s time to speak English correctly.
According to the National Academy of Sciences, “global economic losses amount to about $2 trillion in revenue from lost trade and productivity,” due to language differences. And according to a recent survey, 70% of respondents believe the solution is “more effective education programs.”
Who should be doing it
Everyone! The biggest impediment to improving your spoken English is that you don’t want to sound uneducated. You want to sound educated, like a native speaker.
So don’t be shy to tell people that you’re in the midst of learning a new language. They’ll understand and be willing to help you.
We’re going to talk about putting yourself in the right headspace and listening for things in a foreign language that you don’t normally notice.
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What is the best technique to do so
There are several techniques for improving your spoken English, which you can practice in the following manner:
Speech Therapy: One of the most successful ways to improve your speaking skills is through speech therapy. It is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that helps you retrain your brain to think differently when you speak, so that you can effectively communicate with others.
English-Language Software: One of the most popular ways to practice English in school, college, and the workplace is by using an English-language software. You can learn pronunciation and many other aspects of language, such as vocabulary, sentence structures, syntax, and grammar.
Improve your vocabulary: Practice speaking to native speakers, learn their vocabulary, and try to understand their words as best you can. In certain situations, this will allow you to speak better.
You’ll get the hang of the accents, quirks, slang, and pronunciations from people from different countries and get the hang of pronouncing words the way they do. This will help you communicate better with native speakers and improve your spoken English dramatically.
Practice listening: You’ll improve your spoken English if you are careful to listen to native speakers. In this, you will learn the language, the culture and accent.
Avoid ‘verbal jingoism’: If you want to improve your spoken English, try to avoid saying something like “The Americans hate us,” or “You are bad. ”
Practise your pronunciation: Hear yourself while speaking. When you feel you sound particularly “garbled,” it’s often because your tongue is out of position, says David Crystal, a professor at Queen Mary, University of London.
If you can think about your mouth moving, you are better at understanding what’s going on.
Study the words you plan to use: Write down the phrases and words you know and hear commonly in everyday language. Then, try them on your fingers as you read through the English Alphabet.
“Take a note of how many mistakes you hear, and how many of the most common phrases you don’t know the correct meaning for,” says David Danks, a linguist at the University of Cambridge.
Then, write them down in a new set of strings. Danks recommends picking three, five, and 10 words.
Analyze your accent: Knowing what language you are trying to sound like helps. If you pronounce the “r” and the “l” as a “zh” sound, say “zex,” then there’s a chance you’re pronouncing Chinese (or some other language) in a way that’s different from how other people would.
So it’s useful to keep a dictionary of the foreign language you’re learning. Your pronunciation is the most obvious problem, and knowing the correct pronunciation helps with grammar and sentence structure as well.
Don’t over-learn grammar: Like spoken English, spoken language will be mispronounced or mixed up with other languages if you rely too heavily on grammar and phrasing as a means of speaking.
Now, if you’re learning a language that makes perfect sense in English, such as German, Spanish, or Japanese, you’re probably in good shape.
Speak clearly: Make sure your language is clear and concise. It should be very easy to understand and no extra words should be used to avoid misunderstanding.
Use appropriate language: Don’t use words that are degrading or demeaning towards others or others’ beliefs. Say “I speak English” and “I speak Spanish,” instead of “I speak English,” “I speak Spanish,” and “I speak Arabic.”
People from different cultures, religious beliefs and nations have different cultures, beliefs and languages. Use your knowledge to make your speech more sophisticated.
Be confident: Speak as if you already know the answers. At the very least, speak confidentially. The word “verifiably” means: “Truly or with certainty.” Saying “I think” often can be perceived as “I’m uncertain about.”
Ask a relative or friend to listen to you speak But ask them to leave out the punctuation of your sentences and just listen to how you say words and how you form sentences.
Increase your awareness of your speech patterns and active listening. Spoken language is sound that comes from your throat, your chest, and your face. Speak naturally, with a full range of sounds and rhythms in your voice.
Speak out loud! Use gestures! Get really relaxed! Read aloud! Speak while listening. Listen to yourself a lot and correct yourself! Listening to the words is just as important as speaking them, so you can’t half-listen.
Now, we know there’s no harm in simply repeating what you already know to get better at it. But we also know that most people fail to do that. If you want to get better at speaking, you must hear the words correctly and listen carefully to how you speak.
Improve fluency
“Fluency” is the general idea of speaking in a natural way. It is also known as “natural conversation.”
“Our goal is to develop our students to be able to communicate effectively, however we understand that language is not the only skill they should be developing. Just as important is the ability to be productive and collaborative as people and learners,” says professor and communication instructor Marny Rolander.
Make mistakes to improve fluency. Don’t be afraid of them. It’s how we learn. It is how you learn that you should be scared of. Jokes and all other forms of humor should be avoided, as we focus on speaking intelligibly. Avoid stating the obvious. Avoid repeating what is said, and avoid over-explaining. Study sources rather than rote memorization.
Conversation Strategies
There are a few tips to consider when speaking in a new language:
- Stick with the normal parts of speech. Try to stick to the proper usage of “I,” “you,” and “we” when you speak English.
- Identify the most common words and use them over and over.
- Replace unnecessary words (everyday words).
- Be conscious of your speed when you speak.
- Utilize open and closed statements.
- Use an active voice in most situations.
- Don’t use passive voice too often.
- Avoid tense statements (how are you, etc).
- Consider how your body looks while you speak.
- Increase your vocabulary by adding new words every day.
- Watch how others speak.
- Don’t talk fast, think slow.
- Use interjections, but only sparingly.
- Avoid unnecessary words.
Improve Your Listening
We can hear words and sentences as either short or long. Unfortunately, we also hear pitch better than nuance in spoken English. To break up the important sounds from the filler, use a pitch detector app or a set of headphones.
If you’re a beginning student, this may be the first time you’ve ever truly been exposed to speech, so don’t expect to be able to do much more than sound out words in your mouth. At the same time, by preparing yourself to listen closely, you’ll be better able to hear things your brain doesn’t always pick up.
For more experienced students, be prepared to listen to a lot of songs or podcasts on the topic of improving your speaking skills.
Improve Your Speaking
Set Goals: Before you start speaking, make a written goal of how much you want to improve. In other words, if you want to speak in a deeper tone, aim for a longer sentence.
Know Your Language: Learn the basics of your native language before you start taking classes. It will save you a lot of time, and hopefully teach you a few key things, such as specific vocabulary or sentences.
Practice Before You Speak: A lot of people hear something once and they already know how to say it, so you end up sounding robotic. Practice before you speak and adjust how you’ll say something so it sounds natural.
Improve Your Reading
Read the terms of service agreements that you’re agreeing to when you join services like Facebook. These words and phrases that spell out your company’s terms of service are actually “words in our language,” and they should be treated just like any other words that need to be thoroughly understood to get the best results out of your investment.
While you can search the Terms of Service document for any contract that you might have signed, here are a few terms that you should focus on improving your comprehension: Terms and Conditions, Service Terms and Conditions, Log On Terms and Conditions, Privacy Terms Consider the phrases and questions in the Terms of Service when you have any new questions or concerns.
Improve Your Writing
Perhaps the most important part of speaking is your ability to write. As a writer, you’re teaching yourself how to write as you speak and creating the foundation for speaking correctly.
As with your spoken English, the majority of Americans aren’t proficient at either speaking or writing. While there’s no specific school of thought on how to improve writing, or whether you need any sort of specialized approach, every writer needs to work on both their spoken and written language.
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Conclusion
If you’re focused on improving your spoken English, it’s possible to achieve it with many resources on the web.
- If you are still confused, however, try these strategies to help you:
- Encourage your partner to correct you
- Never speak if you know you are at least two different words
- If you can improve your pronunciation, you will notice improvements in your listening
- Study your language’s grammatical constructions
- When you pronounce your words correctly, you are performing grammatical work
This can enhance your written English, too. When you speak a piece of information, pause between every word. The pause forces you to be mindful of what you are saying.
