I really need help, i think i can speak good English but when...

Benny boy   Sunday, June 01, 2003, 16:19 GMT
i have a friend who speaks English as fluent as a native speaker but whenever she's around i get threatened by the fact she's very fluent and it scares me that the English sentences coming out of my mouth just dont make sense that she has to ask me to repeat it. It is very embarrassing. I want to be able to use a lot of english expressions and to be able to think in English with out having to translate from my native language. i have read and watched tons of english movies and books that listenning and reading are no longer my problem, i am not sure i've put in enough inputs or i just dont get to speak very often? Is there any body here whose native language is not english, and can speak English as fluent as native speakers. I would like to know if theres any other way i can improve my English. My first language is THai and it is important for me to speak THai in my family and even at school, even though my school is international..where students supposed to speak english but they dont..anyways i am just hoping that you might have a solution to my problem..and i'd like to say thank you in advance.

Ben
Kabam   Sunday, June 01, 2003, 17:06 GMT
It may be easier to say it than do it, but try not to be embarrased by your friend correcting you and rather see it as an opportunity to progress. Try not to see a mistake as something terrible. See speaking English as something fun rather than something very serious in which any mistake is sentenced by death. ;-)
I don't know a better way to practise than thinking and speaking in English each time you can. There are certainly moments in which you have nothing special to do during which you could think in English. That what I do when I am in the bus or the tramway, that what I do when I'm walking alone or when I have to wait for someone.
The more you think in English, the more you take the reflex to without thinking in your native language first.
I didn't read as much as you did, but I'm able to think in English whithout much effort (even if I'd like to do it even more easily), so I think you should be able to think and speak in English much better than me if you practise enough cause you have probably more vocabulary than I have.

Good luck !
Guofei Ma   Sunday, June 01, 2003, 17:44 GMT
Hello, Ben:

Your English writing seems rather fluent to me. You made fewer grammatical mistakes than most of the Americans and Britons posting in the other forums. Also, it isn't such an embarassing thing to have to repeat your sentences. Even fluent speakers often have trouble understanding each other because of different accents or a tendency to use slang or technical terms.

Regards,
Guofei
tulip   Sunday, June 01, 2003, 19:55 GMT
hello Ben

Remember that we all make mistakes and we learn a lot by our mistakes. take it easy and don't take it amiss if your classmate corrects you.
good luck
Tom   Sunday, June 01, 2003, 23:02 GMT
Ben,

Try speaking more slowly, more clearly, and more carefully. When people get nervous, they usually speak fast. Whenever you get nervous, you can make yourself feel calmer by purposely speaking in a slow way. Because slow speaking is associated with a relaxed state, your body will interpret your slow speech as a sign of being calm, and you will become calmer.

It's like breathing slowly to feel more relaxed.
Roth   Saturday, June 07, 2003, 07:48 GMT
Dear All,

I am from Cambodia so I learn English as a foreign Language. I try to use English in the correct way but sometimes I still have mistake eventhogh a small one especially the tenses.

I love learning English that's why I spend much time to complete this course. On the other hand I need it for my job. I have been teaching English in a private school since 2002. This is the way that I can talk just to write to you about my English. It seems not be difficult or easy to learn but my problem is speaking and writing. I read the text alot by internet and communicate with people who can speak English that's why I do hope one day I can use English as a native speaker.

Millions thanks for let me write in this site.

Good Luck.
Ahlam   Sunday, June 08, 2003, 16:03 GMT
Please please help me to be a native speaker because i like this language

and i know how to speak but not very much and i dont no how to reply when somone speak to me . I want your help .