How to Improve Your Fluency
Hello, Antimooners! I am an English learner from Japan.
My question is about how you improve your fluency.
Although I can make myself understood in English, I cannot speak very fluently. I learnt phonology and practised shadowing, and I do not think my pronunciation is very bad. However, when it comes to speaking, my speech sometimes stops while speaking. "So, what I like about this is... uh... well... how can I say? ... it's... uh..." Words do not come out naturally, or quickly! It seems that those who speak a language close to English (some of the European languages) can become a fluent speaker quickly even with some grammatical mistakes. I suppose I became fluent in Korean faster than in English. I guess this is because L1 is similar to L2. But when the languages are totally different how can you become fluent?
Could you give me any advice to improve my English fluency?
Sorry, my mistake.
phonology --> phonetics
Besides speaking in English as much as you can, READ as much in English as you can and make a list of words you don't know and the page of the book or magazine where you found them. Then look up the words and write (in English) the definition. Then go back to the book page where the word was used to read it in context. You can increase your vocabulary that way. Fluent speaking can be achieved by speaking every time you have an opportunity without being shy about your errors. You might try to find and befriend a native speaker where you live to get more opportunities to practice. Join a club or organization which has a high likelihood of English speaking members for example. The more you use it the less you lose it.
I find that in addition to speaking it more (even to yourself--that helps), writing in another language is noteful too to help you learn the grammar and syntax better.
I often write simple sentences down in other languages and recite them to train my mind. It's akin to re-wiring the connections in your brain--very good brain exercise!
It might be useful to do this exercise once in a while. I practice it every now and then while reading any English book. Choose a short paragraph - a 3-5 sentence paragraph should be good enough - and work on each of its sentences like this:
1. Try to repeat the sentence without looking into the book.
2. Make as many questions out of it as possible.
For instance, suppose you were working on this sentence, which is taken from NY Times at
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/22/us/politics/22obama.html?_r=1&ref=us:
“I believe with every fiber of my being,” Mr. Obama said, “that in the long run we cannot also keep this country safe unless we enlist the power of our most fundamental values.”
Here you could come up with these questions:
What did Mr. Obama say he believed? He said he believed that in the long run this country cannot be kept safe unless we (the people of the US?) enlist the power of our most fundamental values.
How strong did he say he believed so? He said he believed so with every fiber of his being.
In Mr. Obama's opininon, under what condition can this country be kept safe? In his opinion, it can be kept safe if we (the people of the US?) enlist the power of our most fundamental values.
And so on and so forth. The more questions, the better. I would recommend doing all this without writing anything - that way you'll exercise your speaking rather than writing, which should work toward your ultimate goal, i.e. improving fluency.
Hi Ekaci !
My funny grandmother was eager to learn again (I believe she completed something like a college level exam at the time), after all the children and grandchildren had finally left her house. And from her I got some of the best advice on improving the fluency of my English - as we were beginners at the same time.
(Now remember I wrote FUNNY grandmother)
First of all she was listening to English radio broadcastings as much as possible. Whenever she stood in the kitchen waiting for her old fashioned tea kettle, or pleating her laundry, she was diligently listening to whatever nonsense they were discussing.
She started to read the novels she would have read anyway in their original language, no matter how slow it started.
She would also watch movies and tv broadcastings in english as often as possible, and if possible, with english subtitles.
She was keeping odd little notes and pencils all around the house where she put down words she caught up and didn´t know, to look them up later, and bought herself the most beautiful dictionary she had seen in the bookstore, so that it would be fun, already opening it.
She had frequently changing lists of vocabulary that hung in the bathroom, just in eye-sight from the toilet seat.
Since she was a grandmother, and already being caught talking to herself every once in a while without having noticed it herself, she went with that and developed the habit to describe once more aloud and even discuss with herself just what she had caught up listening to the latest BBC satire, or whatever it was.
And she was listening to the English popmusic on the radio as well, and got herself the lyrics to read them, to be able to later, with her thin grandmotherish soprano, blaringly sing along with the latest smash hits while dishwashing.
Whenever she had finished another lesson of her english book or successfully passed another test on a week with new vocabulary, there was a shiny polished and specially for these occasions bought apple, that she had put on top of the stack of books on her desk waiting for her as a simple but effective award, and she wouldn´t touch it before she hadn´t finished.
And she started to write her letters to me in english, happily expecting my answers in English, of course.
I guess at that time she was in her early seventies.
And she´s quite fluent to today.
So you see, it´s never too late to start embracing the challenge.
It sounds like she surrounded herself with the language-created her own world.
Is this true, though? How old is she now? I've met people who have learned languages after the age of 70, though, so I can believe this.
<<Could you give me any advice to improve my English fluency?>>
Practice more. How many hours a day do you speak in English? Use it more, practice more, repeat, sing, talk, until you don't even need to think about what you are saying anymore, and you will be able to say something before you even think about it.
Just don't post any samples of your singing!!!
One of the best ways to enhance your vocabulary skills is to read more. Become a voracious reader by reading everything you can get your hands on. And then put them to use. The more you use them the faster you grasp. The most fun filled way to improve your vocabulary is to play word games. So You learn while you are playing.
I recommend you to check
www.vocabularybuilding.org. Its a great site, contains lots of words, learning videos and tips as well for English exams.
depends on what subset of fluency you need training on:
vocabulary: connect it to as many other ideas as possible, especially other english words - the result will be that one idea will help you remember words easily.
speed of speech: practice, practice, practice. start with perfectly clear speech then say it faster and faster as you practice more. Once you are familiar with constructing phrases and sentences, you can just say them quickly.
functional language: for each function, there is a standard set of responses that we use to be more fluent - kinda like a cheet sheet. study the function and the typical responses then practice often.
intonation: similar to function, you have find the correct situation and repeat it often enough at different instances.
stress: as you communicate, you'll want your listener to pay more attention to certain phrases - practice stressing them by making them longer or louder (or both!)
if you master all of these different parts of fluency, you'll not only be fluent in speaking, you'll have expanded your understanding of English to a whole new level!
First of all, congrats so far on your progress! You write English really well. I would say to just keep practicing, and immerse yourself totally within the language. That's really the best way to get fluent.
時間があったら、英語の歌を聞いてください。私が目標言語（日本語）の歌を聞く事に助かりました。お元気で！
Learning english is not a short process. It takes time and you have to be patient. This is not only a fun way to learn but it is also very effective. By watching English films (especially those with English subtitles) you can expand your vocabulary and hear the flow of speech from the actors. If you listen to the news you can also hear different accents.
"Short words are best and the old words when short are best of all." - Winston Churchill
www.vocabularybuilding.org