Written by : Nurul Aishah Awang 

You might think that spoken English is not important and so decide to not improve your skill. However, do you know how easy it is to improve your speaking and how far you can go in life if you speak better English? 

Now let’s look at some great tips on how you can advance your spoken English even in the comfort of your home during MCO.

1. Listen

Before you can speak, you have to know what you want to talk about, right? You gain knowledge on what to talk about by listening. This goes without saying that listening and speaking go together. 

Having a conversation is not just about speaking. Listen closely to the person you are talking with and pay attention to what they are saying. By mimicking the phrases used by the people who are conversing with you, the conversation will become smoother.

The more you listen, the more you learn! You can listen to songs, news, poetry recitations, movies, the radio, etc., anything that you enjoy! Apart from picking up new words and common expressions, you can also hear how words are pronounced.

 

 2. Watch films and imitate

Who says you cannot have fun while learning? Watching movies is one such fun activity while also giving you an opportunity for learning.

You can increase your fluency by watching English movies with subtitles on. As you listen to the actors speaking, the subtitles help you find out the exact words they are saying. From there, you can learn new words as well as strengthen your knowledge on words that you have already known.

While textbooks are great for learning grammar, movies are great for speaking. You can get the idea of and experience real English in the most natural way. The context in the movie scenes will help you understand how certain words and phrases are used.

Besides, you can imitate or act out the exact same way phrases in dialogues are spoken by the actors. Pay attention to the pronunciation and intonation while watching. Then, as you progress, imitate the actor by using your own words but in longer speech.

 

3. Learn phrases rather than single words

Another tip to increase your speaking fluency is to pick up phrases rather than individual words. Vocabulary is incredibly important, however, phrases will help you remember what to say in specific situations. 

Comic strips, song lyrics, podcasts, English-translated manga, and magazines are just a few examples of resources you can use to learn phrases.

You may practice imitation of cool phrases to use in your everyday English conversation. You can use other phrases like “What’s up, dude?” or “How is it going, mate?” which all means the same thing as the standard greeting “Hello, how are you today?” Now, how cool is that? Be reminded though that some expressions are not ideal for certain situations, so learn more!

 

4. Speak, speak, speak

“Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.” (Anton Chekhov)

Skill is something that you must build with practice. The only way you can speak English better is to use it, there is no other way around this. 

Make sure that every day you make time to practice your speech. There are free language learning apps to help you commit to practicing daily.

Use any opportunity in your daily life to speak even if you speak a little English. You can speak to your friends, family members, classmates, coworkers, and employees at coffee shops, supermarkets, and anywhere you go. 

Or, if you feel that you need someone dedicated to practicing speaking with you, you can find a language exchange partner. 

 

5. Use a Mirror

Sometimes, the best practice buddy is your very own self in the mirror. You have the advantage of being available any time you want, and nobody else is present to judge you. 

While dressing yourself in the mornings you can spend a little bit of time in front of the mirror to practice speaking. Choose a topic, set a timer for two or three minutes, then speak away.

If you get stuck on a word you do not know, try expressing your idea in a different way. You can always look up how to say that word after the two to three minutes end. Do not worry about the grammar structure just yet. The most important thing here is that you are confident enough to verbally utter the words.

Practicing in front of the mirror allows you to experiment with your gestures and articulation in speaking. You can watch your mouth, face, and body language as you speak, then modify them as you think fit. 

 

6. Follow TrenglishxCommunity Online

Did you know that you can also learn English online with TrenglishxCommunity (TxC)? While the concept of online learning is nothing new and there are tons out there to choose from, TxC is special because it is a program by Terengganuans for Terengganuans.

TxC has social media pages that you can visit to get daily English learning tips and fun language content. These will come in handy as you practice your English. TxC is on Facebook, Instagram, and also YouTube.

You can follow these pages so that you will receive updates. Stay tuned because TxC also offers online classes from time to time.

Every practice is a learning process, and mistakes are opportunities to learn. All these tips above would help you become the English speaker you want to be. 

Remember that unless you practice speaking you will never build the skill. It will make it easier for you to be fluent in your speaking skill and be more confident when you are talking to others. Dream big and practice the skill.

 

References:

https://englishlive.ef.com/blog/language-lab/10-top-tips-improving-spoken-english/
https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/language/how-to-improve-your-spoken-english/
https://tofluency.com/speaking-english-fluently/
https://www.englishexpress.com.sg/articles/5-simple-ways-to-learn-english-effectively/