10 ways to practice speaking English confidently?
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1. Find a credible partner.
Recall your best friend. The friend who never judges you. The friend who always encourages you. The friend who supports you in your endeavors.
The friend who corrects you when you are wrong. Most importantly the friend who wants to see you succeed.
Call that friend and say - Hey, Now we are only talking in English!
Well, the range of this particular step is immense. Not only this will allow you to speak in English, but it also gives you real-life experience without feeling ashamed.
2. Hearing someone speak English whose first language is the same as yours.
Now you shall be judging this point.
Why did I say that - 'someone whose first language is the same as yours?’
Let me explain…
Everyone has got accents and slang.
Hindi being my first language, I have a typical accent speaking English which is not the same as someone whose first language is supposedly French or German.
When we listen to someone speaking English whose first language is the same as ours, it gives an advantage of mutual accents and slang, and hence, our subconscious registers and learns to replicate it easily.
3. Voice notes on WhatsApp –
Leverage this feature of WhatsApp for your good.
Ditch texting and start sending voice notes in English.
This will teach your mind to be ready to speak confidently any time day of the day and not just your practice time.
4. Think in English –
What do you think is the biggest obstacle you face speaking flawless English?
Well, 9/10 people will say - Translating.
The time spent between thinking in Hindi and speaking in English is costing you confidence.
Instead, do this -
Think in your mind what you are going to speak, not in Hindi but in English.
This may take some time but is worth the wait.
5. Learn alternatives for 'very' -
Delete the word 'very' from your vocabulary.
It sounds amateurish and no one likes it.
We are not in fifth grade that we can pull off the 'very' words and sound cool.
When you will speak the words other people don't use often, they will applaud your being, and indirectly your confidence skyrockets.
Here are some examples to go by -
- He did a very bad act - He did a terrible act.
- He was very angry at me today. He was furious at me today.
- I am feeling very sleepy - I am feeling drowsy.
- Mom, I am very hungry - Mom, I am starving.
You are getting the vibe already, aren't you?
6. Start reading books written in basic English.
Just when you decide to improve your English, the first idea that comes to your mind is - reading books in English.
But which books?
Reading Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment won't be any effective.
The difficult vocabulary and slang will only make you hate English even more.
Start with a book written in basic English that is beginner friendly.
Reading self-help books would be a great start as they are written in simple English so that everyone can easily grasp them.
7. Podcasts in English.
Listening to English songs and shows is useful but not very practical. They are scripted and revised.
So you must also listen to English podcasts where people sit and talk for long hours unscripted.
Listening to people speaking in English, sometimes stuttering or fumbling, makes you believe that one's speaking English isn't superhuman.
They are just like you. This is a huge confidence booster.
8. Learn useful idioms and phrases -
Articulating idioms while speaking English makes you sound smarter.
Idioms are a way of saying much more in fewer words.
Learn some of the most used idioms and inculcate them in your speaking practice.
Here are some most used idioms which you must have surely heard of -
- Better late than never
- A blessing in disguise
- A piece of cake
- Stabbing someone's back
9. Set everyday goals -
Whenever we decide to learn something new, we are very excited for a week and a month but then the excitement slowly fades.
Then comes a plateau of boredom and repetition. To cope with it, you should ensure you have scheduled a dedicated time for your practice.
When you complete your tasks, don't forget to reward yourself.
10. Take it easy.
Don't assume that speaking English is a superpower that only alpha people can have. This is not the truth.
Haven't you seen athletes who quit their studies to play and now speak flawless English in post-match presentations?
They didn't complete their masters but did observe people and dedicated themselves to learning.
Don't think your path is the hardest, believe in yourself, give it some time and everything will turn around for good.
