Introduction to 5 Ways to Improve your English Fluency

The English language can be confusing. Non-native English speakers must overcome many barriers to learning and speaking the language; they need to change how they enunciate certain words, understand certain idioms or vocabulary, and deal with rude people who mock their accents. But with determination and practice, non-native speakers can overcome these challenges while enjoying the learning process. In this article, we discuss the five ways you can improve your English fluency.

Put vocabulary into use

Rather than memorising a list of words, putting your vocabulary to practical use can be more helpful in expanding your language fluency. Part of fluency is constructing sentences that flow well together, so not having to translate every English word in your mind can help you recall and speak more quickly. If you use flashcards as part of your learning process, include examples of using certain words in context. You can make these examples more meaningful by applying them to something related to your life, allowing you to put the word into practice when you need to say it.

Read with audiobooks

Audiobooks are a great way to listen to a professional read aloud clearly while allowing you to adjust their reading speed, so you can really nail your accent. Scribd’s audiobook collection provides a wide range of bestselling and emerging titles from the convenience of your mobile device. Depending on your preferences, you can listen to sci-fi or fantasy novels that get you lost in a good story or learn a new skill through finance and money management audiobooks. Even beyond formal language study books, listening to professionals reading English books can improve your understanding of pronunciation, besides providing enjoyment and additional knowledge.

Alternatively, professional pronunciation coach, Anna Tyrie, provides reading supported video versions of her podcast on youtube, so you can hear perfect, clear pronunciation which you can read along to (shadowing).

Listen to podcasts

Similar to audiobooks, being able to listen to podcasts can teach you to listen actively and expand your knowledge of English. Music application Amazon Music enables you to use your Prime subscription to access a multitude of ad-free podcasts by top brands such as CNN, The New York Times, and NPR, to name a few. You can easily shadow the audio of a native speaker, repeating what they say and improving your pronunciation. Some podcasts also contain transcripts, so you can follow their speech, helping you focus on your language development.

You can use the English Like A Native podcast for English speakers which provides audio, video and transcripts to help you learn.

Practice with English-learning communities

One of the best methods to improve your English fluency is to practice the language by talking to people. However, it can be challenging to maintain a conversation with someone, especially in areas in which you may have a limited vocabulary. This is why English–learning oriented communities are good places to learn and practice, as they are usually supported by native English speakers and other learning community members. One such safe community is our English practice classes in the Conversation Club, providing a place where you can overcome the fear of speaking and start practising English in small group discussions.

Make mistakes while learning

Many non-native speakers of a language tend to hesitate to speak a language because they’re afraid of making mistakes. However, making language oversights is part of the learning process — you can always track back and fix your grammar later. If you’re too focused on questioning yourself, you may become too afraid to start speaking, which can stop you from practising altogether! Instead, focus more on communicating your desired message. As mentioned earlier, participating in an English-learning community can enable you to focus on the English you need to use and constructively help you fix your mistakes afterwards.

Written by: Sally Snow