How to learn spoken English from scratch ? (Free)
Table of content
1. Listen to the right material
2. Watch English movies with subtitles
3. Practice speaking daily
4. Make mistakes; it's good
5. Practice is important
How to learn spoken English from scratch ?
If you want to get ahead in your work, school or life in general, knowing how to speak English can be vital. But sometimes taking the first step and deciding to learn spoken English can be difficult, especially if you haven’t studied the language since school. However, with the right approach, it’s easier than you think. Follow these steps and soon you’ll be speaking English in no time!1. Listen to the right material
After you have a grasp of basic grammar and vocab, it’s time to start listening. Practice with podcasts, TV shows and movies that you understand well. Focus on actors’ pronunciation, listen for slang and try imitating what you hear. Soon enough, your own speech will be peppered with bits of American or British flavor! You may even notice yourself unconsciously adjusting your voice in conversations—but don’t worry about sounding foreign. It just means you're adapting to your environment and practicing one of language's most useful skills: mimicking. Once you feel comfortable using new words in context, consider joining an online forum or social network where natives can correct any mistakes (and then reward you with some serious praise). Just remember not to get discouraged if others correct something as simple as your pronunciation—even native speakers are constantly learning new words!
2. Watch English movies with subtitles
Immersing yourself in English as often as possible is one of your best bets for acquiring an ear for conversational English. Movies are a great place to start, but you can also opt for TV shows, YouTube videos, podcasts and audiobooks with clear speech. You may not always understand everything you hear, but that’s OK—you’re listening with your ears and eyes simultaneously! Be sure to read along in order to maximize learning. If you feel like it, take notes on new words or phrases that come up during your movie-watching sessions; these will be useful when it comes time to study them later. Also, try making flashcards for any new vocabulary that you encounter. The more exposure you have to something, the easier it becomes to remember over time. (Note: When watching movies in English, keep subtitles turned on!)
3. Practice speaking daily
If you don’t use it, you lose it. The same goes for your skills in a foreign language. Without consistent practice, your ability to speak, read and understand will diminish over time. So make sure you set aside time each day (or week) to be in an environment where you can use your target language as much as possible. This may mean skipping some of your favorite TV shows that aren’t available with subtitles, or spending more time socializing with people who only speak your target language. After all, isn’t speaking practice one of the best ways to improve quickly? And if you are practicing in a group setting, take advantage of any opportunity to speak up—even if it feels awkward at first. The more you push yourself out of your comfort zone, the better! Remember: It’s not just about hearing new words; but rather learning how they fit into real-life conversations and becoming comfortable using them yourself. Practice makes perfect!
4. Make mistakes; it's good
We all want to do well when we speak in English. It’s easy to fixate on perfection, but focusing on one or two mistakes at a time can be extremely productive. Learn how to correct these mistakes and soon you’ll be speaking more fluently without even thinking about it. For example, you might say I was reading a magazine on an airplane instead of I was reading a magazine in an airplane. Or use between him and I, rather than between he and me. These changes will seem subtle but adding them into your speech patterns will add variety and make you sound more natural and confident overall. To become a better speaker, practice with others whenever possible—it'll help reinforce what you're learning. In particular, try recording yourself so that you can listen back and hear how you're doing. You may be surprised by what's holding you back! Practice makes perfect! If there are words that give people trouble—like affect versus effect—memorize them until they roll off your tongue naturally (if only subconsciously), then learning new words is just for fun! If you keep challenging yourself and enjoying every minute of it, English-speaking becomes second nature. As Confucius said: A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Take yours today!
5. Practice is important
Practicing a language is important, but only if you’re doing it right. Spending too much time on grammar drills and memorizing verb tables can put you at risk of building bad habits that will be hard to correct later on. Instead, practice conversation as often as possible with a friend or family member. Language experts recommend not speaking your native tongue while you practice your second language because using words and phrases incorrectly will ingrain them in your mind and make it more difficult for you to speak correctly in future lessons. And if you want an even greater challenge, engage in a debate about something controversial. The thinking required for these types of conversations can help improve both your listening skills and speaking confidence by forcing you out of your comfort zone. In addition, practicing vocabulary every day can have a positive effect on your memory. By creating associations between new words and other things you already know ), you'll find it easier to remember those new terms when they come up again in conversation. If you're just starting out, try writing down 10 new words each day and looking up their definitions. Then, try incorporating those into your daily life—for example, don't just say yes or no, use affirmative or negative. This type of exercise might seem pointless now, but it's actually helping you build a foundation for success in the long run. If there are any gaps in your knowledge (and there almost certainly will be), fill them in quickly so that you're ready to tackle more advanced topics. But don't worry if some things still escape you—the idea here is simply to get yourself ready for what comes next.