How Can I Improve My English Communication Skills Without Taking a Class?

Dear Sirs,

I want to improve my communication skills, i.e., English speaking (oral as well as written), writing style, i.e., drafting different letters, etc. Do I have to join a class for it, or can it be learned through books and the internet? Please provide me with some guidelines for the same.

Thanks & Regards,

Manisha Gawas

Dear Manisha,

First, always give it a try. You have lots of information/materials about English vocabulary and speech, etc., in this community. You just need to use the search tab to find them and go through them. I have seen some materials on this site that are very useful.

Please review all the materials, and if you still feel the need for more practical implementation, you should consider approaching a center that can provide training in English.

Please check this link <link outdated-removed>.

If you have any doubts, feel free to contact me. Anyway, all the best!

Manisha, start with simple words, simple sentences, and honest expressions. Don't try to imitate. Think about what you want to say. Say it in your mind and see if you feel good, then say it out loud. Read English papers aloud, listen to English news, and hear how they pronounce each word. Keep that in mind and follow. Do not think in your mother tongue and try to translate. It may sometimes become humorous. Confidence is the key to successful communication. All the best.

Captain

There is no substitute for speaking and writing English as much as possible if you want to improve it. My suggestion would be to listen to English news, watch English movies, read lots of novels (1 novel per week), and go through English newspapers every day. A very useful technique is speaking on a topic and recording it. Afterwards, listen to it and try to jot down the difficulties. Re-record the speech with new and improved thoughts.

There are many good books and CDs available in the market (some already suggested above).

Best of luck.

Do not hesitate. Start processing your thoughts in English. Think in English, deliver your thoughts as writing or speech in English. Make mistakes and then correct them. BANG ONN...

Dear all,

Language learning is a skill like many other skills, e.g., singing, dancing, and art/drawing. It has to be practiced periodically or more often. Only then can one think of attaining some reasonable standards. The so-called books and tests do not merit any worth if they are not practiced. Set a goal clearly from day one:
1. to speak English
2. to write in English

Start writing notes and maintain daily records. If you are working, start sending emails to your close colleagues and friends. If you are studying, read aloud just enough to hear your own voice. Unless practice becomes a habit, no amount of reading or attending classes from world-class experts would help. I do not know the background of the person writing or asking this question. Having been in the industry as a consultant for corporates and academics for many years, it is my strong opinion that mastery is not needed for someone in communication to clearly express their thoughts, as long as they are strong in the fundamentals of grammar. We do not need to communicate like poets or literature experts.

This thought is especially shared for those who feel that communication starts and ends with fluency in English only, with bombastic expressions on every possible platform. Professionals, students, and the working class need to invest time and energy to acquire the skills through practice. The so-called English medium students often do not have the basic standards in the majority of cases after spending 15 years in the school curriculum.

Best of luck and happy learning to all of us.

V. Rangarajan.

Keep reading a lot and watch good channels such as Discovery, NGC, BBC, CNN, and *WORLD. I am sure you will improve and do better than last time. Don't let confidence down ever!

Dear Peer,

English communication is not a barrier; it's an art. Some people think it is a distant fruit, but if you try to develop it with your heart and soul, it does not matter. It hardly takes more than three months.

Before starting your workouts, keep in mind that communication is not just knowledge; it's a delicious language. Start to taste it. Engage in English communication activities to make it a living language.

Regards, Nelson Richard Kumar S. Chennai.