Struggling with English Speaking Skills: How Can I Finally Achieve Fluency?

Hello Seniors,

Hope all of you are fine and healthy by the grace of God. The question I have to ask you is that my written English is not bad, but I am having serious issues when it comes to speaking. What can I do to improve it? I have tried almost everything, but I am not able to speak with fluency. I am desperate to learn the art of speaking English. Please suggest some techniques that could work wonders.

You are far better placed than others when you say that you are reasonably good at writing. It is a question of starting and practicing. When you say that you have done everything, it does not signify the methods and medium tried by you. So I begin with my own idea.

Start with English Movies

Start by following English movies that have subtitles running alongside. Try to read the dialogues as the words keep moving. The advantage is you can see and hear from the TV. Your mouth has to follow your eyes and ears.

Read Aloud from Newspapers

Then take an English newspaper and start reading it aloud. Get used to your own voice falling clearly on your ears. You can try the Cite HR archives for more ideas.

Regards,
V. Raghunathan

Thank you for your kind suggestions. I have tried these methods many times, such as watching movies with subtitles and reading them aloud, but I have not seen any improvement in my confidence. I believe confidence plays a vital role in anything you want to do. However, the issue lies in the fact that I always lose my confidence when I am speaking. Speaking and writing are quite different from each other; in writing, you have enough time to think, while in speaking, you don't have as much time. As a result, I forget proper structure, as words start dancing in my mind, and I lose all control.

Some friends have suggested that I learn some sentences that are essential for daily routine life, as it can help boost my speaking power.

This is in addition to what Mr. V. Raghunathan has said. "Practice makes man perfect" goes the adage. Therefore, what you need to do is start talking in English with your friends. Develop friendships with those whose mother tongue is different from yours.

Your problem, why you are unable to speak in English, is probably because you could be thinking in your mother tongue. Writing gives us permission to think in our mother tongue and then translate. Furthermore, while typing on a computer or laptop, making corrections is so easy. Speaking offers no such privilege due to the lack of a time gap. Hence, your problem. Therefore, start thinking in English as well.

The silver lining of your problem is that you have identified the problem and approached this forum for a solution. People do not always understand what their problem is. This is not the case for you; therefore, I am confident that you will surely tide over this challenge.

Take the case of our Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi. Before becoming PM, he hardly spoke in English. Just six months into power, he changed himself and started giving speeches in English. His position is so high that it offers no room for experimentation, and he has to speak correctly by force. But he has been doing it. Take inspiration from him and move ahead!

All the best!

Regards,
Dinesh Divekar

Some good inputs have been added by Mr. Dinesh Divekar. They say that everything is in the mind. How you bring it out cogently is what counts. After all, the other person to whom you are talking should understand clearly when you converse with them.

It is good that you know that speaking and writing are different. So, what do you think are the differences? List them out and attempt self-learning. I can give a tip—a small tip but a powerful one: speak in simple and small sentences. Until you become fluent, do not attempt to speak long sentences. Perhaps it is your writing style to write long sentences. This is reflected in your two postings. The next post that I wish to see from you is “I have started practicing.” Confidence will automatically follow.

Regards,
V. Raghunathan

Useful suggestions from everyone so far. However, I believe that our friend's difficulty arises from his Mother-Tongue-Influence. The 'MTI' affects our verbal communication, particularly our spoken English, because it is a foreign language fundamentally different in terms of syntax and the like. In face-to-face situations, oral response becomes extemporaneous; i.e., the processes of thinking and speaking become almost simultaneous, where our mother tongue automatically jumps in to translate our thoughts into words. In other words, normally, we think in our mother tongue only.

Suggestion for Improvement

So, my suggestion is for our friend to cultivate the habit of thinking in English first. Initially, it may be a bit embarrassing as our responses might be delayed, but that's not a problem. We can practice this with our friends and family members.

Hi all, Every time I see such posts, I start thinking about how I can help! I'm very aware of the problems faced by a vast majority, especially when it comes to reading and speaking in the English language. I have decided that throughout 2015 and 2016, my aim will be conducting Reading Skill Development Workshops. I have already started with Mumbai school teachers and am exploring the same for corporates.

Why Reading?

Before you ask, "Why reading?" Because reading is actually speaking in the head! And if, while reading, you know how to pronounce the same sounds of one letter; for example, the letter 'A' in Apple, All, Ant, etc., you'll feel confident while speaking. There are many more concepts that govern reading/speaking, most importantly those related to 'Stress/Unstress,' which can help non-native speakers.

Any suggestions that can help conduct a workshop for keen office-goers are most welcome.

Thank you all for the useful inputs.

Dinesh, you have rightly pointed out that I need to take examples from people who were not good speakers but are now speaking well, like the PM. Thank you for this!

Raghunathan, your tip is excellent. I will surely try your small tip, "Speak simple and small sentences." Again, thank you!

Anupma, reading is not a problem for me. I feel confident while reading because everything goes well, and I have no issues with my pronunciation. However, when I start talking in English, everything goes well at first. But if someone interrupts or asks something that is hard to answer, my tongue stammers, and I start taking pauses. This is the main issue that I have been facing for so long.

It's really heartening to note so many suggestions from various learned people who have shared their views regarding the above topic. I would like to provide one more suggestion that one can practice as well:

Hold any English reading material in both hands. Then, while holding the same, try speaking a bit louder while standing before a vertically long mirror where you can see yourself. This method will give you more self-confidence and a definite improvement in English speaking.

Listening to English news channels as much as possible and following their pronunciation carefully can be beneficial. Another helpful tip is to practice speaking in front of the mirror. This practice can assist in improving your language skills. I hope these suggestions will be helpful to you.

Regards,
Abhishek

I think what Anupa and Jatin suggested will work wonders. When you read aloud, especially with appropriate pronunciation (which may vary from country to country, such as Indians, British, Americans, Australians, and so on), your speaking confidence will improve to start with. Nevertheless, Indians speak English in our way as geographical differences still exist. But unless you start your exercises to suit your conveniences, you can hardly see any improvement. There is no quick-fix solution to your problem; it will take at least a few months or years as it's a continuous learning process.

Steps to Improve English Speaking Skills

To practice like this, you should start reading English drama books aloud, like those written by Shakespeare, with proper punctuation and pauses. This will provide enough training on how to communicate with others effectively. It's natural that everyone will have their problems in correctly pronouncing a word, as no one is faultless. The best way to improve pronunciation is by using vocabulary websites with audio displays and dictionaries showing how to pronounce a letter or word. First, believe in yourself and learn how to respond to others confidently.

I read and enjoyed the responses to you by every member. The right advice, suggestions, and solutions have been given by everyone. This happens not only to you but to almost everyone. The main reason behind it can be called fear, anxiety, or lack of confidence. The link provided below may help you overcome your fear, anxiety, or lack of confidence. Follow ACT therein. All the best.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https:/...4ApeCg8XfGcqRA

Thank you.

Dear friend,

I forgot to indicate one more suggestion. Your immediate "speaking class teachers" could be LKG, UKG, and primary English medium school students. Get your initial experience/exercises from them; it is very practical and no fuss. Look out for such tiny tots in your neighborhood.