Learning English for many of our readers may not be as easy a task as it might seem at first glance. Like, what is there: buy tutorials, an audio course - and learn. As a last resort, you can enroll in a local language school or use audio lessons and various interactive or language learning platforms like LinguaLeo.
5 ways to improve your spoken English
Work on pronunciation: good pronunciation will help you to achieve mutual understanding in conversation with those for whom English is their first language. There are three different levels of pronunciation, and most English learners use all three levels in one way or another. In order to use all three and improve your pronunciation, we recommend you various lessons and audio courses.
Listen to as many shows as possible and: most beginners prefer to read a lot, but listen to little broadcasts and “live” English speech. Start by listening first, and then move on to constant reading and writing. Spend more time listening to different pronunciations, accents and styles of English speech. In addition, the practice of reading aloud, saying monologues and dialogues in faces aloud and repeating out loud after the teacher or after the audio recording will be a good help.
Read aloud often and a lot. This, however, has a couple of difficulties:
Not everyone is given a simple formulation of thoughts in English words.
Not everyone is given the first pronunciation
Reading aloud will help solve the second problem by building skills. To improve your pronunciation, read large texts aloud several times. The words that cause you the most difficulty should be repeated a couple of times separately: the first time - slowly, the second time - at an accelerated pace, so that it sounds as natural as possible.
Memorize whole phrases, not individual words. When you have learned a new word, then learn some whole phrase or sentence with it. Repeat this phrase or sentence up to 10 times in a row to make it sound as natural and pronunciation as effortless as possible.
Oral lessons and audio courses, as well as various thematic educational courses in English, will help you improve your speaking skills.
5 Ways to Improve Your English Speaking Skills in Communication
In communication your openness and naturalness of communication is often more important than following all the rules of grammar. Sometimes it is better to say “not in a bookish way,” but at the same time convey the correct idea to your interlocutor, than to suffer for a long time, looking for words and formulating a complex grammatical structure.
Speak slowly while talking to the other person. Speaking too quickly with an accent and mistakes will not make you “look like” someone who has known English since childhood. Slow pronunciation and unhurried speech have their own “pluses”:
You have time to think about exactly what you are going to say.
Your speech will be clearer and more understandable for the interlocutor.
Over time and as you actively communicate with “native speakers”, your English will improve, speech will become smoother and faster.
Practice thinking in English. Translate “thoughts in your head” from your native language into English, train to pronounce and formulate sentences and phrases to yourself, think about events and what is happening in English, and not just in Russian.
If you forgot a word, then try to replace it with other words or a description of the “forgotten” concept. Often, newcomers to learning English “stumble” in oral communication with other interlocutors, forgetting a word or definition. Don't get lost: use synonyms, antonyms, descriptive concepts, analogies.
And most importantly - don't be nervous too! Conversation is not an exam, here no one requires you to have high marks and perfect command of English. Be patient, be positive in your attitude towards the interlocutor, do not be nervous for no reason and just learn new things: for this purpose, English, as one of the key languages of international communication, fits perfectly.
We are proud of the achievements of our students and today we will share with you the story of Irida Isakova, who in just 3 years has overcome the path from Elementary to Advanced, and her next goal is Proficiency. This is an amazing story of a girl who was once afraid to even speak to foreigners, and now she teaches English herself. Let's find out how to improve your English to Advanced in such a short time!
What are your goals for learning English - for work, exams or something else?
My father has always been for me to learn many languages, plus it was easy and interesting for me to learn them. At school, I chose German at one time, and later it turned out that there were always sources of information around me in English, from labels on clothes to instructions for household appliances. I was curious to know what it all means. And yet, no matter how trite it may sound, I wanted to understand what is being sung in the songs of my favorite English-speaking band Interpol. Therefore, curiosity, craving for new knowledge prompted me to study English.
How did you get the idea to learn English?
I will tell you one case that may be useful for beginners and not only. In the fall of 2015, I went to St. Petersburg for a week and stayed in a hostel near the city center. It turned out that this hostel was a favorite place for backpackers (tourists who plan their own budget trips) from all over the world. As soon as I entered there, I heard a variety of accents, laughter and casual conversations in English. At that time, I studied the language for only 4.5 months, and my level was still Elementary. However, I was pierced by a burning desire to talk to all these guys, I wanted to be in the know, get to know each other, communicate, etc. For many days I could not cope with fear, embarrassment and stiffness in order to say at least someone “Hi!” or “Good morning!” And this despite the fact that 4 foreigners lived in the same room with me.
Once I passed by a neighbor who was packing his backpack. I remember then I thought - "now or never" and asked something like if he was going to leave now. Fortunately for me, the neighbor turned out to be an extremely talkative Italian, with whom we talked for three hours. As it turned out, he traveled around Russia, and later planned to go to Moscow, where, in fact, we met in a couple of days. Subsequently, we became good friends and continue to communicate for the past 2.5 years.
Remarkably, my level of language proficiency then left much to be desired, and many things I simply could not express. We raised completely different topics, ranging from family upbringing to politics. My Italian friend always teased me in a good way, waited for several minutes until I gathered my thoughts, told me: “Try to explain, find synonyms, use images. If it doesn't work, try again." I believe his patience and out-of-the-ordinary approach played a big role in making me stop being afraid to speak English.
Please tell us in what ways did you try to learn English before classes at Inglex? Which ones were more effective and which were less?
Before taking classes at Inglex, I tried to learn English using the LinguaLeo platform, as well as the Duolingo mobile application. From time to time I tried to learn from different materials, manuals and videos. All resources were approximately at the same level of efficiency - around zero.
For productive learning, I need a teacher - a living person who will answer questions, explain why it is right this way and not otherwise, and tell you what it is connected with. It is quite logical that a mobile application or a book cannot give such a thing.
How did you understand that Olga is your teacher? And it is with her that you will be able to learn English?
Are you able to apply the acquired knowledge in practice?
I love traveling and always try to make the most of my vacation time to practice my English and get to know people from other cultures. At the moment I am starting to teach English to children, which, of course, also involves constant practice.
Are you planning to take the CAE or some other exam to confirm your Advanced level?
Level B2 on the European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) corresponds to such a concept as an "independent user". Level B1 is also an "independent user". Apparently, one of them is more independent than the other. Let's see what.
Since CEFR is a scale of competencies, that is, skills, the criteria for it are formulated based on what a person should be able to do.
USEFUL ARTICLE
Listening comprehension:
B1:
I can understand the main idea of clear speech with standard pronunciation on familiar topics that are most commonly encountered at work, school, leisure, and so on. I can understand the main idea of many radio and television broadcasts on current events or topics of personal or professional interest to me, provided the speech is relatively slow and clear.
B2:
I can understand long stretches of spoken language and lectures, and even follow complex developments in arguments, provided I am sufficiently familiar with the topic of the message. I can understand most television news and op-eds. I understand most films with standard pronunciation.
If at level B1 it was enough for us to understand the main idea in everyday situations of communication, then at B2 we move on to the ability to understand how the speaker’s thought develops, and more importantly, the range of topics available for understanding expands from everyday to those that covered in the mainstream media.
Reading:
B1:
I can understand texts that consist mainly of high-frequency words on work or everyday topics.
I understand when in personal letters there is a description of events, and when feelings and desires.
B2:
Similar shifts are taking place in reading: the range of topics available for understanding grows to almost all topical issues, that is, this is an everyday understanding of politics, economics, climate, entertainment. Not science, but everyday aspects - where what has risen in price, who was chosen where, where what droughts or hurricanes.
And finally, we can read one of the modern authors in the original! If you want...
Speaking skills, dialogue
B1:
I can handle most of the situations that are likely to happen when traveling in an English speaking area. I can take part in conversations about familiar everyday topics or those related to my personal interests (for example: family, hobbies, work, travel and current events) without additional preparation.
B2:
I can engage in dialogue with native speakers, and I communicate quite fluently, without noticeable pauses, and spontaneously, that is, without prior preparation, to the extent that communication is possible. I can take an active part in the discussion of familiar topics, expressing and justifying my views.
If at level B1 a person “coped” with probable situations, then at B2 he simply enters into a dialogue, that is, he becomes a proactive, proactive and effective participant in communication.
Important: on B2 we can not only explain what is happening or what we feel, but also explain why it happens and why we feel the way we feel.
The ability to argue and explain yourself is the most important point here.
Speaking skills, monologue
B1:
I can write a simple coherent story to describe my experiences, events, my dreams, hopes and aspirations. I can briefly justify and explain my opinion and talk about my plans. I can tell a story or convey the plot of a book or movie and describe my reaction to it.
B2:
I can speak clearly and in detail on a fairly wide range of topics that interest me. I can give a point of view on a particular topic, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of different options.
From such an important achievement of B1 as the ability to connect our thoughts, we move on to a clear and detailed story about what we are interested in.
From a simple transfer of other people's words or stories, we move on to the ability to explain what is good and what is bad.
But at both levels, we can only speak freely on topics that we are interested in. Nobody will talk to us.
Letter
B1:
I can write simple connected text on a familiar topic, or on a topic of my personal interest. I can write a personal letter and describe my experience or my impressions.
B2:
I can write clear and detailed text on a fairly large number of topics related to my area of interest. I can write an essay or report that provides information or argues for or against a particular point of view. I can write a letter emphasizing the personal significance of events or reflecting on my life experience.
As in a speech, detailing and argumentation of a position comes to the fore in a letter. So far, in the formulation of the position, we start from our personal feelings, but the important thing is that we can already highlight the main points.
How to study to move from B1 to B2?
Listening, listening comprehension
The advice for the development of listening will not be about listening at all: expand your vocabulary and learn grammar. Since your task is to get out of the circle of everyday topics and move on to socially significant ones, vocabulary on various topics will play a key role here.
Reading.
The best reading material now to take it to the next level is the texts from the FCE preparation manuals. There are new words there, there are texts on modern topical topics, the authors express their attitude to what they write, so it's a complete set.
Do you read adapted fiction? Optional. It will not bring much benefit for the development of vocabulary and reading skills, because there are no tasks for texts - how will you develop skills if there is no task?
Read, keep a dictionary and write an essay about what you have read. This is how you reinforce new words.
Is a teacher needed here? Of course, a teacher is not needed to read texts, check assignments, and maintain a dictionary. But no one except the teacher will be able to read and comment on your essay.
Talk. Dialog.
As you move from level B1 to B2, the dialogue gradually becomes more like a few micro-monologues. Now we are expected to not only respond to the remarks of others, but also to explain the reasons for such a reaction.
Depending on your temperament and cognitive style, different ways of working may suit you. Let's take two extremes.
For some, a good option is to listen and memorize dialogues from textbooks of a suitable level. The FCE preparation manuals are suitable, because there are exemplary dialogues for this level. Thus, you will have a set of conversational patterns that you can use directly in speech.
The same good option, but for those who do not like to learn by heart - plan their statements. Draw a flowchart or plan for your short statement: a thought + 2 whys and an illustration for each why.
Practice writing short lines according to this plan - this way you will develop the habit of developing your thoughts and create your own arsenal of tricks on how to do this.
Talk. Monologue.
Prepare oral presentations on topics that interest you. If you are interested in photography, prepare a few speeches about the history, modernity, technological and artistic development of this art, outstanding personalities in photography, and so on. The same can be done for any other topic.
Is it possible to do this on your own, or by visiting conversational clubs from time to time? I don't know, hardly.
Since at the next levels it becomes critical that you be able to speak on various topics, I advise you to start now to be interested in what is happening in the world. Get ready to read business English textbooks - there are always interesting topics for discussion and new challenging vocabulary. Take "Intelligent Business" by Longman, don't take Oxford and Macmillan - they are practically empty. From Cambridge - books from the series "Professional English in Use" - there are about medicine and about marketing and about technology.
Letter.
For the first time we are taking on an essay. This is the genre closest to the "essays" we wrote in school. Our task here is to learn how to add a few detailed arguments to some main idea. For Russian-speaking students, the problem most often is not what other details to add, but how to bring them into line with the main idea. It's common for us to throw out a whole bunch of parts first, and then not know how to put them together.
To develop writing skills that will fit B2, learn to write essays according to a plan, or plan for essays you have already written. It is no secret that some of us find it easier to make a plan at first, and some do not see where their text will lead until they write it. The main purpose of the plan at this stage is to teach you how to monitor how everything you write corresponds to what you want to say, and to plan the course of your thought.
In order for you to find your winning strategy and learn how to consistently reveal your ideas, you need a strict critic and a skillful organizer of your work - a teacher.
In his blog, advice for those wishing to improve their knowledge of English..
I want to talk about how to build a system of self-study of English (or any other) language, using modern and not very technologies. A system where all elements are connected and support each other.
But before deciding how to learn, let's discuss the reasons why language learning is endlessly delayed.
Reason 1. Lack of resources
Many people believe that a teacher or courses are an integral part of learning. But this is precisely what takes time and money, which is always lacking. As a result, English is transported to better times that will never come. In my opinion, the number of opportunities for initial language learning is now so great that you can start right today without leaving your home.
Hundreds of applications, sites for learning languages, electronic translators, films, lectures and videos in English - this is a huge and quite affordable arsenal for you. You will need a teacher later, when moving to more difficult levels.
Reason 2. Lack of purpose
Another reason for postponing learning for later is the lack of a learning goal and a way to maintain the achieved level. Many believe that if a language is learned without the prospect of constant use, then it is useless.
I think that there is a very simple way to maintain the achieved level of English for an arbitrarily long time - this is reading. If you constantly read, you will lose only conversational skills, but at the same time you will better understand the structure of the language and build up your vocabulary. An active reader recovers speaking skills very quickly.
Reading in English has never been easier than now, and this is the first component of the plan that I want to talk about.
Reading with Kindle (or LinguaLeo Plugin)
With this magic machine for 4000 rubles with delivery to Russia in two weeks, you can immediately read entry-level books and articles (articles can be sent to Kindle from a computer). Any word is translated simply by tapping on it, provided you've purchased the correct Kindle Paperwhite with a touch screen. When you buy, choose the version with advertising - Amazon has it very cool and will delight you on winter evenings. The Russian-language dictionary is installed on the Kindle as easily as any book is uploaded. I use the NBARS dictionary, found in a couple of minutes on the Internet. You just need to specify it in the device settings as the default dictionary.
Kindle is not the only solution, many other readers have similar functionality.
If you don't want to buy a Kindle, you can easily get by with an even simpler solution. The LinguaLeo service provides its users with a useful plug-in for the Chrome browser, which translates words in English texts by double-clicking on them. To read any articles on the Internet, a regular computer will be enough for you.
Collection of new words
All words and even whole phrases that were new to you in the book can be marked in Kindle. When you finish the book, you will receive a ready-made dictionary for study. The first books give a huge stream of unfamiliar words, but with each subsequent one their number decreases and comes to 70-80 per edition. The LinguaLeo plugin also carefully saves all the words that you translated, though it does it itself and without much analysis.
By the way, I cannot call the LinguaLeo service itself and other similar systems effective. The learning mechanics that they offer are too playful and do not provide a significant load. I don't believe in easy learning.
Interval word learning
What to do with the revealed words? Learn! But only without writing them out in a notebook. There are many interval learning systems where you load your words and run them around in circles. Over time, the system itself removes everything that you have learned and leaves what you do not yet know. The most popular system is Anki.
