Learn to Speak English Fast - 5 GREAT Tips You Must Know!

learn english fast

If you want to learn to speak English fast, there are five essential tips that you should keep in mind before you start.

It would help if you reminded yourself of these tips regularly throughout your English language studies.

1. Avoid Studying Grammar Rules TOO Much

One of the common mistakes made by people who want to learn to speak English is spending too many wasted hours perfecting and implementing their knowledge of English grammar rules.

If you’ve been told this is very important, the good news is that it is not, and you should concentrate your efforts elsewhere.

Studying grammar rules is fine if you are taking a specific English grammar test or exam, but otherwise, it will only slow down your progress, confuse you, and, worst of all, demotivate you.

It’s worth remembering that the majority of native English speakers, including myself, never studied grammar rules at school.

Some could argue that this has had a detrimental effect on both written and spoken English amongst native English speakers, particularly younger generations. However, the point is that if becoming fluent in English is your goal, beating yourself up over the rules of the past perfect tense and intransitive verbs won’t help you at all.

When speaking English, native English speakers form sentences without thinking about grammar rules. Your aim as an EFL student should be to do the same! Fluency should be your primary focus rather than accuracy!

2. Learn Vocabulary in Context

learn words in context

If you want to learn to speak English, you will have to learn a lot of English vocabulary.

The more words you know, the greater your understanding when reading English texts or listening to English speakers will be.

Bear in mind, though, that it is not just about the number of words you learn but their relevance and usage.

For example, learning the words water, bread and rice is far more important and valuable than learning words like thermodynamics, onomatopoeia and indistinguishable. So, whenever you come across a new word, be mindful of how relevant that word is to you and how often you are likely to hear or use it.

Learn Phrases Not Words

Also, memorising hundreds or even thousands of individual words will only help you become fluent if you learn the words in context. It would help if you always aimed to learn phrases rather than individual words to achieve this.

You might know hundreds or even thousands of words but not necessarily be able to form many sentences. However, if you learn just a small number of phrases, you will be able to form hundreds of correct sentences.

And once you’ve learned 50 to 100 phrases, you will be amazed at how many correct sentences you can make. Take it one step further, learn 500 to 100 phrases, and you will be virtually fluent in English.

3. Avoid Translating From Your Native Language

When constructing an English sentence, it’s crucial to steer clear of direct translation from your native language. This habit, as mentioned earlier, can impede your speaking fluency. Similarly, don’t get too caught up in grammar rules when speaking.

The word order and grammar will be completely different. Trying to translate from your native language will simply slow you down.

Again, learning English phrases and complete sentences instead of individual words will help you to avoid this. If you learn phrases and full sentences, you will not have to think too much about individual words and where they should sit within the sentence. Nor will you have to overthink grammar rules.

4. Reading & Listening is Not Enough. Practice Speaking What You Hear!

I have written about shadowing a foreign language before, but here is a great tip summarising the technique nicely!

It is an excellent way of ensuring you get plenty of vital English-speaking practice even if you are alone.

The tip comes from Kaicheng Liang, a 3rd-year graduate student at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), who responded to the following question:

“How do I improve my English speaking skills in a very short time?”

The person who asked the question (at quora.com) was looking for

“…a quick remedy of sorts because I have a job interview in the next 20 days or even less.”

Kaicheng Liang responded:

There is a technique known as ‘shadowing’ that I learnt in Japanese class, which I find tremendously helpful for short-term oral fluency improvement.
Watch your favourite English language TV show or movie, and as the characters speak, repeat loudly the exact words they are saying the moment you hear them. In other words, ‘shadow’ their dialog in real-time.
Don’t worry about getting every word or sound right – focus on listening carefully, moving along quickly and keeping pace. After the movie ends, repeat the exact same movie and do it again. And again.
By forcing yourself to speak at native speed, your brain becomes hyper-receptive to what you are hearing, and you will find yourself not only picking up the words quicker and quicker, but also unconsciously mimicking the inflections and vocal nuances that are usually difficult to learn for a non-native.
It will also fix the stammer that comes with uncertainty or lack of confidence. In this way, the actors in the movie become your speaking partners.
This will be perfect practice just before your interview. Look for some interview practice videos on YouTube, then shadow the entire conversation. Practice the same dialogs again and again. You will be amazed how that will improve not only your speaking, but also your ability to actively listen and react.
Best of luck.

Source: www.quora.com/Learning-English/How-do-I-improve-my-English-speaking-skills-in-a-very-short-time

5. Surround Yourself With People Who Speak English

speaking english If you want to be able to speak English, you really do have to….. SPEAK ENGLISH!

It’s not your fault, but it is commonplace for schools worldwide to teach reading first, then writing, and then listening.

Finally, as if it is the least important, they concentrate on speaking!

Naturally, students tend to focus on all other aspects of learning English, and the speaking part tends to take a back seat.

Years of Study But Still Not Fluent

No wonder so many English language learners understand an awful lot more than they can communicate verbally. Many spend years studying English, but they are nowhere near fluent speakers.

During my years teaching English in Hong Kong, I met many students who exemplified this. They had lived and studied English in either the UK, USA, Australia or Canada, some for many years. And yet, their level of fluency still needed much improvement.

The reason for this is simple. While studying overseas, they generally associated themselves with others from Hong Kong and spent most of their time communicating in their mother tongue (Cantonese Chinese). Simply put, they had spent years NOT practising speaking English.

Fluent Hong Kongers

Conversely, I have met students who have never left Hong Kong, yet their level of fluency is remarkable. Why? They studied at Hong Kong international schools, where students speak English both in and out of the classroom—most of the time.

So, if you are serious about becoming fluent in English, you must practice speaking it regularly. You don’t even have to travel to an English-speaking country to practice speaking English (although it does help). You just have to surround yourself with people who speak English.

Also, be sure to set rules with friends and colleagues. Commit to only using your native language at certain times of the day. For the rest of the time, speak English!

Watch and listen to English TV, English movies, English podcasts and English radio. Live and breathe the language, and you will learn to speak English much, much faster.

10 Quick-fire Questions & Answers

1. What’s the most important thing to focus on when learning English?
Fluency! Focus on speaking naturally without overthinking grammar rules.

2. Should I spend a lot of time studying grammar rules?
No, focusing too much on grammar slows progress. Prioritise speaking and understanding over perfection.

3. How should I learn new vocabulary?
Learn words in context and focus on phrases, not just individual words.

4. Is translating from my native language helpful?
No, translating slows you down. Learn English phrases to avoid relying on your native language.

5. Can I improve my English speaking skills on my own?
Yes, try “shadowing” by repeating dialogue from English TV shows or movies in real-time.

6. How many phrases should I learn to become fluent?
Learning 50 to 100 phrases will allow you to form hundreds of correct sentences.

7. Why do I struggle with speaking even after years of studying English?
Many students focus on reading and writing but don’t practice speaking enough.

8. Do I need to study abroad to become fluent in English?
No, you can surround yourself with English speakers wherever you are to practice regularly.

9. How often should I practice speaking English?
As often as possible! Set rules to speak English with friends, colleagues, and even during certain times of the day.

10. Can watching English movies help improve my speaking?
Yes, watching and repeating dialogue is a great way to practice pronunciation and fluency.

To sum up

So there you have it—learning English fast doesn’t have to be a convoluted maze of grammar rules and endless vocabulary lists. Focus on fluency, context, and actual practice, and you’ll find yourself speaking like a native in no time.

And if you’re ready to take your skills to the next level, why not put these tips into action with Q Language’s English courses in Hong Kong?

Whether you’re looking to improve your conversational skills or aiming for professional fluency, our courses offer an immersive environment designed to get you speaking confidently and quickly. Why wait? Your fast-track to fluency in English starts here!