How to Start Speaking English: Introduction

Learning English involves reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, and speaking. But speaking can still feel challenging even if you’ve mastered other aspects of the language. Why is speaking English so hard?

First, teachers rarely focus on speaking in class. Lessons are mostly based on textbooks, and even if there are speaking exercises, they aren’t emphasized. This makes us feel insecure about speaking English. The less confident we feel, the less we practice, creating a cycle.

Second, our personalities do play a role in learning English. Introverts usually find speaking English more difficult than extroverts. Introverts are naturally shy and can avoid interacting with the outside world, making speaking English a challenge. But introverts can also be more prepared and empathetic. Extroverts, however, might find it easier to start speaking English, but they may not fully use their vocabulary or grammar. People who are extroverts often focus on saying what they want to say quickly rather than accurately.

While we can’t change our personalities, there are a few techniques to help us start speaking English. Here are 10 tips to get started.

1. Practice

“Practice makes perfect,” goes the saying, and it’s true. Knowing vocabulary and grammar alone isn’t enough to speak English fluently. We need to practice what we’ve learned. Most of what we say consists of set phrases, both in our native language and in English. In our speech, there is little true creativity, and we rarely need it unless working as copywriters or marketers. The main goal of communication is to convey ideas quickly. If each statement were creative, it would take longer to form and be harder to understand.

The same happens with English. Creativity in speech should be kept to a minimum. After getting to know the basic phrases and structures, we can try forming more complex sentences. However, the more complex and creative a statement, the more time it takes for the listener to understand. In short, to start speaking English, we need to practice the phrases we intend to use.

2. Overcoming Inhibitions

Many of us find it difficult to speak English due to various inhibitions (something that is holding you back). Introverts naturally don’t enjoy social interactions and may find speaking English difficult. But there are other factors as well. Some people feel embarrassed speaking English because they’re afraid they’ll make mistakes or embarrass themselves. Our self-esteem also influences our willingness to speak English. The higher our self-esteem, the more confident we are in speaking.

Think of it this way: If a foreigner approached you and asked for directions in your mother tongue (the language you speak every day), would you laugh at them? Probably not! You’d be proud that they chose to learn your language.

We can’t be afraid of making mistakes. It’s normal to make errors when starting to speak English. Remember learning multiplication? We all made mistakes, but we weren’t afraid because everyone was making them. We have to treat speaking English the same way.

What about on vacation abroad, when we’re at a party? Suddenly, we find ourselves speaking English more freely. Why? Because of alcohol. Studies show that even one drink can significantly help us speak more freely in English. Alcohol, of course, isn’t the best method to start speaking, but that just shows how important not being afraid is.

3. Getting Used to the Language

Speaking English isn’t just about knowing vocabulary, grammar, and idioms. It’s also about becoming familiar with how English sounds. The more we listen to English, the better we’ll speak it. Watching movies in English and listening to music helps us absorb the language and learn new things. We can even learn words from our favorite English songs, even if we don’t understand what they mean. This shows how listening can help us speak better.

4. Talking to Yourself

We know how it sounds, but talking to yourself can work wonders. It helps you get comfortable speaking English and gets your mouth used to new vocabulary. Through muscle memory, you can produce sounds automatically without thinking. Your facial muscles, larynx, and diaphragm all help you produce sounds, so getting these muscles used to English pronunciation is essential.

You can also stand in front of a mirror to observe the way your mouth moves. If you want to go further, place your hand on your larynx to check your pronunciation. Voiced sounds, like “b,” “d,” and “g,” make the larynx vibrate. Voiceless sounds, like “p,” “t,” and “k,” don’t cause vibrations. Pay particular attention to the ends of words. Are you saying “dog” as [dog] or [dok]?

5. Recording Yourself

If you want to improve your pronunciation, start recording yourself. Nowadays, every smartphone has a built-in microphone and voice recording app. Before recording, practice what you want to say a few times. You can also repeat phrases after someone else, record yourself, play it back, and compare it to the original. This can help you get used to how you sound in English.

Don’t limit yourself to just audio recordings. You can also create video recordings to see how your facial muscles move when pronouncing words and phrases.

6. Reading Aloud

Reading aloud in English can help you improve your speaking skills. It eliminates the need to think about what to say and allows you to focus on pronunciation. Make sure to choose texts at your level to avoid frustration and to encourage yourself. Reading aloud texts that you already know also helps, as it allows you to focus on pronunciation without getting stuck on unknown words.

7. Traveling Abroad

Traveling abroad is a great way to immerse yourself in English. To make this work, you need to cut yourself off from your native language. Use English even if others can understand your mother tongue. Ideally, travel alone or with someone who doesn’t speak your mother tongue.

This method is most effective if you already know the basics of English. However, too much exposure to a new language can be overwhelming if you’re just starting, which might discourage you from speaking English. Why does immersion work? It’s all about exposure. When you need to communicate in English, you develop strategies to manage.

8. Making Mistakes

We’re often discouraged from speaking English in class because we’re afraid of the teacher or embarrassed to speak in front of the group. This can make our language barrier worse. Teachers should limit corrections and adjust them to the student’s needs. If a student is having a hard time saying even one sentence, they shouldn’t be corrected too much, as this can make them feel less confident and unwilling to speak English.

Making mistakes should be a regular part of our learning routine. We shouldn’t be afraid of them but rather learn from them and get inspired. If we want to really see how much progress we’ve made, record a 10-minute monologue and then listen to it again in six months to see how much you’ve improved.

9. Using Different Sources

English textbooks are rarely updated and are always tailored to a specific level. This means at lower levels, textbook content might sound a bit unnatural, and that’s because authors want to avoid overwhelming beginners with advanced vocabulary and grammar (and rightfully so!). Therefore, it’s essential to use not only textbooks but also additional materials.

10. Learning Vocabulary

If you want to start speaking quickly, begin by learning the most common words in English. This will make communication easier and faster. Remember to always learn vocabulary in context – never learn single words. It’s easier to remember whole sentences and their meanings, making speaking easier. It will speed up the process of learning English.