Make English Conversation if You Do Not Speak English Very Well
Learning a new language can be a very difficult experience. Often, even years of study can leave you with good reading skills, but still uncomfortable with making conversation. Following a few steps can increase your confidence and open up the world of conversation in English.
Steps
- Absorb a lot of English. Read English books, websites, and magazines. At first, you will probably need a dictionary, but if you practice often, you will be able to understand words in their context. Only read what you would enjoy in your first language: if you don't, you will get bored very easily.
Watch English-language television and movies. This will help you to learn normal conversational English. It is also very good for your accent. If you find it too tough, try to watch movies with English subtitles: even if you don't understand every word, you will probably get the meaning of the story thanks to the images.
It might be slow at first, but both reading and watching movies in English are really useful if you practice often. - Start simple. Speak to a friend or coworker. If you and your friends normally do not speak English, try speaking English for a day. Practicing in a supporting environment can build confidence for students of any language. Of course, talking to an English or English-speaking person might be better, because you don't have the temptation to talk in your first language: you have to speak English. It is also the best way to learn to talk in real situations.
- Avoid confusing topics. Although you may have an incredible insight into religion or politics, such topics can make a conversation unpleasant. You mustn't avoid conversations at all. Just talk about simpler things, like a book/movie/television program, or even about your day.
- Ask questions. If you do not understand what the other person says, do not be afraid to ask. The person will most likely understand and explain, whereas if you don't ask, you can miss the point of the whole conversation. If you have time, you could also ask the person about things you didn't understand somewhere else.
- Practice often. This is the most important step: you could follow perfectly each step, but if you do not practice, you will never have a good English conversation. The more you speak English, the more comfortable you will become. Speak, read, and write English whenever you have the chance: it will become easier and easier, more and more enjoyable. If you have the chance to travel to an English-speaking country, talk as much as you can.
Tips
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