Introduction:

English is the most commonly spoken language in the world. One out of five people can speak or at least understand English! English is the language of science, aviation, computers, diplomacy, and tourism. Knowing English increases your chances of getting a good job in a multinational company within your home country or of finding work abroad. English is the official language of 53 countries and is used as a lingua franca (a mutually known language) by people from all around the world.

Learning the basics of a new language is certainly a challenge, but mastering true fluency in a new language is even more difficult. It is, however, possible to develop fluency in a language that is not your native language with the appropriate learning and a lot of practice. Developing fluency in English can be done with determination and hard work.

1. Talk to Yourself – Whenever you’re at home (or alone somewhere else) you can improve your English speaking with your favorite person: yourself. If you’re already thinking in English, try speaking your thoughts out loud. Readout loud, too. Practice is practice, and even if you don’t have anyone to correct your mistakes, just the act of speaking out loud will help you become more comfortable speaking English.
2. Try English Tongue Twisters – Tongue twisters are series of words that are difficult to say quickly. One example is: “The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.” Try saying this a few times! It’s not easy. Word games like this will help you find the right placement for your mouth and tongue, and can even help your pronunciation. You can find a list of great tongue twisters here.
3. Expand Your Vocabulary – Learn more words and phrases that you are going to use when speaking English. Make this specific to you: learn words or phrases you need to talk about a certain subject. For example, if you need English for business, learn business English phrasal verbs. You may want to learn common everyday English because you will use it no matter what.
4. Stay Consistent – Commit to 5-10 minutes every day. If you can do more, great! Some days you might do 2-3 hours. But make sure that you do the minimum every single day. This means that even if you’re tired or really busy you still have to commit. Everyone can find 10 minutes a day to commit to something specific. You can do as much as you can, but make sure to do this every day. Remember, consistency is key in learning a complex skill, like the ability to speak English at a high level and with confidence.
5. Repeat what you hear native speakers say – Repeat sentences of native speakers, focusing on pronunciation, cadence, and rhythm. Record yourself speaking and play it back to give yourself the opportunity to evaluate whether your repetition sounds the same as the original. Remember to think about both what words the native speaker chooses and how they use the language.
6. Ask people to refrain from speaking other languages – If you are attempting an English immersion in a country that is not primarily English speaking, ask those around you to speak to you in English whenever possible. This can be tricky if you are attempting language immersion at home, but your family may benefit from the immersion experience as well; try to make it a fun learning experience for everyone!

Know that the vast majority of people don’t care if you make mistakes. If someone does make fun of you, this person isn’t worth your time. Additionally, confidence comes through skill levels. As you improve, you’ll get more confident. Finally, find someone to practice with – someone who you trust.