The Internet makes it easy to study English at home. You can practice reading with new articles, practice listening with podcasts, and practice writing on social media.
But what about talking? How do you learn to speak English? Talking online?
The answer is yes!” Here are three easy ways to improve your command of English online.
1. Practice with dialogue and subtitles
This method is the best way to improve your speech through self-study. To practice the conversation, you can use real dialogues with transcripts or subtitles. Luckily, these are available on most streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime.
While many students use subtitled dialogues to practice listening, you can also use them to practice speaking. For example, let’s say you’re watching this video, in which a comedian interviews Bill Gates.
You can watch the video once or twice. Then repeat it, pausing when the comedian finishes speaking, and then read Bill Gates’ lines aloud.
If you want to make this exercise more challenging, you can turn off the subtitles and try to remember the Bill Gates part. This is a good way to see if you can use the vocabulary and grammar he used.
And for an even bigger challenge, don’t pause the video. Just mute him and try to speak at the same time as Bill Gates. This way, you will force yourself to speak English at a natural speed, which in turn will help you become more fluent.
2. Talk to your phone in English
Nowadays, most phones come with a personal assistant app. Talking with them is a great free way to practice English in your daily life.
On Apple devices, the personal assistant is called “Siri”, and on Android devices, it is “Google Assistant”. If you say “Hey Siri” or “OK Google” to your phone, they’ll ask how they can help.
As you may know, you can tell these personal assistants to do things for you. For example, you can ask them to set an alarm (“Set an alarm for 7am”) or open an app (“Open Facebook”).
Talking to your personal assistant is a great way to check your pronunciation. After all, if you don’t pronounce something correctly, he won’t understand you!
Also, you can ask these personal assistants many questions like:
- “Do I need an umbrella today?”
- “What appointments do I have today?”
- “What is seven divided by ten?”
- “How do you spell ‘caterpillar’?”
3. Pick up your pronunciation
After all, a good speech requires good pronunciation. Did you know that you can practice your pronunciation online?
For example, you can sign up and check your pronunciation with a native speaker on HiNative.
10 tips to improve your oral English
When learning English, I focus my energy, especially at first, on whatever comes into my mind, such as listening and reading. I enjoy these activities, and I know that they will lead me to fluency, as long as I continue long enough.
However, as with most students, I also want to be able to speak English and speak English well. What are my goals for speaking, and how do I get there?
I know that I am not going to learn to speak a new language perfectly. Perfection is not my goal. My goal is effective communication. I am far from perfect in any of the languages I speak. In most of them I can communicate, in some very well, and in others less well.
In some languages I have let myself go to the point where I can no longer communicate, but I know that with a little effort I can get back what I lost and start communicating again.
I know that every time I communicate in another language I am getting better at that language. But regardless of my level in a language, I am satisfied with whatever I can do, as at one point I couldn’t understand anything in the language.
I also know from experience that my ability to speak and pronounce well will only improve over time, as long as I stay alert to what I hear and read, and how I use the language.
1. Speak, Speak, Speak
Be confident and speak English as often as possible to as many people as possible. Don’t be ashamed of making mistakes! The more you practice, the more you will improve and become more confident in your pronunciation and vocabulary.
2. Use Google Translate
When you’re not sure about a word or the pronunciation of a word in English, ask Google! It’s easy to use! Type the word into Google Translate and hear the correct English pronunciation by clicking the audio button.
3. Listen
Listen to the news and songs in English to hear the correct pronunciation of the words. You can also learn new words and expressions this way. The more you listen, the more you learn!
4. Read Out Loud
Read the English newspaper or magazine out loud. Listening to your own voice will help you better detect your mistakes.
5. Learn A New Word Everyday
Choose an English word that you would like to work with and practice it in different sentences. Use the word until you have learned it and continue to use it regularly.
6. Watch Films
Watch movies in English and pay attention to new vocabulary and pronunciation. Imitate the actors and have fun with them.
7. Make Friends
Make friends with English speakers and others learning to speak English and compare notes. Talk about the things you have learned and exchange ideas.
8. Do Interesting Activities in English
Take a cooking course in English or join a book club! Whatever you like to do, make sure you do it and communicate it orally in English.
9. Have a Debate
Discuss all the topics that interest you with friends in oral English. Try to use as much vocabulary as possible to make your point of view known.
10. Use a Dictionary
The dictionary has millions of words to choose from! Look up different words and their synonyms and alternate them when you use them in sentences.
About English Made Simple
English Made Simple is a website dedicated GCSE English, IELTS Preparation and other things providing useful content to readers all across the world on how to improve their English.
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