Better English speaking skills - how to improve

 -Look for opportunities to speak to native speakers of English. Interaction with others will improve your speaking ability.

It's important to build your confidence. If possible, use simple English sentence structure that you know is correct, so that you can concentrate on getting your message across.

-Try to experiment with the English you know. Use words and phrases you know in new situations. Native English speakers are more likely to correct you if you use the wrong word than if you use the wrong grammar. Experimenting with vocabulary is a really good way of getting feedback.

-Try to respond to what people say to you. You can often get clues to what people think by looking at their body language. Respond to them in a natural way.

-Try NOT to translate into and from your own language. This takes too much time and will make you more hesitant.If you forget a word, do what native English speakers do all the time, and say things that 'fill' the conversation. This is better than keeping completely silent. Try using um, or er, if you forget the word.

-Don't speak too fast! It's important to use a natural rhythm when speaking English, but if you speak too fast it will be difficult for people to understand you.

-Try to relax when you speak – you'll find your mouth does most of the pronunciation work for you. When you speak English at normal speed, you'll discover that many of the pronunciation skills, such as linking between words, will happen automatically.

-Remember, when speaking English…Try to become less hesitant and more confident.
Don't be shy to speak – the more you do it, the more confident you'll become.

-Remember to be polite – use "please" and "thank you" if you ask someone to do something for you.

-Ask a native speaker to provide feedback on your pronunciation problems (if any).

-Listen to the radio, and watch TV and movies. Pay attention to idiomatic usage of the language and different accents or speech patterns that are used.

-Write down new expressions you hear. Use the expressions in your everyday English conversations.

-Choose a character from a film or TV show. Repeat the character’s words, following the intonation patterns, as he or she speaks. Include the gestures or other body language of the character you are imitating.

-Practice speaking for a limited time on different topics without a lot of preparation. Time your responses to questions.

-Make a list of questions on topics that interest you (for example, hypothetical situations or academic topics). Answer each of the questions aloud. Try to speak for at least one minute.

-Use books that come with audio recordings to study pronunciation, stress, and intonation in English.

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