Tips for Improving English Fluency in Daily Conversations
Fluency is often described as the smoothness or ease with which a language can be spoken during daily conversations. An article published on Statista.com mentioned that 1.5 billion people worldwide spoke English as their first or second language. Be it business transactions, cultural exchanges, or socializing, English is the most commonly used global language. Now more than ever the need to enhance our English-speaking skills and improve our fluency is felt. This article aims to provide with you some of the most essential and effective tips for improving your daily English conversations.
Apart from being the primary language of international communication, developing English fluency helps increase your income and influence and gives your overall confidence a boost. The simple strategies described below are most useful when used in daily English conversation.
Let’s look at some of the best ways to improve our conversational English skills and up the the fluency quotient in our speaking practice.
8 techniques to enhance your eloquence in English conversations:
Participate in conversation whenever you can
A great way to improve your fluency is to jump at the opportunity to participate in all forms of daily English conversation. For those who do not speak English as their first language, this tip comes in very handy. It is important to remember not to shy away from contributing to English conversation when we have the chance to.
Participating in daily conversation is a great way for beginners to learn new words, pick up on sentence structures, and understand how to express themselves better. It is almost always a safe space to make mistakes, especially with those who we are most familiar with. You should try to initiate a conversation on a simple or common topic with a friend or colleague to allow yourself more practice.
Concentrate on your pronunciation
Perfect pronunciation ensures that your message is conveyed clearly. Working on your pronunciation is pretty important when conversing with native English speakers. You will realize that you feel and sound more confident in your daily English conversations when you’ve mastered pronunciation.
You can improve your pronunciation skills by recording yourself while you speak, practicing with tongue twisters, taking a phonics session on PracUp, and speaking mindfully. You don’t need to alter your accent entirely, rather ensure that it does not hamper your daily English conversation to an extent it is incomprehensible.
Employ the use of idioms and specialized language
Firstly, the use of idioms is a characteristic feature of a native English speaker. Idioms make a speaker sound more articulate, eloquent, and witty. Idioms make the everyday conversation that much more engaging and amplify the speaker’s message. Here are some easy-to-use idioms:
Cutting edge: The most recent stage in the development of something
Go the extra mile: Willing to make a special effort to do or achieve something.
Hit the nail on the head: To do or say something exactly right.
To play it by ear: To do something without special preparation
Secondly, the use of specialized language, specific to a group of people who use it in their daily English conversations is a great tool. We often see this form of language in a corporate, social, or regional group. The culture of a place or company largely affects the linguistic base of the people within it. Fluency can be brought about if we can adopt the vocabulary, phrases, and overall tone of conversation when we become part of a group.
Don’t sweat the grammar
Sounds odd right? Let me help you understand this better. While grammar is the backbone on which language is built, the rules are bent now and then. Poetic license, delivering dialogue, and using jargon and idioms indicate some hither and thither with grammar.
This does not mean that you completely ignore the rules of grammar and go berserk! If your basic grammatical foundation is strong, you should not have any issues carrying out your daily English conversations. Language is a form of expression and as long we can deliver the right message in the right context, we are well on our way to fluency. Polishing your grammar skills can surely be a great way to build your base and we at PracUp got you covered.
Binge-watch some good English shows
I know you love this tip! Entertainment and learning all in one. Words and phrases that you’d use in your daily English conversation are often featured in these series and movies. Platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime host a great deal of new and old shows with characters of varying cultural backgrounds and accents. Most of these characters speak English in their unique way and yet sound so fluent. Additionally, watching the news is not only a great way to improve fluency but also gives you strong talking points for your daily English conversations.
Some great watches we would recommend are, Suits, House of Cards, The Crown, and of course… The Office! For the news, CNN and BBC are watch-worthy channels too.
Personal tutoring would be a step in the right direction
There is nothing like having one-on-one mentoring from an expert tutor, especially for English conversation beginners. A tutor can not only provide you with the tools and techniques to improve your conversational skills but also provide a great space for practice. You’d also have a lot more room to clear your doubts and ask any questions that you may have, with personalized attention.
Be it improving vocabulary, navigating through accents, structuring your sentences better, or improving pronunciation, mentors just like those at PracUp can help you achieve your goals. Your daily English conversational requirements may be different from another and a personal tutor can customize the lessons to fit your needs.
Amplify your vocabulary with the 95/5 rule
Eton Institute’s article on LinkedIn suggests that any language can be mastered if we know 5% of its vocabulary aka the 95/5 rule. Having a diverse vocabulary treasury facilitates fluency and reading comprehension.
To increase your vocabulary, you should develop a reading habit and an inquisitive mindset. Whenever you come across a new or unfamiliar word, look up the meaning and uses, then try to use the word as soon as possible in your daily English conversations. It is believed that to truly adopt the usage of a word it takes a minimum of seven meaningful exposures to the new word. By enriching your vocabulary you would be able to add the oomph factor to your conversations, presentations, and speeches.
Have some fun with games and puzzles
Who doesn’t love a good game of Scrabble? I know I surely do! Playing fun word-building games such as Scrabble or Hangman, is a fun way to learn English. You can also find many word games online that help you learn idioms, and phrases, increase your vocabulary, and fall in love with the English Language.
People often tend to learn and remember things better when they are having fun doing it. These games are a great way for both children and adults alike to improve their language fluency, which is why we at PracUp aim to incorporate these fun activities in most of our classes. It’s important to remember that having daily English conversations need not necessarily be stressful if you simply learn on the go.
Daily English conversational fluency in a nutshell
If you are learning a new language for the first time it may take you a few years to become entirely fluent in it. However, the level of fluency varies from person to person and situation to situation. Fluency in daily English conversations can be achieved through regular practice, personal tutoring, and perseverance.
The tips shared above are tried and tested and are widely effective in increasing your conversational fluency. Most of the aforementioned tips are self-directive and can be adapted quite easily. For areas that require a tad more assistance, we at PracUp ensure to smoothly guide you through your journey and help take your language skills to the next level.
