Ever found yourself stuck in a situation where you were supposed to speak in English in a seminar or debate, but all that you could barely manage was a speech with a patchwork of poorly framed phrases? If yes, then please understand that this type of situation is faced by a number of people who learn English as a foreign language at schools or institutions. As the education pattern of most institutions is such which encourages training through visuals and script, it becomes challenging for pupils when it comes to listening and speaking in the language. Though in most cases students know the basic rules of grammar and are well versed with the vocabulary too, when it comes to speaking they are not able to form proper sentences. This problem arises because of the fact that to speak, a person has to quickly form a grammatically correct sentence in his mind which happens only when he practices talking in that particular language. Additionally, to achieve fluency in a particular language, you need planned sessions of listening and talking. Another problem that a person faces while learning English as a second language is that he tends to translate his native language into English which becomes all the more tedious and often inaccurate. To overcome this barrier and achieve fluency, a person must talk and listen to a number of English conversations so that he gets a hang of the speech. There are a few more things that a person must take care of, while learning a language which are listed below in this article.
Grammar
If you have a fair knowledge of grammar, then you can leave this pointer and straightaway jump to the second one. For, grammar is more so required in the written form rather than the spoken. In case of spoken English, you are good to go with a fundamental knowledge of grammar. Studying grammar and trying to use the correct form will only slow you down as you would keep on thinking about the grammatical accuracy of the sentence you just formed. This can be proved from the fact that people who use English as there native language only have partial knowledge of grammar, but they face no problem in reading, writing or for that matter in speaking and understanding the language.
Memorize Phrases
Many people learn new words and try to form sentences using the same. However, this can be a dubious task, as most of the times such people are unclear of the meaning of the word and often used them incorrectly or place them wrongly. Instead of learning new words, learn new phrases. By learning new phrases, you can make similar other phrases based on what you have learned. However, this isn't the case with words. By learning new words, you can't learn to make one correct sentence until you know its usage and application. Also, while creating new sentences, never translate it from your colloquial language as this would result in the formation of a wrong sentence.
Immerse Yourself
If you are really interested in learning English language, then immerse yourself completely into learning the same. An important thing that you should remember while learning any language is that you need to first brush yourself with the cultures of the native place and learn their history and literature. By doing so, you will come to know about certain phrases, idioms and culture specific connotations of specific words and phrases. However, this does not mean you have to travel all the way to Britain to learn English (in this case). You can do so by meeting English people in your own country or those who have a good grip of the language. You can as well read books that equip you with the desired information.
Right Practice Material
Practicing is the key to learning but only if you are practicing from the right material. If, by any chance, the material that you are using is an incorrect one, then all your efforts of mastering a language would turn futile. There is no point perfecting a wrong sentence. Also, moving up the ladder taking each step at a time is the right way to go about learning a language. For, your reading English newspapers, journals, magazines and books would have no purpose if don't have basic knowledge of English language. Start reading books that provide information on the basic phrases and grammar and their usage. Step by step move forward and in no time you will have the language at the back of your hand.
Learn From Your Mistakes
Since you are beginner and have English as a second or foreign language, it is natural for you to fumble here and there. But instead of giving up or losing all the hopes of bettering yourself, make a strong commitment of mastering the same and stick to it. Learn from your mistakes and try to never repeat the same. Also, talk to people who are masters of the language. By talking and listening to them, you will be able to learn a lot, for practical knowledge is as important (and sometimes even more) as theoretical knowledge. Don’t get angry when they correct you for each time they do so, you will have a better understanding. Also, this way you will learn speedily.
Adhere to all the tips given above and work your way up the ladder, taking one step at a time. Lose no hope for it isn't an impossible task. Just keep on practicing and you can master the same in no time.
