How to Make Your English Sound More Natural
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Photo via Flickr[/caption]
Learning English is incredibly difficult, which is something non-native speakers of English don’t always understand. The English language is insane, with rules that almost always have exceptions, homophones, homonyms, gerunds, and a ton of other things that make the language incredibly tricky to speak with native proficiency.
So what’s an English language learner to do? Throw in the towel and give up now? No! Of course not!
We know how difficult it can be to make yourself sound natural in English, and we know that being able to express yourself in the easiest and most comfortable way can be really difficult. We’ve come up with some tips to help you speak and write English more naturally, improving your confidence with the language and ultimately improving your fluency.
Photo via Flickr[/caption]
All the world’s a stage, and we are merely players, right? Well, sort of.
This doesn’t mean focusing on how loud you’re speaking or on the lighting in the room as you’re speaking. Rather it means that you need to understand if you’re speaking in a formal setting, or an informal one.
Most languages have whole separate verb conjugations and subjects to easily communicate the formality and respect owed in different situations, but English does not.
When speaking with someone, or especially when writing to someone you should always keep these questions in mind:
- What is our relationship?
- Are they friends, co-workers, professors, or complete strangers?
- What am I discussing?
- Is it personal and private or something casual and common?
If the relationship is more formal – like a professor or an employer – then you should choose more formal language. Stay away from slang and make sure you’ve properly addressed the recipient if you’re writing to them.
If you don’t know someone very well, or at all, it’s a better idea to start formal and gradually work towards more casual conversations. Keep the slang for friends and more casual topics and discussions for people you’re closer with. When it doubt, follow the tone the other person, or other people present to you.
Photo via Flickr[/caption]
Photo via Flickr[/caption]
Learning English is incredibly difficult, which is something non-native speakers of English don’t always understand. The English language is insane, with rules that almost always have exceptions, homophones, homonyms, gerunds, and a ton of other things that make the language incredibly tricky to speak with native proficiency.
So what’s an English language learner to do? Throw in the towel and give up now? No! Of course not!
We know how difficult it can be to make yourself sound natural in English, and we know that being able to express yourself in the easiest and most comfortable way can be really difficult. We’ve come up with some tips to help you speak and write English more naturally, improving your confidence with the language and ultimately improving your fluency.
Know your audience!
[caption id="attachment_5107" align="alignright" width="332"]
Photo via Flickr[/caption]
All the world’s a stage, and we are merely players, right? Well, sort of.
This doesn’t mean focusing on how loud you’re speaking or on the lighting in the room as you’re speaking. Rather it means that you need to understand if you’re speaking in a formal setting, or an informal one.
Most languages have whole separate verb conjugations and subjects to easily communicate the formality and respect owed in different situations, but English does not.
When speaking with someone, or especially when writing to someone you should always keep these questions in mind:
- What is our relationship?
- Are they friends, co-workers, professors, or complete strangers?
- What am I discussing?
- Is it personal and private or something casual and common?
If the relationship is more formal – like a professor or an employer – then you should choose more formal language. Stay away from slang and make sure you’ve properly addressed the recipient if you’re writing to them.
If you don’t know someone very well, or at all, it’s a better idea to start formal and gradually work towards more casual conversations. Keep the slang for friends and more casual topics and discussions for people you’re closer with. When it doubt, follow the tone the other person, or other people present to you.
Chop away at it
Don’t be afraid to use contractions when speaking or when writing in English as it sounds more fluent and more casual. If you listen to native speakers (or read their emails, newspapers, and literature) then you’ll notice contractions all over the place! Just scanning through this paragraph, you’d be able to find at least 3 before this sentence finishes. When you use contractions, make sure you’re using the correct ones; doesn’t versus don’t, can’t versus couldn’t, and never, ever use willn’t. Carrying on with the idea of chopping – be careful of run-on sentences in your writing. Don’t try to fit too much into one sentence, as it just looks disorganised and cluttered. This doesn’t mean you have to keep your writing direct, blunt, and to the point (unless your audience needs that), but it does mean you should be wary of how many conjunctions are within your sentence and how many ideas you are linking together within that sentence. [caption id="attachment_5108" align="alignleft" width="387"]
Photo via Flickr[/caption]