Many adult learners of English tell me “I can understand a lot – but I can’t speak!” For example, maybe your teacher asks a question and you know the answer… but you can’t say it because your spoken English skills are not good enough.
Understanding more than you can say is common when we learn a new language. Fluent English speakers tell you it’s just confidence. They say things like “Dive in and practice speaking English, and you will soon become fluent.”
But what if you don’t feel confident enough to start speaking English? Does this problem sound familiar? These 5 practical tips can help you become more confident in spoken English.
Tip 1. Listen actively when people speak English
Listen actively to what people are saying, not just the meaning. Listen to the words and sounds. Notice the rhythm of spoken English, how words link together, and which letters are dropped. Is there anything that surprises you? If you are watching a video, replay a section so you hear it clearly. Or ask the speaker to repeat what they just said, so you can listen to how to say it.
Keep a mental note of new English phrases you learn. Play them back in your head afterwards. You can get free English speaking practice with these videos from our LearnEnglish website .
Tip 2. Reflect questions back in your answers
Maybe a British colleague asks you, “Did you have a good weekend?” Panic! Suddenly you can’t remember how to speak English confidently. Should you use the past simple or present perfect to talk about your weekend? Stop. Go back to the question you were asked - it’s past simple, so your answer is also past simple. “It was good, thanks. We went to my parents’ home. Did you do anything nice?”
Tip 3. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes when you speak English
Mistakes are an essential part of learning. But if you fear “messing up” in social situations, start with a compromise where you feel more comfortable. Coffee and English-speaking conversation with your classmates is a good “halfway house” between the classroom and a social situation.
Tip: English classes for Adults at the British Council often include casual get-togethers. It’s a good way to practice speaking English in a low-stress and fun way.
If you don’t go to English class, find a person to practice with. They do not have to be an English expert English. They just need to be able to speak enough English so you can practice speaking English together.
And when you find yourself in a social situation where everyone speaks English confidently, it can help to acknowledge to yourself (or others) that you are a learner in speaking English. Take your time thinking about what you want to say. No one has the right to rush you, interrupt you, or correct you. Your English-speaking skills are in transition. The mistakes you are making today will be gone next year.
Tip 4. Accept the quirks of English spelling
Some languages have words with a perfect spelling-speaking relationship. You speak the word how it is spelled. But English spelling is not like this. This can be confusing. If you worry about how to pronounce a word, listen to more spoken English. When you listen to English movies or TV shows, turn the subtitles off. Just listen to the words.
Tip 5: Spoken English is yours as much as it is anyone’s
English is no longer the “property” of its native speakers. Most people speaking English now are Japanese and Argentinian, Russian and Greek, or Moroccan and Hungarian. It’s now the world’s global language!
So think about what is behind your anxiety about speaking English. Do you worry about being laughed at? Taking too long and losing your audience? Losing the essence of what you want to say?
For example, if you worry you will be laughed at for silly mistakes, you can say, “Help me out, how do I say…?” And it’s okay to say, “Hang on, let me finish…” if someone is interrupting you with incorrect guesses about what you mean.
Watch these videos to practice speaking English outside the classroom.