Dear Friend,

How are you today? How’s it going? How’s your English for today? I am hoping that you are doing well.

Listen, I know that maybe you are struggling for now, but you’re not alone. Every English learner has the same problem as you. So, it take it easy. Remember, that improving your English speaking skills is not the same as learning Chemistry or Social Studies. You can’t learn English by studying theory. You just need to go back to the basics and keep it old school.

Practice.

Please practice as frequently as you can. And as I always tell you, stop it with the mental translations! Speak naturally.

Talk with your favorite person. Yourself.

Whenever you’re alone, do this. Say your thoughts out loud, you will then feel more comfortable speaking in English.

Just like any other day, I had a conversation with my pretty self.

Jane 1: It’s a Friday! It’s one beautiful morning!

Jane 2: Yes, as always it’s as beautiful as I am. (wink)

Jane 3: It’s one fine day. It’s going to be sunny the whole day. Perhaps in the evening we should go out.

Jane 4: I’m tired.

Jane 1, Jane 2, Jane 3:

Yeah, sometimes my 4th inner self doesn’t agree with how I feel. But, maybe yours does. So don’t worry.

Use a mirror when you talk to yourself. Choose a topic you want to talk about. Around 2 to 3 minutes is enough. Never stop. If you make a mistake, go on. It’s okay. Enjoy it.

Welcome, to the real world. Try not to use textbook English. Learn as many colloquialisms, idiomatic expressions and phrases. But, remember WHEN to properly use them.

Some examples of colloquialisms would be as follows:

• to bamboozle – to deceive
• go bananas – go insane or be very angry
• wanna – want to
• gonna – going to
• y’all – you all
• go nuts – go insane or be very angry
• look blue -look sad
• buzz off – go away

Instead of the usual how are you questions, try to change it up a bit:

• How are things?
• How’s it going?
• How have you been?
• What have you been up to?

And you can say goodbye in a lot of different ways:

• Bye for now!
• See you!
• I’m off!
• Catch you later!
• Cheerio!

Just have fun with it! 

My friend, sometimes your sentences won’t be grammatically perfect, it’s okay! It’s better you focus your attention on speaking fluently rather than correctly. You will sound better and you will still be understood. Don’t worry about grammar, you will be able to learn more of it along the way.

Try tongue twisters. They’re difficult but once you get used to them, it’s easy! These are some of my favorites, I hope you’ll learn to like them too!

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

I saw Susie sitting in a shoe shine shop. Where she sits she shines, and where she shines she sits.

Luke Luck likes lakes. Luke’s duck likes lakes. Luke Luck licks lakes. Luck’s duck licks lakes. Duck takes licks in lakes Luke Luck likes. Luke Luck takes licks in lakes duck likes.

Mary Mac’s mother’s making Mary Mac marry me. My mother’s making me marry Mary Mac. Will I always be so Merry when Mary’s taking care of me? Will I always be so merry when I marry Mary Mac?

Practice them when you do have time, then you wouldn’t be too tongue-tied.

Relax.

There will be times wherein you will be stuck and perhaps confused.

 

• Breathe.
• Start over.

No problem. Take your time. Everything’s going to be fine. You will be comfortable in speaking in English. I know you will.

So, for now, keep on practicing. Believe and love yourself.

 

Sincerely,

Jane

 

P.S.

If all else fails, talk to me and my 3 other selves.