Tips To Speak English Like A Native

Why Learn English?

English is an extremely important language in the world today. It is used in business transactions, within large companies and is great to have when travelling to a foreign country. At Lingoda, we offer highly intensive courses that are taught by native English speakers. This is extremely helpful, as the best way to learn English is through a professional who is naturally fluent.

As with any language, one of the most difficult aspects of learning English is using the correct pronunciation. This can be nearly impossible to understand through text alone. By using qualified instructors in live online study sessions, students can develop a much better grasp pronunciation and accents. This will aid in the overall learning process immensely. For those who prefer a personal touch, we also offer one-on-one virtual study sessions.

Of course, the learning process will take time and it can be challenging. Factors such as pronouns, word order, common expressions and the proper way to ask questions are all very important. In this way, conversations are just as necessary as understanding grammar. By providing our students with a great deal of study materials and resources, Lingoda has simplified this process and you will learn how to speak English before you know it!

Speak English Like a Native Speaker

You can become very confused when you start learning English, because often the way a native speaker pronounces a word won’t bear much resemblance to the way it’s spelt. Often words are connected or contracted to make the flow of speech easier and more natural. There are a number of ways in which this manifests, for instance:

• In a phrase like “bad dog” – where one word ends with the same consonant that begins the next word – you wouldn’t pronounce the “d” twice, you would say something that sounds like “ba dog”. If you think about it, you do very much the same thing when speaking your own language, to improve the flow.
• When you speak English, if two words don’t have exactly the same consonant joining them, but one that sounds very similar, the same applies. For example, the first two words in “what does that cost?” would be pronounced “wha does”, that is, we’d drop the “t” in “what” as it sounds so much like the “d” in “does”.
• Often, a sentence such as “I’m going to go to the shops” will sound like “I’m gonna go to the shops”. This is not lazy speaking so much as the native speaker allowing the words to contract or squeeze together for a more natural sound that flows more easily off the tongue.
• Many words, when pronounced, are shorter than they are when written and the sounds are softer, for example “mackerel” is pronounced “mack-ril” rather than “mak-e-rel”. Similarly, “interesting” is pronounced “in-chre-string”, “comfortable” “comf-ta-bil” and “every” “e-vry”. This is an example of letters being squeezed together in speech, again for a more natural sound.

There are many more examples of words and phrases that are pronounced differently from the way they’re spelt by native English speakers, and there’s no doubt that the best way to learn how to speak like a native is to listen attentively, and of course to speak English to English-speaking people. It’s also a good idea to watch television programmes in English – sitcoms you enjoy are ideal as they generally contain a lot of dialogue – and to think about the differences between the spoken and the written word while you’re watching.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

English can be a very challenging language to learn, so it is only natural that mistakes will be made during the process. In fact, there are a few common areas to keep in mind when you are beginning to learn English. What are some of the most frequent?

1. First, it is important to remember not to “think” in your native language. The chances are high that there will be a great many differences (such as placing an adjective after a noun). By learning to train your mind to think in English, it will be much easier to remember all of the most important rules.
2. In the same manner, do not try to directly translate sentences from your language into English. The meaning may be entirely different and the end result may not make sense when the translation is completed.
3. It is common to hurry when first learning how to speak English. Instead, speak slowly and distinctly. Not only will this allow you to further understand the accents and pronunciations, but it will be much easier for the listener to comprehend you.
4. When speaking with another person (or during one of our online video exchanges), never be afraid to make mistakes. In fact, mistakes are one of the best ways to learn! By overcoming this fear, you will begin to enjoy the processes involved with how to speak English and then, your overall understanding will quickly improve.
5. Avoid using resources such as Google Translate. Although these can be good for individual words, the software is not perfect. Sentences can be translated incorrectly and in some cases, you may even miss the entire meaning of the text itself.
6. When understanding how to speak English, we need to address some common (and tricky) errors that are unique to the language. Many of these will involve the use of certain words in specific phrases. A few examples of these can include:
   – You’re versus your.
   – Their versus they’re (or there).
   – It’s versus its.
7. These and other words can be a bit confusing at first. It is only through practice that their uses will be better understood. As they will be used frequently, it is important to comprehend under which circumstances each phrase or word is correct. While this may sound like a minor point, it is actually critical in developing a working knowledge of how to speak English.
8. Practice speaking on the phone. Does this sound a bit strange? Another important talent that needs to be developed is the ability to understand a person when you cannot see his or her lips and facial expressions. This is very important if you are working in a business that requires regular communication with clients from other countries.

These are some great ways that will help you learn to speak English better and more fluently. At Lingoda, we are happy to offer you a wide variety of tools that can make this process quick, constructive and fun. Although learning English can be challenging, it has never been easier to become a fluent speaker with the numerous tips and tricks that we offer!