We all want to know how to improve spoken English.
But for some of us, there’s a big obstacle.
To improve English speaking, the best thing to do is to talk with a native speaker. But not all of us have that option!
What if you don’t know anyone who speaks English? What if you don’t have time? What if you simply don’t feel confident enough yet to practice with a native?
How can you practice speaking English without anybody else to help you?
Don’t worry. You can still improve your spoken English, even without a speaking partner.
We’re going to explain how.
No speaking partner? No problem!
1. Think in English
Sometimes the difficult thing about English speaking isn’t the language itself, but how you think about it.
If you think in your native language and then try to speak English, you’ll always have to translate between languages. Translating isn’t an easy thing to do! Even people fluent in two or more languages have trouble switching between languages.
The solution is to think in English.
You can do this anywhere, anytime. Try to use English when you’re thinking about your day, or when you’re trying to decide what food to order. Even try to use an English-to-English dictionary to look up words. That way you never have to use your native language and translate words. You’ll notice that when you think in English, it’s easier for you to speak in English.
2. Talk to Yourself
Whenever you’re at home (or alone somewhere else) you can improve English speaking with your favorite person: yourself.
If you’re already thinking in English, try speaking your thoughts out loud. Read out loud, too. Practice is practice, and even if you don’t have anyone to correct your mistakes, just the act of speaking out loud will help you become more comfortable speaking English.
3. Use a Mirror
Whenever you can, take a few minutes out of your day to stand in front of the mirror and speak. Choose a topic, set a timer for two or three minutes and just talk.
The point of this exercise is to watch your mouth, face and body language as you speak. It also makes you feel like you’re talking to someone, so you can pretend you’re having a discussion with a study buddy.
Talk for the full two or three minutes. Don’t stop! If you get stuck on a word you don’t know, try expressing your idea in a different way. You can always look up how to say that word after the two to three minutes end. This will definitely help you find out what kinds of words or sentences you have trouble with.
4. Focus on English Fluency, Not Grammar
When you speak in English, how often do you stop?
The more you stop, the less confident you sound and the less comfortable you become. Try the mirror exercise above, but challenge yourself to speak without stopping or stammering (taking pauses between your words) the entire time.
This might mean that your sentences won’t be grammatically perfect, and that’s okay! If you focus on speaking fluently instead of correctly, you’ll still be understood and you’ll sound better. You can fill in the correct grammar and word rules as you learn them better.
5. Try English Tongue Twisters
Tongue twisters are series of words that are difficult to say quickly. One example is: “The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.” Try saying this a few times! It’s not easy.
Word games like this will help you find the right placement for your mouth and tongue, and can even help your pronunciation. You can find a list of great tongue twisters here.
6. Listen and Repeat
Do you watch TV shows or YouTube videos in English? Use them to improve your fluency. Choose a short part of a show and repeat it line by line. Try to match the tone, speed and even the accent (if you can). It doesn’t matter if you miss a few words, the important thing is to keep talking. Try to sound just like the native speakers on the show.
FluentU is a great way to practice listening and repeating.
FluentU takes real-world videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.
Whenever you watch a video here, you’ll see all of the spoken words right there on your screen.
This makes listening and repeating even easier. Just turn off the subtitles when you want a challenge!
If you see a word you don’t know, tap on the word to see an image, definition, examples, and other videos in which the word is used.
For example, if you tap on the word “brought”, then you see this:
You can learn any video’s vocabulary with FluentU. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning.
FluentU helps you learn fast with useful questions and multiple examples. Learn more.
At FluentU, you can decide how you learn. You’ll have the freedom to choose which videos are most interesting to your personallearning experience.
The more you listen to this authentic English, the better you will understand how to speak English naturally.
Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet, or download the FluentU app from the iTunes store or Google Play store.
7. Pay Attention to Stressed Sounds
English uses stresses in words and sentences. That means when you speak English you’ll need to stress, or emphasize, certain words and syllables (sounds) to give words and sentences different meanings.
Listen to where native speakers place the emphasis when they speak. Try to repeat it the same way to improve English stress in your own speech.
This won’t only help you speak English well, it might even reduce misunderstandings. Sometimes the placing the stress on the wrong syllable completely changes the word. The word ADdress, for instance, isn’t the same as the word adDRESS. ADdress refers to a physical location where someone lives, and adDRESS means to formally speak to a group of people.
Learn to hear the difference!
8. Sing Along to English Songs
Singing along to your favorite English songs will help you become more fluent. This is a tried-and-true language learning method that’s backed by science.
Once you can sing along to Taylor Swift and Jason Mraz, you can test your skills with something a bit more difficult: rap!
Rap is a great way to practice English because often the words are spoken like regular sentences. However, the rapper uses a stronger rhythm and faster speed. Some of the words might not make sense, but if you can keep up with the rapper then you’re on your way to becoming fluent!
9. Learn Word Forms with New Words
Some practice comes before you even open your mouth. Make speaking easier by learning the different forms of any words you learn. You should do this when you’re learning new vocabulary. For example, if you just learned the word write, you should also learn some other forms like wrote and written.
Knowing the correct way to use a word in any kind of sentence is important. This knowledge will help you while speaking. You won’t have to stop and think of different words—you’ll know exactly when you need to use that word while speaking.
10. Learn Phrases, Not Words
An even better idea to improve English is to learn word phrases, not just words.
You might be using correct grammar and vocabulary, but it’s still not how a native speaker would say it.
For example, you can say “how do you feel today?” but a native speaker might say “how’re you doing?” or “what’s up?” instead. Phrases and expressions can be helpful for sounding more natural when you speak.
11. Learn Your Most Common Sayings
Take some time to really notice how you speak in your native language.
What words and phrases do you use the most often?
Learn how to say your most commonly used phrases and words in English. Knowing them in English will help you speak as well in English as you do in your native language.
12. Prepare for Specific Situations
Are you learning English speaking for a specific reason? For example, are you learning English so you can get a job in an English-speaking company? In that case, practice English that will help you in an interview. Are you learning English so you can make friends in America? Then you would need a different kind of English.
Before you go to a place where you have to speak English, you can practice what you might have to say. If you’re preparing to go to a restaurant, what might conversations in a restaurant sound like? Answer the questions a waiter might ask you. Try talking about food and menus.
You’ll feel more confident if you’re prepared!
13. Relax!
You can be your best helper or your worst enemy when learning to speak fluently! We know it’s hard, but you should try not to worry about how you sound when you speak. Just relax!
If you get stuck or confused, just take a big breath and start over. Speak slower if you have to. Take time to pause and think about your next sentence.
Do whatever it takes to become more comfortable with speaking English.
14. Tell a Story from Your Language in English
Here’s a fun way to test how well your spoken English has developed: choose a story that you know really well and tell it in English. Watch spongebob online free 123movies.
Remember to think in English as you’re telling your story. Focus on speaking fluently instead of correctly. Say every sentence out loud to yourself.
Even if you have nobody to talk to in English, you can still build confidence and master fluency on your own time.
In some ways, practicing speaking is even easier by yourself! Now you know exactly how to improve spoken English by yourself and should feel confident doing so!
If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to learn English with real-world videos.
Here are all previously released episodes of Better at English podcasts. Make sure you download the PDF file for each lesson, so you will have the full transcript and vocabulary notes.
043 – Real English conversations: Lori scores a year’s supply of toilet paper (archive)
A funny thing happened today when Lori was shopping for office supplies, and it involves an industrial-sized package of toilet paper rolls.
042 – Make the Most of your Motivation part 2 of 2 – Real English Conversations
Introduction Hi English learners! Lori here, your teacher from Betteratenglish.com. Last week I shared the first part of a cool conversation I had with Dr. BJ Fogg, all about making the most of your motivation. Today you’ll be hearing part two, the final part of this conversation. If you missed the first part, make sure […]
041 – Make the most of your motivation – a conversation with BJ Fogg (part 1 of 2)
What can you do when you’re not feeling motivated? What is the best way to use your motivation when you ARE motivated? Find out in this episode of Real English Conversations from Better at English. Lori talks to Dr. BJ Fogg about how to make the most of the motivation that you have, no matter if it’s high or low.
040 – Daily Rituals part 5 of 5 – Real English Conversations
Introduction Hi English learners! Lori here, your teacher from Betteratenglish.com. In this episode of Real English Conversations, you’ll hear part 5 of my conversation with Kyla. This is the final part of our conversation about the book Daily Rituals by Mason Currey. In the previous episode we talked about dealing with distractions and interruptions when […]
039 – Daily Rituals part 4 – Real English Conversations
Introduction Hi English learners! Lori here, your teacher from Betteratenglish.com. In this episode of Real English Conversations, you’ll hear part 4 of my conversation with Kyla. Up until now we’ve been talking about the book Daily Rituals by Mason Currey. But in this part of the conversation we digress [go off topic] and talk about […]
038 – Daily rituals part 3 – Real English Conversations
Introduction Hi English learners! Lori here, your teacher from Betteratenglish.com. In this episode of Real English Conversations, you’ll hear part 3 of my conversation with Kyla. We are talking about the book Daily Rituals by Mason Currey. In this part we talk about the routines and practices that many creative people have in common. Now […]
037 – Daily Rituals 2 – Real English Conversations
Hi English learners! Lori here, your teacher from Betteratenglish.com. In this episode of Real English Conversations, you’ll hear part 2 of my conversation with Kyla. We’re discussing a book that we both really liked. It’s called Daily Rituals, by Mason Currey. The book describes the daily routines and habits of 161 creative people, people like […]
036 – Daily Rituals 1 – Real English Conversations
INTRODUCTION Hi English learners! Lori here, your teacher from Betteratenglish.com. In this episode of Real English Conversations, you’ll hear me talking to Kyla, a fellow musician. We met up to talk about a book that we both really like. It’s called Daily Rituals, and was written by Mason Currey. But as it turned out, Kyla […]
035 – There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep – Real English Conversations
In this Real English Conversations podcast, you’ll hear Lori and her mom talking about their bedtime routines and what they do to get good night’s sleep. The conversation includes lots of idioms and phrases related to going to bed, sleeping, waking up, and daily routines, and these interesting language items are listed in the vocabulary notes.
034 – Showing up for English learning success
Lori talks to you about one of her favorite quotes: 80% of success is showing up. You’ll learn what it means and who said it. And if you’re feeling discouraged with your English progress, you’ll learn how resolving to keep “showing up” can get you back on track with your learning.
033 – Lori burns her arm – Real English Conversations
Lori burns her arm while making a cup of tea, and can’t sleep because it hurts so much. Her mother tries to help her find a way to get through the night. The real English conversation is between Lori and her mother the following morning, discussing what they did to relieve the pain and whether or not it worked.
031 – Telling Time in English – Real English Conversations
Lori invites her mom onto the podcast to discuss telling time in English, focusing on some of the differences between American and British English usage.
032 – Perfectionism and Procrastination 3 – Real English Conversations
Lori and her Dutch friend Yvette return to finish their conversation about perfectionism and procrastination. This time they focus on the strategies that have proved useful in their own battles with this debilitating problem.
030- Perfectionism and Procrastination 2 – Real English Conversations
Lori and her Dutch friend Yvette continue their discussion of perfectionism, focusing on how it can cause problems for foreign language learners.
029 – Perfectionism and Procrastination 1 – Real English Conversations
Do you ever procrastinate? Lori sure does! She and her Dutch friend Yvette talk about what procrastination is, why we do it, and what we can do about it.
028 – Don’t step in the dog doo (4 of 4) – Real English Conversations
In today’s conversation, which is part four of four, my British friend Michael and I wrap up our lengthy conversation about the pros and cons of dogs, dog ownership, and dog owners. Warning: some of the vocabulary we deal with in this episode is a bit vulgar, so if you are sensitive or easily offended I suggest you stop listening now.
027 – Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the Dog Doo (part 3 of 4)
Michael and Lori continue their discussion of dogs and cats, focusing on the tendency for humans to get emotionally attached to their pets.
Real English Conversations: Don’t step on the dog doo (2 of 4)
In today’s conversation, which is part 2 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue discussing dogs and cats, and which we prefer.
Real English Conversations: Don’t step on the dog doo (part 1 of 4)
My British friend Michael and I begin by talking about whether we are dog people or cat people. Then we move on to discuss the social etiquette of dog walking, particularly picking up after them in public places.
Real English Conversations: Weird food
In this episode, Michael and Lori talk about weird food combinations — you won’t believe what some Americans like on their hamburgers!
Real English Conversations: 20 questions game
Lori and Michael talk about 20Q, a fun electronic game that Lori got to try while she was on her recent vacation in the USA.
Real English Conversations: Itchy palms (superstitions)
Learn about the idiom “to have itchy palms” and more on the topic of superstions.
Real English Conversations: Lori wants a naked cat
Lori wants a pet cat, and not just any cat, but a naked Sphinx cat. Michael thinks they are ugly. A heated discussion ensues…
Real English Conversations: What leads to success?
Everyone wants to be successful, right? But have you ever wondered what it is that leads to success? Lori and Michael discuss their reactions to a presentation about “What leads to success,” given by Michael St. John. Richard St. John spent several years interviewing hundreds of successful people, trying to find out the secrets to their success.
Real English Conversations: junk food (part 3 of 3)
The third and final part of Michael and Lori’s discussion of the English government’s ban on commercials for junk food before 9 pm, when children are likely to be watching.
Real English Conversations: junk food (part 2 of 3)
Part two of Michael and Lori’s three-part discussion about the English government’s decision to ban junk food ads on television before 9 pm, when children are likely to be watching.
Real English Conversation: junk food (part 1 of 3)
In the first of this three-part conversation, Lori and Michael talk about junk food and television advertising. In a nutshell, they don’t like it.
Real English Conversations: The pre-Google Dark Ages
How did we ever get along without Google? Lori and Michael about how much they depend on the Internet in their daily lives. In this completely unplanned and spontaneous conversation, they use quite a few phrasal verbs. These phrasal verbs and additional idiomatic expressions are highlighted in the vocabulary notes. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes at www.BetterAtEnglish.com.
Real English Conversations: TV adverts, advertisements and commercials
In today’s episode, Michael and I exchange some opinions about television, particularly with respect to commercials and advertising. In this conversation we discover some differences between British and American English vocabulary, and use some everyday phrasal verbs.
Real English Conversations: The customer is always right, right?
Have you ever had to deal with unpleasant customers? Lori and her British pal Michael compare working in an office with working at home, and talk about how difficult it can be to put up with rude treatment from nasty customers when you work in a job providing service. As usual, they end up touching upon some of the differences between British and American English vocabulary.
Real English conversations: pumping up in the buff
In the previous episode I had wanted to talk to Michael about about a gym in Holland that offers its clients an unusual way to exercise. But we got sidetracked talking about dogs and chick magnets. Luckily, this time we are back on track talking about gyms, a topic that brings up some idioms and slang related to fitness, exercise, and human bodies.
009 – Chick Magnet – Real English Conversations
Lori and her English friend Michael talk about the irresistible attraction power of dogs and puppies, and how you can exploit this if you’re in the market for a romantic partner.
Real English Conversations: Cultural Differences (part 3 of 3)
This is the third and final episode of a three part series in which Michael and Lori discuss some of the potentially embarrassing differences between British and American English dialects.
Real English Conversations: Cultural differences (part 2 of 3)
This is the second in a three part series in which Michael and Lori discuss some of the differences between their British and American English dialects. This edition takes up right where they left off in part one, so if you are a new listener you might want to go back and listen to part one before you listen to part two. In this podcast, they focus on some pronunciation differences between British and American English, as well as one potentially embarrassing difference in vocabulary.
Real English Conversations: Cultural differences (part 1 of 3)
Michael and Lori discuss how native speakers use fillers such as “umm” and “uh” and “mmm hmm” in conversations, and how these fillers are not always the same in different cultures. This is the first part of a series of three: in parts two and three they go on to discuss some rather amusing pronunciation and vocabulary differences between British and American English.
Real English Conversations: What was he thinking?
Michael and Lori discuss a disturbing video that Lori saw on Youtube, in which a teenage boy inserts a firework rocket into his rear end and burns himself. Sensitive listeners may find this podcast offensive, so use caution when listening.
Real English conversations: Do men prefer real or fake?
Lori asks Michael a rather saucy question: do men prefer real or fake breasts on their women? The answer might surprise you…
003 – Skill or Luck? Real English Conversations
Michael and Lori discuss the game (sport?) Rock Paper Scissors, and debate whether it involves skill or luck.
002 – Its vs. it’s – Common English Grammar Mistakes
Some grammar mistakes are surprisingly frequent even among educated native speakers of English. When it comes to written English, a lot of these mistakes involve words or phrases that sound the same but are spelled differently…One of the most notorious of these grammatical pet peeves is when people write the wrong form of its/it’s. That’s what I will try to help you with today. This may be a bit difficult to follow if you are just listening, so I suggest you go to the betteratenglish.com and have a look at the transcript.
001 – Noisy Neighbors – Real English Conversations
Today’s conversation is between me and my friend Michael. We discuss my annoying neighbor and his habit of playing a very irritating song at very high volume, usually on Friday and Saturday evenings. I’m pretty sure it’s a live version, too, so it’s much longer than the original, thus extending my torture.
My best guess is that he plays it to get himself in the party mood. Here in Sweden, people usually “party” at home, that is,…
Real English Conversations: Office Pranks
Lori and Michael discuss office pranks.
Real English Conversations: annoying coworkers
There’s one annoying jerk in every workplace, isn’t there! Lori and Michael talk about their experiences with annoying coworkers.