All the highest paying jobs have one thing in common: each one of them has the “fluent written and spoken English” as a requirement to the candidates looking to apply for the job.

That’s because English is the international language of communication. 

And if you’re aiming to become an English pro, it’s not just about mastering reading and writing. You have to ace speaking too!

Without the ability to express your thoughts and ideas verbally in English, you’ll inevitably feel left out from conversations, unable to build strong connections with your coworkers, potential friends and lovers. 

That’s why “how to improve speaking English language” is one of the most popular questions and requests among English learners. And that’s also why we’re writing this article. 

As seasoned language professionals, we’ve put together a list of effective (and ineffective) practices that will help you improve your speaking skills and guide you on your way to fluency. 

But before we share our top tips on how to improve English speaking ability, let’s talk about something that doesn’t work 9 out 10 times. Just so that you don’t you waste your time (at EMERY, we’re all about doing what’s best for you)!

Alright, now, a little controversial statement that many English learners might not believe at first since it’s one of the top things many online and offline schools tell you to do the second you start your English learning journey, but… 

We are the English experts who’ve learnt English ourselves (a long time ago), so you can really trust us on this one. 

Don’t start a Vocabulary of English words to improve English 

The last thing you should do when trying to grow your vocabulary is to start a notebook — digital or physical — and write down every new English word you learn. 

It’s rudimentary; it’s very last-season; and, frankly speaking, it’s completely useless. 

Why? 

Because the traditional format these vocabularies use is something along the lines of “word — transcription — translation into your native language”. 

This way, you learn the words taken out of context, not really understanding how and when to use them. Besides, this approach can also result in inappropriate English pronunciation because — let’s be honest here — who really knows the transcription rules well enough?! And who’s diligent enough to look the pronunciation up every time you come across the word and don’t quite remember it? 

Moreover, with only the translation of the word available to you and not its explanation, you… Only learn the translation of the word into your native language, not the actual word in English. So, when you try to incorporate the word into your speaking, you’ll buffer every time, trying to build a sentence in your mother tongue and then translate it into English. 

And if you’re still not convinced… According to studies, photographic memory is a phenomenon that exists in 2-10% of children and roughly 100 adults worldwide. So, no matter how good you think your memory is, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll be able to remember every single word you write out in your personal vocabulary once and forever. 

So, if you’re wondering how to speak better English, you should find an alternative way of learning English words. 

Lucky for you, EMERY has just the solution. We offer a unique approach to learning English words with our first-in-the-world Video Dictionary. 

Instead of simply giving you a translation of the new word, we offer a bunch of videos of native English speakers, in which they…

• Give you an explanation of the word, not a direct translation, so you better understand the meaning behind the new word
• Offer an example of the word used in context
• Share their specific way of pronouncing the word 

This way, you can be sure you don’t just understand the word but can also register it whenever the person you’re speaking with — no matter where they are from — uses it. 

But here’s the thing… If you could only improve speaking skills with Video Dictionary alone, life would definitely be a piece of cake. Unfortunately, it’s not. To really study English and start speaking like a pro, you need to combine this approach with other tips and tricks. 

Read on to find out what else you should pay attention to when working on your communication skills.

How to improve English speaking ability: Best practices, tips and tricks 

The one tried and tested way to improve your English is to submerge yourself in the English speaking environment. But if you’re not exactly the type of person to immediately book tickets to England, the US, or Canada — for any reason, really — don’t worry. 

There are ways to surround yourself with the English language regardless of your location. We’re all citizens of an extremely globalized world, after all. 

Here are a few ideas on how you can improve English speaking skills without leaving your house. All you need is sincere dedication to the cause and a reliable tool, for example, EMERY. 

Practice speaking English with native speakers 

The best thing about speaking to English natives is that you don’t have an option to randomly switch to your native language if you don’t know how to say something in English. You’ll have to get creative and improvise to express yourself. 

And it’s totally okay not to use the correct English grammar or advanced vocabulary at first. As long as you come up with a simpler synonym or even an explanation of what you want to say, the native speaker will get you and correct you, offering a more advanced word or phrase. 

This will inevitably evoke an emotion — good or bad, it doesn’t really matter — that will make you truly remember the word or phrase in question and make it stick. 

But how do you find native English speakers to talk to?! 

That’s where EMERY comes to save the day. We offer not one but two ways to communicate with natives:

1. Talk to EMERY where the platform gives you a prompt to discuss, you record a video of you answering current and interesting questions, and native speakers provide you with detailed feedback on your speaking skills. You get a personalized assessment of what phrases and English grammar constructions you used correctly, and where you could improve.
2. Video calls by EMERY where you get connected with a native speaker (they are available 24/7, so you don’t need to fit into a specific schedule) and discuss specific topics in real-time, face-to-face. This is a great opportunity to break the language barrier and speak to a native English speaker like you would in real life.

Try EMERY now and unlock your personalized way to English fluency! 

Work on your English listening skills 

Another crucial thing you need to practice when trying to improve your speaking skills is… Listening skills. 

No matter how vast your vocabulary is or how well you know your English grammar, you won’t be able to communicate with English speakers effectively if you don’t understand them. 

Remember, a conversation is always a dialogue, not a monologue. So, you need to pay attention to language comprehension.

And guess what? English listening practice is something EMERY offers to its users, too. We’ve got a bunch of videos for you to watch and audios to listen to, and then we’ve got tasks to help you understand what’s going on and assess your comprehension of the videos’ contents.

Watch films in the English language

And if you want to learn English and improve your speaking skills in a more fun, yet slightly more passive way, why not try watching films in English. 

It’s a chill way to boost your speaking skills, even if it’s not the most hardcore method we’ve talked about. Plus, it’s perfect for sharpening your English listening and understanding spoken English.

Beware, though! If you’re only starting your English learning journey, it’s important to choose the films wisely. Don’t go for movies with overly complicated vocabulary. Chances are, not understanding at least 50% of the film will discourage you from ever using this English learning method again. 

The best trick is to watch films you’ve already seen in your native language so that you’re not too confused with the plot and can focus on the language used by the characters of the movie. 

Read books and articles in English

Finally, if you’re more of a bookworm, consider reading more in English. While it’s not exactly a method of improving your speaking skills, it’s a great way to boost your English vocabulary and make your speech more eloquent. 

At the end of the day, whether in English or any language, you can always spot someone who’s well-read.

Make sure to keep EMERY’s Video Dictionary handy when you stumble upon a new word while reading. To really make it your own, you’ll want to nail down its pronunciation and feel confident about when and how to use it.