7 Ways to Learn to Speak and Write English

As we are two months into the new year, I hope you have been on your way to achieving the new goals and aspirations that you have set for yourself in 2022.

Perhaps you feel that you struggle with speaking fluently in English and one goal is to improve on that. If so, this blog post is definitely for you as I’m going to share a few tips on how to improve your English through simple and fun ways!

Before we start, it is important to create a positive mindset that you want to improve your spoken and written English. This is so that you are able to maintain your interest and give yourself a chance to learn something new along the way. Secondly, you can share with your friends and family your intention to improve your English verbal or writing skill. This way, they are aware that you are trying your best to communicate accurately by speaking in a complete sentences and pronouncing the words correctly. They may even give you the encouragement to spur you on further! Let’s now look at the different ways to help you boost your knowledge of the English language:

1. Speak in English as much as you can

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In Singapore, Standard Singapore English is the standard form of English used by everyone. It is used in schools, workplaces, or when communicating with the general public. It is also common for some to speak in their Mother Tongue. However, when you have the intention to improve on your English language, you must try to speak the language as much as you can. This gives you more opportunity to expose yourself to new words and descriptions that you can use to communicate with your peers or family. Like the old saying goes, ‘practice makes perfect!’

2. It’s ok to make mistakes!

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Don’t be afraid of making mistakes as it is essential for growth. When you make mistakes, treat yourself with kindness and offer yourself a chance to do better the second time. You can seek a friend, mentor, or family member to assist you in correcting your mistakes. Having someone supporting you in is important and essential in ensuring that you are on the right track to improving your English skill.

3. Stand in front of the mirror and create conversations with yourself to practise verbal skills

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This is my favourite way to improve my verbal skill. When practising in front of the mirror, you are standing by yourself, and there is no one around you to pressure you. This way, you are comfortable with can learn comfortably at your own learning pace and can make improvements and while building on your confidence on in speaking along the way. If you do not know what to say to yourself, take the time to reflect (literally) on your day! You can start by sharing three things which you are thankful of and three things you would have done differently.

4. Join English reading, presentation, speaking or writing competitions/contests!

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Once you are comfortable with the foundations of the English language, you can expand your horizons by participating in various English competitions or contests! Events like these encourage creativity and challenge you to put your skill into action. Who knows, perhaps you might be able to acquire the first prize with your stellar work!

5. Read books from your favourite genre

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I’m sure that you often hear people say how reading a large variety of English books can help you improve your English. This is because reading allows you to pick up vocabulary and be more familiar with the different grammar rules. However, it can be daunting to plough through such a large selection of genres. That is why the best place to start is with your favourite genre first.

For example, if you enjoy reading mystery storybooks, go ahead and pick as many books from that genre as you can. In time, there might be something that may pique your interest to try reading other genres too. Just remember that it is good to expose yourself to the various genres as this allows you to familiarise yourself to the different writing conventions and vocabulary used in each genre.

Overwhelmed by the choices of books out there and need help narrowing down a few to read? Why not check out our recommended reading list here?

6. YouTube is also a learning tool!

Often, food, travel, and book reviews on Youtube will share experiences that involve a clear and detailed description from the sharer. Watching a Youtube video can double up as a learning tool as it requires you to listen intently for sentence formation, pronunciation, vocabulary, and fluency of describing an object or experience. Treat it like a visual version of the listening comprehension audio files that you listen to in school! To ensure that you are learning actively (as opposed to just passively watching the videos), see if you can summarise or recall the main points of the details shared in the videos. Pretend that you are the presenter and share the information with someone. You can even jot down new and interesting words or phrases you have learnt from watching the content.

And if you don’t know where to start, you can always begin with our very own YouTube channel, smack full of tips and tricks that will definitely help to secure those marks!

7. Start writing a diary or journal

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Lastly, you can adopt a habit of documenting your life experience and writing it in a diary or journal. Journaling allows you to record your thoughts and experiences systematically. It is a great way to reflect the knowledge that you have about speaking and writing fluently in English. It also helps you learn about who you are and keep track of your learning journey to improving your English language skill.

So these are 7 ways to help you speak and write English fluently. I hope you take small, progressive steps into your new learning journey to improve your English skill. In the comments section below, do share with us your own personal tips on what helps you to become a better English writer and speaker. All the best and I’ll see you in my next blog!