Speaking English Well

by Ahmed

"How can I speak English well?" - Ahmed

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Many people ask the same question and the answer is no secret.
In order to speak English well people need to speak English more.
You need to do as much as you can to learn and perfect your skills.

Many people tell me that they want to speak English well but then when I ask what they are doing to achieve this, they say something like,

"...I read English books and I have DVD's in English too, but I don't have much time to study".

I think the main problem is that people want something for nothing.

Consider the idea of loosing weight; I want to be thinner, healthy and stronger. I have wanted to be this way since I was a teenager. I would always talk to my girlfriends about the same thing...about not being fat and loosing weight.

But do you know what we would be doing while talking about this? We would be eating cookie dough, chips or Kraft dinner!!!

I was all talk. (This means that I was saying what I wanted, but not acting on it).

Want to learn a great Idiom?

Actions speak louder than words

It means that when you do something, it is stronger or more effective than just saying something.

Back to loosing weight; I wanted to be healthier and fit into my clothes better, but my actions did not demonstrate this desire. I was making myself fat. I sat on the couch and watched tv for hours, ate too much and didn't exercise. My words were not matching my actions.

Now a days I go to the gym 5 times a week, I control what I eat more (I still eat cake or chips but not all the time), and I am much more active.

Now my actions match my words. I say I want to be healthier and my actions are helping me get there.

What about you?

Do your actions match your words? I want you, and everyone to think about this and ask yourself that question.

What are you DOING to learn English or to speak English well?

Here are some ideas to get you going.

Choose a new subject and learn about it in English. I like to read diet and exercise ideas in Spanish. It is interesting and I am improving my Spanish.

Listen to the radio in English. You can do this many ways. Listen to the actual radio, download podcasts etc.

Read a book aloud. Reading aloud gets your mind and mouth thinking and working in English. Don't worry too much about making mistakes when you read alone. The benefits of reading outnumber the drawbacks.

Want more ideas?
Learn how to study English on a daily basis...

I hope that helps. Also, don't think that I am saying you don't do anything to learn English Ahmed. You just asked for some ways to improve. Your question just got me thinking about what people say and what people do.

Have a wonderful day Ahmed!
Diana

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