Many students ask me about how to be fluent in English. They want to be able to use English fluently.
This is a good question, but I think many students do not really understand what ‘fluent’ means. They know what the word ‘fluent’ means, but they do not know how to measure fluency.
How do you know if someone is fluent in English?
It depends on what you want to do with English.
The first thing YOU need to decide is, how will you know when YOU are fluent?
Do you:
- want to speak like a native speaker? If yes, how does a native speaker speak?
- want to be able to understand movies easily?
- want to be able to have casual conversations?
- want to be able to travel using English?
- or…?
When you have decided clearly your goal, then it is easier to reach it.
Recently I answered a friend’s question on this.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ADVICE I GAVE HIM.
CHALLENGE: Share your advice and opinions. How do you know when you are fluent?
Hi John, in my case, I\’m doing a recount of my progress learning English, and I can conclude that:
* I\’m able to understand movies and conversations easily.
* I traveled to the U.S. and I wasn\’t so bad when I tried to communicate with a native speaker.
I could make this, cause everyday I\’ve been trying to read and listen something in english, and speak it too, but the opportunities to do it are less than the other ones.
I still have the problem of thinking in my native language first, and then translate it and construct sentences in English.
Can you give me and advice related to this?
Thanks.
You have raised a good point Alan. In fact i think I will write a lesson on this because what you are asking is REALLY important!
Thank you for asking!
Hi John,
for me to be fluently in english means to speak and to understand quikly with native people, I’m not able to do this becouse I have’t occasions to meet native people, when I travel I manage to speak it, nevertheless I read a lot and for me it’s more easy understand it. I think, I have found a solution,I bought a adiobook in english! I can read and listen …. ok…it’s not like to speak evry day with natives, but it’s a beginning
Yes this is a great way Roberta!
Very soon I plan to offer some free ebooks on this site and we can study them together!
hi john…
i want to ask that i cannot speak or understand english fluently,where i do talk to a english fluent speaker i can’t understand what the people is saying soo plz tell how do i improve my speaking english and understanding english fluently
Hi Sarab
I think one of the best ways to improve is to do a lot of listening to English. Listen to radio, TV, movies and songs in English. The more you listen, the easier it will be to listen.
How do you practice listening at the moment?
John
hi john…
i want to ask that i cannot speak or understand english fluently,when i do talk to a english fluent speaker i can’t understand what the people is saying soo plz tell how do i improve my speaking english and understanding english fluently speaker i hope u understand……………………..plz reply
Hi, i Cant understand or spesk Fluently English.Wat to Do
Hi Nandu
Do you take English lessons? Do you study English books?
Also, you should ‘like’ my facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ask-John-English/201087406616277
There are many activities and people to meet there!