Feeling Stuck When Speaking? Try This…

You’re in a conversation with a couple of native speakers and even though it is hard, you are managing to follow along with the discussion. Then suddenly, someone sends a question your way.

Everyone turns their heads in your direction, eyes focused on you as they wait for your response. This is a DISASTER!

Your mind goes blank, your palms get sweaty, your muscles tense up, and when you try to speak, nothing happens. You are totally stuck.

This is a situation that language learners find themselves in all the time. The worst part is that they are able to understand English pretty well, but when they are on the spot and it is time to speak, they are unable to do it. You have probably felt this at some point in your language learning journey too.

The good news is that this problem can be solved and today I will point you in the right direction.

There is not just one thing that causes this to happen. There are a whole bunch of different factors to think about. Today I will show you the top 3.

The words are in your head somewhere, but when it is time to speak you aren’t able to bloody find them! You have a decent vocabulary level but you are unable to use these words when push comes to shove.

This is not exclusive to language learners. The pressure of the situation has caused you to freeze and you are unable to do anything. This is usually called stage fright and most people suffer from this at some point in their lives.

A lot of people are terrified of making mistakes when speaking in English. When you write, they have time to think about what you want to say and check it before anyone else sees it. You can’t do this when you are in an conversation, which means it is much easier to make mistakes and this can cause people to shut down!

Understanding this is great and all, but how do we stop this stuff from happening?

Now that we know the problems, we can look at how to get over these roadblocks!

Actually, the key is to get more active vocabulary. We all have two kinds of vocab in our brain – Passive and active.

Passive vocabulary are the words that you understand if you hear or read them. Active vocabulary are the words that you actually use. You need to move more words from your passive vocabulary to your active vocabulary.

Speaking in English shouldn’t be this hugely stressful situation.

It is not a big deal so you should just try to relax a bit more. I know it is easier said than done, but you need to change your mindset and think about speaking in English in a new way.

People automatically assume mistakes are terrible and that is why they try to avoid them.

I am here to tell you that mistakes are actually a good thing. The only way to improve is to make mistakes. No one became fluent by being perfect. Perfection is a myth and you need to get comfortable with messing up!

Now this sounds a bit to simple, right? Keep reading to get some tips how to achieve these solutions!

This Is The Best Way To Learn New Words (And Actually Remember Them!)

Learning new words in English is a difficult task. We spend hours learning and re-learning words just to forget them again. Not anymore…

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Here are some things that you can start doing that will help you solve this problem.

If you want to increase the amount of active vocabulary you have access to when speaking, you can try the following things:

If you notice that you are always using the same words, try to switch it up to another word you know with the same meaning. For example, if you always say very, why not try using proper every now and then. This will help you use more words in a way that you are comfortable with.

Exposure is the first step to active vocabulary. It will teach you new words, in a context, and show you how it can be used. However, you also need to start using the words that you pick up from the things you hear and read. If you learn a new word, make an effort to use it within 72 hours.

It happens to all of us. You don’t know the word for something you want to say. In this case, you need to learn to talk around a problem. Find a way to express the idea using other words that you know. Synonyms, antonyms, describing the function or use… all of these things can force you to use new words in new ways.

If you want to stop feeling nervous when speaking, give this a go!

When you start feeling nervous when speaking in English, the best thing you can do is stop and take a deep breath. If you have ever done any kind of mindful meditation before, you will know how powerful the deep breath can be. It’s OK to feel this way and you can do it!

The more you are exposed to something, the easier it gets. Rock stars were probably shitting themselves before they went on stage for the first time and now it is just as easy as walking down the street. If you are struggling, do it more and it will get easier.

Instead of struggling in a conversation and pretending to understand everything, learn to start asking more questions. In this way, you control the conversation and you will also make it easier for you to communicate confidently. Confidence will help you relax.

Mistakes are actually awesome if you know how to use them…

People often think that they need to be perfect when they speak English and this is absolute bollocks. I am a native speaker and I am an English teacher and I am not perfect, so why do you think you need to be?

If you stop trying to be perfect, and just start trying, you will be shocked at how much better you are at communicating in English.

After each conversation you have, review how it went. Could people understand the meaning of what you were trying to say? What words did you struggle to find or express?

Once you review your performance, you should have a good idea what you need to look at next in order to make sure you can avoid these specific problems next time they come up.

Seriously? The world is not going to end if you conjugate a verb incorrectly. Most of the time the only person that cares about the mistakes is you. Other people probably didn’t notice or care that it happened, so don’t beat yourself up about it.

Each mistake you make is a chance to learn something new that will benefit you right now! In this way, more mistakes you make, the more progress you can make. This should motivate you to start speaking way more so you can become a better communicator as soon as possible!

Sometimes you don’t really know if you are making a mistake or not and that can be the scary part.

Working with a professional teacher like me, I can help you identify any mistakes you might be making and I can also help you fix these problems in the fastest way possible with targeted practice.

Making quick progress like this will also boost your confidence and allow you to express yourself more clearly and freely when communicating with others in English.

If you want to work with me to improve your English communication skills, click the button below to find out more.