Most non-native English speakers translate words from their native language to English in their brains before speaking in English. When you try speaking English this way, you take a lot of time to speak. The sentences that you speak also sound unnatural because the sentence structure is quite different. If you want to sound more natural while speaking English, you need to think in English first. When you learn to think in English, you become much more confident and also sound much more natural. The level of your fluency also increases as you start speaking with less hesitation.
Learn to Speak English More Naturally?
To speak English naturally, you will have to speak in the following ways:
Use More Slangs
There are certain English slang words that you do not come across in textbooks, however, they are quite often used by native English speakers. For example, native English speakers often use the word, “hangout” which means spending some time together. You will however not find this word in English textbooks.
Use More Idioms
Idioms are figures of speech and you should not take them literally. If you want to speak like a native English speaker, you will have to introduce idioms in your speech. For example, “see eye to eye” is an idiom quite commonly used by native English speakers and this means to agree on something.
Use More Proverbs
A proverb is a short and simple popular saying and this is mostly used to give some sort of advice. For example, “When it rains, it pours.” This is a proverb. This means that when you are waiting for something to happen for a very long time and it finally happens and happens in very large quantities. If you pursue a spoken English course, you will learn a lot of English proverbs.
Use Phrasal Verbs
The phrasal verbs are quite similar to idioms. This is a combination of verbs and adverbs. When these two are combined, they mean different from what they would mean when used individually. For example, “They have called off the meeting that was fixed for tomorrow.” This means that the meeting that was fixed for tomorrow has been cancelled.
Make Indirect Requests
When you say, “It is too hot, “you might mean that it is very hot or you might also try to say that since it is too hot so you should turn on the AC or the fan. This is a kind of non-verbal cue and speaking this way will help you sound more natural.
Understand Sarcasm
Native English speakers know exactly how to incorporate sarcasm in their speech. This is quite similar to indirect requests. You can also incorporate this in your speech and this will make you sound more natural.
Exaggerate in The Right Way
This is also referred to as hyperbole. This is a skill that you should acquire if you want to speak like native English speakers. “It is so hot. I am almost melting.” This is an example of hyperbole. Here the speaker is exaggerating the last part of the sentence.
Change Meaning of A Word Using Intonation
Native English speakers use their tone of voice to change the meaning of a particular word. “That’s quite interesting.” This might mean that something is interesting or if the same sentence is said in a sarcastic tone it might mean that something is not interesting.
Change Meaning of A Word Through Phrase Level Stress
When you say, “It’s my job”, you might not stress any particular word and it would mean that it is your job. On the other hand, if you say the same sentence and stress the word, “my” job? It might mean that it is not your job.
Express Ideas Using Double Negatives
Just as in Maths, even in English, two negative sentences make up a positive sentence. The sentence, “That’s not irreversible” also means that “That is reversible.”
Ask Tag Questions Naturally
Tag questions are the ones that have leading statements at the start. For example when we say, “That’s not what you expect? Do you? I expect your answer to be, “It is not what you expect”. Here I already know the answer. I just wanted confirmation.
Use Connected Speech
The connected words are not words that you would be hearing in English class. The language that you learn in the class is much more professional. The native English speakers tend to use connected speech. If you understand and know how exactly to use the connected words, it will help you sound more natural. For example, “Gotta” actually means, “Got to.”
Cut Off Words
Cutting off words is something that native English speakers often do. They however do it only during casual conversations and not during professional conversations. If you are also able to do this, you will sound much more natural. “Great meeting you”- This is an example of cutting off words. In place of saying, “It is great meeting you.” You cut it short.
Shorten Words
Shortening words makes you sound much more natural. For example, you say, “congrats” in place of saying, “congratulations.”
Answer with a Yeah
Native English speakers often tend to answer a question with a “yeah”. For example, if you ask someone, “Are you going out with your family on Tuesday?” Instead of answering, “Yes”, they might just say, “Yeah”. This is a casual way to say “yes.”
Use Casual Greetings
Rather than greeting someone in a formal way like, “How are you doing?” You can just say, “What’s Up?’
Use Fillers That Sound More Natural
The best way to differentiate between a native and a non-native speaker is by using the right fillers. Some of the best natural-sounding fillers are, “By the Way”, “Well” etc. You should however ensure that you do not overuse the fillers in your conversations.
Pronounce Correctly
Native English speakers pronounce words correctly. It is therefore important that you pronounce the English words correctly if you want to sound natural. If you know how to pronounce English words correctly, you will not have any problems surviving in an English environment. English speakers are known across the world for their accents. To improve your pronunciation skills you should listen to more native speakers. For this, you can watch TV or listen to more videos on YouTube. To learn your pronunciation well, you can join English speaking classes.
Stop Thinking Too Much About Grammar
If you want to sound natural, you do not have to think too much about grammar when you are speaking. Grammar rules help you write English better. If you think too much about grammar rules while speaking, it might prevent you from speaking fluent English.
Speak Confidently
You must speak in English confidently. If you are not confident, your nervousness shows and your listeners will be able to understand what you are trying to say. Speaking English confidently will make you sound more natural.
Study Real Conversations Rather Than Books
Many people try to learn English through textbooks only. It is however important that you study everyday conversations rather than read textbooks. This will help you speak natural English.
Practise What You Learn
If you want to speak English naturally, you must practise speaking English daily. This will help you to be more fluent in the English language.
Conclusion
If you follow the steps mentioned above, you will certainly be able to speak good English. Apart from following these steps, you can also join a spoken English course. You will learn to speak fluent English and sound like a native English speaker.
