Empower with English Language
English has been the universal language amongst all countries and has become the means of communication for cultures with different languages.
Don’t speak good, speak well.
Individuals, professionals, corporate practitioners — these are people engaged in different business activities and transactions. Even though they frequently meet people from other companies, speaking in English has always been one of the major factors of hesitation.
There are instances where individuals, not only students, but also professionals and corporate practitioners are hesitant to speak in the English language with other people. A probable reason is that they are afraid to make mistakes and be teased. Avoiding it may spare conversation and embarrassment, but this would likely restrict an individual from his/her potential to fully understand, utilize and be confident with the language in the long run.
Practice, practice, practice speaking in English
Learning English and being able to speak well cannot be done overnight. It requires proper training and plenty of practice. In order to become confident outside, it is important to grasp the essence of speaking until you feel comfortable.
Watch movies and listen to music: Allocate time to explore and watch different films that incorporate the English language. Carefully listen to an actor’s or actress’ way of speaking and mentally practice their spiel before saying it.
Whenever there is free time, listening to music may also be an option. Although there are limits to the words or lines that the singer sings due to the alteration of timing pauses, intonation and many other aspects.
Read books and explore the dictionary: frequently reading books sharpens the comprehension while exploring new words in the dictionary enables an individual to broaden their vocabulary and apply it in formulating sentences, speeches, and everything else.
Have frequent conversations: Similar to theories and practices, a concept will just remain as it is if not applied. Same goes for the English language, acquiring it through textbooks and subjects at school will not guarantee a person will speak well in front of another.
In order to speak well, it is necessary to have frequent conversation. Even individuals whose primary language is English converse very often. It’s a similar concept as part of the lifestyle; it is developed and further refined through frequent use which is achieved through conversations.
Ways to improve your English pronunciation
English is an essential means of communication with people from different countries. One factor that must not be left out when using the language is the proper pronunciation of words.
When practicing your pronunciation, it is important to know the concepts behind the words. These include syllable pauses, up and down pitch of the word, and ways of delivering it among others.
Continues English learning
One way to study proper pronunciation is to learn and understand the International Phonetic Alphabet which is a collection of different symbols that represent the proper pronunciation of a word. This method is best combined with an example set of words, how they sound, and the symbols used for them.
Examples are:
Price should be pronounced similar to: my, mice, wise, and high.
Choice may be similarly pronounced as: hoist, and boy
It may take a lot of practice to master it but the outcome would be totally worth it. It is also advisable to practice how to pronounce a word correctly upon learning a new one.
Browse the dictionary — online or offline
There are tons of common and uncommon words in the dictionary and taking time to learn them while knowing the underlying concepts in pronunciation can also help.
One way to put the dictionary to good use is to look for words with homonyms and familiarize yourself with it. You can either browse it from the classic thick Webster’s dictionary or simply browse online dictionaries like Thesaurus.
An example would be:
Air and Heir – these two words are similarly pronounced but differ in meaning. Air is something we breathe while heir is an inheritor.
Watch, listen and imitate pronunciation videos
In today’s generation where tons of users are already online, you may want to watch YouTube videos and tutorials or even learn online to enhance your understanding. Listen to how the words are pronounced and try to imitate them afterwards.
Record and practice
Lastly, allocate time to practice every week. One method is to record what you say whether it is a phrase, sentence or a paragraph and to listen carefully as to which part needs improvement and which ones sounds good.
Don’t speak good, speak well!
