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The idea that you need to be born with an ear for language is just plain wrong. This is one of the biggest misconceptions about learning how to speak, read or write in English like a native speaker – or any language for that matter.
The reality, however, is that every person on this planet can learn English as a second language and speak it like a native speaker if they choose to do so. And, we’re here to show you how.
Keep reading to find seven easy steps that can help anyone learn how to speak English like a native speaker in the blink of an eye!
How To Speak English Like A Native Speaker Step #1: Cue The Movie Marathon
Grab your popcorn and your TV remote! This is the perfect excuse to binge-watch some new English shows.
A good starting point is to watch and imitate actors in real English videos. Whether it’s a movie on Netflix or a short video on Youtube, these videos will expose you to real English pronunciation and speaking styles. It also gives you the opportunity to imitate the mouth and lip movements of a speaker – this shows you how to pronounce words.
When someone speaks, pause the video and then repeat what the person said. Having subtitles will also help you keep track of words.
Ready to go but not sure where to start? Here’s a GuruLab -approved list of the best movies to help you learn English.
How To Speak English Like A Native Speaker Step #2: Focus On Your Flow
While pronunciation is an important speaking skill, it’s not everything. Even if you can pronounce words like a native speaker, you won’t be able to speak like one until you fix your flow.
We like to think of flow as the music of speaking. It’s how you connect one word to the next – sometimes, even allowing them to intertwine into one word. More specifically, here’s how native speakers flow:
Join similar-sounding words
If a word ends with a consonant (letters that aren’t pronounced with a, e, i, o, u sounds) and the next word begins with the same consonant, you can pronounce both sounds together.
Example: I’ve got to clean my room.
2. Include intonation
Intonation is the rise and fall of a voice when speaking; musically speaking, this would be your pitch. It can change the meaning of whole sentences words.
When we say words of excitement or approval and use a low or flat tone, our words quickly lose their original meaning. It’s important to remember to use words with the right tone.
For example:
When you are excited about something, you should use rising tones like “Great!” or “Awesome!”
A descending tone can be used to express displeasure or sadness like, “Oh no…” or “Horrible…”
3. Remove noise
If there’s one thing native speakers love to do, it has to be cutting things short. Whether it’s whole sentences or small sounds, here are some examples of how to keep things short:
Removing the “t” or “d” sounds that occur between two consonant sounds. For example, I’ll tex(t) you later!
Use contractions like I’m for I am, I’ll for I will, don’t for do not etc.
Shorten common greetings like good morning/good night to just morning/night.
Don’t repeat sentences that have just been said.
For example:
Normal sentence: They went out for dinner, but I didn’t want to go out for dinner.
Shortened sentence: They went out for dinner, but I didn’t want to.
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How To Speak English Like A Native Speaker Step #3: Learn Some Everyday Idioms
English idioms are fun phrases that don’t make a whole lot of sense by looking at the individual words.
Idioms are so ingrained in the language of native speakers that sometimes, they don’t even realise they’re using them.
For example, if a classmate said the exam was a ‘piece of cake’ — you might be left confused. Because really, what does your exam have to do with dessert? That’s because she used a common idiom. ‘A piece of cake’ means a task or activity is easily achieved.
Using idioms will add colour to your speech and really help paint a picture in your listener’s mind! Here are 20 simple idioms with their meanings and sentences for you to get started!
How To Speak English Like A Native Speaker Step #4: Say Ello To Slang!
Slang words are a special one. It is defined as the vocabulary used between people who belong to the same social group or region, and who know each other well.
All this means is that our Malaysian slang is unique and unlikely to be understood by foreigners like the British – and vice versa. That’s why slang words are a perfect way to sound like a native speaker in whichever country you’re in.
For example, in Malaysia, people often say they’ve been ‘stuck in jam’ when they’ve been caught in traffic. Here, jam is a slang word for traffic and is unique to Malaysian culture.
Our next example is for the word ‘boy’. Americans could refer to them as ‘dude’ whereas British use the term ‘bloke’. Two completely different words that mean the same thing.
One key thing to note: slang is considered very informal, and you should avoid using these words in examinations or other formal settings.
How To Speak English Like A Native Speaker Step #4: Find A Native Speaker And Get Chatting
Now that you’ve learned all that you can, it’s time to put it to use immediately.
The best way to learn something quickly is to practice by doing. Many non-native speakers are nervous about speaking to native speakers at first; but the more they speak, the more confident they become. If you’re still second-guessing yourself, here’s a good guide for beginners to improve their English conversation skills.
Talking to a native speaker is, undeniably, the best way to improve. But if you want to give this a try without having to leave your home — we’ve got just the thing for you!
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez
