Spoken English 英语读报@微信公众号 en0.1.0

How to Improve Spoken English

(Without a Speaking Partner!):14 Incredible Methods

Don’t worry. You can still improve your spoken English, even without a speaking partner.

1. Think in English: Try to use English when you’re thinking about your day, or when you’re trying to decide what food to order.
2. Talk to Yourself: Practice is practice, and even if you don’t have anyone to correct your mistakes, just the act of speaking out loud will help you become more comfortable speaking English.
3. Use a Mirror: Choose a topic, set a timer for two or three minutes and just talk.
4. Focus on English Fluency, Not Grammar: Try the mirror exercise above, but challenge yourself to speak without stopping or stammering (taking pauses between your words) the entire time.
5. Try English Tongue Twisters: Word games like this will help you find the right placement for your mouth and tongue, and can even help your pronunciation.
6. Listen and Repeat: Choose a short part of a show and repeat it line by line. Try to match the tone, speed and even the accent (if you can). It doesn’t matter if you miss a few words, the important thing is to keep talking. Try to sound just like the native speakers on the show.
7. Pay Attention to Stressed Sounds: Listen to where native speakers place the emphasis when they speak. Try to repeat it the same way to improve English stress in your own speech.
8. Sing Along to English Songs: Singing along to your favorite English songs will help you become more fluent. This is a tried-and-true language learning method that’s backed by science.
9. Learn Word Forms with New Words: Make speaking easier by learning the different forms of any words you learn. You should do this when you’re learning new vocabulary.
10. Learn Phrases, Not Words: For example, you can say “how do you feel today?” but a native speaker might say “how’re you doing?” or “what’s up?” instead. Phrases and expressions can be helpful for sounding more natural when you speak.
11. Learn Your Most Common Sayings: Take some time to really notice how you speak in your native language.
12. Prepare for Specific Situations: If you’re preparing to go to a restaurant, what might conversations in a restaurant sound like? Answer the questions a waiter might ask you. Try talking about food and menus. You’ll feel more confident if you’re prepared!
13. Relax!: If you get stuck or confused, just take a big breath and start over. Speak slower if you have to. Take time to pause and think about your next sentence.
14. Tell a Story from Your Language in English: Remember to think in English as you’re telling your story. Focus on speaking fluently instead of correctly. Say every sentence out loud to yourself.

Even if you have nobody to talk to in English, you can still build confidence and master fluency on your own time.

Twisters more

At a restaurant: Food/menu/

Shopping

Job

Others

3.	I’m going to email Jack this morning to let him know. / I’m going to call the Spanish office today to ask their opinion. / We’re going to meet Tom to talk about book sales.
4.	I plan to have the work finished by the end of next week. / I plan to visit the Spanish office in June. / I plan to hold a series of meetings to discuss the matter.
5.	I intend to consult all the managers before making any decisions. / I intend to work on the report this Friday. / I intend to circulate the document among the mangers first.
6.	I hope to finish the report this week. / I hope to meet with Tom while I’m in Amsterdam. / We hope to complete the project by December 12th.
7.	I’m supposed to send the figures to Tom today. / I’m supposed to be talking at the conference. / What time are we supposed to meet them? / He’s supposed to be calling me this morning.
8.	I can check these figures. / I can speak to Tom, if you like. / I can ask him, if you like.
9.	I’ll order more stationery. / I’ll email Wudao, if you like. / I’ll send you a copy, if you like.
10.	We could cancel the contract. / We could refuse to pay them. / We could offer the job to someone else.
11.	Shall we postpone the meeting? / Shall we discuss this with Tom? / Shall we tell the staff?
12.	Should I ask Tom first? / Should I send a copy of the letter to Tom? / Should I forward this email to Tom?
13.	Do you think I should set up a meeting? / Do you think I should tell my boss? / Do you think we should employ someone else?
14.	Would you recommend advertising in the paper? / Would you recommend the service that they provide? / Would you recommend taking a client there for lunch?
15.	I have to email Tom and ask him. / I really have to finish this piece of work today. / You have to call the customer when the goods are ready. / You don’t have to work till eight o’clock every evening.
16.	I need to call our supplier. / I need to cancel that order. / We need to work more quickly.
17.	Do you have to dress smartly for the office? / Do you have to get to work for nine o’clock? / Do you have to have lunch with your colleagues?
18.	I must send that fax to Tom. / You must write down the customer’s telephone number. / We must find someone else to do the work.
19.	I should call Tom and let him know. / I should offer her the job first. / We really should pay him the same as Tom.
20.	I ought to ask human resources what they think. / I ought to send that contract back today. / We ought to pay Walkers for the work they’ve done.
21.	Can I use your mobile, please? /  Can I see those figures, please? / Can I come to the meeting? / Could I see that document, please? / Could you use your laptop? / Could I have a copy of that document, please?
22.	Can you ask Tom to call me, please? / Can you take a message for me, please? / Can you get me those figures, please? / Could you send me that report, please? / Could you speak to Tom about the problem?
23.	Would you mind contacting the suppliers? / Would you mind taking the minutes at the next meeting? / Would you mind writing an agenda for the meeting? 
24.	I really need the information now. / We need a supplier that we can trust. / We’re so busy we need extra staff.
25.	I’m sorry if you didn’t get the attachment with the email. / I’m sorry I was late for the meeting. / Sorry – I don’t have a copy of the agenda. / Sorry, I didn’t hear what you were saying.
26.	I’m afraid I can’t come to the meeting. / I’m afraid there’s a problem with your order. / I’m afraid I have to leave now.
27.	My apologies – I forgot to send you the memo. / My apologies – my train was delayed. / My apologies – that was my fault.
28.	I think their website is excellent. / I think she’s very good at giving presentations. / I don’t think they did a very good job. / I thought she was the best candidate.
29.	In my opinion, these targets are too high. / In my opinion, she’s in the wrong job.
30.	What do you think of their products? / What do you think of the strategy? / What’s your opinion of the competition? / What’s your opinion of their performance?




31.	I agree. I think it’s been a very successful project. / Yes, I agree with you. We need to promote her. / You’re right. Profits have declined. / I think you’re right about the website.
32.	I totally agree. I think she’s an excellent leader. / I totally agree with you, James. / I disagree. I’ve always found her to be very efficient. / I disagree with you here. / I’m afraid I disagree.
33.	I totally disagree. I think we’ve spent too much already on this project. / I’m afraid I totally disagree with you here.
34.	We need to arrange a meeting to discuss this. / Svetlana sends her apologies. / Could someone take the minutes for the meeting?
35.	What’s next on the agenda? / Could you put together an agenda for the meeting? / How did the meeting go?
36.	How do you switch this on? / Where can I plug this in? / My computer has crashed again.
37.	I’ll just start up my computer. / I don’t have any record of that. / I’ve forgotten my password.
38.	What’s the password for this? / Could you forward me that email? / I sent it as an attachment.
39.	I can’t open the attachment. / Could I have a brief chat with you? / Do you have a moment?
40.	I’ll have a word with him. / She’s applied for another job. / She’s leaving the company.
41.	He’s been promoted. / She’s retiring at the end of the year.

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