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i am poor in english what i have to do to improve it

unable to understand it better #english-grammar

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Boopalan’s Answer

How to improve your English Communication skills.


6 Ways to Immediately Improve Your English Communication Skills
’Words don’t come easy.’


You may have memorized endless lists of vocabulary, you may know all the grammar needed to hold any conversation and still find yourself at a loss when wanting to express yourself.


There are various reasons behind this phenomenon – some of them more obvious than others.


In this article, I would like to give you a few tips to help overcome the difficulties you might be experiencing, using some of the simplest methods to improve your English communication skills.



  1. Slow Down Your Speaking Speed
    You might be an eloquent speaker when it comes to your mother tongue, but expecting the same standards from yourself when speaking in a foreign language may not be very realistic.


Especially, if you’re at the early stages of learning. Learners are often told not to worry about the mistakes they’re making, however, it is easy to understand why you would like to make a good impression on your audience.
To overcome this difficulty, you may try slowing down your speaking speed.


Nobody will hold it against you if you speak more slowly and clearly. Great speakers do the same to get their message across. Selecting your words carefully may also be seen as a sign of respect towards your audience. It shows that you want to give them the best possible answer.



  1. Give Yourself Time to Think
    You may be worried that the people you’re talking to are impatient and would like you to say what you want as quickly as possible.


First of all, it may not be true – people often prefer a well-thought-out answer to a rushed one.
So just relax.


Another practical thing you can do is equipping yourself with fixed phrases you can use when remaining silent doesn’t seem to be an option. Here’s an example:
•Why is there so much violence on TV? That’s a good question. Let me think for a moment, I haven’t really thought about it before. Well, I suppose…


Here the speaker gains considerable amount of time to reflect just by repeating the question and adding a few sentences. If you do the same, you’ll sound more fluent and won’t feel the pressure of having to say something before you’re ready.


Fixed or set phrases are phrases whose words are usually fixed in a certain order. They can be verb patterns, idioms, collocations – basically anything we always say in one particular way. For example,
during the day
•in the meantime
•It’s been a long time since
•Sorry to bother/trouble you, but…
•Would you mind if…?
•Oh, come on!
•I’m just kidding!
•For what it’s worth,…
•To be right/wrong about
•Tit for tat/an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth



  1. Learn Sentences, Not Only Words
    In a way, this will take the pressure off too. When you learn a new word, try to memorize a couple of sentences that contain it.


There might come a time when you can use one particular sentence with little, or no alteration at all. Unfortunately, many people learn words by heart, but have no idea how to use them in a sentence.


It will be such a relief not having to worry about whether the sentence is correct grammatically or not. Let’s look at an example:


to appreciate = to recognize the value of something/somebody
•I think it’s necessary to feel appreciated in a relationship/ at work.
•I appreciate all your hard work.


Isn’t it much more useful to memorize ’appreciate’ this way?



  1. Learn to Listen
    When speaking in a foreign language, you might be so focused on what you are saying and whether it’s correct or not, that you forget to listen to what others are saying.


This is a big mistake as they might be using the exact words or grammar you’ll be needing later on. So pay attention to what’s being said around you, it’s your most important resource at the time of speaking to someone.



  1. Practise Your Interrogatives
    We also need to keep in mind the fact that communication is a two-way process. Not only does it make you seem uninterested – even rude – if you don’t ask questions, you might also end up being the one who has to do all the talking. So, when you’ve run out of ideas about what to say next, remember: others might have something to add.
    •What are your views on that?
    •How about you? What do you think?
    •Why do you think there’s so much violence on TV?


Questions like this will keep the conversation going and will show your interest in other people’s opinion. They will also give you time to relax a little and start enjoying yourself.


Interrogatives can be quite tricky, so make sure you spend enough time learning the correct ways of asking questions.



  1. Produce, Produce, Produce
    As I said at the beginning of this article, you might know a lot about the language, but this is passive knowledge that must be activated somehow. Your aim is to be able to produce correct English; practice is undeniably the best way to learn and improve.


Writing is one way of producing language; it may help you get used to and reflect on the ways English operates, which, in turn, might prove to be useful when speaking.


Speaking, on the other hand, is a much more spontaneous process and nothing prepares you for it better than actually doing it. So, find people you can practise with – either on Skype, or on language exchange sites, or here on MyEnglishTeacher.eu with the help of our native teachers – I have a feeling that it will be a great experience.


I hope you will find these tips useful. Feel free to ask any questions if something is not clear. Remember how important it is to ask? We’re here to help you.

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Ro’s Answer

There are many excellent suggestions that people have posted so far in response to your question. I teach ESL (writing/speaking and exam taking skills for TOEFL, TOEIC). I would follow most of the posts here, but the main thing to do is actually practice and review with a native speaker, and don't be afraid to make mistakes!

In the beginning, you will have to follow models and templates for speaking, writing, listening, but eventually you will start becoming familiar with certain aspects that you are naturally inclined towards (ex: vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar). It's your job to constantly improve and practice until you become comfortable with it.

Depending on your background and culture, you may have unique challenges particular to your background (ex: in some cultures the grammar order is in reverse order from English, or certain English letters/phrases are more challenging because those sounds do not exist in your culture's language).

Some excellent texts to start studying (especially for TOEFL if you need it) are Delta's Key to the TOEFL Exam, and the Azar textbooks (for grammar - there is a red, black, and blue book to indicate different levels: http://www.azargrammar.com/materials/).

(I don't know your skill level, grade, country of origin, or purpose for studying English, so my suggestions above are general )
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Michelle’s Answer

One of the best ways to improve your language skills are to practice them! Do you know anyone who speaks English that you can have practice conversations with? That will help your speaking skills. I would suggest watching movies and TV shows in English to get accustomed to how words are pronounced, how fast the language is spoken, and also learn some commonly used expressions. Reading books and articles in English can also help your reading comprehension.
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Srilekha’s Answer

Hi,

Learning a new language is a fun task and there are many ways to improve yourself to speak the language fluently. Here are a few steps you can easily follow to improve your english :

1) Observe the mouth movements of those who speak English well and try to imitate them.

2) Until you learn the correct intonation and rhythm of English, slow your speech down.

3) Listen to the 'music' of English.

4) Use the dictionary.

5) Buy books on tape.

6) Read aloud in English for 15-20 minutes every day.

Here are some books to help you improve your English

  • Essential English Grammar by Murphy (Cambridge)
  • Spoken English by R K Bansal and J B Harrison 
  • Pronounce It Perfectly In English (book and three audio cassettes) by Jean Yates, Barrons Educational Series
  • English Pronunciation For International Students by Paulette Wainless Dale, Lillian Poms

(refer: https://www.rediff.com/getahead/2005/sep/02accent.htm , for more details)

Hope this helps you :)

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Gloria’s Answer

Hi,

I see that you have gotten a lot of recommendations. Classes are a great idea. I would recommend interacting with English as much as possible on your own. Read books in English out loud, watch English TV, listen to English songs. Try to figure out what you do not understand and look it up in a dictionary. I would also practice with English speaking friends. Your goal there would be to ask for feedback on your English usage. I speak Spanish as well as English. There are key differences between the languages around the placement of an adjective and a verb. For example, "pretty house" in English, would be "house pretty" in Spanish. If I did a literal translation to English, it would be confusing to the other English speaker.

Gloria
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Anshu’s Answer

Hey ,

The best way to improve English is to improve the vocabulary.

To improve vocabulary you can start the habbit of reading novels and watch English movies .

To improve grammar you can read Wren and Martin book .

To gain perfection in anything you need practice so you must try and talk more in English and solve practice grammar problems online .
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Deepthi’s Answer

Hi,

When I was a kid, I struggled a lot with English. Here's a funny story for you : Before I started learning English in class 5, my parents had taught me how to write capital letters (alphabets). When my teacher introduced me to small letters in class 5, I thought that small letters are smaller-font-version of capital letters. :)

Here are a few steps to improve your English (These are the steps I followed):

+ Start thinking in English. This will help you form sentences in English. You can start with simple sentences like, “It’s raining today”, “This food is delicious” etc. Follow this process religiously.

+ Read English newspapers everyday. 

+ Whenever you find a new word, search for its meaning, and try using the word in your daily conversations.

+ If you want to improve your vocabulary, I would recommend you “Word Power Made Easy” by Norman Lewis.

+ Join a Toastmasters club. This club helps you improve your communication and build leadership skills. 

Happy learning! :)

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