“I admire people who dare to take the language, English, and understand it and understand the melody”

–     Maya Angelou

 

English, for us, is not just a language anymore, it is the ticket to global communication. It has contributed significantly to bringing people and cultures together across various continents. It has grown a sense of “vasudhaiva kutumbakam” among all, meaning “the world is one family.”

Wherever you go in the world, people there are expected to know English, some, if not all, and have at least the basic knowledge in conversation. In India, the English language has all over a very different level. As Late Irfan Khan said in his film Hindi Medium “Today God Promise I Speak English … Because English Is India and India Is English” and “Is Desh Mein Angrezi Zabaan Nahi Hai … Class Hai” which is actually really true, because in our country the English language is seen as a measure for how much knowledge you have or how intelligent you are.

But on the bright side, this language harbors many benefits such as:

• It is the most spoken language worldwide

“It is the official language of 53 countries and spoken by around 400 million people across the globe.” It is the second language of the majority of the countries all around the world and people prefer to learn it over their language because it opens the barriers to global communication. “In fact, one in five people on the planet speak or understand at least a little bit of English.”

• It is the language of business

It is an essential skill to acquire as companies are getting more and more international, and people all over the world are trying to attain a job in MNCs, and knowing the language may increase your chances of landing a good-paying job in a multinational company.

“Global companies such as Airbus, Daimler-Chrysler, Fast Retailing, Nokia, Renault, Samsung, SAP, Technicolor, and Microsoft in Beijing, have mandated English as their official corporate language. In addition, in 2010 the company Rakuten, a Japanese cross between Amazon and eBay, made it mandatory for their 7,100 Japanese employees to be able to speak English.” – Via elc.schools.com

• It is the language of the world wide web

“An estimated 565 million people use the internet every day, and an estimated 52 percent of the world’s most visited websites are displayed in the English language.” Almost everything on the internet is written in English and not knowing the language may restrict you from accessing and understanding more than 50% of what is available online, hence limiting you.

• It is the language of Entertainment and major organizations

Many of the world’s finest books, movies, and music are produced in English. If you already know the language you can enjoy that rich content without dubbing or subtitles. It is also the official language of the UN and NATO.

So now the basic question comes into the picture, if English is such a beneficial language, then how do we learn it?

To learn spoken English there are various methods which you can imply, some of which are stated below:

1. Listen and Practice

When learning a new language, it is very important to listen carefully to how the other person speaks, the way they pronounce, the way they speak, and what word has what meaning. Also practice as much as you can, because it is a practice which makes a man perfect. Set a goal and practice almost every day.

Taking the example of Kim Namjoon or popularly known as RM from World famous boy band BTS. He learned English by watching a popular sitcom F.R.I.E.N.D.S. He listened to it over and over while memorizing the words and the way they speak. He practiced a lot. And hence today he is able to converse in the language fluently.

2. Talk more

Always try to talk more in the language you are learning. It will help you learn more and grow. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, because sometimes even the native speakers make grammatical errors while speaking, so it is completely natural that you who is learning will make mistakes. Speak to your partner who knows English or who is learning beside you or if you don’t have one talk to yourself in front of the mirror. It will ultimately help in your improvement.

3. Practice tongue twisters and phrases

Tongue twisters are phrases or a group of words that are difficult to say. Try saying them to improve your diction and help you to learn to speak quickly while refining your pronunciation. Try to learn English in full sentences and not just vocabulary and verbs.

4. Do not focus too much on grammar

Instead, focus on fluency and the ability to communicate without any pauses and stoppages. The key to communication is not speaking each and everything correctly but fluently so that the person in front of you is able to understand you.

5. Think in English

Juggling between two languages can be difficult. Thinking in your native language and then speaking in English can sometimes lead to wrong sentence formation. Hence, start thinking in the English language. In the beginning, it might be difficult but ultimately you will be used to it.

6. Dive into the language

The best way to learn a language is to be around it all the time. Surround yourself with it, submerge in it, and it will help you in improving quickly. Listen to it as much as you can. Watch movies, TV shows, radios, podcasts, talk with your English speaking friends, whatever you can get your hands on just get immersed in the language and the language while ultimately give you, your reward.

Leaning a new language can be difficult sometimes, but if it is done correctly and wholeheartedly it will bring many benefits and rewards with it. Hence one should never give up hope and practice daily.

Skilling You is one such platform that provides you with reliable English speaking classes that will ultimately help you in learning the language and achieving your goal of speaking English fluently.