Hello. Hello, guys. Welcome back to Learn English with Cambridge.
Let’s talk about something that sometimes scares us a little when
we’re learning a new language. Fluency.
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When we’re talking about fluency, we can refer either to writing or speaking.
In today’s video, we’ll focus on speaking.
In a few words, fluency is the ability to speak a language easily, well, and quickly.
But it doesn’t stop there. Fluency is to flow. But flow with meaning.
Being as clear as possible to establish an effective communication.
Here, let’s check three quick tips to improve your fluency.
Let me ask you if this has ever happened to you?
And then, when he thought everything was over, right in the middle of the forest, he found these,
um, um, how do you say it?
Silbato. Um, an animal? No, no.
How do you say “silbato” in English? Um... Um... Nut?
Leaf?
What else would you find in the middle of the forest? Arggg.
There is no Wi-Fi here, and I can’t remember the word.
How am I supposed to finish the story? Stuck because you don’t remember or know a word?
Don’t panic or keep thinking about it. Be resourceful and describe.
You can describe it physically.
Make a reference from a movie or a memory, describing which kind of situations you use it.
Eventually, the person you’re speaking with will get a picture of it.
And then, when he thought everything was over, right in the middle of the forest he found this, um...
The thing that referees use during matches?
You blow on it... Oh, you mean a whistle? Exactly.
I know this is a lie thing to say, easier said than done, however,
believe me, everything starts being easier when you forget about speaking
with perfect grammar or vocabulary.
When it comes to the crunch, nobody cares or notices your mistakes as much as you do.
What really matters is what you want to communicate, your message.
For example, two years ago, I went to work at a summer camp in
the USA where most of the staff had English as their second language, and there was one
person that used to say, I haven’t my water bottle,
or, I haven’t the schedule, do you have it, or, I’m sorry,
I haven’t time.
And as we were working in a rush most of the time, us non-natives, and even natives,
they don’t really say something about it because we knew the person meant to say,
I don’t have, instead of I haven’t.
And it wasn’t a big deal.
We understood the message, which was the most important thing.
Once, I read that when humans prepare in advance for emergency situations,
they face them better despite of the fear or the shock that people could feel.
And well, then I guess this is why preparing for a future conversation to have more fluency makes
so much sense.
For example, if you’re going to travel and stay at a hotel, make sure to check
the vocabulary and information they will ask you for at reception.
Write down the questions you want to ask and rehearse them to sound more natural
and fluent when the time comes.
So how are you doing so far, with your fluency?
Do you have any other tips to share with everyone?
As a bonus tip to improve your fluency, work on pronunciation.
It is an important aspect of fluency, and I believe Greg and Jiri have great
tips for that on the channel.
I’ll leave you the links in the description box below.
See you.