How can I get my Fluency Back !!!

[Ismahan Noura]

Hello everyone,

Can you tell me please how can I be fluent back?
Two year ago, I was speaking English really good, but I stopped for 6 months only and then I found myself losing my fluency. So what can I do?

[Mehrgan]

***Not a teacher***
(Please check your sentences and see if you can spot the few mistakes you've made.)

There are many experts here in this site who'll give you priceless advice. But, let me start with a few hints.

1. If you ever attend any classes or any gathering in which you discuss a topic in English, DO YOUR BEST not to think about the form of your speech in advance. A lot of learners, and the introvert ones in special, tend to make sure what they're going to say is perfect enough to sound great to the peers around, which will unfortunately decrease their fluency. So, even if the sentences are appearing in your mind try to deliberately distract yourself by paying attention to the speaker and focus on THE MEANING rather than the grammar. This may decrease your level of accuracy, but you need to do extra work at home to create a balance between the two.

2. Though this may be criticised as a mechanical outdated practice, you can also go for memorising 'short fixed expressions' and using them in your speech. This can gradually build up your confidence too. Uttering such ready-to-use expressions will make your jaws and tongue move faster, and naturally the rest of your speech will be, partially, adapted in terms of flow and speed.

3. One good practice, I think, is to improvise new sentences on the THINGS and stuff you see around the place you're in, and either describe them or (even force yourself to) say why you like them or hate them! This may sound a bit stupid, but the good point is talking about objects or people doesn't need reasoning or too much background information so your mind isn't under pressure while speaking. This way you'll gradually find it easier to 'utter' a stream of words, with less pauses. An example could be, you look at a piece of furniture and immediately try to say why you feel you love that piece! (Here, its colour, size, position, and the way it's used and even some more aspects can help you have ideas to talk about. Occasionally you may do it with a friend and check who's better at improvising such short speeches.)

You can, definitely, see some inaccuracy in my sentences, but I'm said by a few friends to have a good fluency in English. Many might not find these helpful at all, but what's the harm in giving it a try?! :)


Yet, please let's wait and see some sophisticated posts.

[emsr2d2]

Hello everyone,

Can you tell me please how I can I be fluent back again?
Two years ago, I was speaking English really good well, but I stopped for 6 months only and then I found myself losing my fluency. So what can I do?

Mehrgan has given you some great suggestions. Do you still listen to English radio all the time, or watch English TV and films whenever possible? Get back into the habit of hearing and speaking English as often as possible. Find a local language exchange program and attend it as often as you can.

If you used to speak quite fluently and only stopped for six months, I am surprised about a couple of the errors in your post. In six months, you should not have forgotten, for example, that "Two year ago" is incorrect. Singular and plural forms are very basic. I would not expect you to have forgotten that we say that we "do something well", not "do something good". If you really have found that you are not just losing your fluency, you are losing the basics, then go back to some formal study even if it is slightly below the level you feel you are at. It can't hurt.

[BobK]

Hello everyone,

Can you tell me please how can I be fluent back?
Two year ago, I was speaking English really good, but I stopped for 6 months only and then I found myself losing my fluency. So what can I do?

Good question - but I think you know the answer

(I frequently begin to think 'how can I be fluent get my fluency [in Portuguese] back?' - but I know the answer and I usually ditch the thought before reaching the "?")

Just do it. Lots of current speech is available on the net.

b

[Ismahan Noura]

Thank you so much for your valuable advice Mehrgan, BobK and emsr2d2 . Yes, I will give it a try.

[Stephanie S]

One thing to remember: don't be discouraged. Remember that what you learned is still somewhere in your head; it just needs to be woken up. ;) You can do this by doing basic exercises, stuff you (should) already know, and gradually, stuff will start to come back. It shouldn't take too long. :)

Stephanie
(not a teacher)