A visitor to OnTargetEnglish.com recently asked about hesitation while speaking English.
Pari said this: Please help us to speak in English.
We hesitate to speak in English.
How can we get over it?
I understand completely.
I don't hesitate to speak in English because it's my first language.
But I often hesitate to speak in French or Spanish because, for me, they are second languages
that I am trying to improve.
The first thing to do is to prepare.
In other words, study English.
Learn vocabulary, grammar, and so forth.
But you also need to use the language while you are learning it.
And I think that this is what Pari is asking about.
Even if we are prepared, a common reason that we hesitate to speak a second language is
that we're afraid of making mistakes.
But we shouldn't be afraid of mistakes.
They will happen.
Children aren't afraid of mistakes when they're learning to talk.
And they learn very quickly.
Do they make mistakes?
Yes, all the time!
But the mistakes don't stop their progress.
And it's amazing how fast they learn to speak their first language.
Don't let mistakes stop YOUR progress in speaking English.
The key is to enjoy speaking in English.
Laugh at your mistakes, but also celebrate any small improvements.
Have fun as you learn.
I know that these tips help because I use them when I try to have a conversation in
French or Spanish.
Any language learner feels hesitation to speak.
Just remember to take risks.
Yes, you'll make mistakes, but enjoy speaking and improving in the language.
Pari, I'm glad that you asked that question.
It's a great question because a lot of people experience the same frustration.
So remember these two things.
First, be prepared.
How?
Keep studying English.
Second, enjoy using the language instead of worrying about making mistakes.
If you keep following these two things, I think that you can overcome your fear of speaking
in English.
Pari had a great question that I answered in this video.
Do you have a question about learning English?
Post it at bit.ly/askmyquestion.
I also want to know what helps you to enjoy speaking in English.
Add a comment below this video to share your ideas.
Maybe your idea will help other English students to enjoy speaking in English more.