A person who grew up speaking English as their first language in a nation where English is a native tongue is considered a native English speaker (such as the US, the UK, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and South Africa.) As a result, there are numerous native English accents and dialects to master. However, all native English speakers have the ability to speak quickly and effectively while incorporating collocations and phrasal verbs with ease. It is advantageous to learn to speak English effectively because it makes communication much simpler. By employing the appropriate words in the appropriate situation, you’ll be able to properly communicate your point of view.
Additionally, you’ll find it simpler to comprehend native English speakers when they speak. For non-native English speakers, it can be difficult to listen to and comprehend what they are saying. This is due to the fact that native English speakers compress sounds and link words without even realizing it. Thus, how do outsiders perceive English? To the untrained ear, English might wind up sounding like a complete muddle. When native English speakers speak quickly, it might be challenging for non-native English speakers to understand individual words. Practice listening and speaking is the most crucial thing for non-native English speakers to undertake. Native English speakers will understand you better as a result of this.
We must understand how native English speakers communicate in order to learn how to sound like them. First, and most significantly, native English speakers have a particular rhythm when they talk. They do not emphasis any other words in a sentence other than the ones that are the most crucial to the meaning. However, non-native English speakers have a propensity to emphasize each word in a sentence excessively.
Native English speakers are also experts at contracting words when speaking. If you’re speaking English, you can shorten a complete sentence like “I would have wanted to have gone” to “I’d have liked to have gone.” These kinds of abbreviations are unfamiliar to non-native English speakers, who would prefer to say the entire sentence and pronounce each word fully. Non-native English speakers find it difficult to understand the meanings of the idiomatic phrasal verbs that native English speakers frequently use since they lack a literal definition. Due to a reduction in the language processing time, it may be extremely challenging to understand and imitate native English speakers.
No one desires to use “textbook English.” The formal language and archaic sayings you may recall from school may not at all reflect the English that native speakers use in everyday situations. While mastering a language at the native speaker level is a challenging objective, there are numerous simple actions you may take to sound more like a native speaker.
i. Pay closer attention
The first step to speaking more effectively is to develop your listening abilities. You can replicate their speech patterns and seem more natural in your own speech by listening to speakers with a variety of accents and speaking styles. A excellent way to hear English used in everyday life is through watching a movie or listening to the radio. You’ll learn new words and become more used to the tone used in native English speakers.
ii. Apply idioms
You’ll surely pick up a few witty idioms by listening to native speakers. Even though they might not make sense when read literally, these expressions are frequently employed in everyday spoken English. Colorful expressions like it’s a piece of cake [easy] or in the blink of an eye [very quickly] can add refinement to your English and help you sound more like a native speaker.
iii. Learn how to use slang
Like idioms, native speakers frequently and almost unconsciously utilize slang. English slang has geographical variations, therefore utilizing distinguishing words like the locals is essential to seeming more native. For instance, a British person may use the term “buggered,” whereas a southern American might use the term “tuckered out.” They both imply that they are worn out.
iv. Become more swift and precise
What you say is just as crucial to your goal of sounding more like a native English speaker as your delivery style. Fluency can be greatly increased by speaking more quickly and clearly, which will also make it easier for native speakers to hear you.
Clearing up your pronunciation by reading aloud in English is an excellent approach to improve. If you’ve listened to enough native speakers, try to imitate their speech patterns. Allow the sentences to flow naturally as you raise and lower your voice.
v. Communicate with a native speaker
The most crucial action you can take to sound more like a native English speaker is this one. The quickest approach to increase your personal English fluency is to simply interact with a native speaker, whether it be at the airport or in a live online lesson with one of our teachers. Many non-native speakers are initially anxious to speak, but as you practice, your confidence will grow.
