Saying What You Mean

Abstract

Many learners complain that they don’t get enough speaking practice. This is probably true — so you need to make more opportunities for yourself. Don’t just do the speaking exercises on your recording once: repeat them until you can do them without thinking. If you can speak without having to search for the words and their endings, you can then put some effort into content — into what you are going to say, not how you are going to say it. Once you are reasonably fluent, think about pronunciation and intonation. Did you sound convincing? Does a particular sound need working on? At odd moments in the day, try practising the key words and phrases out loud until you have got them off pat.