7 Myths about fluency in spoken English

7 Myths about fluency in spoken English

According to Cambridge dictionary; a myth is a commonly believed but false idea. There are plenty of myths that exist about fluency in English. Let’s study 7 such myths about fluency in spoken English:

1. Private schooling is necessary: We always connect English fluency to the kind of school we attended. And therefore, we strongly believe that we can’t become fluent in English if we don’t go to a private school. But, it’s a myth. By practising regularly and working hard, even a government school student can become fluent in English.

2. English grammar means fluency in English: A lot of us spend all our time learning grammar rules only because we think that once we know all the grammar rules, we will automatically start speaking English fluently. But, it’s a myth.

Most people know English grammar rules well, but they can’t speak English fluently.

3. Only reading and writing skills are important: Since English subject only requires reading and writing skills, and most students worry about only marks, they don’t really focus on listening and speaking. And therefore, they can understand English, but can’t speak English fluently.

4. Cramming vocabulary brings fluency in English: Another myth is that if we learn 15-20 new words every day, we will shortly become fluent in English. Learning new words is important. Firstly, 15-20 words per day is more than enough.

Even if we cram them, we will not be able to remember them. That’s why we should learn how to use these words while talking rather than just cramming them.

5. Fluent people don’t make mistakes: Main purpose of language is to communicate what you want to say. And therefore, fluent people rarely can make a few mistakes. Sometimes, strict grammar rules are not that important if listeners understand the message clearly. However, we should not make a lot of mistakes at our workplace.

6. You can gain fluency overnight: Most of us like to believe that we can gain fluency within a couple of weeks, because we have studied enough grammar at school. We can’t become fluent in English by just practicing a week or a month. It’s more about speaking and practicing every day rather than a short span of time.

7. If you don’t speak a British or an American accent; you’re not fluent: Last myth on the blog is accent. A lot of people feel that it’s important to speak a British or an American accent to become fluent in English. According to Cambridge dictionary; an accent is the way in which people in an area, country, or social group pronounce words. So, it’s important to speak clearly with correct pronunciation so that the listeners understand what you’re speaking. For example, Indian cricketers/ celebrities speak an Indian accent, and it’s globally understood and accepted.

In conclusion, we shouldn’t believe in any of the myths, however, should follow the natural ways of getting fluency in spoken English.

This article has been written by expert faculty at Englishmate, a Hindustan Times venture.

Englishmate helps learners to improve their communication skills by providing Cambridge certified ​English speaking courses​.