You don’t need to have a practice partner around you to practice your English. You always have a practice partner with you! Don’t believe me? We have some ideas to practice speaking English alone so you can have some easy conversations with yourself!
Some people may think it’s weird (strange, uncomfortable) to practice speaking English alone, but it’s perfect and works really well. I do it all the time.
No one will judge (make an opinion about) you for doing it, you get to practice speaking, you can see how the language feels in your mouth and sounds in your ears, and so much more!
If you want to change up (make different, have a new way) the way you practice English, here are some easy conversation starters that you can have with yourself.
To-Do Lists
If you have a to-do list every morning, try saying your to-do list out loud in English. It helps you to practice speaking English, starts your day off thinking in English, and gets organized!
You can practice speaking English alone with this example dialog:
- First, I’ll make coffee. Then, I’ll take a shower. After that, I’ll go to work. After work, I need to go to the grocery store. I also need to clean the bathroom later. Then I can relax!
Grocery Shopping
Speaking of (we just said it above) going to the grocery store, that’s another great place to practice speaking English alone. If you say your grocery list in English, it’s the perfect way to practice your food vocabulary.
Try talking to yourself under your breath (quietly, in a whisper) in English as you find what you need at the grocery store or market. If that’s too weird for you, try thinking in English! Every little bit helps, and the more you practice, the better and more fluent in English you will be.
For example:
- “Ok, I need onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers. I also need lettuce and tomatoes. Then I need cheese, sausage, and bread. I also need coffee. Maybe some snacks? Don’t forget the cereal…”
Ask Questions
Sometimes I like to practice common conversations by myself in a foreign language. You can do the same in English!
This is a great way to practice speaking English alone. There are some conversations – like introducing yourself, saying where you come from, talking about your job, etc. – that you have all the time with other people, so it’s good to be prepared (ready).
Ask yourself common questions in English, and practice how you would answer if someone asked you those questions. This can help you answer people more quickly, smoothly, and fluently in real life because you will be prepared!
For example:
-How are you?
-I’m fine, thank you. And you?
-What do you do for work?
-I’m a teacher. What do you do?
-How long have you been learning English?
-Only for a few months, but I like it a lot! My school is great.
Find Solutions
Everyone has problems sometimes. It can be good to talk them out with people, or even yourself.
Next time you have a problem, at home or at work, why not talk to yourself in English to find a solution? Doing this can improve (help, make better) your problem solving skills, as well as your English skills.
For example:
- My customer needs 10,000 units by Friday. We only have 8,000 in stock. How do I solve this problem? What do I say to them on the phone? Maybe if I do this…”
Read Out Loud
This one isn’t really talking to yourself, but it can help a lot! You don’t have to think about grammar or making a sentence when you read out loud. You can focus on pronunciation, like the difference between were, where, & we’re, the -th sound, or you can learn new collocations, or sports idioms, etc.
The next time you’re reading something in English at home, read out loud. Reading out loud can help your pronunciation, listening skills, reading skills, and your comprehension (understanding). Sometimes it’s hard to get used to the “feel” of a new language in your mouth. Reading out loud can help you do this in a new way.
Try out these tips and see how they work for you!
Do you talk to yourself in a different language? Do you practice speaking English alone? Have you used any of our suggestions? Let us know the results in the comments below!
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Check out these other popular blogs: Taboo words in English, 7 Synonyms for Being Drunk, 7 American English Slang Words, or these Sports Idioms used in English!
Erin Duffin lives in Hamburg, is an English teacher, blogger, yoga instructor, and doesn’t mind if people around her think she’s a little crazy for talking to herself! She’s not only a great teacher, but also a good student! 🙂
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