【Question】i am eager to improve my speaking ability!!

[yellow1206 10]

I always feel nervous when talking to people and that makes me use wrong grammar and words. i fear they don't understand what i want to express to them and misunderstand me. this always embarrasses me and defeats my confidence.

i want to gain confidence and reduce my fear on speaking ability, but i don't really know any effective way. the environment i live in is full of Mandarin-speaking people and i can't help talking to friends in Mandarin due to our first language is mandarin.

this problem also affects me on oral presentations. i am afraid to make eye contact with audiences because that makes me nervous and my head will be blank and i will not be able to continue my speech...= ='

What should i do to improve this condition? :s

by the way, does anyone feel embarrassed when you speak with wrong grammar or the people who you talk to don't understand you?

[MikiRei 10]

Hmmmm *thinks back to my Japanese presentation and club activities*

No, I actually don't. People understand that if it's not your first language, you're bound to make a few mistakes and they're more than happy to correct you and help you learn. Never recoil. If they don't understand, keep trying till they do. The feeling is much more rewarding.

As for speech - haha....I have the same problem - that's just speech-talking ability though - yet another different story. Not even English-speaking people can make great speeches on the fly. *coughGeorgeBushcough*

Actually, even better:

It really takes practice (though in the above example.....:p)

The best way for you to practice is to find someone to talk to. At my university, there's a club for Japanese and Australians to get together. It's for Japanese who want to practice their English and for Australians to practice their Japanese. Maybe you can find a similar club in your area? If not, then find someone who's willing to talk to you - through Skype even.

P.S. Your English sounds fine to me though from your passage.....

[damoko 10]

Actually, even better:

It really takes practice (though in the above example.....:p)

Shes hideous 0_o Dont you think if I make a series of "americas next brainless model", it will be more popular than "americas next top model"?

[MikiRei 10]

Dont you think if I make a series of "americas next brainless model", it will be more popular than "americas next top model"?

*cracks up* You know what? I think it probably will be more popular. >_>

[訪客]

Speaking to people face-to-face is difficult for everyone in any language unless you practiced a lot.

[yellow1206 10]

ha...well hope i'll get better in english while i am in high school and in my future university.

actually, i think i feel less nervous when speaking english to people this year, comparing to last year, when i just came to canada to study.

thanks for the advice!!:E

[雞翅 10]

I'm sure anyone who doesn't understand you will ask you to repeat what you say; knowing this, all you need to do is muster up your confidence in speaking English. Direct conversation is the fastest and most effective way to raise your confidence!

[Leighton 11]

I'm sure anyone who doesn't understand you will ask you to repeat what you say; knowing this, all you need to do is muster up your confidence in speaking English. Direct conversation is the fastest and most effective way to raise your confidence!

I agree.

I believed that confidence is the most important things when you conversation

Not only English conversation, but also in our own language

isn't it?

Don't worry if no one can understand or grammar mistakes

Cause we all talk with simple words and "convenient" grammar! (We don't really care! lol)

[JudicatorW 10]

Well, Who care about English Grammer while you are talking?

the best way to improve english speaking skills is study aboard *(like USA), and that environment FORCE you to speak it, or you will be discriminated (or, look-down)?

I am not a native english speaker too....yeah. slept in English class throughout primary school....

[MikiRei 10]

or you will be discriminated (or, look-down)?

Errrr......then leave the board. I write in many English forums and if we have non-English speakers (like from Portugal, Brazil or Italy etc. - quite a lot), we embrace them and help them along. If the board discriminates you, it's the BOARD'S problem - not you.

[JudicatorW 10]

Errrr......then leave the board. I write in many English forums and if we have non-English speakers (like from Portugal, Brazil or Italy etc. - quite a lot), we embrace them and help them along. If the board discriminates you, it's the BOARD'S problem - not you.

oh, i do not mean this forum....i mean the city i currently reside in...San Francisco..i had it before ...and up to now...it forced you to change.. I spend 9 years studying english (colony at that time) in hk before i migrate to usa, and my english was poor at that time...not even able to write this comment if i didnt study in US= =""! I dont know how they teach english in tw ,lol.

Anyway, if you dont speak that language they used....life is tough...

well, i hate english so much that i dont use them at home....lol.

[MikiRei 10]

oh, i do not mean this forum....i mean the city i currently reside in

Errr - no - you've misunderstood me. If a forum you speak in is going to discriminate against you due to your English ability, leave it then.

[JudicatorW 10]

umm....I will never join that forum if they discriminate me ..

oh well, it take time to improve one's speaking ability....language is fun, thus.

still learning english....

[code789 10]

dont worry people in taiwan often make a lot of grammer mistake so try not to fuss about it and anyway the westerns can guess what u are talking about cus some times one word can tell him everything:D