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  • (relaxing music)

  • - Hello everyone and welcome back

  • to English With Lucy.

  • Today I'm going to give you 10 tips

  • for practising your speaking and hopefully

  • they will make you improve

  • in a very short amount of time.

  • Also, in case you didn't already know,

  • I've started a second channel.

  • This is a personal channel called Lucy Bell Earl.

  • I've linked it down below.

  • On this channel I'm sharing personal things,

  • things that you request like hair,

  • beauty, Q and A's,

  • videos with Will,

  • Vlogs, anything really.

  • So make sure you check it out

  • and if you like it then you can follow it.

  • Right, let's get started with the lesson.

  • Number one is practise tongue twisters.

  • Now, tongue twisters are really fun anyway

  • but they are an amazing way

  • of practising individual sounds, individual phonemes.

  • There are lots of phonemes that are really hard

  • for people from specific countries

  • or that speak specific languages.

  • The only way that you can train your tongue

  • to make these sounds is to practise the sounds

  • over and over again, repetitively.

  • Tongue twisters are your best friend.

  • So for example,

  • if you're struggling between the difference

  • with eh and E,

  • which I know a lot of people struggle with,

  • especially speakers of Spanish

  • because you only have the E sound,

  • you don't have the short eh sound.

  • Well, if that's the case for you,

  • you could practise this one.

  • I slit a sheet.

  • A sheet I slit.

  • Upon a slitted sheet I sit.

  • Be careful, it might make you swear.

  • (laughing)

  • I have left a link in the description box

  • to loads more tongue twisters.

  • But really, all you have to do is search

  • on Google, tongue twisters for practising English.

  • If you would like me to make a video

  • on some of the most difficult tongue twisters,

  • a video that you can practise along with

  • let me know in the comments down below.

  • I'll definitely do that because I love tongue twisters

  • and I think they're amazing

  • for practising pronunciation.

  • Number 2 is lessons with natives.

  • And this section of the video is sponsored

  • by Lingoda and the Lingoda Language Marathon.

  • This section could be really,

  • really important for you if you were

  • to practise your speaking every single day.

  • So Lingoda is an online language academy

  • where you can learn English,

  • French, German,

  • Spanish and Business English at any level

  • and they run a very special event called

  • the Lingoda Language Marathon.

  • So what is it?

  • Well, you study every day unless you take

  • the half marathon where you study slightly less.

  • And if you complete the marathon you get

  • a 100% refund on your classes

  • or a 50% refund if you do the half marathon.

  • This marathon starts on the 27th of May

  • and finishes on the 24th of August.

  • You have to participate in an agreed amount

  • of classes each month in order to succeed.

  • That's 30 classes a month for the full marathon

  • and 15 classes a month for the half marathon.

  • You can take only one class per day, every day.

  • So how do you participate?

  • Well, you sign up for the marathon

  • before the 13th of May.

  • After paying the entry fee that secures your spot

  • in the marathon you automatically sign up

  • to a three month subscription.

  • I however, have a special discount for you

  • and you don't have to pay that entry fee.

  • All you have to do is click on the link

  • in the description box and use this code

  • when you sign up for a 100% discount

  • on your entry fee.

  • To get the refund you'll need to show up

  • on time for the classes that you book

  • and actively participate.

  • If you book a class and miss it

  • or fail to book a class at all

  • you can still finish the marathon

  • but you won't qualify for the refund.

  • Remember that places in the marathon are limited

  • so you need to reserve your spot now

  • to avoid disappointment.

  • Also make sure that you check the terms

  • and conditions and familiarise yourself

  • with the rules.

  • Previous marathon graduates have said

  • that this is the key to getting the refund.

  • The Lingoda Language Marathon

  • is an incredible opportunity to take your language

  • to the next level fast.

  • Alternatively, if you don't think that the marathon

  • is for you you can check out Lingoda

  • and all of their flexible subscription packages

  • and book a private trial class for free.

  • If you do fancy the marathon click on the link

  • in the description box and use my code.

  • Right, now let's discuss tip number three.

  • Tip number three is sing along to English songs.

  • Now, this tip is especially useful

  • if you want to practise an American accent.

  • The reason for this is that many British singers

  • actually sing with a slight American accent.

  • So sometimes songs sung by British singers

  • aren't actually a true representation

  • of their own accent.

  • If you listen to,

  • I don't know,

  • One Direction or a British boy band

  • they'll often sing with an American accent.

  • Even Ed Sheeran does it sometimes.

  • Someone who does sing

  • with a very strong British accent is Lily Allen.

  • She does not go into the American territory at all.

  • So she's a good one to listen to

  • and sing along with if you want

  • to practise speaking or singing in this case.

  • Music can be a really,

  • really great way of practising every single day

  • because it's so enjoyable.

  • It doesn't feel like it's a chore when you do it.

  • It's a great way to learn lots of slang,

  • lots of colloquial language as well.

  • It's also a really good idea to look up

  • the meaning of song lyrics.

  • That way you can really find out

  • if they've used bad grammar,

  • because sometimes they do to make

  • it fit in with the rhyming,

  • if they've used idioms or slang

  • and it's just really nice to know

  • what you're singing about?

  • But singing along with English songs

  • is a fantastic way of practising your speaking

  • and it will help you become more fluent.

  • Tip number four could be slightly controversial

  • but I think it's a really good tip

  • and I always used to tell my students

  • to do it in London.

  • So lots of students struggle to meet

  • and find native speakers to practise with.

  • They often also have a hard time actually talking

  • to natives 'cause they're so nervous

  • or they take a little bit longer

  • to understand what they say.

  • I would say that a great step to precede talking

  • with natives is eavesdropping on natives.

  • To eavesdrop means to listen in

  • on someone else's conversation.

  • So if you're in an English speaking country

  • or you know there's a specific bar

  • or restaurant where English speakers tend to go,

  • maybe try going there with the intention

  • of just overhearing other people's conversations.

  • If they say something you don't understand,

  • search it on your phone.

  • Just drink in the atmosphere and you'll just take

  • in a lot of vocabulary

  • you wouldn't normally come across.

  • And there's no pressure on you,

  • well, the only pressure is that you don't get caught

  • 'cause you could look a little bit weird

  • but you're not doing any harm.

  • Some people in England like to call it people watching

  • and it's a really popular pastime.

  • You just sit in a cafe,

  • normally at the window and watch the world go by.

  • I like to call this people listening

  • where you just sit in a cafe and listen

  • to what other people are saying

  • and familiarise yourself with English conversations.

  • Let me know if you've ever done this

  • and let me know if you've ever got caught?

  • Number five is,

  • this is a really good tip.

  • This tip will really,

  • really help you if you're nervous

  • about speaking English with natives

  • or non natives.

  • Practise conversations through WhatsApp audio notes.

  • On WhatsApp and on most messaging services

  • there is a function where you can record your voice

  • and send it.

  • I encourage my students to talk amongst themselves

  • and to talk with natives through this feature.

  • It's so much more convenient than a phone call

  • and there's much less pressure than in a phone call.

  • And whatever they send you,

  • you can replay it as many times as you want.

  • You can replay what they've said

  • and practise it yourself.

  • You can listen back to your own voice notes

  • and see where you went wrong?

  • If you record one and you make a mistake

  • delete it and record it again.

  • Keep recording it until you're happy

  • with how it sounds.

  • When you've finished the conversation

  • you have a lovely database of everything you've said

  • in English and everything someone has said

  • in English to you and you can use that to study.

  • WhatsApp voice notes and other voice note services

  • are such a great way of practising your speaking

  • without actually chatting in the moment.

  • You can do it around your studies,

  • around your work.

  • It's much more convenient than a phone call.

  • Tip number six can actually relate

  • back to tip number five,

  • it's practise debating.

  • Now, I don't tend to argue a lot

  • but when I do argue with someone

  • I always think back about the argument

  • at a later date and think,

  • God, I could've said that so much better,

  • I could've made this point,

  • blah, blah, blah.

  • You will never be good at arguing and debating

  • if you don't practise it,

  • apart from those few people who seem to be naturals.

  • I suggest participating in or creating a debate club.

  • Now, you could do this over Skype

  • or you could do it over WhatsApp.

  • WhatsApp would be my preference.

  • Every day you can choose a new topic

  • to discuss and debate and make sure it's done

  • in an orderly fashion

  • so everyone can say their opinion.

  • Maybe make a voice note limit of 30 seconds

  • or 15 seconds or a minute if it's a really big topic.

  • Maybe you could create a Facebook group for it.

  • Maybe you could create a WhatsApp group

  • amongst your friends.

  • You could also meet people online

  • but just remember to be very,

  • very careful and keep everything private

  • and don't let anyone know where you live.

  • But consider creating a WhatsApp debate group

  • and debating through WhatsApp voice notes.

  • It's a really, really great way

  • of practising your speaking

  • and your conversation skills.

  • Tip number seven is keep an idioms and slang diary.

  • This could be in the notes app on your phone

  • or this could be an actual written notebook.

  • Every time you come across a new slang word

  • or a new idiom write it down at the very least,

  • and it's also best to write down the meaning as well.

  • I remember in Sapin I would hear so many slang words,

  • so many idiomatic phrases

  • and I would always forget them all.

  • When I started noting them down

  • that's when I started remembering them.

  • I'd be in a conversation and I'd want to use

  • that sort of idiom but I couldn't remember

  • how to say it.

  • Well, I just whipped out my phone,

  • looked at my list and it was there.

  • You can't expect yourself to just remember

  • loads and loads of idioms,

  • you have to use them.

  • So don't be ashamed of taking out your list

  • and using it in the moment.

  • Tip number eight,

  • this is so fun and it's something I do a lot.

  • Host your own cooking show every single night.

  • I bet so many of you have done this before

  • but it's a really,

  • really great way of practising a language.

  • Every time you cook or every time you make something

  • or you're cleaning,

  • pretend you're hosting a show.

  • Talk about what you're doing.

  • It's a fantastic opportunity to practise English

  • and practise speaking without having someone else

  • to speak with.

  • It's a really great way

  • of practising the present continuous as well.

  • I am boiling the water.

  • I am adding the rice.

  • Maybe go a bit more advanced

  • and say I'm just adding a pinch of this

  • because it adds an element of flavour,

  • honestly, go all out.

  • You could even record yourself.

  • Maybe that's too far for some people

  • but this is just about using every opportunity

  • you have to speak English.

  • Tip number nine is remember

  • to prioritise fluency over accuracy.

  • If you're fluent in a language

  • it doesn't mean you're absolutely perfect

  • at that language.

  • It means that you can speak it

  • without thinking, without stopping.

  • For most people,

  • aiming for 100% accuracy,

  • perfection in a language is just

  • an unattainable goal.

  • I don't speak English perfectly.

  • I make mistakes all the time.

  • I said growed in another video, so embarrassing.

  • Comment down below if you know which video

  • that is because it was recent.

  • Don't beat yourself up over making mistakes.

  • Remain positive, learn from your mistakes,

  • laugh at your mistakes

  • and celebrate speaking English fluently

  • and speaking English without thinking

  • over speaking English without making any mistakes.

  • Tip number 10 is read a book completely aloud.

  • Lots of people like to read books at home,

  • it's their relaxation time.

  • But if you're at home and if you read alone,

  • take the opportunity to read aloud.

  • It's a great way to practise your pronunciation,

  • to practise your speaking,

  • maybe record yourself as well.

  • If a book is too long or you feel like

  • it takes away from your relaxation time

  • then try reading aloud one article every day

  • or something from a newspaper.

  • If you do it on a daily basis you'll come

  • across loads of new words and phrases

  • and you'll also practise saying them

  • and they will stick in your mind for future use.

  • Right, that's it for today's lesson.

  • I hope you enjoyed it

  • and I hope you learnt something.

  • Please comment down below with any other tips

  • that you can think of.

  • Don't forget to check out

  • the Lingoda Language Marathon.

  • The link to sign up is in the description box

  • along with my code.

  • You can also check out

  • my new Lucy Bella Earl channel.

  • I'm really, really excited about it

  • and I'm glad that I've finally had the courage

  • to create the channel.

  • Don't forget to connect with me on all

  • of my social media.

  • I've got my Facebook,

  • I've got my Instagram and I've got my Twitter

  • and I shall see you soon for another lesson.

  • (beep tone)

  • (upbeat music)

  • Hello everyone and welcome back,

  • I have a hair in my mouth.

  • Today I'm going to give you 10 tips for...

  • Today I'm going to give you 10, that's five.

  • (laughing)

  • (beep tone)

  • Subscription packages and even book a free (mumbles).

  • (upbeat music)

(relaxing music)

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