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How did you become fluent in speaking English ? I am in a dilemma!

Hi

So I am in a dilemma. I was born in Spain and spent my childhood there, and one would assume that my mother tongue is Spanish. However at the age of 10 I moves to England. I became so fixated and concentrated in learning English that I neglected my Spanish. My Spanish is pretty bad. However the issue I am facing right now is that I am not happy with my English despite living 6 years in England. I feel like that I am not fluent. Whenever I speak English I often have to pause and use fillers because I have to think and find the suitable words, and sometimes I cant think of the word. I also sometimes struggle to express my feeling and thought that I have in my head on a piece of paper or orally as I struggle to make coherent sentences or I cant think of the accurate verbs and nouns. Sometimes I forget basic words like " rope " or "shoelaces"

I want to make English my first language. I have decided that I want to spend my whole life in the UK and altough I want to improve my Spanish but I want to be fluent in my English just like a native speaker is fluent in his language.

How did you become fluent in speaking English? Fleunt that if you are asked a question you dont have to pause or depend of fillers like " err" to think of the right word. Furthermore, to be able to express whatyou are thinking in your head on a piece of paper

How? Please tell if anyone has experience

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Original post by DamaroDum
Hi

So I am in a dilemma. I was born in Spain and spent my childhood there, and one would assume that my mother tongue is Spanish. However at the age of 10 I moves to England. I became so fixated and concentrated in learning English that I neglected my Spanish. My Spanish is pretty bad. However the issue I am facing right now is that I am not happy with my English despite living 6 years in England. I feel like that I am not fluent. Whenever I speak English I often have to pause and use fillers because I have to think and find the suitable words, and sometimes I cant think of the word. I also sometimes struggle to express my feeling and thought that I have in my head on a piece of paper or orally as I struggle to make coherent sentences or I cant think of the accurate verbs and nouns. Sometimes I forget basic words like " rope " or "shoelaces"

I want to make English my first language. I have decided that I want to spend my whole life in the UK and altough I want to improve my Spanish but I want to be fluent in my English just like a native speaker is fluent in his language.

How did you become fluent in speaking English? Fleunt that if you are asked a question you dont have to pause or depend of fillers like " err" to think of the right word. Furthermore, to be able to express whatyou are thinking in your head on a piece of paper

How? Please tell if anyone has experience


Even if you are fluent at English you would still use err and erm quite often, that's just like second nature.

English is my third language but I would say I am fluent in it after living in the UK for 12 years. It's all down to practice really, you just have to be exposed to it a lot, so speak it a lot, listen to it etc.
Reply 2
Anyone ?
Reply 3
Original post by cookiemonster15
Even if you are fluent at English you would still use err and erm quite often, that's just like second nature.

English is my third language but I would say I am fluent in it after living in the UK for 12 years. It's all down to practice really, you just have to be exposed to it a lot, so speak it a lot, listen to it etc.


I watch British Television and have been doing it for the past six years. I am surrounded by English speaking people. I watch shows like Question Time etc.
But I am not fluent at all.

Do you sometimes forget words like "paperclip"
Reply 4
That happens. i am a foreign student, so English is not my first language anyway. sometimes i am struggle with both languages, but there is really nothing i can do.
When someone asks you a normal question, like how are you, do you need to pause? if no, then there is nothing to worry about.
I read lots of English books,especially the more complex one. I also watched a lot of shows/movies that were in English.
Original post by DamaroDum
I watch British Television and have been doing it for the past six years. I am surrounded by English speaking people. I watch shows like Question Time etc.
But I am not fluent at all.

Do you sometimes forget words like "paperclip"


Everyone sometimes gets a bit foggy in the head where they are lost for words.
Reply 7
Original post by childofthesun
I read lots of English books,especially the more complex one. I also watched a lot of shows/movies that were in English.


Can you suggest me any books which you felt were extremely effective in improving your English.
And do you sometimes forget basic words like " rake" or " dustpan"
Reply 8
Original post by alldayniqqa
Everyone sometimes gets a bit foggy in the head where they are lost for words.


I do. especially when i have to translate a language to another. my head is just like exploding
Surrounded by English speakers and typically only socialise with them.
I am sure, it will get better with time. I have lived here in England for just over 10 years now but I lived in Germany for 6 years. I know thats quite a big difference to you but I had the same problems as you when I first moved here, but I am definitely getting better. I think I improved my English by just reading lots of books, talking to people and as the person above said watching TV. However, I have to admit there are gaps in my knowledge especially as I speak another language, not German, at home and when I go to school I often find myself in situations where everyone in the room knows something that I don't and they all look at me like I am stupid or something but they don't understand that if no one has ever told me about something, I will obviously not be familiar with it. But the thinking thing and the words thing does get better, I promise, especially if you plan to live in the UK for a long time.
Reply 11
Original post by niv1234
I am sure, it will get better with time. I have lived here in England for just over 10 years now but I lived in Germany for 6 years. I know thats quite a big difference to you but I had the same problems as you when I first moved here, but I am definitely getting better. I think I improved my English by just reading lots of books, talking to people and as the person above said watching TV. However, I have to admit there are gaps in my knowledge especially as I speak another language, not German, at home and when I go to school I often find myself in situations where everyone in the room knows something that I don't and they all look at me like I am stupid or something but they don't understand that if no one has ever told me about something, I will obviously not be familiar with it. But the thinking thing and the words thing does get better, I promise, especially if you plan to live in the UK for a long time.


Can yous suggest any books which you felt were very helpful in improving your English.
And do you feel that your written English is on point? Are you able to make coherent sentences and express whatever is your mind acutely. I sometimes struggle to put things that are in my head in words. People tell when you start reading you are automatically able to good English
Reply 12
Original post by alldayniqqa
Everyone sometimes gets a bit foggy in the head where they are lost for words.


I have big plans , I cant afford to be foggy in English speaking. I have to be on fleek
Original post by DamaroDum
I have big plans , I cant afford to be foggy in English speaking. I have to be on fleek


Then learn. Doubt your gonna read something online then your randomly gonna become fluent.
Reply 14
Original post by alldayniqqa
Then learn. Doubt your gonna read something online then your randomly gonna become fluent.


Racist..
Original post by DamaroDum
Can yous suggest any books which you felt were very helpful in improving your English.
And do you feel that your written English is on point? Are you able to make coherent sentences and express whatever is your mind acutely. I sometimes struggle to put things that are in my head in words. People tell when you start reading you are automatically able to good English


I am not really able to suggest good books, I am 16 now but I really love reading and I really do believe that any reading you are interested in would help you. I mainly just read fiction- nothing too impressive. I do have some issues with grammar sometimes, I don't know why but sometimes brain does this weird thing where all my words come out in a weird order at which point I have to stop and reorder the sentence to get whoever I am talking to to understand, making strange hand signals and looking like a complete weirdo whilst doing this.

I know what you mean about the words I sometimes have that problem too, but it really does get better, I used to experience this much more than I do now. I am able to express what I am feeling most of the time and as I have said before, it does all get better over time.
Reply 16
Original post by DamaroDum
I have to be on fleek


step 1: stop sayin fleek

jk

i think somethin which helped me was to read books
i think i got my vocabulary from books and stuff

also i become foggy too with words dont worry
Reply 17
Original post by DamaroDum
Hi

So I am in a dilemma. I was born in Spain and spent my childhood there, and one would assume that my mother tongue is Spanish. However at the age of 10 I moves to England. I became so fixated and concentrated in learning English that I neglected my Spanish. My Spanish is pretty bad. However the issue I am facing right now is that I am not happy with my English despite living 6 years in England. I feel like that I am not fluent. Whenever I speak English I often have to pause and use fillers because I have to think and find the suitable words, and sometimes I cant think of the word. I also sometimes struggle to express my feeling and thought that I have in my head on a piece of paper or orally as I struggle to make coherent sentences or I cant think of the accurate verbs and nouns. Sometimes I forget basic words like " rope " or "shoelaces"

I want to make English my first language. I have decided that I want to spend my whole life in the UK and altough I want to improve my Spanish but I want to be fluent in my English just like a native speaker is fluent in his language.

How did you become fluent in speaking English? Fleunt that if you are asked a question you dont have to pause or depend of fillers like " err" to think of the right word. Furthermore, to be able to express whatyou are thinking in your head on a piece of paper

How? Please tell if anyone has experience


Hahahaha, as a native - you don't reach that point, I haven't

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Original post by DamaroDum
Racist..


What? When did I even attack your race?
Reply 19
Swap fillers 'erm, 'um' 'err' 'like' for silence and speak slower but clear and not so slow you are boring and you'll go a long way, if you want to be posh(ish) three simple things, drop the R (writa), stress the T (wriTa), and soften vowels.

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