Being fluent does NOT mean speaking quickly. It is better to speak slowly and clearly than quickly and incoherently.
The ability to speak smoothly and fluently is the result of a number of factors. Some of the key factors include:
- Thought groups. Think of language as a series of phrases instead of a series of words. Before you speak, pause and compose the next PHRASE that you're going to say. After you're finished with that phrase, pause again and think of the next phrase. You will sound much more fluent if you pause slightly longer and then produce fluent phrases than if you constantly pause for a half second before every word or two.
- Linking. Native speakers of English typically link the ends and beginnings of many words together within a thought group. This makes their English sound "smooth". To find out more about thought groups and linking, refer to Manual of American English Pronunciation.
- Collocations (words that usually "belong" together). Many words in English naturally match with other words. Certain verbs tend to go with certain nouns etc. If you train yourself to recognize and learn collocations, your speech will flow more easily. See Collocations.
- Transition words and phrases. General phrases that signal that you are beginning a new topic, summarizing information, giving reasons, naming steps etc., are also important in developing fluency. There is a list of some of these phrases in the language portion of your handbook. CIDR also has books you may borrow which can help you with transitions.
- "Filler" phrases or "hesitation devices". As you listen to native speakers, you will notice that they use "filler" phrases to varying degrees. These are phrases like "What I'm trying to say is . . . ", "If you know what I mean . . . ", " Let me think a minute here" which give speakers a small space to think before they express their next idea.
Try to keep a relaxed attitude! If you are TOO worried about correctness, your speech may be filled with pauses!
Vary the focus of your practice. Sometimes you may want to just focus on general smoothness and comfort in speaking. Other times, you may want to focus on a particular aspect of fluency, such as one of the aspects suggested above.
Read a paragraph several times. Focus on fluency until it feels smooth.
Mark the thought groups in a paragraph. Read aloud, paying careful attention to thought groups. Record yourself, listen to the recording, and re-record until you are satisfied with your fluency in reading.
Mark points in individual sentences or a paragraph where words are linked and practice reading and recording the paragraph.
Read a paragraph and try to summarize it in your own words. Record your summary and listen to it. Re-record until you are satisfied with the fluency of your summary.
Read a paragraph and note key collocations in the paragraph (You may need a native speaker's help sometimes). Then try to summarize the paragraph making use of the key collocations that you wrote down. Record, listen and re-record.
Use an outline of a process or an explanation. Include key words and key transition words and then expand on the outline. Record, listen and re-record your expansion of the outline until you are satisfied with it.
Record yourself giving a short talk. Then transcribe your talk. Revise the transcript (You may want to ask a native speaker for help with revision). Read the revised transcript aloud as fluently as you can. Finally record the talk again without looking at the revised transcript.
Use a grammar book and practice completing grammar exercises orally. Do the exercises as quickly and fluently as you can and record yourself. Listen and re-record until you are satisfied with the fluency of your sentences.
