English is the most spoken language in the world, and as such, it’s a lingua franca for billions of individuals globally.
But as any English language student will attest, so much of the focus seems to fall on the formal, written word. Whether it’s because you’re taking your IELTS exam soon, you’re studying at an English speaking university, or you’re trying to get to grips with the complex grammatical structures of the language, the vast majority of study takes place on the page.
For English language learners, this isn’t always helpful, particularly for those who are particularly keen to improve their speaking and listening skills.
Should you be learning English as a foreign language and you’re wondering the best way to strengthen your grasp of the more natural, informal side of things, then you’ve come to the right place; here’s how to improve your understanding of spoken English.
Immerse Yourself In Popular Culture
Picking up the core spoken elements of the English language needn’t have to revolve around academia, learning and study. There is another tool in your arsenal; immersing yourself in English via the medium of popular culture.
By listening to English music and watching TV shows and films in English, you’ll pick up plenty of natural turns of phrase, slang, different dialects and forms of pronunciation, and perhaps most importantly, begin to recognise the rhythm and flow of spoken English.
Stress patterns, both in sentence and word, chunking, phrasing, intonation and pitch can all be incredibly hard for non-native English speakers to grasp.
Initially, it might be a good idea to watch these shows with subtitles or read the lyrics of music whilst listening, but by engaging with a wide variety of popular culture in the English language, you’ll passively familiarise yourself with these patterns. In time, you’ll find that reproducing a more natural sound becomes easier.
Read: 5 IDEAL tips for learning a new language fast online
Have Some Fun With Slang
Slang refers to words or phrases with an especially informal register, often used by a particular in-group or generation. This type of language can be playful, cheeky or amusing, and as a result, won’t likely appear on any written English exams.
That said, if you’re keen to make friends in the UK, the States or Australia, and keep up with the pace of conversation there, it’s essential you familiarise yourself with the specific slang of the country, region or even city.
Yep, slang in the English language (hey, let’s call this thing ‘slanguage’) is often location specific; the slang used in London will differ from New York, sure, but it’ll also diverge from Manchester, and even different areas of London won’t share the same slang.
It’s important to note that slang can quickly become outdated, inappropriate or even offensive, so it’s wise to view learning slang as an ongoing process.
Listen To A Variety Of Different Accents
Perhaps you’ve strained to understand a post-match interview with Sir Alex Ferguson? Maybe you’ve wondered why everyone on Neighbours was (is?) constantly asking questions? Either way, as a learner of the English language, you’ve almost certainly have developed an understanding of the plethora of different accents involved across the world of spoken English.
To recognise the difference between Cockney and Scouse, New Yorker and Texan, Aussie and Canadian and many more, it’s essential that you expose yourself to a wide range of different accents. As we mentioned earlier, the best way to do this is to immerse yourself in all manner of forms of English speaking popular culture.
And rest assured, even native English speakers sometimes find it difficult to understand accents from other sides of the world. It’s often suggested that Geordie, Edinburgh, Cockney, Glaswegian and Barry are the hardest accents to understand as a non-native speaker of English. To help you get to grips with each, the website even suggested five TV shows and films which feature those accents. These are:
- To hear Geordie, watch I’m Alan Partridge
- To experience the Edinburgh accent, watch Trainspotting
- For Cockney (from London’s East End), watch Attack the Block
- Glaswegian accents feature prominently in Sweet Sixteen
- Barry accents, from Wales, are a major part of Gavin & Stacey
Speak & Listen To English Strictly
If you’re keen to get to grips with spoken, informal English as quickly as possible, then it’s sensible to be strict and only expose yourself to the English language, if that’s possible in your day-to-day life.
For instance, whether you’re currently studying English at a well-regarded, adult-focused language centre like the London School of English or a summer school for kids like the fantastic Skola, it’s essential that you try to converse with your peers in English, even if you’re from the same country or share the same mother tongue.
On top of that, in your downtime, continue to expose yourself to the English language as much as possible during recreation. Doing so will help you learn English by osmosis, which is often the best way to produce the most natural sounding spoken version.
Read: Why everyone should learn a second language
Make Friends With Fellow English Speakers
Let’s face it, in this day and age it’s easy to pick up a language online — all of the resources are at your fingertips and a lot of those are completely free. One of the best ways to practice your chosen language is via a ‘language exchange’ session online; you share some of your conversation over Skype (other platforms do exist) with a partner, and in return they engage in a little conversation in English with you. Social learning at its finest, we think, and the worst thing that can happen is you’ll make a new friend. Here’s 9 of the best free language exchange websites.
Should it be possible, endeavour to make friends with native English speakers in person, too, as this will help you practice informal, spoken English and understand slang and different accents most thoroughly.
Assimilate Abroad
The single best way to learn a new language is by booking a flight to a destination which speaks it. Because there truly is no better way than getting in the middle of the English spoken language, rolling up your sleeves and getting stuck in. Stepping outside your comfort zone and into direct, necessary interaction with native speakers is like pressing the booster button on your language learning. If you can afford to, you should.