Talking About Movies

A great way to practise speaking is by discussing topics you enjoy. For example:

• I like action movies.
• What type of movies do you like?
• I like thrillers.
• I like watching thrillers.
• I used to like watching thrillers.

Overthinking Grammar Can Hold You Back

If you’ve spent a long time practising grammar, you might struggle to remember the correct tense when speaking. The solution? Make mistakes! Mistakes help you learn.

Think back to childhood – when you were learning to walk, talk, or even eat, you made plenty of mistakes. Imagine a baby getting food all over their face. That’s part of the learning process! Speaking English is the same. The more mistakes you make, the more you’ll improve.

A Simple Trick for Finding Words

If you can’t remember a word, try putting ‘not’ in front of another word:

• You remember short but can’t recall the opposite? Say ‘not short’.
• You remember ugly but can’t think of the opposite? Say ‘not ugly’.

Be careful with this one – saying ‘You look not ugly’ might not be the best choice!

Useful Expressions When You Forget a Word

When you can’t recall a word, use these expressions:

• I forgot the word.
• The word escapes me.
• Whatchamacallit (a casual way to say you’ve forgotten a word).

For example: I have a nail, but I need… whatchamacallit… ah yes, a hammer! These phrases are useful because the other person will often help you by suggesting the missing word.

Using Collocations to Sound More Natural

A collocation is a group of words that naturally go together. For example:

• Heavy rain (not ‘strong rain’)
• Make a decision (not ‘do a decision’)

Collocations help you choose the right words automatically. When in doubt, use ChatGPT to look up collocations. You could search for “collocations with hobbies” and find phrases like:

1. Pursue a hobby – She enjoys pursuing her hobby of painting at the weekend.
2. Take up a hobby – After retiring, he decided to take up gardening.
3. Enjoy a hobby – Many people enjoy hobbies such as photography or hiking.
4. Share a hobby – They bonded over their shared hobby of birdwatching.
5. Hobby enthusiast – As a hobby enthusiast, he spends most of his free time building model aeroplanes.
6. Hobbyist – She’s a photography hobbyist and loves capturing moments.
7. Hobby collection – His hobby collection includes stamp collecting, coin collecting, and model train building.

Building Your Personal Dictionary

Write down new words and collocations in a notebook or on your phone. Organise them into categories like:

• Relationships
• Travel
• Hobbies
• Education
• Restaurants
• Holidays

Review them daily to reinforce your learning.

Speaking to a Mirror

A fantastic way to improve your fluency is by speaking to yourself in the mirror. It might feel odd at first, but it helps build confidence. Try a simple conversation:

• Hi, how are you today?
• I’m great, thanks! And you?
• I’m pretty good. What do you have planned for today?
• Firstly, I’m going to the gym because I need to get fit. Secondly, I have lots of errands to run. Thirdly, I’ll relax and watch some TV this evening.

Writing Your Own Scripts

Actors use scripts to learn their lines – why not do the same? Write a conversation about a common situation, such as going to a restaurant:

• You: Hello, can I see the menu, please?
• Waiter: Of course, here you go.
• You: Hmm… I like pizza, but today I’d prefer pasta.
• Friend: Why do you like pasta?
• You: I’m quite fond of pasta because I love the taste.

The more emotions you put into your responses, the better you’ll remember them.

Giving Yourself Time to Think

If you feel pressure to answer quickly, use fillers like:

• That’s an interesting question.
• There are many factors to consider.

These phrases give you time to think instead of feeling rushed.

Final Tips

• Speak every day, even if you’re alone.
• Don’t fear mistakes – they help you improve.
• Use collocations to sound more natural.
• Write down new words and review them regularly.
• Practise speaking in front of a mirror.
• Use scripts to prepare for real conversations.
• Give yourself time to think before responding.

Thank you for reading! Let me know in the comments what you thought of this lesson. Don’t forget to give this a thumbs up, and if you’re new to my channel, please subscribe – it’s free! Have a wonderful day, and see you next time. Bye-bye!