8 secrets of speaking like a native English Speaker. Are you prepared to do what it takes?

1. THE SECRET
You have to be prepared to do what native speakers do. Are you prepared to do what native speakers do?

2. ENGLISH ENVIRONMENT
English speakers have an English environment: radio, TV, newspapers, friends. In addition, they are advised to keep a daily journal (diary), have pen friends and read newspapers. Are you prepared to do this?

3. LEARN PHRASES ONLY
Study phrases not words. Native speakers speak in phrases. Phrases are groups of words that go together. Phrases trump grammar. This means that phrases are more important than grammar. Never just learn words on their own. Study the word within a phrase. Phrases are more important than grammar and are the key to fluent English. Are you prepared to study phrases?

4. THOUSANDS OF IDIOMS
Idioms are phrases with a special meaning. Natives speak in phrases including thousands of idioms. Idioms are difficult because often they are not mentioned in the dictionary. If you want to understand native speakers and American movies then you need to learn idioms. Are you prepared to study idioms?

5. REAL SPOKEN ENGLISH
Written English and spoken English are quite different. Focus your study on real spoken English, instead of on formal written English. When we speak, we use different vocabulary, different grammar, and different pronunciation than what is in textbooks. Are you prepared to learn two different types of English?

6. FOCUS ON LISTENING
Great speech comes from great listening. Focus on listening. Listen to speaking by native speakers. Listening is the key to speaking. You need to listen to spontaneous speaking. Spontaneous speaking is unplanned speaking. It is normal speaking.

7. LISTEN AND ANSWER
Answer questions because when you do this you have to think in English.

8. PRONUNCIATION

(a) INTONATION

Copy the intonation of a good native speaker. Focus on intonation: the music of English. Intonation is the pitch, rhythm and volume. Learn when to raise your tone and when to drop. Learn when to stretch words and when to say them quickly.

(b) CONTRACTIONS

Focus upon and use contractions. For example, when native speakers speak, they use words such as outta, gettn, till, havta, and gonna? Outta means out of. Im gettn outta here (I am getting out of here = I am leaving). In conversation, we often never say words individually or clearly. We put them together into contractions. You need to understand contractions and speak using contractions. Copy good pronunciation. Are you prepared to copy good pronunciation?

Author's Bio: 

I am an English specialist with I CAN READ. I have worked for major British institutions: British Council, British High Commission, British Railways Board and Linguaphone. I am a London-trained lawyer and have been the public affairs officer at the British High Commission, Singapore, as well as an editor in an international book publishing house and a national magazine. I am also co-author of two law books: English Legal System and Company Law, published by Blackstone, Oxford University Press. I am an Ambassador of Peace (Universal Peace Federation and Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace). Connect: Email susanmckenzie2003@yahoo.co.uk http://sg.linkedin.com/in/susanmckenzie https://twitter.com/#!/abetoday http://www.facebook.com/pages/Teacher-Su-McKenzie-English-Expert-Total-L...