You read English every day. You know hundreds of words. But when someone speaks to you, your mind goes empty. You are not alone. This is the most common problem for learners, and it has a simple answer: knowing a word and using a word are two different skills.
Two kinds of knowing
Reading and listening are quiet skills. They give you time. Speaking is a fast skill, and it gives you no time. Your words must travel from your head to your mouth in one second. That takes practice, not more vocabulary.
I know the word "delicious", but I never say it.
Start with your daily life
You do not need the news, and you do not need business English. Start with your own daily life: what you ate, who you met, how you feel. These are words you already have, and you use them every day.
I ate noodles this morning. I met my friend at the station.
Small words, said often
Fewer words, used well, are enough. You do not need ten thousand words. You need five hundred words that you can use without thinking.
I am tired. I am hungry. I am happy.
Ten minutes a day
Say three sentences out loud about your day. Then write them down. Tomorrow, say them again. Practise speaking, not only reading. Speaking is a sport, not a subject.
A last word
You will not feel ready. Nobody does. You become ready by speaking. Say one sentence today, and you have already started to communicate.
Words to remember
- communicate — to share ideas with other people
- daily life — the things you do every day
- sentence — a group of words with a full meaning
- practise — to do something again and again to get better
Questions & answers
Q: I know many words. Why can't I speak?
Because knowing and using are different skills. Reading gives you time. Speaking does not. You need practice, not more vocabulary.
Q: What should I do first?
Talk about your own day. What did you eat? Who did you meet? How do you feel? These words are already in your head.
Q: How many new words do I need?
Fewer than you think. One word you can say is better than fifty words you only recognise.
Q: How long should I practise?
Ten minutes a day is enough. Three sentences, said out loud, every day.
Q: What if people laugh at my mistakes?
They usually do not. Most people are kind, and they are happy that you tried. A mistake is not a failure. It is part of speaking.
Q: When will I feel ready?
Never. Nobody feels ready before they speak. You feel ready after you speak. So start before you feel ready.