HOW TO IMPROVE ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Find native English speakers

In certain areas it’s the hardest thing to do, but it’s the best use of your time. Talking to actual native speakers is the most effective way to improve your English skills, speaking or otherwise. So whether you have to Skype them, call them, or beg them to speak to you, do so. Your progress will be faster this way than any other.

Listen to the music of English

No, not English music, the music of English - its lilt, its prosody, the sing-songy-ness of it. The intonation. Even if you speak perfect English technically, if you speak it like a robot you’re not speaking it the way it’s meant to be spoken.

Slow down

Above all, if you want to be understood, slow down. The more clearly you speak, the better chance your listener has of understanding you. It’s tempting to get nervous and want to speed up to get it all over with, but you can’t do that! Clarity is key - for some native English speakers, too!

Record yourself

Though we hear ourselves all the time, we really don’t know quite what we sound like. So record yourself! What are the weak and strong points you hear in your speech? And then you can concentrate on what you need to work on.

Speak English at home

This is the biggest, easiest mistake to make. You go about your day, you’re on the job working partly in English, you go to your English class, and then you go home and revert back to your native tongue. While you may be making slow improvements, you’ll never get past that dreaded lingual plateau. Make a point to speak it at home, too. Have only English at the dinner table. Stick to English TV at home. Make it as 24/7 as possible.

Speaking English as much as possible is very good for improving English communication skills.

A. True

B. False

HOW TO IMPROVE ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Find native English speakers

In certain areas it’s the hardest thing to do, but it’s the best use of your time. Talking to actual native speakers is the most effective way to improve your English skills, speaking or otherwise. So whether you have to Skype them, call them, or beg them to speak to you, do so. Your progress will be faster this way than any other.

Listen to the music of English

No, not English music, the music of English - its lilt, its prosody, the sing-songy-ness of it. The intonation. Even if you speak perfect English technically, if you speak it like a robot you’re not speaking it the way it’s meant to be spoken.

Slow down

Above all, if you want to be understood, slow down. The more clearly you speak, the better chance your listener has of understanding you. It’s tempting to get nervous and want to speed up to get it all over with, but you can’t do that! Clarity is key - for some native English speakers, too!

Record yourself

Though we hear ourselves all the time, we really don’t know quite what we sound like. So record yourself! What are the weak and strong points you hear in your speech? And then you can concentrate on what you need to work on.

Speak English at home

This is the biggest, easiest mistake to make. You go about your day, you’re on the job working partly in English, you go to your English class, and then you go home and revert back to your native tongue. While you may be making slow improvements, you’ll never get past that dreaded lingual plateau. Make a point to speak it at home, too. Have only English at the dinner table. Stick to English TV at home. Make it as 24/7 as possible.

The more clearly you speak the better chance your listener has of understanding you.

A. True

B. False

Complete the sentences using the words in bold . Use two to five words

1. will you ever think about finding a flat of your own ?

time it's .......................................................about finding a flat of your own

2. look at how he lives-he thinks he's a millionaire

if he lives ..................................................a millionaire

3. this summer , i would rather book a holiday in Monaco than Lyons

prefer this summer , i ...............................................................a holiday in Monaco rather than Lyons

4. why didn't you tell me yourself that you were leaving ?

rather i'd.....................................................me yourself that you were leaving

5. she wants to be more like her mother

wishes she...............................................................more like her mother

6. i should have taken that job in canada last year

only if.....................................................................that job in canada last year

7. you should have checked the oil before you set out

better it........................................................................you had checked the oil before you set out

8. i was about to buy the painting , when i realised it was a fake

if i would have brought the painting .......................................................it was a fake

9. i didn't see the tv programme because i didn't know it was on

known if......................................................the tv programme was on , i would have seen it

10. i think you should go on holiday

were if.............................................................., i would go on holiday

11. you shouldn't have told Sally my secret

told i'd............................................................... Sally my secret

12. you'd think he was a politician

though he behaves.......................................................................... a politician

13. you should be in bed now. it's late

went it's......................................................................to bed

14. it would have been better if you had passed on the message

only if..................................................................the message

15. if the teacher asked you to answer that question , what would you say?

asked suppose........................................................to answer that question , what would you say/

16. it's a pity it's a raining

stop i.....................................................................................raining

17. she couldn't tell you because she didn't know

would had.....................................................................told you

18. why did i listen to John? he always tells lies

listened if...................................................................to John. he always tells lies

19. we should have left by now if we don't want to miss the bus

time it's...............................................................if we don't want to miss the bus

20. i would have liked you to have informed my parents about my change of plan

rather i..........................................................................my parents about my change of plan

21. it would have been better if they had got the earlier train

only if.................................................................................the earlier train

22. you ought to have set a wedding date by now

time it's....................................................................a wedding date

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

Amazing Machines!

The deepest diving submarine

The Japanese research submarine Shinkai 6500 can dive deeper than any other submarine. On August 11, 1989, it went down to a depth of 6,526 meters beneath the ocean’s surface. The submarine in 935 meters long, about the size of a bus and can take up to three people. It is used for ocean research all over the world.

The most useful television

The Viera is the name of the world’s only digital entertainment device that can go underwater. It is made and sold in Japan. You can listen to your favorite music, or even watch a movie, all from the comfort of your bathtub. And the battery lasts over five hours if you’re planning to spend a long time bathing. You can even use headphones with it – all you’ll need is to find a pair that is waterproof!

The smartest monitor

The Japanese company EizoNanao has invented a very special computer monitor, called the FlexScan monitor. The FlexScan monitor can stand up to 23 centimeters high, and it can turn almost 180 degrees left or right. It weighs only 4,3kg. What’s more, it can help save electricity. It senses when you have left your computer and turns itself off when you’ve been gone for more than 40 seconds. When you come back, it knows to turns itself back on!

The smallest motorcycle

A Swedish man named Tom Wiberg built the world’s smallest motorcycle that can be ridden by a person. He calls it the Small Toe. The front wheel is only 1.6 centimeters wide, and the back wheel is 2,2 centimeters wide. The rider sits barely seven centimeters above the ground. In 2003, Wiberg rode his machine for more than ten meters and set a new Guinness World Record for the smallest rideable motorcycle ever built

According to the passage, which machine would a deep-sea photographer probably set?

A. Shinkai 6500

B. iRobot

C. Viera

D. FlexScan

HOW TO IMPROVE ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Find native English speakers

In certain areas it’s the hardest thing to do, but it’s the best use of your time. Talking to actual native speakers is the most effective way to improve your English skills, speaking or otherwise. So whether you have to Skype them, call them, or beg them to speak to you, do so. Your progress will be faster this way than any other.

Listen to the music of English

No, not English music, the music of English - its lilt, its prosody, the sing-songy-ness of it. The intonation. Even if you speak perfect English technically, if you speak it like a robot you’re not speaking it the way it’s meant to be spoken.

Slow down

Above all, if you want to be understood, slow down. The more clearly you speak, the better chance your listener has of understanding you. It’s tempting to get nervous and want to speed up to get it all over with, but you can’t do that! Clarity is key - for some native English speakers, too!

Record yourself

Though we hear ourselves all the time, we really don’t know quite what we sound like. So record yourself! What are the weak and strong points you hear in your speech? And then you can concentrate on what you need to work on.

Speak English at home

This is the biggest, easiest mistake to make. You go about your day, you’re on the job working partly in English, you go to your English class, and then you go home and revert back to your native tongue. While you may be making slow improvements, you’ll never get past that dreaded lingual plateau. Make a point to speak it at home, too. Have only English at the dinner table. Stick to English TV at home. Make it as 24/7 as possible.

Listening to the music of English means Listening to English music.

A. True

B. False

Read the text and decide T (true)/ F (false) for each statement.

Find native English speakers      In certain areas it’s the hardest thing to do, but it’s the best use of your time. Talking to actual native speakers is the most effective way to improve your English skills, speaking or otherwise. So whether you have to Skype them, call them, or beg them to speak to you, do so. Your progress will be faster this way than any other.

Listen to the music of English    No, not English music, the music of English - its lilt, its prosody, the sing-songy-ness of it. The intonation. Even if you speak perfect English technically, if you speak it like a robot you’re not speaking it the way it’s meant to be spoken.

Slow down    Above all, if you want to be understood, slow down. The more clearly you speak, the better chance your listener has of understanding you. It’s tempting to get nervous and want to speed up to get it all over with, but you can’t do that! Clarity is key - for some native English speakers, too!

Record yourself   Though we hear ourselves all the time, we really don’t know quite what we sound like. So record yourself! What are the weak and strong points you hear in your speech? And then you can concentrate on what you need to work on.

Speak English at home    This is the biggest, easiest mistake to make. You go about your day, you’re on the job working partly in English, you go to your English class, and then you go home and revert back to your native tongue. While you may be making slow improvements, you’ll never get past that dreaded lingual plateau. Make a point to speak it at home, too. Have only English at the dinner table. Stick to English TV at home. Make it as 24/7 as possible.

Talking to actual native speakers is the least effective way to improve your English skills

A. True

B. False

HOW TO IMPROVE ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Find native English speakers

In certain areas it’s the hardest thing to do, but it’s the best use of your time. Talking to actual native speakers is the most effective way to improve your English skills, speaking or otherwise. So whether you have to Skype them, call them, or beg them to speak to you, do so. Your progress will be faster this way than any other.

Listen to the music of English

No, not English music, the music of English - its lilt, its prosody, the sing-songy-ness of it. The intonation. Even if you speak perfect English technically, if you speak it like a robot you’re not speaking it the way it’s meant to be spoken.

Slow down

Above all, if you want to be understood, slow down. The more clearly you speak, the better chance your listener has of understanding you. It’s tempting to get nervous and want to speed up to get it all over with, but you can’t do that! Clarity is key - for some native English speakers, too!

Record yourself

Though we hear ourselves all the time, we really don’t know quite what we sound like. So record yourself! What are the weak and strong points you hear in your speech? And then you can concentrate on what you need to work on.

Speak English at home

This is the biggest, easiest mistake to make. You go about your day, you’re on the job working partly in English, you go to your English class, and then you go home and revert back to your native tongue. While you may be making slow improvements, you’ll never get past that dreaded lingual plateau. Make a point to speak it at home, too. Have only English at the dinner table. Stick to English TV at home. Make it as 24/7 as possible.

Talking to actual native speakers is the least effective way to improve your English skills

A. True

B. False