Some people say that the best way to learn English is to live in an English-speaking country. But is this really true? And what if you don’t get this opportunity? Can you still learn successfully? ​

You want to improve your English speaking skills, right? But you don’t always have somebody to practise with.

Of course, it’s a great idea to find people to talk to but it’s also possible - and beneficial - to practise speaking on your own.

Keep reading for some ideas on how you can do this.

​Conversations with other people are definitely the easiest way to practise speaking but there are good reasons to practise speaking on your own too:

1. Maybe you haven’t found anyone to practise with yet.

2. Perhaps you meet a teacher or a practice partner once a week but you know it’s a good idea to practise speaking every day.

3. Solo speaking practice is really good if you want to practise a specific grammar point or some new vocabulary. In a real conversation, you don’t know what direction the conversation will take, and you might not get the chance to use the language you want to practise.

So here are a few things you can do to practise speaking on your own.

Send yourself a voice message
Most people have WhatsApp or something similar these days. Did you know that you can send yourself messages?

So how about sending yourself voice messages to practise speaking in English? Open WhatsApp, click “new chat”, find yourself in the contacts list, then click and hold the microphone icon to start recording your voice.

You can talk about anything you like but if you need some ideas, try describing your day, summarising something you’ve read or talking about a film you’ve just watched.

This might feel uncomfortable the first time you do it but that’s actually a good thing! If you can speak under pressure while recording yourself, you’ll also be able to deal with the pressure of real-life conversations.

Read something out loud
If you usually read English in your head, try reading something out loud.

First, understand that reading aloud is good for pronunciation practice and confidence building. Some people also find that reading out loud helps them remember new vocabulary better.

But it’s not a substitute for conversation practice. In a real conversation, you have to be able to make your own sentences spontaneously. That doesn’t happen when you read aloud.

Also, reading aloud is not about improving your reading or comprehension skills. For understanding, I recommend reading silently. When you read out loud, you might be so focused on your pronunciation that you don’t think about the meaning of the text.

But reading out loud is excellent for getting comfortable with making English sounds and hearing your own voice in English.

Perhaps you could read a text silently first so you know what it’s about, and then read it out loud.

If there are words you’re not sure about, you can easily check the pronunciation online. Many online dictionaries give both the British and the American pronunciation. Read this post for dictionary recommendations.

Chat to an AI
The free ChatGPT app now allows you to have a voice conversation, rather than just typing your questions and answers.

ChatGPT works best when you give it specific instructions. Tell it you’re learning English and you want to practise speaking. Maybe pick a topic and get it to ask you some questions on that topic. Or tell it which grammar and vocabulary you want to practise using.

Yes, the best way to improve your speaking skills is real conversation with real people. However, if you can’t afford English lessons right now and don’t have a speaking partner, using ChatGPT or another AI is better than nothing. And even if you have regular English classes, chatting to an AI between lessons will give you extra practice.

Speech-to-text
On WhatsApp (and many other apps), you can speak and the words appear on the screen. This is called speech recognition or speech-to-text processing.

This is another way for you to practise speaking on your own. You can use it to send yourself messages or reminders on WhatsApp.  

Alternatively, you can open a Google doc or use a note-taking app and say what you want to write. You can even do this when you make comments on social media. (I do it quite often because it’s quicker than typing!)

This can be a fun way to check your pronunciation. If you say a word incorrectly, the app will write what it thinks you said. This can show you where you need to work on certain sounds.

BUT sometimes the app is wrong and it’s not your fault. So don’t worry too much when it doesn’t work!

And sometimes it’s funny too! Recently, I said “Grandma’s garden” and the words “grand Mars garden” appeared on my screen! The idea of a garden on Mars made me smile!

But even this can help you with your English because it shows you which words sound similar.

With AI, speech recognition is getting more accurate all the time. Try Turboscribe or Otter, for example. (But maybe, if it gets more intelligent, it will become less useful for checking pronunciation because it will correct your errors automatically.)

Write
Perhaps you’re thinking, “Wait! I thought we were talking about speaking?”

Yes, but writing and speaking are similar skills because they both involve producing the language. They are productive skills. In fact, practising writing is a bit like practising speaking but in slow motion!

Writing and speaking both involve finding the right words, then thinking about how to put them together in a sentence. Get good at this in writing and (indirectly) it helps you a little with your speaking.

Also, with writing, you have more time to think about what to say and how to say it. You can check the words you need in a dictionary and you can’t do that in a conversation.

And writing is something you can easily do on your own. So if you have nobody to talk to, why not try writing instead! Start a journal and write a few sentences every day. Or write posts and comments on social media.

***
Of course, if you want to improve your speaking, it’s really good to actually speak with other people as well.

But solo speaking practice can still help a lot.

So which of these ideas are you going to try first?


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Somebody asked an interesting question in my Facebook group the other day:
"Do native speakers speak English perfectly according to the grammar rules?"

And in the past, I’ve read comments like:
"Why don’t native speakers know their own language?"
"Native speakers who use bad grammar are uneducated."

Learners spend years studying grammar rules so I can understand that it feels confusing, or even shocking, when native speakers don’t always seem to follow them.

Learners start to wonder, “How can I know what’s correct?” or, “If even native speakers disagree, how can I ever feel confident?”

For many learners, grammar rules feel safe and solid. So when native speakers seem to break those rules, it can make English suddenly feel much less predictable. 

Think about your own language
Here are some questions for you to think about:

• Did you learn grammar at school?
• Could you already speak pretty fluently before you even studied any grammar?
• Do people in your country sometimes disagree about what sounds correct or incorrect?
• Are some accents or dialects considered more educated than others?
• Do people speak differently with friends and in more formal situations?

What’s true in your language is also (mostly) true in English.

English isn’t special in this way.

Native speakers don’t learn English the same way as adult learners
In my English lessons at school, I learnt about parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives and so on) and punctuation. Apart from that, we didn’t learn any grammar at all.

(I think kids do learn a bit more grammar in school these days, but it’s still nothing like learning English as a second language.)

We spent our English lessons learning about spelling, essay writing, reading comprehension and Shakespeare.

We didn’t learn about tenses, conditionals, modal verbs, phrasal verbs or the passive. I didn’t even know what most of these things were until I trained as an English teacher in my late 20s!

A native speaker can say “If I’d known, I would have told you” perfectly naturally, without knowing anything about the third conditional.

Meanwhile, an adult learning English may know all the grammar rules but still hesitate when speaking.

Understanding the grammar and being able to speak are two different skills.

What do people mean by ‘bad grammar’?
When a native speaker says something that doesn’t fit the rules in the grammar book, is this bad grammar? Does it mean they are uneducated?

No! We can’t judge a person’s intelligence, education or abilities based on the way they speak.

In fact, what people call “bad grammar” is often one of these things:

• Just a slip of the tongue - a mistake that people make when they’re speaking quickly and the words don’t come out quite right, not because they don’t know what’s correct.
• Informal or casual spoken English. There are some things which we say in casual conversation but would never write.
• An example of a regional dialect. People often label dialect differences as wrong.
• Or just different from what I was taught at school a long time ago - all languages change over time!

And don’t forget that these things are true for your own language too. English isn’t any more “incorrect” than other languages, and native English speakers aren’t more careless about grammar.

Sometimes native speakers do make genuine mistakes, just like everyone else. But something that doesn’t match the grammar book is not automatically a mistake.

Where do grammar rules come from?
Grammar rules are not quite what most people think.

Many people imagine that grammar rules are laws which were created in the past and that we must now follow them forever.

But people have been speaking for thousands of years, long before the first grammar book was ever written.

Real language comes first. The rules come later.

In fact, grammar books don’t create the language. They try to describe the patterns that already exist in real speech and writing.

That’s why grammar changes over time too.

And honestly, I don’t even really like the word “rules” because it gives people the impression that language is much more fixed and rigid than it really is.

Final thoughts
If a native speaker says something which isn’t in the grammar book, that doesn’t mean that they don’t know their own language.

This is true for English speakers and for speakers of your first language too.

Of course, standard grammar is important in some situations - especially writing, exams and professional communication.

But real spoken language is flexible, human and full of variation.

And good communication is about much more than following every grammar rule perfectly. 

If you’d like to read more about this topic, you might also enjoy this post:
Grammar isn't always black and white


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Imagine this situation. Anna is from Poland and Fatima is from Saudi Arabia. Neither of them speaks the other person’s first language so they’re having a conversation in English.

Now imagine that Fatima says something and Anna doesn't understand what she says.

Two things might happen in Anna’s mind next.

1. She might assume the problem is hers. She might think, “Oh dear. I don’t understand. My listening isn't very good.” Or “I’m not good at understanding different accents. I need to work on that.”

She could be right. Maybe she really does need to practise her listening. But it's also possible that Fatima made a mistake, needs to work on her pronunciation or didn't explain something clearly.

Anna might think the problem is hers when it isn’t.

2. On the other hand, Anna might assume that it's Fatima's English which is the problem. She might think, “Her pronunciation isn’t very good.” Or, “She’s not good at explaining things in English.”

Again, she might be right. But it could also be that she’s blaming the other person when actually she needs to work on her own listening skills.

Anna might think it’s Fatima’s fault when it isn’t.

I saw both of these things happen quite a lot when I worked with international students in a language school. It could also happen in the world of international business if English is used as the main language.

But the first situation is probably more common. Most people are more likely to assume that it’s their own English level which is at fault.

People often lack confidence in their own abilities. They think, “If I don’t understand her, it must be my terrible listening skills.” Or, “If SHE doesn’t understand ME, maybe my grammar is wrong. Or maybe it’s my accent.” 

Of course, most of the time, the truth is that it’s nobody’s fault!

So instead of feeling bad about your English (or blaming the other person), remember that international communication takes time and effort.

For many people, learning how to communicate effectively with people from other countries is an important skill to learn. It’s a very useful skill to have if you want to work in an international company or travel round the world.

The good news is that you can get better at it with practice.

Let me make a few suggestions for better international communication:

💙 Consider how fast you speak. Do you need to slow down?

💙 Simple and clear English is often better than long sentences. Be careful with big words and idioms.

💙 Don’t assume that all communication problems are your fault. Be kind to yourself.

💙 Don’t assume that all communication problems are the other person’s fault either! Be kind and patient with them.

💙 Check that the other person understands. (“Is everything clear? Do you have any questions about anything I’ve said?”)

💙 Check that you’ve understood. (“So you’re saying…, right?)

💙 Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification when you don’t understand something. People won’t think badly of you for doing this.

💙 Practise listening to different accents, native and non-native. Don’t just focus on British or American.

Communication in English isn’t about being perfect. It’s about connection. And connection takes effort from both sides.

Remember that misunderstandings are a normal part of communication, especially in international settings. And it doesn’t mean your English is bad.

The more you practise international communication, the better you’ll be at it and the more confident you’ll feel.

​
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1. What is a native speaker?
First, I want to make sure that everyone understands the meaning of “native speaker” and clear up one or two misconceptions.

The Cambridge Dictionary says a native speaker is “someone who has spoken a particular language since they were a baby, rather than having learned it as a child or adult.”

So a native speaker is usually somebody who grew up in an English-speaking country, such as the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and so on.

But this isn’t always true. What matters more is the language (or languages) spoken in your home when you’re growing up, not simply where you were born.

For example, my father was born in South Africa, in an area where Afrikaans was the main language. His parents were English and they spoke English at home. They moved back to the UK when Dad was a child. He wasn’t born in the UK but he’s a native speaker.

And being a native speaker of English doesn’t mean you’re white. In every English-speaking country, there are people of many different ethnic backgrounds. If you grow up speaking English as your first language, you’re a native speaker – regardless of the colour of your skin.

2. Is it important to speak like a native speaker?
When English learners say they want to speak like a native speaker, they are often talking about wanting a British or American accent. “Accent” means the way you speak which shows where you’re from.

In my opinion, this is not very important, unless you want to be an actor or an international spy!

People might also be thinking about speaking without grammar mistakes or knowing how to use idioms and slang.

Here’s what I think:

⭐ If you speak English with a French, Japanese or Turkish accent (or whatever accent you have), that’s fine as long as people can understand you. You just need to focus on speaking clearly and working on any sounds which are difficult for you.

⭐ Clear pronunciation is important. Your accent is not.

⭐ Your accent is a beautiful part of who you are and you don’t need to change it.

⭐ All native speakers speak differently anyway. There are different accents and other differences between one region and another.  

⭐ I know that some people are judged on their accent, unfortunately. I wish this were different. All I can suggest is to try not to let judgemental people upset you. We can’t change the world overnight but maybe we can all play a tiny part in changing this attitude. 

⭐ Trying to speak like a native speaker is an unrealistic goal for most people. You might never change your accent or learn all the idioms. But that’s OK! You can still communicate extremely well, even if you make a few mistakes, forget a word or have an accent.

⭐ Focus on good communication, not perfection or impossible goals.

⭐ What about fluency? It absolutely IS possible for a non-native speaker to become fluent in English! It takes time and effort but it’s definitely achievable if you work hard and practise a lot.

⭐ And what about grammar? Remember that native speakers make mistakes too. Nobody speaks perfect English all the time.

⭐ What are your goals for learning English? If you want to live and work in an English-speaking country, or if you want to understand British or American TV, then it makes sense for you to learn the local idioms and slang. But for most learners, there are more important things to focus on, like fluency, vocabulary and grammar.

⭐ But if your goal is international communication, you should focus on English that is internationally understood. After all, there are only 370 million native speakers of English in the world but there are maybe a billion non-native speakers of English.

3. Native speakers are not always the best example!
I can think of plenty of native speakers I’ve met who have poor communication skills!

I’ve met native speakers who miss out important pieces of information so I don’t know what they’re talking about.

I know people who never answer the question you asked, only the question they think you asked! Or perhaps it’s what they wish you’d asked!

There are people who talk too fast or too quietly so I can’t hear everything they say.

On the other hand, I’ve met intermediate-level students who are excellent communicators. They can communicate extremely effectively using the language they have and we can talk easily and comfortably for a whole hour on Zoom.

I even remember an elementary student I taught over 20 years ago who was really good at telling jokes in English. He didn’t have much grammar or vocabulary but he was full of confidence!

So if you’ve ever thought “I wish I could speak English like a native speaker”, may I suggest a better goal for you?

Instead, try thinking “I want to communicate effectively in English.”

This is a much more useful goal – and it’s also easier to achieve.

If your goal is effective communication in English, try focusing on these things:

💙 Listen carefully to the other person.
💙 Focus on explaining things clearly.
💙 Don’t worry about making mistakes.
💙 Don’t worry about your accent.
💙 Take your time and don’t speak too fast.
💙 Practise using the language you already know to build your confidence.

​
​Would you like to learn how you can improve your speaking skills in 30 days? My English Speaking Challenge e-book is for you. You can get it here.

Actually, there’s no right or wrong answer here. Or rather, the right answer depends on your current level and on your reasons for learning English.

What’s your current level?
If you’re a beginner or elementary student, maybe you can only use very short sentences and basic words. For you, it’s good to learn more grammar and more vocabulary so that you can make some longer and more complex sentences.

But if you’re working towards an advanced level, more complex isn’t always better. For you, maybe your goal should be more about getting more confident with what you already know, or perhaps you need to work on using more natural English. I don’t know exactly what you need without meeting you but these are some things for you to think about. 

A story
Let me tell you a story. I can't remember who told it to me and I might not have all the details correct but it was something like this.

There was a man who studied English for many years in his own country and reached a high level. Eventually, he felt that he couldn't improve his English any more unless he spent some time in an English-speaking country. So he decided to live in the UK for a few months. However, when he got here, he was really disappointed.

Why? Because he discovered that English people don't use lots of fancy words and complex sentences when they talk to each other. He had expected to hear long, advanced sentences. But most of the time, people just used simple language.

The truth is: sometimes the most natural way to say something is also the simplest.

Exams
I used to teach English in a language school and some of my classes were to help students pass an English exam. If you're preparing for an exam, I encourage you to push yourself to use a wider range of grammar structures and vocabulary in your speaking and writing. This will impress the examiner and help you to get a good score.

At the same time, it's important not to take this too far. If you’re not careful, you’ll make more mistakes and become more difficult to understand, and this will lower your score. And don't forget that natural-sounding English will also be rewarded.

Exam success is about finding the right balance between trying to impress, trying to be natural, and trying to avoid making too many mistakes.

Real-world communication
In real-world situations, your goals change. Here, it's about being clear and effective rather than impressing people with complex sentences.

Nowadays, I often teach people who use English for work. Also, I teach one-to-one so I can give my students exactly the language and advice they need for their particular situations. My clients often ask me, “What's a better way to say …?” Sometimes the answer is a bit boring and disappointing, like it was for the man in my earlier story. Because simple is often the best.

If you are giving a presentation at work, if you're sharing your opinion in a meeting, if you are talking to a client or a customer, or even if you're just sharing a funny story with a colleague over a cup of coffee, this is very different from an exam. In these situations, using clear language is more important than using clever or complicated language.

And it’s not just true for work. If you use English to communicate while travelling or just to chat to international friends, there’s no need to use lots of big words or complicated sentences. 

Conclusion
So if you’ve ever thought, “My English sounds too simple”, maybe that’s not such a bad thing!

And if you’re trying hard to make your writing sound more advanced by choosing longer words or complex grammar, be careful. You don’t want to end up sounding unnatural or not even like the real you.

Clear, simple language often works better in real life because:
* Your listener will understand you more easily, which makes your communication more effective.
* Not everyone needs to keep learning more and more words and grammar rules. Maybe you need to practise using what you already know until it becomes automatic and comfortable.
* You will feel and sound more relaxed and more confident when you stop putting unnecessary pressure on yourself to use difficult language.
* Simple language will often make you sound more natural.

*****
Do you use English at work?

I’ve created a free PDF download for you: Phrases to sound confident in work meetings

It will give you 12 things to stop saying and 12 phrases to use instead so that you sound more confident. I even explain why it works!

So if you want to sound more confident when you speak English at work, get your free download here:

​
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I know that most English learners want to improve their speaking skills more than their writing. This post is about why writing is such a good thing for learners to do, how it will help with speaking, and what to write.

​When I taught in a language school, I gave my students homework every day, and once a week, the homework was writing. You probably won’t be surprised when I tell you that it was not popular!

I know many people have negative feelings about writing in English. Let’s see if we can change that.

Writing doesn’t have to be about essays or long stories. It can be something simple and fun, like posting on social media. It’s also one of the most useful ways to practise your English – even if your main goal is to speak.

Why write in English?
1. Writing is like speaking… but in slow motion
Speaking and writing are not as different as many people think. Both skills involve:

• thinking about what you want to say
• choosing the right words
• putting your words together using correct grammar
  
  

But writing happens more slowly. You have time to think, check a dictionary, look up grammar, and find the phrase you really want. This is a great way to improve your vocabulary and knowledge of the language.

Of course, writing on its own isn’t enough to improve your speaking. You still need real speaking practice. But when you practise producing language in writing, you’re also building some of the skills you need for speaking.

2. Writing helps you actually see the gaps
When you’re speaking, everything happens so fast. You have time to stop and check if you’re saying it correctly.

But when you write, you notice the gaps in your knowledge:

• “Oh, I don’t know the word for this.”
• “Should I use the present perfect here?”
• “Is this the right preposition?”
  
  

Writing gives you time to slow down and identify exactly what you need to learn. And because you can stop to look things up, you often learn the correct word or grammar at the moment you actually need it – which makes it much easier to remember.

3. Writing for real-life
Many of you are learning English for your studies or for work. It’s very likely that you’ll need to write something in English in the future, such as:

• emails or messages
• social media posts or comments
• essays
• reports
• job applications
  
  

The more you write, the clearer and more confident your communication becomes – in both speaking and writing.

4. Writing fits easily into your day
If you have 5 or 10 minutes, you can write something – on paper or on your phone. It’s one of the easiest ways to practise regularly.

But what should I write?
Here are some simple ideas that work for all levels.

1. Write a journal
You can write about:

• what you did today or your plans for tomorrow
• your thoughts and feelings
• write a learning journal where you keep notes about what English you have learnt and practise using it at the same time

If you want to read more about journalling, you can look at this blog post, which I wrote a few months ago.

2. Write on social media
Posting or commenting in English is great practice. If you want a safe place to do this without worrying about mistakes, you can join one of my Facebook groups. Many members practise English together outside the group as well.

I have two groups:
“English Conversation for Women” – WOMEN ONLY 
This is a small group where you can connect with other women working on their English. There’s also a free Zoom session once a month for group members!

“Practise English with Katie” – for EVERYONE.
Anyone of any gender can join this group! There are lots of active members and we have some interesting conversations.

3. Write lists
Lists are quick, easy and great practice.

Try writing:

• a to-do list in English
• a list of goals for the week
• a gratitude list
• questions you want to ask in your next meeting or class
  
  

4. Write sentences with new vocabulary
Don’t just learn what a new word means – use it!

Write 2–3 sentences with any new word or expression you learn. This helps you remember it and makes it easier to use in conversations.

Final thoughts
Writing won’t replace speaking, of course, but it’s one of the most powerful ways to improve your English. It helps you notice what you don’t know, fill the gaps, remember new language, build your confidence, and communicate more clearly.

You can do it anytime, anywhere. And you don’t need a partner!


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Learning English is like singing in a choir
Some of my students know that I sing in a choir. (A choir is a group of people who sing together, either in religious services or concerts.)

In some ways, learning to sing in a choir is like learning a new language. You practise, you make mistakes, and you improve over time. Making mistakes is an important part of the learning process.

My choir does three concerts a year, and we have rehearsals every Monday evening for several weeks before each concert.

In rehearsals, our musical director often tells us he wants us to keep singing even if we sing the wrong notes. He says that if we make a mistake, that’s good – because then he can fix it.

But if we stop singing when we’re unsure of the notes, there’s nothing for him to fix, and he can’t help us so easily.

Why mistakes help you improve
It’s similar when you’re speaking English.

If you make a mistake, maybe somebody can help you fix it – a teacher, a trusted friend, or even you yourself once you notice the pattern.

But if you don’t speak because you’re afraid of making a mistake, nobody can help you, and you miss the opportunity to learn and improve.

What’s the worst that can happen?
Another thing our musical director says is, “What’s the worst thing that can happen if you make a mistake? You’re not going to make the ceiling come crashing down.”

We sing inside a beautiful cathedral that has stood strong for 900 years!

What about when you’re speaking English? If you go wrong, what’s going to happen? Nothing terrible! You’re not going to make the building come crashing down.

I know some people will be thinking, “The worst thing that can happen is somebody will laugh at me.”

Let me tell you, we laugh a lot in our choir rehearsals. When it goes wrong, it can sometimes be funny! We laugh at ourselves, and the musical director laughs too. But it’s always friendly laughter, never unkind.

Learn to laugh at your mistakes
Sometimes a student says something funny in a lesson. For example, “kitchen” is a difficult word for some people, and it often comes out as “chicken”! That’s funny!

I never laugh at my students, but sometimes we laugh together. If we can learn to laugh at ourselves, mistakes become a lot less scary.

And yes, there are some unkind people out there who might laugh at you. But that’s their problem, not yours. Don’t let it upset you or stop you from speaking.

Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever stopped yourself from saying something in English because you were afraid of making a mistake, remember:

• Making mistakes in English isn’t a failure – it’s part of learning.
• You can learn from your mistakes and improve.
• Nothing terrible is going to happen if you make a mistake.
• Relax and learn to laugh at yourself.
• Don’t worry about the idiots who laugh at you unkindly.
• Every time you speak, you improve your confidence and fluency. So keep speaking, keep learning, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

Vocabulary
choir = a group of people who sing together, either in religious services or public performances.

rehearsal = a time to learn and practice

ceiling = the surface at the top of a room which you see when you look straight up

cathedral = a large church which is the most important church in the area


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Do you ever feel like you only half know a word? Maybe you sort of know what a word means but not completely. Or maybe you understand the word but you’re not sure how to use it. Did you know that this is true for native speakers as well?

In this post, I’ll show you the different ways you can know (or half know) a word, and how to move words from passive vocabulary to active vocabulary.

​​Does this happen to you?
Sometimes, I realise I only half know a word! This might happen when I’m doing a crossword puzzle or when I need a dictionary to help me explain a word to a student.

Here are a couple of examples. Without a dictionary, I know that the word “sirloin” has something to do with beef or steak. I don’t really need to know any more than that because I’m a vegetarian! (The dictionary tells me it’s quality beef from a cow’s back, by the way.)

My apologies if you don’t eat beef for religious reasons. I hope this example doesn’t offend you. But actually, it might still be important for you and for me to know meat vocabulary so we don’t accidentally buy or eat something we don’t want!

Another example. I was talking to a student about politics recently. I have very little interest in politics and I don’t know much about it. This means that there are some political words I might not understand fully.

The same is true for football. I know there’s something called the offside rule but I couldn’t possibly explain what it is! We all have gaps in our vocabulary, even in our first language.

Does this ever happen to you in your own language - you realise that you only half know a word?

And what about in English?

Different levels of vocabulary knowledge
When you’re learning a language, including your first language, there are different levels of knowing a word. Here are some possibilities, in no special order:

👉 You know, fully understand and can use the word. (This is your active vocabulary.)

👉 You understand the word when you hear it but you don’t use it. You don’t remember it automatically when you speak or you avoid using it because you’re not sure about the exact meaning. (This is called passive vocabulary.)

👉 You know a word because you’ve heard it before but you don’t know or can’t remember what it means.

👉 You think you know what a word means but actually, you’ve misunderstood or partially misunderstood it.

👉 You half understand the word but you realise that you don’t completely understand what it means (like me with “sirloin” and “offside”).

👉 You know one meaning of the word but you don’t know the other meaning or meanings.

👉 You know a word when you hear it but you can’t read or spell it. The opposite is possible too: you can read and understand it but you don’t know the pronunciation. This happens because of the irregular spelling and pronunciation rules of English.

👉 You know the meaning of a word but not the grammar so you don’t know how to use it in a sentence. For example, a learner might use an adjective as a noun, or might not know if a noun is countable or uncountable.

👉 You know a word but not if it’s formal or informal, polite or impolite, positive or negative, emotional or neutral.
You know and understand a word but you don’t know what other words go with it. Is it “bored of” or “bored with”, for example? (“Bored with” is more correct.)

How do you feel when this happens?
(Apart from the first one - fully knowing and being able to use a word. I imagine you feel great about the first one but what about the rest?)

But what about the rest? I guess you might worry that you don’t have enough vocabulary. Or you might feel frustrated when you can’t find the words even though they are in your head somewhere. Or you feel nervous about making a mistake by using the wrong word or using a word in the wrong context.

But I want you to know that all of these things are normal. They all happen to native speakers, too. Yes, even teachers! So if you’ve been wondering how to learn new words in English or why you sometimes forget them, you’re not alone.

But what are the solutions?
In short, the best answers, in my opinion, are:
1. to read a lot and
2. to practise using the new words you learn.

Yes, you can also learn new English words by watching videos and films instead but I think reading is better. It’s much easier to notice words and see how they’re used when you read because it’s slower and you can pause when you need to.

Reading is a great way to learn new vocabulary but it also helps to remind you of words you’ve learnt before.

Reading also shows you how the words are used in context, in real sentences. It shows you the grammar of the words and the collocations. Collocations are pairs or groups of words which are frequently found together.

When you find new words, you should check their meaning in a dictionary. Then write the new words down so you can review them later. Keep a vocabulary notebook or make flashcards and test yourself on your new words.

And it’s very important to practise using new words, in conversation, self-talk or writing. If you don’t use the new words, you’ll soon forget them.

The next time you realise you only half know a word, don’t feel bad! It happens to all of us. The important thing is to notice it and take a small step to learn it fully. Read regularly, write new words down, and practise using them in real conversations, and over time, those half-known words will become part of your active vocabulary.


If you’d like more tips about learning vocabulary, and how to actually remember it, you might like my “English Vocabulary Challenge” e-book. Get your copy here.
​

Native English speakers don't always agree about grammar! Does that surprise you?

What about in your own language? Do people ever argue about what’s grammatically correct or acceptable? I’m guessing you probably answered “yes”. Well, the same is true for English.

My dad and I often disagree! He thinks it’s only correct if it’s what he learnt at school! I have my own grammar likes and dislikes but I accept that the language is always changing.

​
So why do people disagree about English so often?
Why isn’t grammar black and white, right or wrong?

(“Black and white” = it’s clearly right or wrong.
“Grey areas” = when there isn’t a clear right or wrong answer.)

I can think of two reasons:

1. Some people focus more on what the grammar books say (or even on what the grammar books said 60 years ago!) whereas other people focus more on what people say in real-life conversations.

2. The second reason is that languages change all the time. This means that older people are likely to disagree with younger people. Dad disagrees with me, and I sometimes disagree with people younger than me!

By the way, some countries have an organisation which decides what’s acceptable or standard in their language. There’s no organisation like this for the English language.

But there are many style guides for people to follow, especially in journalistic and academic writing.

In the rest of this post, let’s look at a few grey areas.

1. “He’s taller than me” or “he’s taller than I”?
My dad insists it should be “He’s taller than I.”

I say “He’s taller than me” - and so do most people nowadays. It sounds more natural in modern English.

Technically, “than I” might be more “correct” according to older grammar books, but language has moved on. Both are understood. One sounds formal and old-fashioned; the other sounds more natural in this century!

2. May vs might
Dad learnt that there’s a difference between “may” and “might”. I say they’re basically the same - and in everyday modern English, most people use them interchangeably. For example:

I may go to the party.
I might go to the party.

If there’s a difference, it’s very small - perhaps the probability is slightly higher in the first sentence - but honestly, it doesn’t matter in most situations.

3. Who vs whom
This is a classic example of grammar changing over time.

Many people, both native and non-native speakers, were taught to use “whom” when it’s the object of the verb (e.g. Whom did you call?) and “who” when it’s the subject (e.g. Who called you?).

But nowadays, “whom” is rare in spoken English. Native speakers don’t say it or even know how to use it. “Who did you call?” sounds more natural to me than “Whom did you call?”

However, we do occasionally use “whom” in phrases like “one of whom” or “to whom it may concern”.

(I’ve written a couple of posts about this on social media and the comments were very interesting! People have strong feelings about this one and occasionally even get upset with me!)

4. “Less people” or “fewer people”?
I always say “fewer people” because “people” is countable. But lots of people now say “less people” - and that’s becoming more and more common, even in professional English.

Technically, “fewer” is still more “correct” for countable nouns. But you’ll hear “less” all the time.

5. “There’s lots of people” or “there are lots of people”?
This one really bothers me! I was taught to say “there are lots of people” because “people” is plural.

But “there’s lots of people” is very common now, even among native speakers. It might sound strange to some ears (including mine), but it’s definitely becoming more accepted in everyday English.

6. “Charles’ son” or “Charles’s son”?
I was taught to write “Charles’ son” - just add an apostrophe if the name ends in -s. But now, most people write “Charles’s son” and pronounce the extra -s too. I prefer the modern way here!

It’s a small change, but it’s another example of how language evolves over time.

7. To boldly go (split infinitives)
At school, I was told not to split an infinitive - don’t put anything between “to” and the verb, but in fact, native speakers break this “rule” quite often.

The most famous split infinitive in English is from Star Trek: “to boldly go where no one has gone before.”

Would you really say “to go boldly”? Probably not. It sounds wrong!

Split infinitives are completely natural in modern English.

8. “Me and my friend” or “my friend and I”?
Traditional grammar says you should say “My friend and I went to the shop” and “She spoke to my friend and me”.

But in real life, native speakers often say “Me and my friend …” - even at the beginning of a sentence.

It’s technically incorrect in formal writing, but incredibly common in spoken English.

Some people feel very strongly about it, including me! I still remember my mum correcting me when I was really young and now I hate it when I hear it! But of course, I don’t say anything and I have to accept that English is changing!

9. Ending a sentence with a preposition
At school, many of us were told you mustn’t end a sentence with a preposition (words like at, in, on, with, to).

But that rule was based on Latin grammar, not natural English. In real life, we often say things like:
Who are you talking to?
That’s the book I was looking for.
What are you waiting for?

Trying to “fix” these often sounds awkward and unnatural.

"That’s the book for which I was looking” sounds ridiculous!

Most modern style guides now accept preposition endings in informal and even semi-formal writing.

10. Singular “they”
This is one of the biggest changes in English grammar in recent years.

Traditionally, “they” was always plural, and we would say “he or she” when we didn’t know the gender.
But now we often use it as a gender-neutral singular pronoun. For example:
Someone left their phone.
Ask your doctor if they would recommend it.

Some people still feel unsure or uncomfortable using “they” for a single person, but it’s now widely accepted and used by major style guides (even in formal writing).

Why does all this matter?
As an English teacher, I find that learners often want to know exactly what’s right and wrong. They want everything to be black and white and they’re not comfortable with grey areas.

Learners also feel frustrated or confused when a teacher says something different from what they learnt before.

When I’m teaching, I tell my students what the grammar books say and also what most people actually say nowadays. Then I let them decide for themselves which they prefer.

I also tell my learners sometimes that one thing is more common or more natural than the other, rather than this is right and that is wrong.

Here are the main things to remember

• Sometimes, there’s more than one correct answer.
• Languages change - and English is changing all the time.
• Even native speakers (like me and my dad!) don’t always agree.
• Try to get comfortable with the grey areas.
• Focus on what real people say, not just what’s written in a book.

​
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​

But first…

What kind of person are you?
I think there are two groups of people who say they haven’t got time.

The first group is people who really truly don’t have time! If you have a full-time job and small children to look after at home, then I believe you when you say you don’t have time for English. Or even if you do have time, perhaps after the children have gone to bed, you’re exhausted. You have no motivation or energy left for anything. I understand!

The second group is people like me! I say I haven’t got time for languages but, if I’m really honest with myself, it would be more accurate to say I’m not good at making the time. If I really wanted to, and if I tried harder, I could probably find some time!

So which group are you in?

What’s the real problem?
If you’re in the second group, like me, what’s going on? We want to do it but somehow it’s still difficult.

One possible problem is motivation. Is English just a hobby for you rather than something you really need? Or are there just other things that you prefer to do in your free time? Maybe you need to remind yourself of the reasons for and advantages of learning English. These posts might help: Twelve reasons to learn English and Staying motivated.

Another problem for many people is poor time management skills. I still have a lot to learn about time management myself but I find making a list or a plan helps. I also like having a routine so that I do certain tasks on certain days, and plan in time for things like exercise and studying. Maybe I’ll write another post on this topic another time!

But for the rest of this post, let’s consider some ways you can find more time for your English.

Do two things at the same time
💙 Listen to a podcast, audiobook or music while you’re cooking or cleaning.

💙 Listen to a YouTube video while you’re exercising. Some videos, like TED talks, don’t require you to look at the screen and you can just listen.

💙 Read or listen to something in English on the bus or train on the way to work.

💙 Talk to your family in English while you’re having dinner.

💙 While waiting at the bus stop or for your appointment, grab your phone and do a few minutes of Duolingo or your favourite learning app.

💙 Practise thinking in English while walking the dog, driving to work or taking a shower. Describe your day, plan tomorrow, or name things you see.

Activities that only take a few minutes
💙 Take your vocabulary notebook or flashcards to work with you and review new words when you have a coffee break.

💙 Watch a short video in English or read an article online during your lunch break.

💙 Start a mini journal. Every evening, write just one sentence about your day in English. (Or more if you have time!)

💙 Write a comment in English on a social media post.

💙 Use WhatsApp or a voice recorder to leave yourself a voice message.

Do your usual activities but in English
💙 Do some of your daily tasks in English, such as writing your shopping list, to-do list or journal.

💙 Do what you enjoy doing but in English. Watch a film in English, read about sport in English or look at social media posts in English.

💙 Change your phone, social media, or browser language settings to English.

💙 Next time you search for information on Google, try doing it in English.

💙 Follow a recipe in English when cooking - from a website or YouTube channel.

So which of these things are you going to try?

The key to success with English is consistency. Doing some of these small things every day will make a big difference over time.

You don’t need to spend hours on your English every day. It's not always about finding more time for English. Maybe it's about using the time you already have more carefully.

​
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​

Saying years
In the UK, most people say “twenty twenty-five” nowadays.
However, you will occasionally hear British people saying “two thousand and twenty-five”. 

American people say both “twenty twenty-five” and “two thousand twenty-five”. Notice they don’t include “and” in the second one. The first one is becoming more common and the second one less.

(By the way, this is about how we say the year, not how we write it. In writing, we always use numbers, not words.)

Before the year 2000, Brits and Americans said most years like this:
1994 = nineteen ninety-four
1766 = seventeen sixty-six

So we divide the digits into two groups of two and say the two numbers we see.

There are a few exceptions:
1903 = nineteen oh three (or much less commonly, nineteen hundred and three)
1800 = eighteen hundred

Notice how we say “oh” like the letter O, and not “zero”.

Then we entered the new millennium and things changed:
2000 = two thousand, or the year two thousand
2001 = two thousand and one - UK / two thousand one - USA
2009 = two thousand and nine - UK / two thousand nine - USA

Sometimes we say “the year two thousand” to make it clear that it’s not the number 2000.

According to various dictionaries, you can also say “twenty oh one” or “twenty oh nine”  but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say that. I think this could change in the future though as language evolves.

Be sure you don’t forget the “oh” though, because “twenty-nine” is 29, not 2009!

When we reached 2010, things got a bit complicated! There are two different ways to say it:
2010 = twenty ten or two thousand and ten

Over the next few years, the first style became more common and the second style became less common. I even remember hearing a couple of people correcting themselves on the radio, like this, “In two thousand and eleven, oh, I mean twenty eleven …”

When the Olympic Games were held in London in 2012, it was referred to as “London twenty twelve”. It’s possible that this is when we started to switch from one style to the other.

I think the switch happened faster in British English than American English. Again, this could have been because the 2012 Olympics were in Britain.

Nowadays, it’s much more common to say “twenty …” than “two thousand…” Try saying “two thousand and twenty” (for example) and you’ll notice it’s longer and more effort to say than “twenty twenty”. When there are two choices, we often go for the quickest or easiest way to say something.

But it’s still more common to say “two thousand (and) …” for the years from 2000 to 2009.

So you can say “two thousand and twenty-five” if you want to but it sounds a bit strange, especially in the UK. Maybe in the future, it will be considered completely incorrect. This is my guess. As I said earlier, language is always evolving.

So to answer the question from the beginning of the post, nowadays, “twenty twenty-five” is the most common and most natural way to say 2025.  

How do we say the years from a long time ago? Here are a few examples:
1215 = twelve fifteen
1066 = ten sixty-six
1001 = ten oh one
1000 = (the year) one thousand
512 = five twelve or, less commonly, (the year) five hundred (and) twelve. (Remember to use “and” in British English, but not in American English.)
33 AD = (the year) thirty-three AD (“ay dee”)
400 BC = (the year) four hundred BC (“bee cee”) or 400 years before Christ

BC means “before Christ” and AD means “anno domini”, which is Latin for “the year of the lord”. I’ve heard people say “BC” and “before Christ”. It’s not common to say “anno domini” and I imagine a lot of people don’t even know what AD stands for!

Nowadays, some people don’t like using AD and BC because of the Christian origins of these abbreviations. A non-religious alternative is CE (Common Era) and BCE (Before the Common Era).

Writing dates
In the UK, we (usually) write dates like this:

24th May or 24 May
(Less commonly May 24th or May 24)
24th May 1970 or 24 May 1970
24/05/70 or 24/05/1970 (or without the zero - 24/5/70)

In American English, the month comes first, like this:
​
May 24th or May 24
May 24th 1970 or May 24 1970
05/24/70 or 05/24/1970 (or without the zero - 5/24/70)

Saying dates
In the UK, we say dates like this:

24th May = the twenty-fourth of May
May 24th = May the twenty-fourth
24th May 1970 = the twenty-fourth of May, nineteen-seventy

So we say “of” and “the” but we don’t write them.

In American English, they say dates like this:

May 24th = May twenty-fourth
They put the month first and omit “the”.
May 24th 1970 = May twenty-fourth, nineteen-seventy

Here are all the numbers for dates:
1st = first
2nd = second
3rd = third
4th = fourth
5th = fifth
6th = sixth
7th = seventh
8th = eighth
9th = ninth
10th = tenth
11th = eleventh
12th = twelfth
13th = thirteenth
14th = fourteenth
15th = fifteenth
16th = sixteenth
17th = seventeenth
18th = eighteenth
19th = nineteenth
20th = twentieth
21st = twenty-first
22nd = twenty-second
23rd = twenty-third
24th = twenty-fourth
25th = twenty-fifth
26th = twenty-sixth
27th = twenty-seventh
28th = twenty-eighth
29th = twenty-ninth
30th = thirtieth
31st = thirty-first

You can listen to an audio recording here.

And here are all the months:
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Plus listen to an audio recording here.


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​

​Why measure progress?
First, why is it important?

1. If you don't see your progress, you might lose confidence. But when you see where you are improving, this helps you to feel more confident.

2. When you see your progress, this motivates you to keep learning. Otherwise, you may feel like giving up.

3. Sometimes progress is hard to see until you actually measure it. You may think you're not getting anywhere when in fact you are.

How to measure progress
1. Set goals
One thing you can do is to set yourself SMART goals. You may have seen idea this before but how does it relate to learning English?

SMART goals are:
Specific: e.g. “I want to know how to write a formal email.”
Measurable: e.g. “I want to learn ten new words a day.” 
Achievable: e.g. “I want to learn 5 words a day.”
Relevant: e.g. “I want to write a business email so I’m going to learn some formal phrases.”
Time-bound: e.g. I’m going to write for 10 minutes a day” or “I’m going to learn about the present perfect by the end of this week.”

For more examples of SMART goals, have a look at this post: Small goals for language learning

SMART goals are NOT general, unrealistic or long-term.

For example, “I want to speak fluent English” or “I want to improve my listening” are not SMART goals. They are too general, you can’t easily measure them and they take a long time to achieve.

2. Sticking to your goals: accountability and tracking
Write your goals down. You could also make a list of what tasks you’re going to do and tick things off as you do them. This helps you to feel a sense of progress.

Even better, tell somebody about your plans and your goals - a friend, family member, teacher or study partner - and then ask them to check if you’ve done what you said you’d do. Just telling somebody, “This week I’m going to …”, makes it much more likely that you’ll actually do it!

In my women’s Facebook group, I encourage members to set a goal each week and share it with the group. Then at the end of the week, they can let us know how it went and celebrate the wins. My hope is that doing this will help people to see their progress and grow in confidence.

If you’d like to join the women’s group, you can find it here. (Women only please!)

Other benefits of joining my group include monthly chats on Zoom and interesting discussions to practise your English on the group page.

3. More ways to measure progress
Here are some practical suggestions to measure your progress.

Vocabulary
Vocabulary is the easiest aspect of language learning to measure and a good way to see progress. If you know more words now than a week ago, that’s definite progress, right?

The simplest method is to write down new words in a notebook. Include the date. Test yourself regularly to see what you remember.

Another idea is to choose a number of words you want to learn each day or each week. Make it a small and realistic number.

Grammar
If you put “free online English grammar test” into Google, you’ll find lots of websites where you can test your grammar. Do a test today, write down your score, and then do the same test again in a few months and compare your score. 

Reading and listening
Find texts or videos that are created specifically for learners of your level. When you discover that the level you’re reading or listening to is too easy, you can try the next level up and you’ll know you’ve made progress.

You can find online reading resources here and listening resources here.

Graded readers (books at different levels of English) are good for this too. Some of them have audio so you can test your listening as well as your reading.

Another idea is to watch a favourite movie or read a favourite story and make a note of the percentage that you understood. Next time you watch or read, perhaps a few months later, see if your percentage has changed.

Writing
Keep a journal. Write something in English every day if you can, or every week if you’re busy. After a month, two months, or six months, look back at your earlier writing and you’ll be able to see your progress.

Another idea is to write a paragraph about a topic. Make a note of how long it takes you and how many words you wrote. A month or two later, repeat the task and compare your two texts. What differences can you see? Were you quicker? Were you able to write more? Or were you actually more concise? Did you use better grammar and vocabulary? Can you see mistakes in the first text that you didn’t make the second time?
  
Speaking
This is the hardest area to measure progress in. Try recording yourself speaking. Give yourself a score out of 10 about how fluent you were and how confident you felt. Keep the recording somewhere safe. A month later, do the task again and see if you notice any changes. Were you more fluent or more confident? Did you use different grammar or vocabulary?

4. Signs of progress
If you ever feel like you’re not making progress, here are some things to look out for:

• You feel less nervous when you speak.
  
• You start noticing and correcting your own mistakes.
  
• Other people compliment you on your progress.
  
• People ask you to repeat yourself less often.
  
• You realise you understand more than you did before.
  
• You start thinking in English.
  
• You dream in English!
  
• You realise you can say some sentences automatically without translating them first.
  
• You feel less tired when using English than you used to.
  
• You understand jokes in English.
  
• You read or hear something and you don’t even notice at first that it’s in English.
  
• You can switch in and out of English more quickly.
  

Final words
I hope you found some new ideas today on different ways to measure your progress!

Remember that progress in a second language takes time. Don’t give up when you can’t see your progress! Be patient and be kind to yourself!

You might also find these posts useful:
Why am I not making progress? - this post will give you some ideas for things to try if you feel stuck and want to speed up your progress

Do you know what level your English is? - this post includes some links to free online tests


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​

​Valentine’s Day in the UK
​On this day, people often send cards containing romantic messages. Traditionally, people don’t sign the card and put a question mark instead of their name, or they write “from your Valentine”. Most of the time, people know who the card is from anyway but you might get a card from an anonymous secret admirer on Valentine’s Day!

Other popular gifts are chocolates, jewellery and flowers, especially red roses. People give these gifts to their partners or loved ones. Many couples go out for a romantic dinner or they celebrate at home with a special meal.

In schools, children sometimes make cards or gifts for their parents, or even for their friends. However, Valentine’s Day is mostly a day for adults to celebrate their romantic relationships. It can be a depressing day if you’re single!

The origins of Valentine’s Day
But how did it all start? Nobody knows for sure but there’s one popular legend about a Roman priest called Valentine. The Roman Emperor didn’t allow his soldiers to get married. He needed as many soldiers as he could get and he didn’t want them to leave the army to stay with their wives and families.

But Valentine performed marriages in secret. Eventually, he was caught and put in prison, where he became friends with the jailer’s daughter. Some stories say that she was blind and he healed her. Before he was put to death for disobeying the Emperor, the legend says that he wrote the jailer’s daughter a note signed “From your Valentine”. He was executed on February 14th 270 AD.

This story is probably not true and it has changed and developed over the years. There are other stories that say he was put to death because he was a Christian.

In the past, Saint Valentine’s Day was celebrated by the church but over time the religious meaning was forgotten and it became a day associated with love and romance.

In the UK, the tradition of sending Valentine’s cards became popular at the beginning of the 19th century. Later in that century, special heart-shaped boxes of chocolates were made by Cadbury’s. These traditions spread throughout English-speaking countries.

In the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, Valentine’s Day has become popular in many other countries too, just like other special days like Christmas and Hallowe’en. This is probably a result of films, TV, the Internet and foreign travel. 

Nowadays, Valentine’s Day is a completely commercial holiday with no religious significance for most people. Wikipedia says that British people spend £1.3 billion on cards and gifts every year.

Valentine’s Day in other countries
Even though Valentine’s Day has lost its religious significance in the West, it’s banned in some non-Christian countries because of its past association with the Church. 

In Europe and the Americas, many Valentine’s Day traditions are similar to those in the UK. However, in some countries, it’s not just about romantic love but also about family and friends. I once received a Valentine’s Day card from a Canadian friend and I was a bit surprised because we don’t do that here!

In some South American countries, Valentine’s Day isn’t celebrated on February 14th but on a different day. For example, Brazil has a “Lover’s Day” on June 12th. This is because they have a carnival in February so it’s better to separate the two celebrations.

China also has a different tradition. On the seventh day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar, they celebrate the Qixi Festival, an important day for lovers. Niulang and Zhinü got married but their love was forbidden. As a punishment, they, or their stars, are separated in the sky by the Milky Way. But once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month, birds create a bridge for them so they can meet. 

In Japan, women give chocolate to men on Valentine’s Day. They give it to loved ones, friends and co-workers. On March 14th, White Day, the men who received chocolate should give something to the women. This tradition is also followed in South Korea and some other Asian countries. However, in Taiwan, they do it the opposite way and men give chocolate to women first.

Vocabulary
anonymous = by somebody whose name is not known
legend = an old story which might contain some truth but is probably not completely true
execute = kill somebody as a punishment
commercial holiday = a celebration that allows the shops to make a lot of money
carnival = a celebration in the streets with music, dancing, food and special clothes
the Milky Way = the star system which we can see as a strip of stars at night


​If you enjoyed reading about Valentine's Day, you will also like my e-book "A Year in England". This book will give you a chance to practise your reading skills, learn new vocabulary and find out about life in England. Get your copy here.
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