英语杂谈：85 Hints to improve spoken English 1

 SPEAKING English fluently and accurately¹ is a goal of many people studying English in China.

Fluency² can be simply defined³ as“being able to communicate ideas without having to stop and think too much about what one is saying”; speaking accurately means “speaking without errors of grammar and vocabulary”. The problem is that many students find that if they try to speak fast, they make more mistakes. And, if they slow down, there may be fewer errors but it can sound unnatural⁴. So, how do we balance accuracy and fluency in spoken English? It can depend on the manner in which one had studied English in the past. People who tend to focus on accuracy may find that they worry too much about making mistakes. This can make them nervous or embarrassed about speaking English in public. As a result, their spoken English might not improve. This means that, although they know English grammar and vocabulary well, they might not be able to hold a good conversation. On the other hand, there are those who really like to talk and are willing to try their language out even if they make mistakes. This willingness to take risks helps them speak more fluidly. But, if they make a lot of mistakes, they may find it difficult to get their ideas across. The debate about which is more important—fluency or accuracy—in the English language has lasted for a long time. Still, one thing is clear: speaking a language well needs both fluency and accuracy. How can we be sure that we can develop both? The following tips could help. ( to be continued)

 

1 accurately   

adv.准确地，精确地

参考例句：

• It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。
• Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。

2 fluency   

n.流畅，雄辩，善辩

参考例句：

• More practice will make you speak with greater fluency.多练习就可以使你的口语更流利。
• Some young children achieve great fluency in their reading.一些孩子小小年纪阅读已经非常流畅。

3 defined   

adj 定义的; 清晰的

参考例句：

• These categories are not well defined. 这些类别划分得不太明确。
• The powers of a judge are defined by law. 法官的权限是由法律规定的。

4 unnatural   

adj.不自然的；反常的

参考例句：

• Did her behaviour seem unnatural in any way?她有任何反常表现吗？
• She has an unnatural smile on her face.她脸上挂着做作的微笑。