A.J. Hoge's Blog, page 3

How to Think in English and Improve Your Fluency Easily: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Improve Your English Fluency by Thinking in English

English is the most widely spoken language in the world, and it is the language of business, science, and technology. If you want to succeed in today’s global economy, it’s essential to be fluent in English. However, many people struggle to learn to think in English and speak fluently. In this article, I’ll provide you with a step-by-step guide to help you think in English and improve your fluency without incurring a Google SEO penalty.

Focus on High-Frequency Vocabulary

The first step to thinking in English is to focus on high-frequency vocabulary. High-frequency vocabulary refers to the most commonly used words in the English language. By learning these words first, you will be able to understand and communicate in English more easily and quickly.

Learners often push themselves to learn and use “advanced” or less common vocabulary in order to sound more educated.   This is a mistake.  You can communicate very well using only the most common words and simple sentences.   You must master this first.   This is the key to begin really thinking in English.   Of course, with time, you will master more vocab.  But start with the most common vocabulary first.

Immerse Yourself in Simple English from a Variety of Sources

The next step to thinking in English is to immerse yourself in simple English from a variety of sources. This means reading EASY English books, listening to EASY podcasts, and watching EASY videos.

The goal of immersion is to create massive repetition.   “Learning” phrases and common grammar is not enough.   You must master these skills so well that you effortlessly think IN English and never think ABOUT English.   In other words, when you speak your thoughts are in English, and you are thinking about your ideas.  You are NOT thinking about grammar rules or word choices.

To get this massive repetition you need  a mix of English materials, such as children’s books, beginner-level English graded readers, podcasts, lessons, and videos. As you become more comfortable, you can move on to more advanced materials.

Of course, you’ll need to do this for several hours every day.

Use Mini-Stories and Point of View Stories

Mini-stories and point of view stories are powerful tools to help you think in English. These stories are designed to help you learn English in a fun and engaging way.

Mini-stories are short stories that focus on a specific grammar structure and vocabulary words. They are designed to help you deeply learn (internalize) English using massive repetition, silly stories, and fun situations.

Point of view stories are similar stories that are told from different perspectives. They are designed to help you think in English grammar.   You learn to switch verb tenses naturally, thinking IN English but not thinking ABOUT grammar rules.

To use mini-stories and point of view stories, start by finding materials that are appropriate for your level of English. My Power English Course is a good place to start.

Listen to the stories several times daily, and try to understand them as best as you can. Then, practice telling the stories to yourself, using the same vocabulary and grammar.

By using mini-stories and point of view stories, you will be able to think in English more easily and naturally. You will also be able to use English in a wider range of situations.

Conclusion

Learning to think in English and speak fluently is not an easy task, but it is an essential one. By focusing on high-frequency vocabulary, immersing yourself in simple English from a variety of sources, and using mini-stories and point of view stories, you can improve your fluency and think in English more easily. Remember to practice every day, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. With time and effort, you will become a fluent English speaker.

Watch the full video episode here:

The post How to Think in English and Improve Your Fluency Easily: A Step-by-Step Guide appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.

Break BAD Habits Make GOOD HABITS

Why is it so hard to break bad habits and make good habits? What is the secret to healthy habits, study habits, work habits? Good habits create success.

In this video I discuss a chapter from ATOMIC HABITS.   Learn the secret to creating good habits that give you more success, greater health, greater wealth, and more happiness.

The post Break BAD Habits Make GOOD HABITS appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.

Excellent ENGLISH with Slow Practice

You can’t speak English well.  Your English pronunciation is bad so people don’t understand you.   You can’t remember new words when you are speaking.  When you listen to normal English audios it is difficult to understand.  You feel frustrated.

So you pressure yourself.  You try to speak faster.   You try to listen to faster audios.   You push yourself to understand faster, speak faster, read faster, write faster.   This creates more stress and more frustration.

Of course you want to speak English fluently and quickly.  You want to understand instantly.  Perhaps most of all, you want to feel relaxed and confident every time you have a conversation.   You want English speaking to feel effortless, the same as your native language.

The problem with always trying to go fast is that you can’t focus on details.   When you listen to audios that are too fast, you don’t actually hear or understand many words.  If you don’t hear them and don’t understand them, you will never learn them.  Trying to speak too fast is also a problem.   When you speak too quickly, your pronunciation often becomes even worse.   You speak faster, but no one understands you.   Communication gets worse, not better.

For example, I once had a Thai student who constantly focused on speed.  He wanted to speak faster (be more fluent).  Unfortunately, his pronunciation was bad.   Even when he spoke normally, it was hard to understand him.   But when he tried to speak quickly, it was impossible to understand him.   His pronunciation problems became worse.

The solution to these problems is to go SLOWER, not faster.   There is an idiom in English that says “slow is smooth, smooth is fast”.   This means that it’s best to first practice a skill very very slowly.   Concentrate.  Notice all of the details.  Learn and practice everything deeply.  Repeat a lot.   So instead of listening to faster audios, listen to slower audios. Listen carefully.   Notice every word and phrase.   Notice the speaker’s pronunciation.   And instead of trying to speak English faster, carefully speak more slowly.   Take your time and choose your words well.  Make your pronunciation as clear and understandable as possible.

This works because going slowly helps you create good accurate habits.  You train your brain to notice the details.  You train your brain to do things correctly.   With repetition, the correct skills become stronger and stronger.  Eventually, everything becomes automatic.  You understand automatically.  You use correct vocabulary and grammar automatically.   You speak with good clear pronunciation automatically.

THEN, you will automatically speed up.   Your speed will increase effortlessly.   You’ll find you can listen to faster audios but still understand them.   You’ll find that you are speaking more quickly, but still accurately and with good pronunciation.  Slow is smooth.  Smooth is fast.  When you reach this point, you can start to push yourself more and try to go faster.   But don’t do this until you have already done a lot of slow practice.

So many of my students have followed this method.  They listen again and again to fairly slow mini stories and point-of-view stories.  They “shadow” my speaking.  They do a lot of repetition.  They learn everything deeply and totally.

And then, naturally and effortlessly, their listening and speaking get faster.  They become fluent.   When you listen to my VIP members speak, for example, you notice how natural their English speaking is.  Smooth and fast.

When you feel stressed about your listening or speaking speed, don’t push yourself to go faster.  Instead, slow down.   Focus on slow practice.   You will, in fact, improve much more quickly!

When you are ready, join my VIP program (below the video) and use this same relaxed method.  You will speak English quickly and effortlessly.

The post Excellent ENGLISH with Slow Practice appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.

ENGLISH Learning for Beginners and KIDS | Review of Gemiini

Check out https://gemiini.org for more information.

The post ENGLISH Learning for Beginners and KIDS | Review of Gemiini appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.

ENERGIZE Your ENGLISH Learning

How to increase your motivation, energy, and enjoyment when learning English.

The post ENERGIZE Your ENGLISH Learning appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.

TEACH Your CHILDREN Well | Sonlight Curriculum Review | pre-K and K

How to teach your own children. English, math, and all subjects. A review of the Sonlight curriculum.

The post TEACH Your CHILDREN Well | Sonlight Curriculum Review | pre-K and K appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.

Overcome STRESS Now

The simplest and most powerful way to overcome stress now.

The post Overcome STRESS Now appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.

Four Secrets to SUPER SUCCESS

Achieve a great life by following these four secrets.

The post Four Secrets to SUPER SUCCESS appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.

Pronunciation Emphasis | Aesop

The same word can be pronounced differently, changing its meaning.

The post Pronunciation Emphasis | Aesop appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.

Super Skills For SUCCESS

Develop these personal super skills for lifelong achievement in all areas of your life.

The post Super Skills For SUCCESS appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.