How long it takes to be fluent in English?

"When will I get fluent in English?"- This is the most frequently asked question by all English learners. Children pick up listening and speaking skills rather quickly than adults, that’s why you learned your native language without even trying that hard. You don’t even realize when you got fluent in your native language. You just knew it somehow!

The answer lies in your environment. Everyone around you was talking in their native language when you were little, so you picked it up easily. With English as a secondary language, you don’t get that kind of environment that is necessary to develop fluency. Hence, it becomes more difficult because practice is the key here. The more you speak, the better you be.

How much time does it take to be fluent in English for a beginner?

A beginner here is someone who speaks and understands very little English. They even have trouble writing a proper sentence in English. If you work really hard at least five days a week and spend at least five hours daily, then a beginner can achieve some level of fluency in a year. But, it depends on lots of other factors too. And, the learner must take care of these factors to make the most of their learning time.

A proper timetable is required to be followed religiously. Perseverance is the key here. You might feel like giving up or bored but you just have to keep going. The best way to keep going is to enjoy the process of learning. Try some fun ways to learn English and don’t see it as a burden or don’t be afraid of this language. ‘Anyone can learn English and be fluent in it.’ Remember this!

How much time will you take if you know English but lack fluency?

For a person who has the basic knowledge of English, can understand everything really well and speak well too, they might take even lesser time than beginners. If you understand everything written in English or even when you listen to someone talking in English, then it means that you are already good at this language, you just need some practice.

Most of the people feel that though they are good at English, they are not fluent or they cannot express themselves clearly. They even make some minute mistakes sometimes. It happens because they forget words and hesitate while speaking. For them, it just takes six months of regular practice with someone who is an expert in a language and can help you whenever you make a mistake while speaking.

For being fluent in English, you need to talk in English as much as you can. At the same time, you need to enrich your vocabulary. If you make it a habit of speaking in English for at least three hours a day and learn a few new words every week, then you can be fluent in English within six months.

Find a friend or a classmate with whom you can practice speaking English. If you can find someone who is better than you then it is the best thing ever. They can guide you whenever you get stuck or make a mistake, this will expedite your progress.

If you just want to practice alone, then try to talk with yourself about a certain topic. First, you can learn some words, then use them while you talk. Try to record your voice and listen to it afterward. This will help you in tracking your improvement. You might notice that you are improving and gaining confidence. Try to talk in English with the person behind the counter whenever you go out. This will also help you to build your confidence. When you lose your fear of speaking you are on the right track. Just keep practicing and soon you will achieve your goals.

Read: How can one be fluent in English?

Read this article to get some amazing tips for becoming a fluent English speaker.