How to Make Your English More Natural: 5 Tips

You know the words, you build sentences, but something is still missing? Lifehacker tells how to make English more natural and lively.

Do you try to speak English correctly, but it sounds like you are copying from a school textbook? You learn the words, you know the grammar, but Carriers still, you are immediately "figured out"? It's not about mistakes - everyone makes them - but about how you speak. Experts have shared 5 techniques that will make yours speech more natural.

1. Use abbreviations

Native speakers speak quickly, fluently, and naturally. They often abbreviate words and expressions. This is because full constructions like going to or want to sound too formal in everyday conversations. To speak more naturally, it is important to master such abbreviations.

On the subject: Stop Talking Like a Textbook: 10 Ways to Make Your English Natural

The best way is to listen to native speakers talk. Movies, TV series, podcasts, or interviews will help here. At first, it will be difficult to perceive abbreviations by ear, but over time, you will begin to distinguish them and use them in speech.

The most popular options:

• to get ready: going to → gonna;
• want: want to → wanna;
• needed: got to → gotta;
• let me, allow me: let me → lemme;
• give me: give me → gimme;
• I don't know: don't know → dunno;
• because: because → 'cause;
• second: a second → a sec;
• from: out of → outta;
• type: kind of → kinda;
• something like: sort of → sorta;
• you: you → ya;
• come on: come on → c'mon;
• not to be, not to appear: am not, are not, is not, have not, has not → ain't;
• you all: you all → y'all;
• would have → woulda;
• should have: should have → shoulda;
• could: could have → coulda;
• heap: tons of → tonsa;
• what are you: what are you → whatcha;
• what do you want: what do you want to → whaddaya wanna.

Let's consider in context several abbreviations that are actively used in everyday speech:

• I'm gonna call her later.
• Whaddaya wanna do in the evening? — What do you want to do in the evening?
• I'm really sorry, but I gotta go now.
• Let me see if I can help you.
• Gimme a sec. I'll finish this chapter and join you.
• I don't know if Jim is coming or not.

2. Work with intonation to speak expressively

In English, it's not just what you say that's important, but how you say it. The same phrase can sound completely different — intonation matters a lot. For example, the simple word really changes its meaning depending on how it's delivered:

Surprise, with a rising intonation: Really? - Really?!
Skepticism, with a drawn-out intonation: Really… - Really?
Disappointment, lowering his voice: Oh, really… - Well, yes, of course…

The same thing works with other simple phrases. See how the meaning changes depending on how you say them.

When you want to motivate your interlocutor to take action, use a rising intonation: Come on! — “Come on, come on!” And if you need to express dissatisfaction or irritation, say the phrase with a lowering tone: Come on… — “Well, that’s enough…”

If you want to express surprise, say the word seriously with a rising intonation: Seriously? - "Seriously?!" And when you want to demonstrate sarcasm or irritation, lower the tone of your voice: Seriously? - "Seriously?.." (Here we go again...)

If you want to show genuine enthusiasm, the intonation should be rising: Oh, great — “Great!” And to express sarcasm with the same phrase, you should lower the tone: Oh, great — “Well, just wonderful…”

3. Use phrasal verbs

Living English is the language spoken in cafes, instant messaging apps, and work breaks. It is more relaxed, with speakers using lots of abbreviations, idioms, slang, and phrasal verbs.

Phrasal verbs are the basis of this English. These are constructor verbs. They can look like this: verb + preposition, verb + adverb, or verb + adverb + preposition. These constructions replace formal expressions and make speech natural. And without them, it is difficult to understand the conversation of native speakers.

Let's compare formal verbs and their colloquial phrasal synonyms:

• to cancel: to cancel → to call off;
• to continue: to continue → to carry on;
• to find out, to find out: to discover → to find out;
• to invent: to invent → to make up;
• to raise a topic: to raise (a topic) → to bring up;
• to tolerate → to put up with;
• to recover → to get over;
• to collect → to pick up;
• to postpone: to postpone → to put off;
• to return: to return → to come back;
• to meet unexpectedly → to run into;
• to be similar: to resemble → to take after;
• to reduce: to decrease → to cut down;
• to handle → to cope with;
• appear: to appear → to turn up / to show up;
• to explain: to explain → to break down;
• to examine, to look into: to examine → to look into;
• to omit, to leave out: to omit → to leave out;
• to reject: to reject → to turn down.

The more phrasal verbs you master, the easier it will be to perceive the speech of native speakers and to sound as if you have been in an English-speaking environment for a long time.

Here are some examples. Thus, to cancel is more often used in a more formal context, when it is important to emphasize the seriousness of the situation: We regret to inform you that the meeting has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.

The phrasal verb to call off is more often used when talking about less formal things. For example, about plans with friends: We had to call off our dinner plans because I got sick.

The same goes for the verb to reject - it means "to reject" and is used in formal situations: She rejected my offer to help her with the project - "She rejected my offer to help her with the project."

And the phrasal verb to turn down is always useful when you need to refuse something, decline an offer, invitation or request, but in the circle of friends, colleagues and acquaintances: I had to turn down their invitation to the party because I was feeling tired.

4. Learn to talk about nothing

In an English-speaking environment, any conversation often begins with a couple of stock phrases - about the weather, plans for the weekend, or simply about how the day is going. And it is precisely these lines that help establish contact and create a friendly atmosphere.

To show that you are open to communication, use typical phrases that native speakers use to start a conversation:

• Traffic was crazy this morning — Today the traffic jams were terrible.
• Can you believe this weather? - Just look at the weather!
• Busy day today?
• Looks like it's gonna rain — It looks like it's going to rain soon.
• Any plans for the weekend? — What are your plans for the weekend?
• How's your day going?
• What a beautiful day, huh? — What a beautiful day today, huh?

Please note: no one expects long answers and reasoning from you. Your task is not so much to discuss the topic, but to show your involvement and ability to maintain a light conversation.

5. Don't ignore emotional reactions

In natural English speech, people actively use short emotional reactions, interjections and exclamations. With their help, they express surprise, joy, sympathy or irritation, but most importantly, they help maintain a dialogue. After all, it is very important to show the interlocutor that you are listening to him, reacting to his words.

A dry Okay or Alright may sound unemotional and not in English. But a vivid reaction will show your involvement and understanding of the language. Compare the two responses to the line:

Guess what? I got the job!
Oh, okay.

No way! That's awesome!

Other common reactions that carriers use can be seen below.

Surprise and shock:

• No way! - Come on! It can't be!
• Are you serious?! — Are you serious?!
• You're kidding!
• Oh my gosh! / Oh my God! - Oh God!
• That's unbelievable!
• I can't believe it!

Reactions to bad news:

• Oh no… — Oh no…
• That sucks!
• I'm so sorry to hear that.
• That's terrible!
• What a shame! - What a pity!

Expression of delight and joy:

• That's awesome! / That's amazing!— That's amazing!
• That's fantastic! - That's just fantastic!
• How cool is that?! — How cool is that?!
• I'm so happy for you!

Doubt and sarcasm:

• Oh, really? — Really? (depending on intonation, it can express either interest or skepticism).
• Yeah, right… — Yeah, right…
• You don't say! - What are you saying! (sarcastically).
• Give me a break! - Oh, come on!

Irritation and dissatisfaction:

• Oh, come on! - Oh, come on! / Come on!
• Seriously?! — Seriously?! (discontent).
• That's ridiculous! — This is ridiculous! / This is ridiculous!
• I can't believe this! - I can't believe this! (with annoyance).