6 Grammar Rules That Will Help You Speak English Fluently

Have you been learning grammar for years but still not able to speak English fluently?

This is huge problem for most English learners.

There are many English language learners who know all the grammar rules but have zero confidence with usage.

The result is a lot of struggling when it comes to speaking English fluently.

Should you learn perfect grammar or should you speak English even if you know you are making some mistakes?

Grammar is the idiosyncratic and somewhat mysterious backbone that makes a language truly unique from another one, so, yes, it can often also be the hardest to grasp.

English grammar is vastly different from Spanish grammar or Chinese grammar.

As a result, how we structure sentences become very different, and difficult to learn.

Having an intellectual understanding of grammar can be helpful for some learners, but for others, it’s more about repetition, memorization, and getting idiomatic phrases onto their tongues.

Spoken English Practice is an English School that discourages students from studying too much grammar. There are a few reasons for this:

1. Studying grammar is not how you learned your first language as a child. You just started speaking! You can do the same thing as an adult, learning English.
2. There are far too many grammar rules to learn. Most grammar rules have exceptions and exceptions to those exceptions. A normal person can’t learn all these rules.
3. Even if you make small mistakes in grammar, if you speak clearly and confidently most people will understand you. Your grammar does not have to be perfect.
4. If you process grammar rules in your head every time you speak, you will not look natural or fluent. If you study too much grammar this would happen.

How to Speak English Fluently

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The goal is that they, like most native speakers, don’t really have to conceptualize each grammatical piece.

If you are still not convinced, ask yourself this question:

I have studied grammar for years. Why can’t I still speak English fluently?

The reason is it is failed, old method of learning English.

However, in order to start speaking English, there are some basic grammar concepts that you should learn.

If you have taken an English lessons at school or with a private tutor, you probably would know these.

But it is always good to look at these core concepts every few months.

The more time you spend practicing conversational English with a native teacher, the better you would start understanding these grammar rules.

1.) Present Tense and Present Continuous

Present Tense – I watch TV every day

The present tense refers to something that happens daily. In other words, it is a habit.

Present Continuous – I am watching TV now

The present continuous tense refers to an action that is taking place at the present moment

2.) Past Tense and Present Perfect

Past Tense – I ate ice cream yesterday

The past tense refers to something that happened yesterday. The verb ate indicates the past tense of the irregular verb eat.

Present Perfect – I have eaten ice cream many times

The present perfect tense refers to an action that has begun in the past but connected to the present. It is formed using the past participle , eaten.

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3.) Simple Future and Immediate Future

 Simple Future – I will study music in university

The simple future is a way of expressing something that will happen in the future

Immediate Future – I am going to study music in university

The simple future is a way of expressing something that is planned to happen in the future

4.) Present Tense and Present Progressive

 Present Tense – I am a great dancer

The present tense refers to a present condition.

Present Progressive – I am dancing to music.

The present progressive expresses an action that is happening right now.

5.) Regular Verbs and Irregular Verbs

There are 2 types of verbs in the English language; Regular Verbs and Irregular Verbs. Most verbs are regular.

Regular Verbs have a pattern

Jane plays with the doll.

Jane played with the doll yesterday.

Jane is playing with the doll.

Jane like to play with the doll.

Irregular Verbs do not have a regular pattern. The best way to learn irregular verbs is through practice.

Do not to memorize lists of irregular verbs. This is a waste of time and energy.

Jane eats fish.

Jane ate fish yesterday.

Jane had eaten fish everyday after moving to Thailand.

Jane is eating fish right now.

6.) Subject Pronouns vs. Object Pronouns vs. Possessive Pronouns

The role of pronouns fall in to 3 different categories. Subject pronouns, object pronouns and possessive pronouns.

Let’s the take the example, Richard swims.

Richard is the subject pronoun as he is the one who swims

You can also say, he swims, referring to Richard. In this case, Richard is replaced with the pronoun he. This is an object pronoun.

A possessive pronoun shows relationship or ownership.

Ben is talking about Richard’s swim.

Free English Learning Tip

Please do not try to memorize these grammar rules.

That will not help you speak English fluently and naturally.

Rather, read and understand these grammar principles and then forget about them.

Once you start practicing with your English conversation partner, re-visit these every few months. They will start making more sense to you and you will learn natural ways to apply them in your English speaking.

Some final thoughts…

How to Speak English Fluently without killing yourself with Grammar

English grammar is always difficult for students.

However, rather than focusing only on grammar, through conversation, students can learn proper sentence structure and basic rules for English grammar. Conversation is key to learning any language.