Speaker A
You are intelligent, you understand what I'm saying right now.
Learn why your brain knows English but speaking is hard, and discover practical methods to improve your English speaking fluency.
Key Takeaways
- Speaking fluency develops through active mouth practice, not just silent study.
- Recognizing words is different from producing them; practice speaking to build production pathways.
- Automaticity in language requires focused repetition of specific phrases.
- Avoid overwhelming your brain by focusing on one language element at a time.
- Consistent, deliberate speaking practice is essential to unlock your English speaking ability.
What the video covers
- Your brain stores English knowledge and physical speaking skills in separate areas, requiring mouth practice to develop fluency.
- Recognizing words and producing them use different brain pathways; speaking requires building the production pathway through practice.
- Fluency requires automaticity, which develops through high repetition of specific expressions until speaking becomes effortless.
- Silent study of grammar and vocabulary is insufficient; speaking out loud repeatedly helps build retrieval and production skills.
- Focusing on too many language aspects at once overwhelms the brain and slows progress.
- A recommended method is to pick one phrase or expression and practice speaking sentences using it for several minutes daily.
- Speaking fluency is like a physical skill, similar to playing a musical instrument, needing consistent mouth practice.
- The video emphasizes changing study habits from passive review to active speaking practice to unlock spoken English.
- Repetition and variation in speaking sentences help strengthen neural pathways for language production.
- Mental overload occurs when learners try to improve vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation simultaneously without focus.
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
You can understand when many people speak English.
Speaker A
The problem is it won't come out when you want it to.
Speaker A
There are many reasons why, and today I am going to give you those reasons and how you can finally change this situation.
Speaker A
Are you ready? Well then, let's jump right in.
Speaker A
Here is reason number one: You've studied English, but your mouth hasn't practiced it.
Speaker A
You see, your brain stores knowledge in one place and physical skills in another.
Speaker A
There are two separate locations, one for knowledge and one for practical or physical skills.
Speaker A
Reading grammar rules and memorizing vocabulary builds your knowledge, but speaking is a physical skill, like playing the piano.
Speaker A
You can know every note on the page and still be unable to play the song.
Speaker A
Speaking fluency only develops when your mouth actually practices, not when your eyes study.
Speaker A
So currently, this is what you're doing.
Speaker A
This is your current situation.
Speaker A
You're reviewing grammar notes or your vocabulary lists, but you're doing it silently.
Speaker A
At home, reading through them, making sure you understand them, and you do.
Speaker A
And then you're wondering, though, why speaking is still hard.
Speaker A
It's because you're literally locked in.
Speaker A
You're focused, you're looking at the rules, but you're not using them.
Speaker A
Okay, Teacher Tiffany, that makes sense.
Speaker A
What can I do?
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How can I change this?
Speaker A
Here is the new method I want you to use.
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I want you now to take any sentence you just read or thought and say it out loud.
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Pay attention.
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So I want you to imagine that same notebook you have.
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You have an amazing notebook, and your notebook is full of sentences.
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Full of grammar rules, full of things you learned each and every day.
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And I want you to think of one of the sentences that you have written in your notebook.
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You've read that sentence many times.
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Your eyes have seen that sentence many times.
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You know that sentence in your brain.
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But now what do you need to do?
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You need to say it out loud.
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This is step number one.
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Step number two, then say it again in a slightly different way.
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Step number one now.
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Say it out loud.
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Let your mouth get practice.
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But you're not going to stop there.
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Step two, say it again in a different way.
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Say it in a different way.
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Your mouth just needs practice.
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Just like an athlete, you have to do something over and over again.
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Let your mouth practice.
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After you say it the second time, then do it again.
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You see, your mouth is practicing, not just your eyes.
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So once again, say it again.
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Your mouth needs practice.
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Your mouth needs an opportunity to say what you are learning.
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So the old way is just reviewing the grammar with your eyes.
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Reviewing the vocabulary with your eyes, storing the information here.
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The new way is to say it out loud three times.
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Reason number two.
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Reason number two is you recognize words easily, but can't produce them when you need them.
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Again, you are intelligent, you are smart, you are amazing.
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You know so much, but when you want to produce the words you've learned, they just won't come out.
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You see, recognizing a word and producing a word use completely different brain pathways.
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I want us to dive into this.
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Recognizing versus producing.
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So in your brain, I want you to imagine your brain has two different sides.
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Two different areas.
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One area is for recognizing.
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Now, you can recognize the word.
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You know exactly what the word is.
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You are recognizing the information.
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So let's say recognize.
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The challenge is when you go to speak, you need to produce the information.
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Well, to produce the information, you need to access a different part of your brain.
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So we have the recognize part and the produce section.
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Two different sections, recognizing and producing.
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Right now, you are recognizing what I'm saying.
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You are comprehending.
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But we need to access this side to help you produce.
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You see, years of reading and listening built your recognition pathway.
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So you understand words easily when you see or hear them.
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But the production pathway, the one you need when speaking, is much weaker because you rarely use it.
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Knowing a word exists is not the same as being able to retrieve it on demand.
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So let me tell you what's happening right now for you.
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Currently, let's say you're learning the word "exhausted" by reading it and knowing what it means when they see it.
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You know this word "exhausted."
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You understand, even if I were to use the term right now.
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Oh, I feel exhausted.
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You would recognize the term "exhausted."
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You understand, you comprehend this term.
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But now we need to change the way you are studying.
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Because you've learned the word, but we need you to actually produce the word.
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Here's the new method, your new study method.
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I want you to practice out loud, saying, "I'm exhausted.
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I'm drained.
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I'm worn out.
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I'm burnt out."
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You're building the retrieval path for each word by actually traveling it.
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Letting your brain travel from one part to the next and actually using it.
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So again, I want you to say out loud, "I'm exhausted."
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Now, instead of just knowing the word, you are producing it by saying it.
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You're retrieving it.
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Now I want you again to say out loud, "I'm exhausted."
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Now it's not just staying in your brain, it's actually coming out of your mouth.
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Use what you learn.
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Here is reason number three.
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Reason number three is nothing has become automatic yet, so everything costs energy.
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Nothing is automatic.
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Nothing feels like your native language just yet.
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So it costs energy.
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You see, fluency only happens when the basic mechanics of speaking, common grammar patterns, frequent phrases, standard pronunciation, require no conscious thought.
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I'm not thinking hard right now.
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Things are just coming out naturally because English is automatic for me.
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Just like your first language is automatic for you.
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You see, when nothing is automatic, every single element demands deliberate attention, and there is simply not enough mental capacity for all of them at once.
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Automation only develops through high-repetition drilling of one specific pattern at a time until it stops requiring effort entirely.
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For example, if I were to ask you, "Hey, what's your name?"
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Immediately you could say, "My name is," insert your name.
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If I were to say, "Hey, can you introduce yourself?"
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You would go right into your introduction.
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Why?
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You've practiced it over and over again.
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You've repeated it.
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Repetition makes it automatic.
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So this is what's currently happening with your studies.
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Currently, you are trying to improve everything at once, vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation.
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Spreading attention across too many things and making slow progress across all of them.
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Your mind is becoming overwhelmed.
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You're doing too many things at one time.
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So, if we're looking at what's happening in your brain, you are very intelligent.
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That is a fact.
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In your brain right now, you are, however, overwhelming it.
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You're putting so many things into your brain.
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And you're trying to process everything, pronunciation.
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Then you're focusing on grammar rules.
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And everything is going in at the same time.
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Maybe you're thinking about idioms.
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And what's happening, it's as if your brain is getting overloaded.
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And it feels like confusion.
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This is what it feels like in your brain.
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This is how you're currently studying.
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However, you need to change to this method.
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Pick one expression you want to use but always hesitate on, for example, "to be honest."
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You want to learn how to use "to be honest."
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Now, for five minutes every day this week, speak only sentences using that expression.
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So again, let's break this down.
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So, what we're going to do is this is your current situation.
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And we want to speak about a different situation.
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So, what you're going to do is select one expression, one phrase.
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And we've selected "to be honest."
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This is the phrase you're going to focus on.
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And again, what you're going to do is for five minutes every day this week.
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Speak only sentences using that expression.
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So, every day this week.
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Let's list out the days of the week.
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We have Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
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Five minutes for each day.
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You're going to spend five minutes each day.
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And what are you doing?
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You're saying sentences that include this phrase.
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Again.
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"To be honest..." Again, you can say things like, "To be honest, I wasn't sure what to say.
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To be honest, I prefer working in the morning.
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To be honest, that surprised me."
Speaker A
You're going to keep going until you can produce 10 sentences in a row without pausing.
Speaker A
That feeling, zero hesitation, zero effort, is what automatic means.
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Only then move to the next expression.
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So, after you are able to do this without pausing.
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10 sentences in five minutes using the expression.
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That means it's automatic.
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Then you move to the next expression.
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This is how you continue improving your English and making it automatic.
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Reason number four.
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Why it won't come out.
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You see, native speakers speak in phrases, you're still building word by word.
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We've spoken about this before.
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You have to learn the way that native speakers learn.
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You have to speak in chunks, in phrases.
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Like native speakers do.
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You see, fluent speakers don't construct sentences one word at a time.
Speaker A
I don't construct sentences one word at a time when I'm speaking English.
Speaker A
We actually retrieve pre-built chunks, fixed phrases, common expressions, collocations, and then assemble them almost instantly.
Speaker A
This is dramatically faster and easier than engineering each sentence from individual words.
Speaker A
When you study vocabulary as isolated single words, you miss the phrases that native speakers actually use and are left building slowly while everyone else is retrieving quickly.
Speaker A
So this is what your current study style looks like.
Speaker A
Currently.
Speaker A
You are learning the word, for example, "suggest" and writing down its definition alone.
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Then struggling to use it naturally in a sentence.
Speaker A
So again, look at this.
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You're learning the word "suggest."
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A very good word.
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A word that is commonly used by native English speakers.
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And your notebook right now might look like this.
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You put the word at the top of the page.
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Then you proceed to write the definition.
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And you memorize it.
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You say, "Oh, I know this word.
Speaker A
I can recognize the word."
Speaker A
Remember earlier, we spoke about the different sides of your brain.
Speaker A
Recognizing versus producing.
Speaker A
So you can recognize, yes.
Speaker A
The term "suggest."
Speaker A
The problem is, though, when you go to speak and use the word "suggest," it won't come out.
Speaker A
Why?
Speaker A
Because you've simply memorized the definition.
Speaker A
Here's the new way I want you to study.
Speaker A
In order to start using the vocabulary terms.
Speaker A
Every time you learn a new word, immediately find and say the phrases it lives in, never the word alone.
Speaker A
Listen, I want you to stop simply learning the words.
Speaker A
I want you to learn the phrases that the word lives in.
Speaker A
So, for "suggest," say out loud, "I'd like to suggest something."
Speaker A
So, now your new study pattern will look like this.
Speaker A
Instead of just memorizing the word, now you are saying the phrases that use this word.
Speaker A
For example, again, "I'd like to suggest something."
Speaker A
Say it out loud.
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"I'd like to suggest something."
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You're saying it out loud.
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You're not just memorizing the definition.
Speaker A
Or you can say, "Can I suggest an alternative?"
Speaker A
Say it out loud.
Speaker A
"Can I suggest an alternative?"
Speaker A
You're seeing the difference, right?
Speaker A
Memorizing versus actually producing.
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Using the term in real life, in phrases.
Speaker A
Or you could say, "She suggested we meet later."
Speaker A
And you're going to say them five times each.
Speaker A
So again, "She suggested we meet later."
Speaker A
Your mouth is going to get so much practice.
Speaker A
You see, you're not learning a word.
Speaker A
Now you are loading a phrase your mouth can fire as one complete unit.
Speaker A
It makes sense, right?
Speaker A
Excellent, all right, now we're moving on to reason number five.
Speaker A
Before we get to reason number five, though, I do want to let you know that if you want to continue studying with me.
Speaker A
If you see that your English is improving and you want to continue following a proven system, following daily lessons, I want you to enroll in the 365-day plan.
Speaker A
I've created a plan to take you from the upper intermediate level to the advanced level in a 365-day period.
Speaker A
If you want to enroll in the course, all you have to do is go to speakenglishwithtiffany.com/365plan.
Speaker A
Once again, speakenglishwithtiffany.com/365plan.
Speaker A
The link is in the description.
Speaker A
Now we're moving to reason number five.
Speaker A
Reason number five is you know the rule, but you still say it wrong.
Speaker A
You see, there are two completely different types of language knowledge in your brain.
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Explicit knowledge is the rule you can explain.
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Let's write this out.
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Explicit knowledge.
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So, in your brain, we have again, your brain.
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An amazing brain, you are so intelligent.
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So in your brain, we have what's called a side that focuses on.
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Let's change the color.
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Let's do this.
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We have explicit knowledge.
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All right, explicit knowledge.
Speaker A
And we're going to break down what this is actually referring to.
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So we have explicit knowledge.
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It's the rule you can explain.
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You understand the rule.
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You know the different parts of the rule.
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This is explicit knowledge.
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But implicit knowledge is the pattern your brain applies automatically without thinking.
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You don't even have to think about it.
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It just automatically is applied when you speak.
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So we have explicit knowledge.
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The one you can explain and implicit, the one that just automatically comes out without you thinking.
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You see, real-time speech requires implicit knowledge.
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This is what is required to speak English fluently.
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But studying only builds explicit knowledge.
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When you are studying, you are building explicit knowledge.
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Studying builds this.
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Studying is important.
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But you're seeing the disconnect.
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I need implicit knowledge to speak, but when I study, only explicit knowledge is built.
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The two do not automatically connect.
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The only bridge between them is spoken repetition.
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Again, spoken repetition being the bridge.
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So let me show you and explain to you how you're currently studying.
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Currently, you look up.
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Right, you're looking up when to use "make" versus using "do."
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Oh, when do I use "make" versus using "do"?
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Reading the explanation, feeling like you understand it.
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And then still saying, "do a mistake" or "make the dishes" instead of "make a mistake" and "do the dishes" in conversation.
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But you understood it.
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You understood the reasoning behind when to use "make" and when to use "do."
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You had the explicit knowledge.
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But that bridge, again, what? Speaking.
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Spoken repetition.
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You haven't done that yet.
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So the implicit knowledge is not being applied or used.
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So how can you start creating this bridge?
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This is what you need to do.
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You need to stop reading about it and speak 20 sentences out loud using common "make" and "do" expressions.
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Let me break this down.
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If you want to go from explicit to implicit knowledge.
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I want you to do this.
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So, when you are learning a new expression.
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Right, comparison.
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So right now we're comparing "make" versus "do."
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This is what we are focusing on.
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So what you need to do is have 20 sentences that properly use "make" and "do."
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20 sentences.
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But you need to say them out loud.
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Again.
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You need to say these sentences out loud.
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You need to speak.
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So, for example, let's say we are learning for "make," "make a decision."
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And for "do," "do your best."
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You're going to write sentences in your notebook.
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Using these terms.
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Then you're going to make sure you say them out loud.
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The important thing is to say them out loud.
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So, "make a decision," "do your best."
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It makes sense, right?
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Excellent, all right, now we're going to move to our next reason.
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Reason number six.
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You've trained your ears, but not your mouth.
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It's all about training.
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It's not about your intellect.
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It's not about how smart you are.
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Because you are smart.
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You are intelligent.
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You're listening to me speak English, which is not your first language.
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You're intelligent.
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The problem is you need to train your mouth.
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That's the main issue.
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You see, listening and reading build your ability to understand English, to comprehend English.
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But they do almost nothing to build your ability to produce it.
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Understanding and producing are two separate skills that develop independently.
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Again, understanding and producing.
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Two different skills.
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Which is why years of watching English content can leave your speaking ability far behind your comprehension.
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The production system only develops when you push yourself to actually produce language, not just receive it.
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So, currently, this is what's happening.
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You're watching a YouTube video in English.
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Maybe you're watching this lesson.
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I'm happy you're here.
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Welcome.
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Welcome.
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You're watching this video in English or listening to it via the podcast.
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You feel good, why?
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Because you understand it.
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You're smart, you're intelligent.
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And you're moving on.
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You understand it, you comprehend it.
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However, your mouth still has not gotten any practice.
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So, here's the new way I want you to study.
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I want you to pause at the end of each section and summarize what you just heard out loud in your own words in English.
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You just converted input into output.
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That's the gap closing.
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It's going in, and now it's coming out.
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As your summary, in your own words.
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It makes sense, right?
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Again, I want to emphasize, you are intelligent.
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Now we're just giving you the tools you need to train your mouth to start speaking English fluently.
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Here's reason number seven.
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Reason number seven is an editor inside your head interrupts you before you finish.
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And I've spoken about this editor.
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This editor lives in the minds of many English learners.
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It even lived in my mind when I was studying Korean.
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You see, your brain has this internal monitoring system that checks your English against the rules you've learned.
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Hey, we learned this rule, your speaking, does your word match what you learned?
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For many learners, however, this monitor runs in real time while speaking.
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While you're trying to have a conversation.
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Catching errors before they come out.
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The problem is that constant self-checking interrupts the natural flow of speaking.
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Every time you stop to correct yourself, you break the sentence, lose your train of thought, and signal to your brain that speaking is a high-risk activity.
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Uh-uh-uh, you're going to make a mistake.
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Don't speak.
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The monitor needs to be trained, however, to run after you speak, not during.
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Oh, this is powerful.
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So this is how you're currently speaking.
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This is what's currently happening in your brain with your monitor.
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So, you start a sentence, you hear a mistake in your head.
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You stop and restart.
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And then you lose confidence.
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And eventually go quiet.
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Instead of just getting the sentence out.
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So again, this is your current situation.
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So, as you're speaking, this is the new way I want you to study.
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All right, now I want you to first set a timer.
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Now, this timer is going to be important.
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The timer should be set for 90 seconds.
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And during that 90 seconds, you are going to speak without stopping.
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Whatever the topic is that you have chosen.
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Don't pause, no dots, no stopping.
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It doesn't matter if you make mistakes, just keep going.
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Whatever the topic is that you have chosen.
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Keep going.
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Don't let the editor have a say.
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Just keep talking.
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You see, the goal is flow, not accuracy.
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And I want you to do this every day.
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What is the goal again?
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The goal, flow, not accuracy.
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And I know it sounds weird for you as an English learner.
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Because you always want to be correct.
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But remember, we're trying to help you get out what you put in.
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In order to do that, you have to shut down your editor.
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Just get the information out.
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Here is reason number eight.
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Why you know English, but it doesn't come out.
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Reason number eight is your English gets worse the longer the conversation goes.
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Has this happened to you before?
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You start off and you feel good, but as the conversation goes on, it's like, "Oh, this is not coming out the way I'd like it to."
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You see, speaking English requires constant self-regulation.
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Suppressing your native language, monitoring your output, and managing the social situation.
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This regulatory capacity is real, but finite.
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Controlling, regulating what's happening, you can do it for a period of time.
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But not continuously.
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You see, it depletes, it stops over the course of a conversation.
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The same way a muscle fatigues during exercise.
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The longer you speak without a break, the less capacity remains, which is why mistakes increase, retrieval slows, and frustration grows toward the end of long interactions.
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Training in focused bursts protects and rebuilds that capacity.
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What does this look like?
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So, currently, this is what's happening.
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You're trying to practice English for an hour straight and noticing the quality falling apart after 20 minutes.
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Which feels discouraging.
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You're sitting there in your room, you're practicing.
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You're trying to do your best.
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You've set this timer and you're trying to study.
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Right, again, you're very intelligent.
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You say, "Hey, you know what? I want to study for a long period of time.
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You want to focus for a 60-minute period.
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Right?
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You want to study for 60 minutes, so you have it like this, broken up.
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And you're like, "Okay, I'm going to study this is 10, this is 10, this is 10, this is 10, this is 10, this is 10."
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So we get to 60.
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50, 40, going backwards, 20.
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The problem is, so you start off.
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Woo, you are focused for that first 10-minute period.
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You're focused for the 20 minutes, then all of a sudden there starts to be this breakdown.
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Around the 30-minute, 40-minute, 50-minute, 60-minute, the last 40 minutes of your study period.
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You realize it's not as effective as the first 20 minutes were.
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You see what's happening.
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This is causing you stress because you're not retaining information.
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This is how I want you to study moving forward.
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Here's the new method.
Speaker A
Practice in three focused 15-minute bursts with breaks in between rather than one long session.
Speaker A
Each burst starts fresh.
Speaker A
Your brain has the regulatory capacity for focused sprints.
Speaker A
It runs out during marathons.
Speaker A
So we're changing the way you're studying.
Speaker A
So, here is the new breakdown.
Speaker A
All right, you're still going to get your 60 minutes in.
Speaker A
But you have breaks in between.
Speaker A
So, right here is your 15-minute burst.
Speaker A
Number one, then there is a break right here.
Speaker A
You have a break.
Speaker A
Then you have another 15-minute burst right here.
Speaker A
Then you have a break.
Speaker A
Now, we're doing three of these, so it's only going to equal up to 45 minutes.
Speaker A
But it's going to be more effective than that 60 minutes we spoke about a few minutes ago.
Speaker A
And then a final 15-minute burst.
Speaker A
You see, in between, we have these breaks.
Speaker A
And these breaks gives your gives your brain time to process what you studied during that 15-minute burst.
Speaker A
This is why this is more powerful.
Speaker A
You see, each burst starts fresh.
Speaker A
Your brain has the regulatory capacity for focused sprints.
Speaker A
Why? You gave it a break in between the 15-minute bursts.
Speaker A
It runs out during marathons.
Speaker A
However, when you do it in bursts, your brain has enough energy.
Speaker A
So, it's like the first one.
Speaker A
You're just going, going, going, going, going, going, going, going, and it's overwhelming.
Speaker A
The second one, you go, stop.
Speaker A
You go, stop.
Speaker A
You go and you actually get stronger.
Speaker A
You're building, it's a compounding effect.
Speaker A
So, study in bursts instead of trying to do a marathon.
Speaker A
Here is reason number nine.
Speaker A
Reason number nine, the wrong version arrives faster than the right one.
Speaker A
You see, every time you say something, correctly or incorrectly, your brain strengthens that version's retrieval pathway.
Speaker A
If you've said "very tired" thousands of times when "exhausted," "drained," or "burnt out" would have been stronger, the basic version has a very fast, very strong pathway.
Speaker A
The better version, which you learned later, has a weaker one.
Speaker A
Under pressure, the brain defaults to whichever path is fastest.
Speaker A
And that is almost always the one built by years of repetition, not the one learned recently.
Speaker A
The only way to fix this is to make the better version faster than the default one through massive spoken repetition.
Speaker A
So let me show you what you are currently doing.
Speaker A
Your current study pattern.
Speaker A
You know "exhausted" is more precise and natural than "very tired."
Speaker A
But always defaulting to "very tired" because it comes out automatically after years of use.
Speaker A
How can you change this?
Speaker A
Here's the new way I want you to study and practice.
Speaker A
I want you to identify one word or expression you always fall back on and speak 30 sentences out loud using only the stronger alternatives every day for a week.
Speaker A
Now, don't be scared.
Speaker A
Again, we're trying to break this pattern that has been built in your brain.
Speaker A
So, what are you doing?
Speaker A
Again.
Speaker A
In your brain, or no, let's do it this way.
Speaker A
You have certain phrases that you enjoy saying.
Speaker A
You need to identify what those phrases are.
Speaker A
First step again is to identify the phrase you like saying very often.
Speaker A
For example, let's say "very tired" is the phrase you say all the time.
Speaker A
So, let's write it.
Speaker A
"Very tired."
Speaker A
And remember, we need different options or we need alternatives for "very tired."
Speaker A
This is what you're used to saying.
Speaker A
Now you want to have 30 sentences using only the stronger alternatives.
Speaker A
So, what are some alternatives?
Speaker A
First, we have "exhausted."
Speaker A
Again, we're just writing the alternative.
Speaker A
Like "drained" or "burnt out" or "worn out."
Speaker A
So we have "drained" and then we have "burnt out."
Speaker A
Right, "burnt out."
Speaker A
And we also have "worn out."
Speaker A
These are some alternatives.
Speaker A
Now, what are we going to do?
Speaker A
You are now going to write 30 sentences using these alternatives.
Speaker A
Again, not what you've been saying.
Speaker A
Not saying "very tired," instead using the alternatives.
Speaker A
Again, 30 sentences.
Speaker A
Using "exhausted" in a sentence.
Speaker A
"Drained" in a sentence.
Speaker A
"Burnt out" in a sentence.
Speaker A
"Worn out" in a sentence.
Speaker A
Using the alternatives instead of what you always use.
Speaker A
All right, replace it with these terms.
Speaker A
Until one of them arrives before "very tired" the next time you speak.
Speaker A
You're going to do this every day for a week.
Speaker A
This is how you finally say what you know.
Speaker A
I hope you enjoyed this lesson.
Speaker A
And I'll talk to you in the next one.
Topics:English speaking fluencylanguage learningspeaking practiceEnglish study tipslanguage productionfluency developmentEnglish vocabularylanguage automationspeaking skillsSpeak English With Tiffani
