You want to learn English speaking, to speak English smoothly, and be able to speak the English language and not freeze when you talk to a native speaker correct? Try changing to these two study methods to help achieve your ESL goal to be fluent in English faster.

First, how do you study English vocabulary? Do you study words or phrases? Do you have a notebook and write down words with their definitions in them? This is good, but it is better to start concentrating on learning new words in phrases instead.

How Did You Learn Your Native Language?

Did you memorize word definitions? No one learns their native language like that; we learn phrases. So if you learned your native language like that why would you try to learn ESL English language like that? The answer is we should not.

We know that learning phrases, with the new words in those phrases helps our memory and our ability to use the word when we need it in conversation. Learning the definitions of words does not help us speak ESL at all. It forces our mind to translate before we can use the idea with an English language word.

When you learn a new word, and write it down and study it in a phrase, it is more natural. It has more power to connect in our minds with other memories of language this way, and available for us when we want to use it quickly with ease. There are many sorts of language study websites to learn English online, and as you are working with one start using this technique to learn new vocabulary

Importance of Creating a Vocabulary Phrase Notebook

The second important thing for ESL students to learn English is stop writing down meanings of English words in your native language. You must have a notebook, a vocabulary book that you write down new English words, but only in phrases you create with the new word.

Change this English Vocabulary Notebook to your English Vocabulary Phrase Notebook today. If you do not have a notebook especially for this, then you need to start one right away. If you do have one, then change the way you enter new words in it from now on.

Let us do an example? Say you have discovered the word "spotlight" from an article you were reading. The sentence using it was this: The 2016 Olympics in Brazil has caused a spotlight on Rio de Janeiro's crime problem worldwide.

You look the word up in an online English language dictionary and you find the first meaning: A strong beam of light that illuminates only a small area, used on a stage performer. You find the second meaning: Public attention and focus.

Avoid Translating New Vocabulary Word: Focus on the English Meaning

Must ESL students are taught to write the word in their vocabulary notebook with the definition, and then the sentence that it is used in and most ESL students just write the definition, followed by a word in their native language that translates it. This is part of the reason you are taking so long to become fluent - you are learning English in a way that forces your mind to translate it when you use your English.

The better way is simpler, faster and more effective to learn ESL English, and then to use it when the time comes. Just write the word in a phrase that you create, not copying down one from the article or from the dictionary. All it has to be is five or six words, sometimes three or four word phrases work just as well. For instance, your entry might look like this: spotlight - TV news spotlight today was on Obama. That is it. How hard was that? Easy. Right?

So, to learn English faster to become a more fluent speaker, and use your new vocabulary words quickly, stop studying words, and start studying phrases. Create a Vocabulary Phrase Notebook and start using this method for making entries.

Richard Dauer is an ESL teacher and creator of http://www.online-english.org website for ESL students, focusing on learning English online ESL classes, courses, pronunciation, software and private tutoring. He teaches ESL classes in Santos, Brazil, and an ESL pronunciation on Skype. For more insight and ideas for improving your English language speaking, fluency and pronunciation visit his website - http://www.online-english.org/.