πŸ—£οΈ Speaking Practice Lesson

Master speaking skills with grammar tips, phrasal verbs, idioms, and timed practice activities

45-60 minutes
All Levels
Individual or Group

πŸ“š Essential Grammar for Speaking

Present Simple

Use for habits, routines, and general truths.

+ I work from home every day.
- She doesn't like coffee.
? Do you speak English?

Present Continuous

Use for actions happening now or temporary situations.

+ I'm studying English right now.
- They aren't working today.
? Are you listening to music?

Past Simple

Use for completed actions in the past.

+ I visited Paris last year.
- He didn't come to the party.
? Did you see that movie?

Present Perfect

Use for experiences, changes, or actions with present results.

+ I've been to Japan three times.
- She hasn't finished her homework yet.
? Have you ever tried sushi?

Future Forms

Will, going to, and present continuous for future.

Will: I'll help you with that.
Going to: I'm going to study tonight.
Present Cont: I'm meeting her tomorrow.

Modal Verbs

Can, should, must, might, would for different meanings.

Can: I can speak three languages.
Should: You should see a doctor.
Must: We must finish this today.

πŸ’‘ Important Things to Remember

Pronunciation Tips

  • Focus on stress patterns in words
  • Practice linking words together
  • Pay attention to intonation
  • Don't speak too fast - clarity matters
  • Record yourself and listen back

Fluency Strategies

  • Use filler words naturally (well, actually)
  • Don't translate from your native language
  • Think in English
  • Practice speaking regularly
  • Don't worry about perfection

Conversation Skills

  • Ask follow-up questions
  • Use active listening techniques
  • Show interest with body language
  • Paraphrase to check understanding
  • Share your own experiences

Common Mistakes

  • Avoid using "he/she" for objects
  • Remember article usage (a, an, the)
  • Use correct prepositions
  • Watch subject-verb agreement
  • Be careful with false friends

πŸ’¬ Common Idioms & Expressions

SPILL THE BEANS
THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL
BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW
LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG
WALK ON EGGSHELLS
JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON
THROW IN THE TOWEL

πŸ—£οΈ Pronunciation Guide

Word Stress Patterns

  • PHO-to-graph β†’ pho-TO-gra-phy
  • RE-cord (noun) β†’ re-CORD (verb)
  • Stress affects meaning and clarity
  • Practice with a dictionary's stress marks

Common Pronunciation Mistakes

  • TH sounds: /ΞΈ/ (thin) vs /Γ°/ (this)
  • V vs W: vest vs west
  • L vs R: light vs right
  • Silent letters: knee, psychology, island

Linking & Connected Speech

  • "Check it out" β†’ "Check-it-out" (link words)
  • "Can I" sounds like "CanaΓ―"
  • "Want to" β†’ "wanna" (informal)
  • Practice natural speech flow

Intonation Patterns

  • Rising tone for yes/no questions β†—
  • Falling tone for statements β†˜
  • Rising-falling for wh- questions
  • Emphasis changes meaning

πŸ’‘ Practice Tip

Record yourself speaking and compare with native speakers. Focus on:

  • Rhythm and flow of speech
  • Word stress and sentence stress
  • Intonation patterns
  • Pronunciation of difficult sounds

πŸ‘‹ Conversation Starters & Useful Phrases

Starting a Conversation

β€’ "How's it going?"
β€’ "What have you been up to lately?"
β€’ "Did you have a good weekend?"
β€’ "I love your [item]. Where did you get it?"

Keeping a Conversation Going

β€’ "That's interesting! Tell me more."
β€’ "Really? What happened next?"
β€’ "I see what you mean. Have you tried...?"
β€’ "That reminds me of..."

Expressing Opinions

β€’ "In my opinion..."
β€’ "I think/believe that..."
β€’ "From my perspective..."
β€’ "The way I see it..."

Showing Agreement

β€’ "I totally agree with you."
β€’ "That's exactly how I feel!"
β€’ "You have a good point there."
β€’ "I couldn't agree more."

Politely Disagreeing

β€’ "I see your point, but..."
β€’ "I respect your opinion, however..."
β€’ "That's one way to look at it, though..."
β€’ "I understand, but have you considered...?"

Ending a Conversation

β€’ "It was great talking to you!"
β€’ "I should get going, but let's catch up soon."
β€’ "Thanks for the chat! Have a great day!"
β€’ "We should do this again sometime!"

πŸ”„ Essential Phrasal Verbs for Speaking

BRING UP
COME ACROSS
FIGURE OUT
GET ALONG
LOOK FORWARD TO
PUT OFF
RUN INTO
TAKE AFTER
TURN DOWN
WORK OUT
CATCH UP
GIVE UP

Timed Speaking Practice

Your Speaking Topic:
Click "New Topic" to get started!
00:00
Timer display

Random Speaking Questions

Speaking Question:
Click "New Question" to get started!

🎀 Self-Assessment with Recording

Record Yourself Speaking

One of the best ways to improve your speaking is to record yourself and listen back. You can use your browser's built-in recording features or your phone's voice recorder to practice.

What to Listen For:
  • Pronunciation of difficult sounds
  • Speaking speed and rhythm
  • Use of filler words (um, uh, like)
  • Grammar mistakes
  • Clarity and confidence
  • Natural intonation patterns

πŸ’‘ Pro Tip: Record yourself answering the same question multiple times over several days. You'll notice improvement and build confidence!

πŸ”— Common Collocations for Natural Speech

Collocations are words that naturally go together. Using them makes your English sound more fluent and native-like!

Strong Collocations

Make: make a decision, make a mistake, make progress
Do: do homework, do business, do your best
Take: take a break, take action, take responsibility
Have: have a chat, have an effect, have doubts

Adjective + Noun

β€’ Heavy rain/traffic (not "strong rain")
β€’ Strong coffee/evidence (not "powerful coffee")
β€’ Fast food/asleep (not "quick food")
β€’ Highly unlikely/recommended (not "very unlikely")

Verb + Preposition

β€’ Depend on, rely on, count on
β€’ Consist of, approve of, think of
β€’ Belong to, listen to, refer to
β€’ Deal with, agree with, cope with

Time Expressions

β€’ In the nick of time (just in time)
β€’ For the time being (temporarily)
β€’ At the last minute (very late)
β€’ In the long run (eventually)

βš–οΈ Debate Topics for Advanced Practice

Practice expressing and defending your opinions on controversial topics. Remember to support your arguments with examples!

TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY
EDUCATION & LEARNING
WORK & LIFESTYLE
ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY
HEALTH & WELLBEING
CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT

🎭 Role-Play Scenarios

Practice real-world situations! If studying alone, imagine both roles. With a partner, take turns playing different parts.

πŸ“ž Hotel Reservation

Scenario: Call a hotel to make a reservation for 3 nights.

  • Ask about room availability and prices
  • Inquire about hotel amenities
  • Request a room with specific features
  • Confirm booking details

πŸ₯ Doctor's Appointment

Scenario: Visit a doctor for a health concern.

  • Describe your symptoms clearly
  • Answer questions about your medical history
  • Ask about treatment options
  • Clarify medication instructions

πŸ’Ό Job Interview

Scenario: Interview for your dream position.

  • Introduce yourself professionally
  • Discuss your strengths and experience
  • Ask intelligent questions about the role
  • Handle difficult interview questions

πŸ›οΈ Customer Complaint

Scenario: Return a defective product to a store.

  • Explain the problem politely but firmly
  • Provide relevant details (receipt, date, etc.)
  • Negotiate a refund or exchange
  • Remain calm if facing resistance

✈️ Airport Check-in

Scenario: Check in for an international flight.

  • Present travel documents
  • Request seat preferences
  • Ask about baggage allowance
  • Inquire about flight details and gates

🍽️ Restaurant Reservation

Scenario: Make a reservation and order at a fancy restaurant.

  • Book a table for a special occasion
  • Ask for menu recommendations
  • Handle dietary restrictions or allergies
  • Request modifications to dishes

πŸ“– Creative Storytelling Prompts

Develop your narrative skills! Choose a prompt and speak for 2-3 minutes, focusing on descriptive language and story structure.

Story Starters

β€’ "I'll never forget the day when..."
β€’ "It was the strangest thing I'd ever seen..."
β€’ "Everything changed after I opened the letter..."
β€’ "The phone rang at 3 AM, and I knew something was wrong..."

What If Scenarios

β€’ What if you could travel anywhere in time?
β€’ What if animals could talk for one day?
β€’ What if you woke up with a superpower?
β€’ What if you won $10 million tomorrow?

Picture This

β€’ Describe an abandoned house on a hill
β€’ Tell the story behind an old photograph
β€’ Imagine life in a floating city in the clouds
β€’ Describe the perfect day from start to finish

Character Development

β€’ Describe someone who changed your life
β€’ Create a fictional character and their backstory
β€’ Tell a story from your pet's perspective
β€’ Imagine meeting your future self in 20 years

πŸ’‘ Storytelling Tips

  • Use the past tenses correctly (simple, continuous, perfect)
  • Include dialogue to make your story more engaging
  • Use sensory details (what you saw, heard, smelled, felt)
  • Build suspense with expressions like "suddenly," "meanwhile," "at that moment"
  • End with a clear conclusion or lesson learned

Your Speaking Practice Stats

0
Practice Sessions
0
Minutes Practiced
0
Topics Completed