We are social beings and we need to connect with people for social purposes and in order to successfully work and study with others. At the moment, English is known as the global language of the world and it plays a vital part in international business and education. Those who can communicate successfully in English have an advantage over those who don’t.

Is it better to speak to a native English speaker or with a non native speaker? Both have advantages and disadvantages.

If you have a native English speaker in a business meeting, then the non native speakers may feel intimidated if their English is not of the same standard. They may be unwilling to ask for clarification for fear of showing their lack of English knowledge.

But on the other hand, it has been said that it is always better for English language learners to speak with native speakers as they can be more understanding. They can pick through any errors spoken. I also think that some English speakers are in awe of English language learners who have made the effort to learn English- usually to a much higher standard than any foreign language the English speaker can speak. There is also no cultural shame involved when talking to a native English speaker, as opposed to speaking to someone of the same culture.

It’s also incredibly easy to be misunderstood. We think we are saying one thing and the other person understands something completely different! Here are some tips to help yourself be understood and avoid misunderstandings.

Slow down your speech

Speak at a slower rate, but remember not to speak down to people or treat them as if they aren't intelligent or not as important.

Enunciate clearly

This means to pronounce your words fully. Slowing down can help you with this, to give you time to position your mouth so that you can say the sounds required.

Tone of voice

Make sure that your tone (the way a person is speaking to someone that shows how they are feeling) matches the message that you are trying to say. Sometimes when we are trying hard to get the grammar right and say the right words in the right order, we forget ‘how’ we say the words and the tone is not right.

Body language

How we sit or stand, the hand gestures and facial expressions we use, can all help us to be understood. Making eye contact is also vital.

Learning about other cultures

You will feel more confident in communicating with others if you know a little bit about the person's culture. This doesn't just mean learning about British culture. There are more than 743 million non-native speakers (those who speak English as their second language) in the world, which means it’s very likely that you will need to speak English with someone who isn’t speaking English as their first language. As the world becomes more international, we need to be able to communicate with people from other nationalities and cultures, and this using the English language.

Repeat

Sometimes it’s not that the other person doesn’t understand what you are saying - it could be that they just didn’t hear you. Maybe you were speaking too quietly. But make sure you don’t assume that by shouting at someone they will understand you more. I had a friend in Chile who always started speaking really REALLY loudly when I said that I didn’t understand her. The fact was I didn’t understand the words she was using, but she assumed that she wasn’t talking loudly enough or that I had trouble with my hearing!

Rephrase

Sometimes just using another word will help you to be understood. And this is also good when you can't think of the word you want to use in English. Just search for another way of saying the same thing. A lot of people just freeze and don't say anything when they can't think of a word. Fluency is the key. Move around the blockage - don't let it stop you from moving forward!

Say when you don’t understand something

Don’t be afraid to say if you don’t understand something. In English speaking cultures, it’s always acceptable to say when you aren’t sure about something - there is no shame in asking for clarification. One way to do this is to echo back what the other person is saying, to ensure that you have understood the point they are making.

Don’t worry too much about your accent

It’s not something that is a necessity in order to be understood. You don’t need to sound like a native speaker to be able to study or work in English - you just need to be able to communicate efficiently. It’ also quite difficult for adults to learn to have a native speaker accent if they haven’t been exposed to the language as a child - although it is not totally impossible, it is more difficult. When looking at pronunciation, learners should aim to be more understandable and not worry so much about accent. You don’t need to speak the Queen’s English or Received Pronunciation, or RP for short, which are the accents traditionally thought to be typically British’. Everyone has an accent- even within Britain. It just depends where you learnt your English as to what accent you pick up

Make sure you read your audience

Think about the people you are talking too and make sure you use the right tone and words in order to get your message accross

Avoid humour

It may not be understood and you will confuse your audience! What is funny in your language/country might not be funny in another country!

I hope that you have found these tips on making yourself understood useful and that you continue to enjoy your language learning journey with WLE.

Thanks for reading - see you soon!