As a Chinese learner, what actually works for improving spoken English? / myLot

China

October 17, 2026 9:46pm CST

Hi everyone, I’m a Chinese learner trying to improve my English, especially speaking and listening. I can read okay, but when it comes to real conversations, I often freeze up. I feel like textbook English and real-life English are two different things. I know there are many “how to learn English” posts out there, but I want to hear from real people here on myLot — what actually worked for you or someone you know? A few specific things I’m curious about: • When you were learning (or if you’ve helped others), what was the single most useful habit? • Is it better to focus on pronunciation first or just talk and fix mistakes later? • Do you think watching movies/shows without subtitles really helps, or is it just entertainment? • For a Chinese speaker, what’s the biggest mistake you see us making? I’m not looking for a magic app or a “learn English in 30 days” promise. I want to know what real people did that made a difference. Thanks in advance — I really appreciate any honest advice.

6 people like this

5 responses

nawala

@nawala123 (24316)

• Indonesia

Me too. In early i studied English all is grammar but in fact after having conversation our vocabs matter too. So more we practice with native more we know

4 people like this

Anna

@LadyDuck (504476)

• Italy

I am Italian, so I also need to improve my spoken English. Of course, talking with English speaking native people is the best. At first it's more important to talk, understand what the others say and do not focus too much on pronunciation. You can improve this little my little. The most common mistake for Chinese speaker is not to use past tense and omitting articles.

3 people like this

Judy Story

@jstory07 (149724)

• Roseburg, Oregon

Practice makes for perfect. Just practice.

1 person likes this

Shiva

@Shiva49 (28750)

• Singapore

Just now

I moved to another country and started speaking the language as I had to when everyone else was speaking that. It is easier if you move to an English speaking country. Of course, now we have videos to fastrack the process.

Michael

@Wrexxo (9590)

•

Freezing up is normal, reading skills just don't turn into speaking until you actually talk out loud a lot. Try talking to yourself or a language partner for ten minutes every day, even if its messy. Just talk first and fix mistakes later, thats what helped most people I know.

1 person likes this