You Can Speak English Without Studying Abroad: What Busy Adults Should Do First

“I bet if I could study abroad, my English would improve so much...”

Many people have probably thought this.

Going there.

Daily being surrounded by English.

Becoming able to speak like a native.

Certainly, that is the ideal.

But the reality isn't that simple.

There is work.

There is family.

Money and time are not infinite.

That's why many people, even if they want to learn English, cannot choose to study abroad.

The important thing here is not to be ashamed of that reality.

Having a reason you can't go isn't running away.

It's just having a life.

Not being able to study abroad and giving up on English are not the same thing.

English can be improved without studying abroad.

However, you need study that follows the correct order, not just “study-like” activities.

This time, I will organize what you should do to become able to speak English without going abroad.

After reading this, it won't end as a “dream story”; it will surely become clear what you should cut out starting tomorrow and what you should spend your time on.

If you want to be able to speak English, first accept this

If you want to be able to speak English, starting suddenly with speaking practice is painful.

Because if you don't have the materials to put out of your mouth, you can't put anything out.

This is a very obvious point.

But when it comes to English, many people forget it.

I want to speak. So, online English conversation. Anyway, talk to foreigners. Maybe if I watch something on Netflix, I'll get used to it.

I understand the feeling well.

But if you only increase practice without materials, you'll often get exhausted before you improve.

So, it's better to accept this first.

English is not something you get good at by skipping the basics.

The “Basics of English” are more plain than you think

If asked what the basics of English are, the answer is surprisingly plain.

• Junior high school grammar
• Daily conversation level English vocabulary, about 1500 words

Some people might be disappointed here.

They want to hear something more like a “trick.” They want to know a shortcut.

But the more people become able to speak, the more they eventually return here.

For example, even if they can say “How are you?”,

when it becomes “Were Tom and Chris well yesterday?”,

the number of people who suddenly get stuck increases.

The reason is not the amount of vocabulary, but because they can't handle rules in their head like:

• Who is the subject?
• Is it plural?
• What is the tense?
• Is it a question form?

In other words, memorizing phrases alone doesn't allow for application.

To overcome this, you need the basics.

Wanting to “speak” without basics is like cooking without ingredients

There is one sense I want you to have here.

Speaking English is not about words miraculously coming out when there is nothing in your head.

It is instantly arranging the materials you have and putting them out.

So, if there are no materials, nothing comes out.

This is a very important perspective.

People who can't speak don't lack ability.

They might just have few materials.

Thinking this way makes what you need to do a bit clearer.

If you want to improve English without studying abroad, this is the first priority

If you:

• Cannot study abroad
• Have limited money and time
• But still want to be able to speak English

Then the first priority is quite clear.

1. Solidify junior high school grammar

You don't need to memorize it perfectly.

Bring things like subjects, tenses, questions, infinitives, and auxiliary verbs to the point where you can use them in sentences yourself, not just “understand if explained.”

Once you learn the grammar, try making your own sentences on the spot.

It's important not to stop at just knowing the rules, but to actually write out sentences using the usage you learned.

2. Put 1500 words in a “usable form”

Vocabulary books are not for looking at.

Know the meaning. Say it out loud. Make it so you can use it for simple paraphrasing.

Even if difficult nouns don't come out, it's okay if you can convey it with easy paraphrasing.

First, let's master the basic words.

3. Secure input time first

English doesn't improve just with the desire to do it.

It takes time.

Moreover, “doing it in spare time” is not enough.

One hour in the morning. One hour after returning home. The videos you watch. The drinking parties you go to casually.

If you want to change in half a year, you need to cut something like drinking parties and commit to English.

This isn't a platitude; it's reality.

From here on, it's “training,” not “study”

Once the foundation is in to some extent, it's better to change your mindset from there.

From here, it's “training” rather than “study.”

Why?

In conversation, you can't stop like when you're reading.

You can't think deeply like when you're writing.

In other words, what's needed is instantaneous power rather than knowledge itself.

To gain that instantaneous power, the following three things are necessary.

1. Instant English Composition

This is quite plain.

But it's strong.

Using the knowledge in your head, you instantly turn what you want to say into English.

You will get stuck at first. That's natural.

But that “place where you got stuck” shows your current weakness.

The good thing about Instant English Composition is not just writing, but being able to shorten the time it takes to switch from Japanese to English.

2. Talking to yourself in English

I also recommend this.

Because there is no partner:

It's okay to be slow. It's okay to get stuck. It's okay to restate.

Because of that, you can increase the number of times you actually speak.

Talking to yourself in English allows you to create output opportunities by yourself 24 hours a day, anywhere.

It doesn't have to be perfect sentences.

About today. What you see now. How you feel now.

First, turn that into English.

This accumulation becomes the precursor to conversation.

3. Online English Conversation

Online English conversation is not the main character from the start.

But it is very strong after some basics are in.

Because:

• You can see mistakes you don't notice yourself
• Your listening is also tested
• There is pressure to respond instantly
• You get a sense of actual practice

Online English conversation is effective as a place to find points for improvement you can't notice in solo practice and to acquire practical instantaneous power.

In sports, you put in actual practice after basic drills, right?

English is the same.

If you can't study abroad, you have to create the “environment” yourself

The good thing about studying abroad is that you are forced into an English environment.

But if you can't study abroad, you have to create that yourself.

• Fix a time to be exposed to English every day
• Decide on a time for reading aloud
• Make talking to yourself a habit
• Put online English conversation into your week
• Reduce the number of days that end only in Japanese

Even without studying abroad, people who can design their environment will improve.

Conversely, people who design nothing because they can't study abroad will stop.

This is where the difference is made.

You can speak English without studying abroad. But “seriousness” is required

Finally, just one most important thing.

“It's impossible because I can't study abroad.” This is wrong.

But “I can manage with light effort because I can't study abroad” is also wrong.

To say it correctly, it's this:

You can speak English without studying abroad.

However, you need to seriously build up the basics and training.

English is a process, not a dream.

• Put in the basics
• Put in the vocabulary
• Do Instant English Composition
• Talk to yourself
• Practice online
• Don't gloss over what you don't understand
• Continue that

If you do this much, things will change.

It's not flashy. But it's quite strong.

So if you're thinking right now, “I'm at a disadvantage because I can't study abroad,” I don't want you to stop there.

Rather than whether you're at a disadvantage, what you build up starting today will change the world you see in six months.

I post daily about things I learned living abroad and useful English.

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@dextablog