How to improve my helpless English?

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[–]FormosaOolong 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

You do very well!

In my experience the best way to gain fluency is to practice, to chat with people live, as much as possible. Native speakers who don't speak your language are the best, because necessity forces your hand.

Next best, and really enjoyable, is to listen to music and watch movies with the lyrics/subtitles handy. It hones the listening skills, which are essential when talking with people outside of a classroom situation, because they'll talk fast, use slang, idioms etc. This is such a fun way to deepen your understanding and expand your vocabulary.

Anyhow, have fun with it -- the biggest leap is when you get over the fear of making an idiot of yourself! Once you feel free to make ridiculous mistakes (and you will) you will make huge leaps in your skills, as well as many very funny slips which will have the added bonus of causing hliarity!

Good luck! What's your native language, if you feel like sharing it?

[–]Snow 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Traditional Chinese.

[–]magnora7 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

You are 90% of the way to fluency, honestly. I read through some of your comments and there are many sentences in a row with zero errors.

They don't want to be a global trading power anymore. I know the nation is totally messed up right now.

This is 100% perfect. I couldn't phrase it better myself.

Just remember to put your spaces after the period and comma. That's the main thing that gives you away as not a native speaker, tbh. You should make the comma, then the space after. All punctuation (like ? ! . : ; , " ) has the space after, and there is always a space.

Your vocabulary and grammar is pretty good though. I never have any problem understanding you. I wish my Chinese was as good as your English is.

[–]Snow 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Do you want to sleep? 0.0

Just remember to put your spaces after the period and comma. That's the main thing that gives you away as not a native speaker, tbh. You should make the comma, then the space after. All punctuation (like ? ! . : ; , " ) has the space after, and there is always a space.

Thank you for the advice.

[–]magnora7 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

No problem. I should probably go to bed now haha, good idea. Goodnight

[–]sawboss 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Don't worry, most Americans don't understand English either.

[–]samwhiskey 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

To become a better drummer you practice drumming.

[–]Snow 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

But I think I will never better than a native.

[–]samwhiskey 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

No shit. and I'll never be the drummer neil peart is. So what? I'm a bad ass drummer in my own right. You're a bad ass english speaker in your own right. You rock that shit freaky bro.