When you first begin to try to speak English, you’re probably going to find that the silences between your words are longer than the words themselves. That’s not because you don’t know how to speak English, it’s because you’re not using the most effective strategies when practicing. Don’t try to speak a lot at once. Start with small phrases, and repeat them over and over. Make small changes to the phrases, and try to say the same thing a few different ways.
Repetition will help you feel more comfortable, and the more comfortable you feel, the less you’ll pause. When you’re speaking English, try to make a simple sentence, and then change one word at a time. For example, start with “I went to the store yesterday.” Then change the place, then the time, then the action. Repeat each sentence aloud, even if it feels awkward. Make small changes like this to train your mouth and your brain, so that you don’t have to pause as much to think of words.
When you do pause, stop trying to make a perfect sentence. Just focus on getting to the end of the sentence. One of the main reasons you’re pausing is because you’re trying to translate whole thoughts from your first language into English. This takes a while, and it often doesn’t make sense. Instead, use sentence structures you already know, and fill them in with words you do know. If you don’t know a word, don’t try to find it.
Use a word that is close enough, or makes sense in the context of your sentence. If “appointment” does not come to mind, saying “meeting” keeps the flow going. The more you focus on fluency, the smoother your speech will become. You don’t need to practice speaking English for hours every day. Even five or ten minutes a day can be helpful. Spend five minutes repeating a few key sentences until they feel natural.
Then use another five minutes to create your own variations, speaking them aloud without reading. In the final five minutes, describe something around you, like your room or your plans, using any words you can recall. You’re still going to have moments where you pause and don’t know what to say, but don’t worry. That’s part of the process. When you do pause, don’t start your sentence over again. Instead, pause for a second, think of the easiest way to continue, and continue.
Over time, you will begin to pause less and less, and your sentences will start to run together more smoothly. Eventually, speaking will start to feel more natural, and you will no longer feel like you’re struggling to find the right words.