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12 Top Resources for Mastering Daily English Conversation
As a child, I could read and understand English perfectly when I heard it, but I couldn’t speak it because I didn’t have the confidence.
Despite knowing what to say, I’d frequently stumble, stammer or say the wrong things.
It was then that I realized that in order to properly learn the language, I would have to speak it and be exposed to as much daily English conversation as possible.
It turns out, you can become fluent with just a little bit of conversation practice, and in this post, I’ve curated a list of daily English conversation resources to get you started!
Contents
- Apps
- Websites
- Podcasts
- YouTube Channels and Videos
- Courses
- How to Incorporate Daily English Conversation into Your Routine
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Apps
Apps are one of the most useful and easy ways to learn something new. All you need is a smartphone and a decent internet connection, and you can download a relevant app and begin learning.
Plus, to keep you motivated, most apps come with reminders, notifications and badges, so that you can make learning a daily activity.
Video Apps
If you’re more of a visual learner, then these two apps should help you master English conversation quickly and nicely.
FluentU
FluentU uses a technique called immersive learning, where instead of learning a language by memorizing the grammar rules, you’re exposed to it naturally.
FluentU teaches you English with videos featuring native speakers. So, whether it’s a news clip, a movie trailer or a music video, it will be authentic English content that you’re learning from. Among their videos, they have quite a few on conversations alone, so you can learn what to say at a restaurant, at a party, between friends and so on.
You can use the interactive subtitles to look up words that you want to learn more about and see them used in example sentences and additional videos.
You can create your own vocabulary lists and flashcard sets, and there are personalized quizzes to help you review what you learn.
Audio Apps
However, if you’re someone who learns better by reading or listening or both, then take your pick from these two apps.
English Conversation
Available: Android
This app contains over 500 dialogues, thus covering almost any common topic in English. Plus, most of the content is available offline, which means you can just download the app and start listening. Whether you want to talk about a relevant issue or you’re looking for the right way to end a conversation, this app has it all.
Plus, the app comes with a built-in dictionary, so you can look up the meaning of unfamiliar words as you encounter them. This is also a good way to memorize new vocabulary.
To make the most of this app, choose a conversation and let it play in the background as you go about your day. That way, you’ll get used to the rhythm and flow of the language even when you’re not actively focused on learning.
Websites
There are plenty of good educational websites out there, and here are two of them that I think are great for daily English conversations.
TalkEnglish.com
For a go-to website devoted to daily English conversations, this one is excellent. They have hundreds of conversations, all carefully listed by topic, including greetings, college-related dialogues, dating, family, health and more.
Within each category, there are a number of lessons, and every lesson contains enough variety to keep you engaged and to make you realize that there isn’t any right or wrong answer. A conversation can have multiple appropriate responses, and you should choose what works best for you given the context.
You can choose to simply read the conversations, or you can even play the audio to learn diction and pronunciation.
Basic English Speaking
On the other hand, if you’re looking for conversations on very specific topics, such as museums, pollution, gardening or health problems, then this site has quite a lot to offer you.
There are 75 audio lessons in all, each with its own video, audio file and transcript. So, if you like learning things slowly and precisely, this is a good resource.
Moreover, each conversation is pretty short, lasting only one or two minutes, so you can devote your time to listening to just one conversation a day and making the most of it.
Podcasts
Podcasts are great for those who spend a lot of time commuting. While you’re traveling home from work on the subway or you’re stuck in a doctor’s waiting room, you can turn that time into something productive by listening to an educational podcast.
All Ears English
If you’re looking for a resource that covers regular conversational material as well as IELTS and Business English resources, this podcast is your best bet. Divided into three sections and sorted into several categories, you can choose to listen to episodes that best match your learning needs.
For instance, if American English is your main focus, you can listen to episodes listed under “American culture.” You’ll learn some useful vocabulary, correct pronunciation and important facts about American life that’ll help you tremendously.
If you require the transcripts, you can subscribe to the podcast and have them delivered to your inbox. Plus, they even have a “Read More” section that’ll help you with vocabulary, show you the right way to use certain words and even give you some questions to think about.
RealLife English
A lot of podcasts are edited and scripted for clarity and ease of hearing. But real-life conversations aren’t always like that and contain pauses, silences and unfinished sentences. So, if you’re looking for a taste of how English is really spoken, then give RealLife English a listen.
They have over 130 episodes, all of which deal with common topics and expressions. So whether you’re looking for ways to not offend someone accidentally or you need the right words to express your enthusiasm about the World Cup, this podcast has it all.
Plus, there’s a strong focus on learning slang, short forms and different colloquial expressions that are very useful in friendly or informal situations. Every episode comes with a word list that you can refer to in case you don’t know any particular expression.
YouTube Channels and Videos
YouTube is a wonderful learning resource that’s also free. There are thousands of educational videos on it that you can watch anytime. In fact, the next time you’re on a break, instead of scrolling through social media, watch a YouTube video and learn something new.
Daily English Conversation’s YouTube Channel
Daily English Conversation is a channel that, as you guessed it, focuses entirely on everyday dialogues. It’s perfect to sharpen your listening skills, improve your pronunciation and learn important words, and their content is suitable for learners across all skill levels.
While some of the videos are as short as two minutes, there are some which go on for half an hour, an hour or even over four hours.
My tip would be to go through their playlists. There’s one called “Spoken English Conversation with Subtitles” that’s particularly useful and will give you a crash course on communicative English. Whether you’re looking for the right words to use during an emergency or just some travel vocabulary, this playlist will cover all your bases.
Single Videos
Many of us lead busy lives and cannot always watch a two-hour-long video every day to learn English. In that case, there are some channels that condense all the vital information into one or two videos.
Instead of devoting two hours every day or every other week, you can watch just one video and get most of the information you need. This is best suited for beginners looking for an introduction or those in need of a crash course that covers all the important bits in a short span of time.
For instance, the video “Everyday English Conversations” from Boston English Centre is just one and a half hours long and will give you an overview of how English conversations generally sound.
Similarly, the video “50 Daily English Conversations” by Eko Languages is a little over an hour long and covers around 50 different scenarios you might normally encounter, such as being late to work or describing an office room.
If you’re not looking for a lot of detail, give these videos a shot (a try).
Courses
Online courses are perfect for those who don’t have the time to attend or access to local language classes. Online courses can be completed at your own pace and often come with a certificate that can boost your job prospects. Here’s a free and a paid course that you can check out.
Espresso English’s Speaking Course
Espresso English offers a variety of courses and e-books to help you master the English language. Their courses are designed to be self-paced and can be downloaded so you can study offline. Plus, with no time limit, you can take as long as you need to complete each course.
There’s an excellent paid course to help you master the art of English conversations. By devoting just 15 minutes of your time every day, you’ll get proper training and guidance to speak English fluently.
There are two levels to this course, one for pre-intermediate and intermediate students and the other for upper-intermediate and advanced students, and you get a discount if you purchase them together.
First off, you’ll learn how to best express yourself in different situations (such as in a restaurant or when talking on the phone). You’ll also learn how to give criticism, agree and disagree on certain issues and request things from people.
Finally, the course takes a self-study approach. You listen to a dialogue, learn the new words and practice by taking quizzes or sending your own pre-recorded voice memo to a member of Espresso English for feedback.
Sounds too good, right?
Introduction to Conversational English Course on Alison
When it comes to online courses, Alison is a trustworthy name. They have a free course called “Introduction to Conversational English – Revised” that you might find particularly useful.
It’s very good for beginners and those traveling to an English-speaking place for the first time. You’ll learn what to say to someone when you meet them and pick up some techniques that’ll help you express yourself with confidence.
Moreover, you can complete the course within two hours and even get a certificate that you can add to your CV as proof of your English-speaking skills.
How to Incorporate Daily English Conversation into Your Routine
Before you scroll down to view the resources below, it might be useful to supplement your educational program with these handy tips and tricks.
- Watch or listen to English conversations. The more exposed you are to the English language, the faster you’ll learn. So, watch Hollywood movies or Netflix series, paying attention to the way people talk and interact with one another, or listen to podcasts.
- Talk to people in English. If you don’t speak it, you’ll never be fluent in the language. Find locals with whom you can converse in English. There are also plenty of apps that connect speakers from all around the world, so you can look people up to find someone you can practice your English skills with.
- Make vocabulary lists of the most commonly-used words. If you follow everyday English conversations closely, you’ll notice that certain phrases or words are repeated more than others. The more relevant vocabulary you know, the easier it’ll be to express yourself. So, make word lists in order to memorize common vocabulary.
- Read English conversations and solve exercises. When you’re bored of listening, take a break by reading conversations and solving comprehension exercises. Reading a conversation will help you with understanding the structure and syntax of the English language.
- Use a variety of learning material. The more varied your program is, the more interesting it’ll be. So, for learning how to speak, don’t just limit yourself to a TV show or a podcast. Instead, use apps, YouTube channels and specific online courses like the ones listed below to find what’s perfect for your needs and to make learning more engaging.
So, are you all set for some English conversation?
In short, if you want to use and speak the language well, you need to focus on the communicative aspects of it by picking up useful vocabulary and phrases to use in daily conversations.
Patiently listen when people speak, and soon you’ll understand how sentence structure and the flow of the language work. And, make it a point to apply what you’ve learned by speaking English whenever you can.
With daily practice, conversing in English will come naturally to you!
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
