# Why You Can Understand English But Can't SPEAK | English Podcast 🎧

An episode of [Simple English Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1853750935), 14 Apr 2025, 12 min.

Audio: https://anchor.fm/s/fcaca268/podcast/play/101253731/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2025-3-14%2Ff3e5ef24-f4f7-e551-190c-4d57e4c5a5ac.mp3

Welcome back to Simple English Podcast! In today's episode, we explore an interesting topic: Why You Can Understand English But Can't SPEAK🧠💬 🎁 Here is the FREE PDF file of today's episode: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c-he-PM0jcpJzen_MvwwHxjHOV_l4S1E/view?usp=sharing This episode is packed with insights and tips to help you overcome the speaking barrier, improve your confidence, and start communicating in English fluently. You'll learn:✅ Common reasons why learners struggle with speaking English.✅ Practical techniques to boost your speaking skills.✅ Tips to build confidence and practice effectively. 👉 Enjoying the content? Please like, comment, and share your thoughts on your English learning journey! ▶ Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel https://www.youtube.com/@Simple_English_Podcast ▶ Other Playlists :📚 Stay Curious, Stay Interesting: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsbz9Bb8oy2VqtHSacvmZkxSCxl7f30y5 🎧 Learning English With Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsbz9Bb8oy2V5VSbapb_9kYsbJF8q4F_Y 🎙️ English Podcast for Beginners: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsbz9Bb8oy2XIs_941NSfNTgJ_P-iyeVH #EnglishPodcast #Podcast #Education #Language #LearnEnglishPodcast #SimpleEnglishPodcast

## Transcript

[0:04] Hi everyone, welcome back to the Simple English Podcast.
[0:07] I'm your host, Lisa, and today we're diving into a topic that
[0:11] almost every English learner has struggled with at some point.
[0:14] Picture this. You're watching a movie in
[0:16] English and you understand most of it, but when someone asks you
[0:19] a question in English, you freeze.
[0:22] Sound familiar? Oh, absolutely, Lisa.
[0:25] It's such a common experience, I've met so many people who say
[0:31] I can understand English but I can't speak it and honestly it
[0:36] can be super frustrating. Exactly.
[0:39] And that's what we're talking about today, why this happens,
[0:42] and more importantly, how to fix it.
[0:46] Joining me is our guest Lucas, an experienced English teacher
[0:50] and language coach. As always, don't forget to check
[0:54] out the free PDF file in the comments section below to get
[0:57] the full transcript and vocabulary for this episode.
[1:05] Lucas, welcome to the show. Thanks Lisa, I'm excited to be
[1:09] here and share some tips. This is such an important topic
[1:12] because, let's face it, speaking English confidently can change
[1:16] your life. Absolutely.
[1:18] So whether you're tuning in from your couch, on your commute or
[1:21] during a walk, stick around. We've got real life examples, a
[1:25] fun fact, and practical advice just for you.
[1:28] All right, Lucas, let's dive deeper.
[1:30] Why do you think so many people can understand English but feel
[1:33] stuck when it's time to speak? Great question, Lisa.
[1:37] One big reason is what I like to call the passive active gap.
[1:42] Understanding is passive. You're listening or reading.
[1:47] Speaking, though, is active. You have to recall words, form
[1:51] sentences, and say them out loud all at the same time.
[1:56] That's a lot of work for your brain.
[1:59] That makes sense. It's like watching someone cook
[2:02] versus actually cooking yourself.
[2:04] Watching looks easy, but when you try it you realize how many
[2:07] steps are involved. Exactly.
[2:11] And another reason is fear. Many learners worry about making
[2:16] mistakes or sounding silly. Let me give you an example.
[2:20] I once had a student, Maria, who could understand her favorite
[2:24] English TV shows perfectly, but whenever she tried to talk to
[2:28] someone in English, she froze. Why?
[2:32] She was afraid of being judged. Oh, poor Maria, but I bet she's
[2:37] not alone. Fear is a big obstacle for many
[2:39] people. What can they do to overcome it?
[2:43] Practice is the key to overcoming fear, but let's break
[2:46] that down. First, create a safe space for
[2:50] yourself. Talk to yourself in English at
[2:53] home. Describe your day, your plans,
[2:57] or even what's in your fridge. It might feel silly at first,
[3:01] but it's a great way to get comfortable with speaking.
[3:04] That's a great tip. I've also heard about shadowing.
[3:08] You listen to someone speaking and try to repeat exactly what
[3:10] they say, right? Yes, shadowing does fantastic.
[3:15] It's like mimicking a native speaker.
[3:18] You're not just practicing pronunciation, you're also
[3:21] learning natural sentence structures and rhythm.
[3:25] For example, you can try shadowing a scene from a movie
[3:29] or a podcast like this one. Oh, maybe our listeners can
[3:33] shadow this podcast. What else can people do?
[3:37] Another helpful technique is to record yourself speaking.
[3:41] Play it back and listen to how you sound.
[3:44] It can be a little uncomfortable at first, but it's a great way
[3:47] to track your progress. True, and it helps you notice
[3:51] areas for improvement like pronunciation or fluency.
[3:55] What about people who say I don't have anyone to practice
[3:58] with? Good question.
[4:01] These days it's easier than ever to find a language partner
[4:05] online. There are apps like Tandem or
[4:09] Hello Talk where you can connect with people who want to practice
[4:13] your language while helping you practice theirs, and if that
[4:17] feels intimidating, start with chat.
[4:20] Writing can bridge the gap to speaking.
[4:23] That's so true. And let's not forget about
[4:26] technology. Tools like voice assistance,
[4:29] Alexa, Siri or Google can be great for practicing.
[4:33] You can ask them questions or give commands in English.
[4:36] Exactly. And here's another thing.
[4:38] Don't underestimate the power of reading aloud.
[4:42] If you're reading a book, newspaper, or even subtitles on
[4:45] a video, try reading it out loud.
[4:48] It trains your mouth to get used to forming English words.
[4:52] That's brilliant. It's like exercising your
[4:55] English muscles. And Speaking of muscles, I've
[4:58] heard that pronunciation can be tricky because some sounds don't
[5:01] exist in a learner's native language.
[5:04] Is that true? Yes, that's absolutely true.
[5:08] For example, the TH sound in English doesn't exist in many
[5:12] languages. Learners might replace it with
[5:15] AD or S sound, which is fine at first, but over time practicing
[5:22] those tricky sounds will help you sound more natural.
[5:25] That reminds me, accent reduction is another area that
[5:29] can hold people back. Some learners feel embarrassed
[5:32] because of their accent. What's your take on that?
[5:36] Accents are a part of your identity, and having one isn't a
[5:40] bad thing. The goal should be to be
[5:42] clarity, not perfection. Focus on being understood, not
[5:47] sounding like a native speaker. Think about how many native
[5:50] English speakers have regional accents and they communicate
[5:54] just fine. I love that communication over
[5:59] perfection. Speaking of that, some learners
[6:02] say they can't find the right words when speaking, even though
[6:05] they know them. What's happening there?
[6:08] That's called retrieval failure. Your brain knows the word, but
[6:13] it's like the file is buried in a cluttered drawer.
[6:16] To fix this, repetition is key. Use new words and sentences,
[6:21] write them down and say them out loud.
[6:24] The more you use a word, the easier it becomes to recall.
[6:28] Great advice. What about grammar?
[6:31] Should learners focus on it when speaking or should they just
[6:34] wing it? I'd say don't let grammar hold
[6:37] you back. Think about toddlers.
[6:40] They don't know grammar rules, but they still communicate.
[6:44] As long as your message is clear, that's what matters.
[6:49] Grammar improves naturally over time as you speak more.
[6:53] That's a relief for a lot of listeners, I bet.
[6:56] So to recap, it's about practice, embracing mistakes and
[7:00] focusing on communication. Any final tips before we move
[7:04] on, Lucas? Yes, immerse yourself as much as
[7:08] possible. Surround yourself with English
[7:12] through music, movies, podcasts, and conversations.
[7:16] Even if you're not speaking all the time, your brain is
[7:19] absorbing patterns and structures that will help you
[7:22] when you do speak. I love that it's like creating
[7:27] an English bubble for yourself. These tips are gold, Lucas.
[7:31] I hope our listeners are taking notes because this advice is so
[7:34] practical. Thanks Lisa.
[7:36] Remember, speaking is a skill and every word you say in
[7:40] English is a step forward. Keep at it and you'll see
[7:44] progress. All right, Lucas, let's take a
[7:51] quick break from tips and share a fun fact.
[7:54] Did you know that the average adult English speaker knows
[7:57] around 20,000 to 35,000 words, but in daily conversations they
[8:02] only use about 3000? Wow, that's such a small
[8:07] percentage, but it's also great news for learners.
[8:11] You don't need to know every word in the dictionary to have
[8:14] meaningful conversations. Exactly.
[8:18] Focus on learning those high frequency words first.
[8:21] It's like having the most useful tools in your toolbox.
[8:25] That's right, and here's another fun fact.
[8:28] Studies show that the more you use a word, the easier it
[8:31] becomes to recall it in the future.
[8:34] So repetition really is key. Love that.
[8:39] So listeners, next time you're learning new words, remember,
[8:42] practice makes permanent. Well, Lucas, we've covered a lot
[8:50] today. Let's quickly recap for our
[8:52] listeners. First, understanding English is
[8:55] passive, but speaking is active, so it takes more effort and
[8:59] practice. Right.
[9:01] And don't let fear hold you back.
[9:04] Start small, speak often, and don't worry about making
[9:07] mistakes. Focus on communication, not
[9:10] perfection. And remember, you don't need a
[9:13] huge vocabulary to start speaking, just learn the basics
[9:17] and build from there. Absolutely.
[9:20] Speaking is a skill, and like any skill, it improves with
[9:24] practice, so don't give up. Great advice, Lucas.
[9:29] Thank you so much for joining us today.
[9:31] You've given us so much to think about.
[9:33] My pleasure, Lisa, and to everyone listening, keep going.
[9:37] You're doing great. All right, folks, that's it for
[9:40] today's episode. If you enjoyed this
[9:42] conversation, don't forget to like, subscribe and share this
[9:46] podcast with your friends. And as always, keep practicing
[9:49] and we'll see you in the next episode of the Simple English
[9:52] Podcast. Bye for now.
[9:58] Now it's time to learn some important vocabulary related to
[10:01] the topic. The first word of today is
[10:04] fluency. It means the ability to speak a
[10:07] language easily and smoothly. Example, listening to podcasts
[10:12] can improve your English fluency.
[10:15] Next word is accent. It means a distinctive way of
[10:19] pronouncing a language, often related to a region or country.
[10:23] Example, your accent doesn't need to be perfect as long as
[10:26] you're understood. Next word is shadowing.
[10:30] It means a language learning technique where you listen and
[10:33] immediately repeat what is heard.
[10:36] Example, shadowing podcasts is a great way to practice intonation
[10:41] and rhythm. Next word is retrieval.
[10:46] It means the process of recalling information stored in
[10:49] memory. Example repetition helps with
[10:53] word retrieval during conversations.
[10:56] Next word is mistake. It means an action or judgment
[11:00] that is incorrect or wrong. Example Making mistakes is a
[11:05] natural part of learning a new language.
[11:08] The last word is immersion. It means the process of
[11:11] surrounding yourself with a language to improve learning.
[11:15] Example Immersion in English media helps you pick up natural
[11:19] expressions. Thank you for listening to our
[11:26] episode of the Simple English Podcast.
[11:29] I hope you learned something new and helpful today.
[11:32] Please give us a like and subscribe for video like this.
[11:35] Share it with your friends and let us know what you think in
[11:38] the comments section below. We'll be back with more
[11:41] interesting discussions soon.

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