Even when we already know certain words or expressions, we often struggle to say them fluently when we actually want to speak in English.
Many people have experienced this.
Why does it happen?
There are three main reasons:
Speaking requires instant responses. You have to retrieve the right expressions from your mind, adjust pronunciation, and control intonation—all at once. It’s a cognitively demanding task.
According to DeKeyser (2007) and Segalowitz (2010), training the ability to retrieve and use implicit knowledge quickly has a significant impact on fluency.
Simply knowing an expression is explicit knowledge, but turning it into automatic use requires repetitive speaking practice.
Producing unfamiliar sounds puts a heavy load on the brain. Because of this, learners often lose focus on sentence structure or vocabulary while trying to pronounce correctly.
According to Flege (1995), mastering pronunciation requires extensive sound practice through the mouth–ear feedback loop.
In other words, knowing a word and being able to pronounce it properly are two different skills.
The difference between native and non-native speech lies more in rhythm and patterns than in individual words.
Derwing and Munro (2015) reported that matching intonation and rhythm has a greater impact on intelligibility than perfect pronunciation—and this is extremely important.
Therefore, there is a huge difference between knowing something in your head and being able to say it out loud.
To speak fluently, even familiar expressions must be practiced repeatedly until automatization occurs.
Research supports this as well:
That’s why intentionally repeating familiar expressions and practicing intonation, speed, and pronunciation is the most effective way to build fluency.