Quote:
Originally Posted by Dee Q
One problem in terms of vocabulary (maybe it's just me) is that they tend to be "passive" (not used in speech or writing). Do you practice with words/phrases you pick up in books or they just go into your head and become "active" after a while?
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No, it's not just you. I have a larger active vocabulary when writing than speaking, probably only because I have more time while writing than while speaking. However when speaking, many of those 'passive' words tend to be used by other people in the conversation, and if I didn't know them through reading I wouldn't know what those people were saying! And when they come up, I then have the chance to use them and the become active. Reading also helps to get me thinking in terms of phrases and sentences, and not just words. Again, novels can be a big help here.
Without a doubt regular conversational practice is the only way to learn to speak well, but reading provides a solid foundation that can accelerate the process. Studying the rules of grammar can also have the same effect.