Introducing: I'm Andre Luiz. I'm from Brazil. I've been studying English...

[Ravipa]

I absolutely agree with you. In school, teachers teach a lot of grammar, but not speaking. I sometimes speak to foreigner but they do not understand me. It's very difficult to communicate with them. I want to speak with them. I do not want to speak English like native. I just want them to understand what I'm saying.
I hope here is good place to practice my English.
Have a nice day!
Ravipa

[Andre Luiz]

Hi, Irina:

My mother (she is over 80 now) always says that: "Do you think I have a good sense of humour. You really don't know me well.Come to live with me and you'll change your mind quickly".

Irina, I'd be glad to talk to you too. Someone who thinks I have a good sense of humour deserves my attention. Believe me it's really nice to start the day hearing something positive about you. thanks. You made my day!

Take a look at everything I've written in this Forum (it's not much) and you'll know what I'm looking for. I don't feel confident when I'm talking (in this case, typing) in English. I'm a beginner. Help me please and feel free to correct my English mistakes. Everything will be welcome.

Thanks again,
André

PS.: What do you know about Brazil? Good things, I hope!

[Eliammo]

Ok Andre, no problem. I have to say I am very impressed with your English improvement from someone who never had a teacher. My email is liammoster@gmail.com and my skype is eliammo. Feel free to add on the msn too if you would like. liammo@ig.com.br.

I am also very curious to know where in Brazil you are from and in what made you to start to teach yourself in English. Witch kind of material did you use? Maybe you have some different material that you could share

Seeya.

Eliane[/list]

[Andre Luiz]

Hi, Ravipa:
I've seen that movie. This is always the same sad story. You learn formal English in school from text books and when you try to use what you have learned they seem not to understand anything. It is as if you have learned another language rather than English. I think the same would happen to them if the tried to learn our language using the same process.
What we really need to learn is the real English (casual English) that native English speakers actually use in their everyday life. Not only they seem to speak fast but also they use a lot of idioms and a lot slangs.
I don't want to speak like a native English speaker. Like you... what I want is to understand what they are saying and make myself understood as well.
Off record: Just one little thing: I love to hear people with accent no matter what language they are speaking.
I hope we can help each other since we have the same problem.
Have a nice day too.
André

[Behrooz]

i have the same idea. u r right

[Gdlugajczyk]

me too