IELTS Preparation for ESL Students is not a cakewalk. It’s an uphill battle and can make anyone frustrated since, in any language learning, you have to constantly remain conscious about the new word learnings, grammar usage etc.
HOWEVER…
If a person is already familiar with the English language but has a broken grammar, it may also take him a lot of time, since the mind needs constant practice to unlearn the old things and learn new ones.
The time someone needs to switch from their native language (e.g., Hindi) to fluently thinking in a foreign language (e.g., English) varies widely. It depends on factors like current proficiency, immersion, and learning methods.
It also depends on how involved they are in the learning of a foreign language. For example, if someone is learning the English language, he should devote as much time to going through English language content such as movies, reading newspapers, magazines, articles or talking in it.
This post will talk about the time needed to Switch from Native Language to Foreign Language Fluency. Here’s a general timeline:
1. Beginner to Intermediate (Basic Fluency):
- Timeframe: 6 months to 2 years with consistent practice.
- What You Can Achieve:
- Basic conversations with occasional native language interference.
- Example: Translating thoughts like “मैं कैसा हूँ?” to “How am I?” instead of thinking directly in English.
- In terms of the IELTS band, anywhere between 4-6.
You can also read about the efforts required to design one full-length IELTS exam. Click here.
2. Intermediate to Advanced (Fluent Thinking):
- Timeframe: 1–3 additional years.
- What You Can Achieve:
- Thinking directly in English for most day-to-day tasks and conversations.
- Example: Responding instinctively to “What’s the time?” instead of mentally translating the question.
- In terms of the IELTS band, anywhere between 6.5-7.5
3. Near-Native Fluency:
- Timeframe: 5–10 years or more.
- What You Can Achieve:
- Thinking, dreaming, and emotionally reacting as you would in your native language.
- Example: Planning complex tasks or having arguments fully in English. Writing a novel like J.R.R. Tolkien and having an impeccable command over the language. However, only a few can do this. Having a command over a foreign language at the expert or native language is an uphill battle, and most fail since they don’t need the heavy usage of it in their day-to-day life.
- In terms of the IELTS band, anywhere between 7.5-9.0
Factors That Influence Switching Time
- Age: Younger learners often adapt faster, but motivated adults can also achieve fluency. However, it doesn’t mean adults can’t do it. All it needs is a burning passion to do it. Remember many famous personalities made it big in their old age. Honorary example, Donald J. Trump became the 45th POTUS at the age of 70.
- Immersion: Living in an English-speaking environment accelerates thinking in English. This is to say, when you are surrounded by English speakers, your mind picks up things faster and starts creating similar linguistic patterns, thus accelerating your speed in learning a foreign language like English.
- Language Use: Daily practice through reading, writing, and speaking makes a significant difference. You only become good in a foreign language when you use it daily. That’s the mantra. There are no shortcuts!
- Learning Methods: Techniques like shadowing (repeating after native speakers) and narrating daily activities in English help internalize the language.
Tips to Accelerate the Switch
- Immerse Yourself: Consume English media (movies, podcasts, and books). For example, use subtitles when watching an English movie. The subtitles will help you to understand dialogues and also make your ears habitual of the English accent. It works like magic. Believe in the power of listening.
- Think in English: Narrate your thoughts or daily activities in English. When you think in English always, your brain will become habitual in forming the thoughts as fast as it does in your native language.
- Practice Speaking: Engage in conversations with native or fluent speakers. If you don’t find anyone to practice, do it alone. Work on the hesitation part. Watch a movie, pause it and mimic a dialogue. Sing a song. Let your facial muscles be good in English.
- Reduce Native Language Use: Create situations where English is your only option. Most IELTS test takers fail to score good bands because they speak in English only when they practice IELTS speaking in their institute and that is usually for around 11-15 minutes. Before or after that, it’s a big no-no for them.
By following these steps, most learners can achieve fluent thinking in a foreign language within 2–5 years of dedicated effort. This combined information should be comprehensive and ready for you to use or share. Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to refine!
If you are looking for CLB-9 in the IELTS exam and have just started, don’t fret.
Don’t Fret!
The above-mentioned time frames are generic and not objective. They vary from person to person.
At Voxcel, we have helped students go from CLB 4 to CLB 9 in the IELTS General Training Exam in 12-18 months. All you require is dedication and passion to succeed.
Voxcel aims to impart not only world-class IELTS coaching but also we look forward to develop the overall personality of our students.