With over 450 million speakers, it’s easy to see why English is the world’s language, or what we call the “lingua franca.” It is a vital skill when it comes to communication, international trade, and even education. Nowadays, many companies, public and private institutions and organizations, use English proficiency as a basis for hiring employees or accepting professional applications. With this global trend, there’s no doubt that English is an essential skill in the modern world. It almost becomes a necessity to learn the language, especially to those people living in non-English countries. If you are one of these people who have acknowledged the importance of learning this language, then perhaps there’s a persistent question. “How much time do I need to speak English fluently?” In this post, we’ll give you valuable information and tips to help you learn English in the fastest and most efficient way.
How Much Time Do I Need to Speak English Fluently: Basic English Language Skills
There are four skills you need to learn and master before you can become fluent in English. For a start, you need to know about the necessary language skills –listening, speaking, reading, and writing. These four aspects are interconnected with each other. Getting an understanding of each one will allow you to understand and apply the language in your personal and interpersonal communication. As stressed by the experts, these four skills serve as the building blocks in effective English communication. 
If you’re wondering about the question: how much time do I need to speak English fluently, you must first take a look at the fundamental skills in learning a new language.
1. Listening
This aspect is the most basic language skill. Before we learn how to speak, read, or write, we are first taught to listen. Although the other skills are essential to learning a new language, listening is the first and foremost skill as it develops awareness. Learning to listen serves as the foundation for an individual to understand the subject matter and respond accordingly. As you learn through listening, you’ll have valuable knowledge that will make it easier for you to determine the remaining three.
2. Speaking
Speaking is regarded as the most vital skill when it comes to learning a new language. Learners that can articulate themselves in English demonstrate a good command of the language. However, most learners, particularly those who are just beginning to learn, struggle to speak up when they are not in the classroom or have no teacher’s supervision.
Research reports that active learning starts with interaction. Without this, you will lose the opportunity to hone your skill. Speaking allows you to engage in basic communication and, at the same time, boosts your confidence.
3. Reading
Reading is an essential skill that complements listening and speaking and acts as an activity to further improve your skills. It also hones sub-skills like grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and pronunciation, which ultimately helps you develop English language comprehension. Besides helping you pinpoint essential ideas in a text, it also helps you understand the complex and abstract texts and their meanings.
4. Writing
Writing is the culmination of your English skills. According to experts, learners that write can hone all four language skills as a whole. Although it’s usually a slow process, writing can help you organize words and refine ideas before speaking. Like in casual talking, you can receive constructive feedback from others, which you can use to stay on the right track and to improve your English ability further. Writing also serves as an efficient technique to retain information. Through writing, you are energetically putting your learnings into practice. It also helps you look over past ideas and rewrite material wherever necessary.
Standard Levels of English Language Proficiency
Macro skills aside, there are a couple of external factors that also influence how you learn the English language.
First on the list is your current level of English. The Common European Framework Reference for Languages (CEFR), a global standard framework for language abilities, cites six levels to determine a person’s language proficiency:
• A1: Beginner – You can introduce yourself and answer personal questions. You can engage in simple conversation provided that the other person talks slowly and clearly.
• A2: Elementary – You can understand frequently-used expressions and communicate on familiar topics. You can also describe objects in simple terms.
• B1: Intermediate – You can understand the main points of a topic and interact in ordinary situations. You are also able to describe experiences and voice out opinions.
• B2: Intermediate – You can communicate clearly on a wide range of subjects. You can also explain your viewpoint on opinions. You are also able to understand technical ideas in both complex and abstract terms.
• C1: Advanced – You have a strong command of the language and can use it flexibly for social, academic, and professional purposes. You have a clear, structured way of communicating when it comes to complex subjects.
• C2: Proficient – At this level, you can understand practically everything that you hear or read. You can express yourself fluently. You can also summarize coherent ideas from various sources of information.
The Importance of Assessing Your English Proficiency
Your current English level will give you a quick rundown on your capabilities. It also gives you an idea of what areas you need to improve on. This step will help you set clear expectations on what proficiency level you want to achieve. Furthermore, you will be able to determine the time required to make it.
Along with your English proficiency level, you must also consider the goals you want to achieve. If you aim to be fluent, be prepared that you will need to dedicate a long time. You need a plan. As you do so, bear in mind to set attainable goals. These goals will give you the drive and the motivation to study.
Level of educational attainment
What you have accomplished in school can affect how you can process information. As you go up the educational ladder, reading and writing texts get progressively harder. Furthermore, as you go through different educational institutions, you will be required to engage in activities that hone the four language skills like public speaking and active listening. According to experts, the higher the educational attainment you have, the easier you can enhance your English fluency.
Your location
If you live in an English-speaking country, you will find it easier to learn the language. The abundance of English speakers around you will expose you to the English language in day-to-day communication. If you hear, see or read English most of the time, you will be able to learn it more quickly. In contrast, learning English becomes harder if you live in a non-English-speaking country.
It also helps if you’ve already studied another language. This trend is true for bilingual speakers that are native in an English-speaking country. People who know two or more languages have an easier time when it comes to learning another. However, it does not mean that monolinguals are at a disadvantage when learning English. Only that bilinguals are often better at specific skills.
How much time can you allot in learning English
Bear in mind that learning is not confined to the four corners of a classroom. Whether it’s a 6-month learning program or a short 2-week English course, the time you spend learning must be a time wisely spent. Language is not something that you can pick up overnight; it is a skill that is honed over time. Thus, you have to put in a constant effort if you want to use it in your everyday routine.
English sources and references
When practicing your reading skills, it’s advised that you read books that are on par with your English level. Reading dissertations or other complex text is no good if you can’t understand it. If you start, it’s best if you start small and take baby steps when reading. Learning English is not a race, so digest texts one at a time.
Additionally, age can also play a factor in how fast you learn English. Apart from peoples’ varying levels of education, adults are more used to reading and writing. But research shows that children are quick to pick up on speaking and listening. While all four are essential to understand English, the latter duo builds the foundation of reading and writing. Thus, it’s vital that you first learn how to listen and speak before reading and writing.
Easy Tricks to Learn the Fundamentals of the English Language
It’s no doubt that learning English is not an ordinary task. But no worries, there are some ways you can try to get in touch with the basics of this language and become more familiar with its constructive rules. Are you ready to be an English wizard today? Here are the significant aspects you should consider:
1. Take your time. Quality is way important.
Getting used to the English language can’t be fulfilled overnight. It requires not only consistency and perseverance, but also your time. The entire rules related to this language can be too much overloading for you if forced to be taken up in just a matter of weeks or days. So don’t drown yourself on too much pressure. Plan your study routine very well. One to three new English words every day are enough for vocabulary warm-up. Read through all the rules related to sentence construction, and make sure that you fully understand them. Never jump to the next item without instilling the key point in your mind. You’re going to use them throughout your life. So better gear them up in your daily conversation habits.
2. It is not a matter of memorization. Substance is what you need.
Are you fond of memorizing some new English words every day? Good habit actually, but make sure you don’t leave the substance on the dictionary. The definition you have fully understood must go as well in the corners of your mind. In writing or speaking the English language, the choice of words plays an integral part in the conversation’s overall success. The words must be placed precisely in the right sentences all the time to be able to send out the exact idea or concept you want to imply. And in this matter, a decent understanding of the English words you have in mind can be helpful.
3. The knowledge begins with reading and listening.
Reading, together with listening, remains to be the mother of the entire learning process. You can’t quickly jump to writing nor speaking without getting in contact with these two important principles. So if you are passionate about learning how to write and speak fluently in the English language, get some time to read. Listen to various materials that prominently depict this medium. Why not start an English novel or watch an English movie in your unoccupied time? It’s going to help you a lot in this matter.
4. Hold tightly on your long-term responsibility.
The learning process doesn’t end in understanding the grammar rules and vocabulary enrichment. The knowledge must be regularly refreshed. It must also be applied to particular fields and disciplines. And that’s the responsibility you must hold yourself accountable. Knowledge is generic. It continues to develop over time. So you must always be willing and eager to deposit new learnings while keeping your original comprehension intact and properly piled up in your mind.
5. Incline your study routine in learning the whole sentences, not individual words.
It’s already proven that learning some words is helpful in the entire learning process. However, one study suggests that it’s going to be beneficial for beginners if the focus of their study routine will be the construction of sentences, instead of vocabulary. According to the researchers, sentence mining or the act of analyzing and interpreting the sentences is the wholesome package of the entire learning process. It is also an effective way to nourish your vocabulary, find new words, learn its root context, and learn how to use them in a sentence.
6. Have a goal and make it work.
“I’ll write and speak English most fluently.” In this matter, this will serve as the primary goal you wish to achieve. It is the foremost reason why you decided to go through all of this learning process. So while you’re coping with the exchanged circumstances, you must always anchor yourself to this goal, no matter what happens. Yes, it will surely take some good time, but you’ll undoubtedly reach the stars at the right time. Just keep yourself motivated, persevering, patient, and consistent while you’re on your way.
What are the Top Benefits You Can Get If You’re Fluent in English?
Broader connections 
As the lingua franca, no matter what country you go to, someone is bound to speak English. In the global language of communication, you will be able to see it everywhere: in conversations, in writing, and billboards. Being fluent in English gives you more opportunities to reach out to people from all walks of life–whether rich or poor, young or old. You will be able to make more connections if you know how to speak English well.
Personal improvement
Aside from learning English for everyday use, it’s also a fulfilling feat to master a language. Not only will you be open to more opportunities, but you will also be more confident. Having a good command of any language is not easy. It takes time and effort to listen, read, write, and speak fluently. But once you master it, it will help you increase your skillset and contribute to your personal development.
Increased employment opportunities
Nowadays, most businesses use English as a gauge for employment competency. It also increases opportunities for promotion and further career improvement. With how the economy is becoming more digitalized, employees must be prepared to deal with people from different races and cultures. Fluency in English helps solve this problem by equipping the employees with the tools to do business both locally and internationally.
Higher education options
Universities at the top of the ladder sit in countries like the UK and the US, where English is the standard of communication. And even in other countries where English is not a native language, fluency in English is still a necessary component if one wants to obtain an education at prestigious universities. It also opens more avenues for further study in foreign countries, which will improve your career in the long run.
Cultural development
Language and culture are intertwined. You cannot take language out of culture, in the same vein that you cannot take culture out of language. Understanding English, especially in English-speaking countries, will give you a glimpse of how it affects culture. It is also a form of connecting with different histories.
Memory retention
Learning a language is like a skill; it requires practice. But as you practice a skill, it helps your brain retain information. People fluent in English practice it often and, in turn, continuously hone their memory skills. Studies show that learning more than one language means you have longer attention spans than the average person.
More leisure accessibility
With English as the global language, it’s easy to see why it’s also the language for art. And more often than not, hit foreign films make it a point to put English subtitles to appeal to international audiences. Whether its books, movies, or other types of entertainment, you will have a more comprehensive English selection. Your fluency will also help you appreciate these on a deeper level, which cannot be achieved with just a standard English level.
How Much Time Do I Need to Speak English Fluently? It Depends
With varying factors that affect how you learn English in mind, the most plausible answer to the question, how much time do I need to speak English fluently, is, “it depends.”
As explained above, many factors play a crucial role in learning English, from your current level of English to how often you speak. There are also different levels when it comes to learning English, from the Beginner to Proficient levels. Set appropriate expectations. And don’t forget that your macro skills’ fluency can influence how fast you learn the language.
How much time do I need to speak English fluently? Well, it’s worth noting that learning a language is a slow, steady process. How each of us learns English depends on our specific skill sets, backgrounds, and factors. It’s like learning how to ride a bike. First, you learn the essentials and perfect it over time with practice. The key to mastering English lies in your initiative, your drive to put in the work. So be resourceful. Be creative, stay alert, and follow through as much as you can. Remember: Rome wasn’t built in a day!