How to Speak English More Fluently: Practical Ways to Sound Natural and Confident

Learning how to speak English more fluently can help you communicate with greater confidence in everyday, academic, and professional situations. Fluency doesn’t mean using difficult vocabulary or speaking perfect English. Instead, it means expressing your ideas in English naturally, clearly, and without stopping too often to translate every sentence in your mind. The good news is that you can improve your English speaking skills with regular practice and simple techniques.

To become a fluent English speaker, focus on building practical English conversation skills rather than memorizing long lists of words. Practice speaking English daily, learn useful English phrases, and listen carefully to how native and proficient speakers communicate. You can also improve your English pronunciation, speaking confidence, listening skills, and everyday English vocabulary through consistent practice.Activities such as speaking practice, conversation practice, reading aloud, shadowing, and talking to yourself in English can make a noticeable difference.

Don’t worry about making mistakes. Making mistakes in English is a normal part of learning. The more you speak, the more comfortable you become.Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate learner, developing English fluency is a gradual process. With patience, consistency, and the right English learning techniques, you can learn to speak English more naturally and confidently.

What Does It Mean to Speak English Fluently?

To speak English fluently means you can communicate your thoughts with reasonable ease, even when you don’t have perfect grammar or an enormous vocabulary.

Fluency includes several connected skills:

Speaking smoothly
Finding words without excessive searching
Forming sentences quickly
Understanding questions
Responding appropriately
Using common phrases naturally
Managing pauses
Pronouncing words clearly
Connecting ideas logically
Maintaining a conversation

Fluency doesn’t mean talking nonstop.

A fluent speaker can pause, correct a sentence, search for a word, or rethink an idea. The difference is that these moments usually don’t completely stop the conversation.

Imagine two speakers.

Speaker A:
“Yesterday, I went to the store. Actually, I wanted to say that I visited the store.”

Speaker B:
“That’s okay. You can take your time.”

“Yesterday I visited my friend. We had dinner and talked for a few hours.”

Speaker B isn’t necessarily using advanced English. The difference is automaticity. Familiar words and structures come to mind more easily.

Fluency vs. Accuracy

Accuracy means using English correctly. Fluency means communicating with reasonable smoothness.

You need both, but they don’t always develop at the same speed.

For example:

“Yesterday I go to the store.”

That’s grammatically incorrect. However, the speaker communicated the basic idea quickly.

A more accurate sentence is:

“Yesterday I went to the store.”

The long-term goal is to produce the second sentence naturally without stopping to calculate the past tense.

Fluency vs. Accent

You don’t need a native accent to speak English fluently.

English has many established accents and varieties. American English alone sounds different across regions and communities.

Instead of trying to erase your accent, focus on intelligibility.

Your listener should be able to understand your words without unnecessary effort.

Pay particular attention to:

Word stress
Sentence stress
Difficult consonant sounds
Vowel contrasts
Rhythm
Intonation
Connected speech

Clear communication matters more than sounding exactly like someone born in the United States.

Why Is It Difficult to Speak English Fluently?

If you can understand English but struggle to speak it, the problem usually isn’t a lack of intelligence.

Speaking requires several processes to happen almost simultaneously.

You need to decide what you want to say, choose vocabulary, arrange grammar, pronounce the words, listen to the other person, and react to their response.

That’s a lot of mental traffic.

Translating From Your First Language

One of the biggest obstacles is translating every thought.

The process may look like this:

Idea → First language → English translation → Spoken sentence

That extra step takes time.

A more efficient process is:

Idea → English → Spoken sentence

You won’t stop translating overnight. Instead, gradually train yourself to think about familiar situations directly in English.

Limited Active Vocabulary

You may recognize the word “exhausted” when reading.

But can you produce it instantly?

That’s the difference between passive vocabulary and active vocabulary.

Passive vocabulary consists of words you recognize. Active vocabulary contains words you can actually use while speaking or writing.

For fluency, you need to move useful words from passive recognition into active use.

Fear of Making Mistakes

Overthinking can create a strange problem.

You know the answer, but you don’t say it because you’re worried about saying it incorrectly.

You start thinking:

Is this tense correct?

Should I use do or did?

Is this preposition right?

Does my accent sound strange?

By the time you finish thinking, the conversation has moved on.

Mistakes are part of language development. The goal isn’t to ignore grammar. Instead, separate fluency practice from detailed correction.

Lack of Speaking Practice

Reading English doesn’t automatically teach your mouth how to produce English.

Listening doesn’t automatically teach you how to respond.

Speaking requires output.

If you spend an hour reading English but only speak for two minutes, you’re getting plenty of input but limited speaking practice.

Difficulty Retrieving Words

Sometimes you know a word but can’t remember it quickly.

This is called a retrieval problem.

Repeated exposure and repeated use can make useful words easier to retrieve.

That’s why saying:

“I need to make a decision.”

several times in different contexts is more valuable for speaking fluency than merely reading the phrase once.

Pronunciation Problems

Pronunciation isn’t just about individual sounds.

English relies heavily on:

Stress
Rhythm
Intonation
Linking
Reduced sounds

A learner may pronounce every word correctly but still sound difficult to understand because the sentence rhythm is unnatural.

Build a Strong Foundation for Fluent English Speaking

Before chasing advanced vocabulary, build a foundation around language you actually use.

Learn High-Frequency Vocabulary

Start with words that appear repeatedly in everyday communication.

Useful categories include:

Common verbs
Everyday nouns
Descriptive adjectives
Time expressions
Question words
Linking words
Prepositions
Modal verbs
Conversation phrases

For example, verbs such as get, take, make, give, keep, bring, put, find, feel, seem, and need appear in countless everyday situations.

You don’t need to memorize hundreds of rare words before speaking.

Learn Words in Context

Don’t learn vocabulary as isolated definitions.

Instead of learning:

decision = a choice

learn:

make a decision

Then put it into sentences:

I need to make a decision.

Have you made a decision yet?

It was a difficult decision.

Now the word has a network around it.

Learn Useful Sentence Patterns

Sentence patterns can dramatically reduce hesitation.

Consider:

I’m trying to…

You can create dozens of useful sentences with this simple pattern:

I’m trying to improve my English.
I’m trying to find my keys.
I’m trying to understand this.
I’m trying to save money.
I’m trying to learn Spanish.

You don’t have to create every sentence from scratch. Instead, use a familiar sentence pattern and change the words to match your meaning.

Learn English Phrases Instead of Individual Words

Fluent speakers don’t assemble every sentence word by word like someone building furniture from loose screws.

They rely on familiar chunks, collocations, and sentence patterns.

Consider:

That makes sense.

You can learn the phrase as one useful conversational unit.

Other valuable expressions include:

I’m not sure.
It depends.
Let me think.
I see what you mean.
That’s a good point.
What I mean is…
As far as I know…
The thing is…
By the way…
That sounds good.

These phrases give you ready-made language for real conversations.

Everyday Phrases That Improve Fluency

Phrase	Main function	Example
That makes sense.	Show understanding	That makes sense now.
I’m not sure.	Express uncertainty	I’m not sure about that.
It depends.	Give a conditional answer	It depends on the price.
Let me think.	Buy thinking time	Let me think for a second.
I get what you mean.	Show understanding	I get what you mean.
That’s a good point.	Acknowledge an idea	That’s a good point.
The thing is…	Introduce an explanation	The thing is, we’re already late.
By the way…	Change topics	By the way, did you call Sam?
Sounds good.	Accept a suggestion	Dinner at seven? Sounds good.

Stop Translating and Start Thinking in English

“Think in English” sounds complicated until you break it down.

You don’t need to spend all day having philosophical conversations with yourself in English.

Start with simple thoughts.

Describe What You See

Look around and describe ordinary things:

The window is open.

My phone is on the table.

I need a glass of water.

The room is quiet.

These sentences may seem too easy.

That’s precisely why they’re useful.

You’re training your brain to connect an idea directly with English instead of routing it through another language.

Describe What You’re Doing

Narrate simple activities:

I’m making breakfast.

I’m checking my email.

I need to leave soon.

I’m looking for my wallet.

I’m going to clean my room.

As these structures become automatic, you can gradually make them more complex.

Ask Yourself Simple Questions

Use questions throughout the day:

What am I doing?
Where am I going?
What do I need?
What happened today?
What will I do tomorrow?
What do I think about this?
Why did that happen?

Then answer yourself in English.

It may feel strange initially. It gets easier with repetition.

Improve Your English Listening to Speak More Fluently

Good speaking depends heavily on good listening.

When you listen to natural English, you’re learning more than vocabulary. You’re absorbing pronunciation, rhythm, sentence patterns, conversational shortcuts, and common responses.

Listen to Short Clips

Long videos can be useful, but short clips are easier to study deeply.

Choose a 20-60 second conversation.

Then:

Listen once without subtitles.
Listen again with subtitles.
Identify unfamiliar phrases.
Replay difficult sentences.
Repeat the sentences aloud.
Listen again without subtitles.

Short, focused practice can reveal details that disappear during casual listening.

Listen for Phrases, Not Just Words

Suppose you hear:

“I’m not sure.”

Don’t process it as four unrelated words.

Recognize it as a complete conversational unit.

The same applies to:

I don’t know.
What do you mean?
Let me see.
I think so.
I don’t think so.
How about you?
Are you kidding?

Phrase-level recognition helps you respond faster.

Use Shadowing to Speak English More Fluently

Shadowing involves listening to a speaker and repeating their words immediately or with a very short delay.

The technique combines listening and speaking.

Here’s a simple routine:

Choose a short audio clip.
Listen carefully.
Read the transcript if available.
Play the clip again.
Speak along with the speaker.
Copy the rhythm and stress.
Repeat several times.

Don’t choose a ten-minute speech on your first attempt.

Start with a few sentences.

What Should You Copy During Shadowing?

Focus on:

Word stress
Sentence stress
Rhythm
Pauses
Intonation
Connected speech
Contractions

For example:

What are you going to do?

In natural informal speech, the sounds may become more connected than the carefully pronounced textbook version.

The goal isn’t to imitate every informal pronunciation blindly. First learn to recognize natural speech. Then use forms that fit your own speaking style and situation.

Practice Speaking Every Day

Consistency beats occasional intensity.

Speaking for 15 minutes every day can create more useful repetition than speaking for two hours once every few weeks.

Practice Alone

You can practice without a conversation partner.

Try:

Describing your day
Retelling a story
Explaining a process
Describing a picture
Summarizing a video
Giving your opinion
Talking about your plans
Explaining how something works

For example, choose the topic:

How do you make your favorite meal?

Speak for two minutes.

Don’t stop every time you make a mistake.

Keep going.

Practice With Another Person

Conversation practice adds an important element: unpredictability.

Another person may interrupt, ask an unexpected question, disagree with you, or change the subject.

That’s valuable.

Practice conversations about:

Work
School
Travel
Food
Hobbies
Movies
Technology
Family
Weekend plans
Current interests

Use the Speak, Record, Review Method

Recording yourself can feel uncomfortable.

It can also be incredibly useful.

Speak

Choose a familiar topic and talk for one to three minutes.

Record

Use your phone or computer.

Don’t restart every time you make a mistake. Let the recording capture your natural speaking.

Review

Listen for:

Long pauses
Repeated words
Grammar mistakes
Pronunciation problems
Missing vocabulary
Repetitive sentence patterns
Frequent fillers

Then identify only a few things to improve.

Speak Again

Record the same topic a second time.

You’ll often notice that the second attempt feels smoother because the ideas are already organized.

This creates a simple feedback loop:

Speak → Record → Review → Adjust → Speak again

Learn How to Handle Pauses in Conversation

Fluent speakers pause too.

The difference is that they often know how to manage the pause.

Instead of freezing completely, use natural expressions.

Phrases for Buying Time

Let me think.
Let me see.
Give me a second.
That’s a good question.
I’m trying to think of the right word.
How should I put this?

For example:

That’s a good question. Let me think about it for a second.

This gives you time without abandoning the conversation.

Phrases for Correcting Yourself

You don’t need to panic after making a mistake.

Try:

What I mean is…
Let me rephrase that.
Actually, I mean…
Sorry, let me say that again.

For example:

I went there last week—actually, I mean two weeks ago.

That’s normal conversation.

Improve Pronunciation for Better English Fluency

Pronunciation becomes especially important when you want people to understand you quickly.

Word Stress

English words usually have a particular stressed syllable.

Changing the stress can make a familiar word harder to recognize.

Don’t study pronunciation only through individual letters. Listen to how the entire word sounds.

Sentence Stress

English speakers don’t give every word equal emphasis.

Important content words often receive stronger stress.

Compare:

I DIDN’T say he stole the money.

Depending on which word receives emphasis, the implied meaning can change.

Sentence stress helps listeners understand what matters most.

Rhythm

English has a distinctive rhythm created by stressed and unstressed syllables.

If every syllable receives exactly the same force, your speech may sound less natural.

Listen to fluent speakers and notice the movement of their sentences.

Connected Speech

Words often connect in natural speech.

For example:

pick it up

can sound more connected when spoken quickly.

Similarly, contractions such as:

I’m
you’re
we’re
I’ve
I’ll
don’t
can’t
didn’t

are common in everyday conversation.

You don’t need to force informal pronunciations. However, learning to recognize them makes real-world listening much easier.

Improve Your Grammar Without Losing Fluency

Grammar still matters.

The trick is learning how to practice it without turning every conversation into an exam.

Focus on grammar that directly affects everyday communication:

Present and past tenses
Future forms
Subject-verb agreement
Articles
Prepositions
Question formation
Modal verbs
Conditionals

During a fluency exercise, don’t interrupt yourself every five seconds to fix a minor mistake.

Finish your idea first.

Then review recurring errors afterward.

A Better Two-Stage Approach

Stage one: communicate.

Get the message across.

Stage two: improve.

Correct repeated mistakes.

For example, if you repeatedly say:

He go to work every day.

Practice the correct pattern:

He goes to work every day.

Then use it several times:

My brother goes to work early.

She goes to school by bus.

My friend goes there every Friday.

Repetition turns correction into usable language.

Expand Your Active Vocabulary

Vocabulary growth becomes more useful when you can actually retrieve the words.

Use New Words in Sentences

Don’t just memorize:

efficient = productive without wasting time

Use it:

This is a more efficient way to study.

Then create another example:

The new system is more efficient.

Now the word has practical connections.

Learn Synonyms Carefully

Synonyms aren’t always interchangeable.

For example:

ask
inquire
question

All relate to asking, but their tone and usage differ.

Likewise:

big
large
huge
massive

carry different levels of emphasis.

Fluency isn’t about collecting the largest vocabulary possible. It’s about choosing words that fit the context.

Practice Speaking With Common Conversation Topics

Familiar subjects reduce cognitive pressure.

You already know what you want to say. Your main challenge becomes expressing it in English.

Personal Topics

Practice:

Your daily routine
Family
Hobbies
Work
School
Favorite foods
Weekend activities
Travel experiences

Opinion Topics

Move toward subjects that require explanation:

Social media
Technology
Movies
Education
Sports
Online learning
Work-life balance

Use structures such as:

I think…

In my opinion…

The main reason is…

For example…

On the other hand…

Situational Topics

Practice realistic scenarios:

Ordering food
Asking for directions
Shopping
Making an appointment
Meeting someone new
Making plans
Asking for help
Returning an item

These situations teach you language you’ll actually need.

Use the 4-3-2 Fluency Technique

The 4-3-2 technique is a structured speaking exercise designed to encourage faster and smoother production.

Choose one topic.

Speak about it for:

4 minutes
Then repeat it in 3 minutes
Then repeat it in 2 minutes

The same topic becomes easier because you’ve already organized your thoughts.

Suppose your topic is:

My last vacation

During the first attempt, you may pause frequently.

By the third attempt, the main ideas are already available:

Where you went → who went with you → what you did → what surprised you → whether you’d return.

This repeated retrieval can make speech more automatic.

How to Speak English Fluently Without a Native Accent

Fluency doesn’t require native-level pronunciation.

A speaker can have a noticeable accent and still communicate exceptionally well.

Focus on being easy to understand.

Prioritize:

Clear consonants
Useful vowel distinctions
Word stress
Sentence stress
Natural rhythm
Appropriate pauses
Intonation

Should You Try to Sound Like a Native Speaker?

That’s a personal choice.

However, native-like pronunciation shouldn’t become the definition of fluency.

There isn’t one universal American accent anyway. English changes across regions, communities, professions, and social settings.

A clearer goal is:

Speak confidently enough that listeners can understand you without unnecessary effort.

That’s practical.

How to Become More Confident Speaking English

Confidence often grows from evidence.

When you repeatedly experience successful conversations, your brain gets proof that you can handle English.

Stop Waiting for Perfect English

If you wait until your English is perfect, you may never start speaking comfortably.

You don’t need perfect grammar to explain:

“I had a busy day.”

You don’t need advanced vocabulary to say:

“I don’t agree because it’s too expensive.”

Simple English can communicate surprisingly complex ideas when you combine it effectively.

Use Simple English When Necessary

If you forget a sophisticated word, explain the idea another way.

Suppose you forget “purchase.”

You can say:

buy

If you forget “exhausted,” say:

very tired

Communication doesn’t collapse because you forgot one fancy word.

Sometimes, simplicity is the smarter choice.

Common Habits That Prevent English Fluency

Some study habits feel productive but don’t necessarily improve speaking.

Memorizing Grammar Rules Without Speaking

Grammar knowledge needs practical use.

After studying a tense, create spoken examples.

Learning Rare Vocabulary Too Early

Words that you rarely use shouldn’t dominate your study time.

Learn common language first.

Translating Every Sentence

Translation can help beginners understand meaning. However, constant translation can slow real-time communication.

Avoiding Conversations Because of Mistakes

Avoidance protects you from embarrassment but also protects you from improvement.

You need opportunities to make manageable mistakes and correct them.

Watching English Without Active Practice

Watching videos can improve listening.

However, watching alone doesn’t guarantee speaking improvement.

Pause the video.

Repeat phrases.

Summarize what happened.

Answer questions aloud.

Turn passive viewing into active practice.

Speaking Only With Other Learners

Other learners can be excellent practice partners.

Still, occasional conversations with fluent speakers expose you to unexpected wording, pronunciation, and conversational speed.

Trying to Speak Too Fast

Fast speech isn’t the same as fluent speech.

If you rush, pronunciation may become unclear and errors may increase.

Aim for smooth and controlled speech first.

Speed usually develops naturally as retrieval becomes easier.

Memorizing Scripts Word for Word

Scripts can help beginners prepare.

However, real conversations rarely follow the script.

Instead of memorizing:

“Hello, my name is John. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

learn flexible pieces:

Hi, I’m…

Nice to meet you.

How’s your day going?

These can adapt to different situations.

A Daily Routine to Speak English More Fluently

You don’t need an elaborate study system.

A practical routine might look like this:

Activity	Time	Purpose
Review phrases	10 minutes	Build active language
Listening	15 minutes	Understand natural speech
Shadowing	10 minutes	Improve pronunciation and rhythm
Speaking	15 minutes	Build fluency
Review	5 minutes	Notice recurring errors

That’s 55 minutes.

If you only have 20 minutes, reduce each section rather than abandoning the routine.

For example:

5 minutes of phrases
5 minutes of listening
5 minutes of shadowing
5 minutes of speaking

Consistency matters more than a perfect schedule.

A 30-Day Plan to Improve English Speaking Fluency

Week One — Build Core Phrases

Focus on:

Greetings
Requests
Questions
Clarification
Agreement
Apologies
Everyday descriptions

Speak these phrases aloud instead of only reading them.

Week Two — Talk About Familiar Topics

Practice:

Your daily routine
Family
Food
Hobbies
Work or school
Weekend plans
Recent experiences

Record yourself several times during the week.

Week Three — Improve Conversation Skills

Practice:

Asking follow-up questions
Giving opinions
Agreeing
Disagreeing politely
Explaining reasons
Telling short stories
Responding to unexpected questions

Don’t prepare every answer.

Leave room for spontaneity.

Week Four — Increase Fluency

Add:

4-3-2 practice
Shadowing
Timed speaking
Retelling
Longer conversations
Self-recording

At the end of the month, record yourself answering the same topic you used at the beginning.

Compare the recordings.

You may notice improvements in places you hadn’t consciously measured.

How to Measure Your English Speaking Progress

Confidence can be misleading.

One day you may feel fantastic. The next day, you may struggle with a simple sentence.

Use measurable behaviors instead.

Track:

How long you can speak continuously
How often you pause
How often you repeat the same words
How quickly you retrieve common vocabulary
How clearly you pronounce important words
How well you explain unfamiliar ideas
How easily you answer unexpected questions
How often you rely on translation

A Simple Monthly Fluency Check

Choose one familiar topic.

For example:

Describe your ideal weekend.

Record yourself for two minutes.

Save the recording.

Repeat the same test one month later.

Compare:

Area	First recording	Later recording
Long pauses	Count them	Count them
Repeated words	Notice patterns	Compare frequency
Vocabulary	Basic or varied	Compare range
Grammar	Recurring errors	Check improvement
Organization	Difficult or clear	Compare structure
Pronunciation	Notice unclear words	Check clarity

This turns vague progress into something you can observe.

A Realistic Case Study of English Fluency Practice

Consider a learner who understands most everyday English but struggles to speak.

Before Practice

The learner:

Translates mentally.
Pauses frequently.
Uses repetitive vocabulary.
Avoids unfamiliar topics.
Worries about grammar mistakes.
Understands more English than they can produce.

Instead of studying another giant vocabulary list, the learner changes the routine.

They begin practicing:

Spend 10 minutes learning useful English phrases.

Spend 10 minutes listening to English.

Spend 10 minutes practicing shadowing.

Spend 15 minutes speaking English.

Spend 5 minutes reviewing your mistakes.

After consistent practice, the learner may notice practical changes:

Common phrases come to mind faster.
Pauses become shorter.
Familiar topics feel easier.
Sentence patterns become more automatic.
Self-correction becomes less disruptive.
Conversations require less mental translation.

The important point isn’t a magical deadline.

Speaking improves through repeated retrieval and meaningful use.

Best Strategies to Speak English More Fluently at a Glance

Strategy	Why it helps
Learn phrases	Gives you ready-made language
Think in English	Reduces mental translation
Listen actively	Builds natural language recognition
Shadow speakers	Improves rhythm and pronunciation
Speak daily	Builds automaticity
Record yourself	Reveals recurring problems
Practice 4-3-2	Encourages smoother retrieval
Learn active vocabulary	Makes useful words easier to produce
Practice conversations	Builds real-time response skills
Review errors	Improves accuracy without interrupting fluency

Conclusion

Knowing how to speak English more fluently requires regular practice, patience, and confidence. You don’t need perfect grammar or an enormous vocabulary to communicate effectively. Start by speaking English every day, learning useful phrases, listening to English conversations, and practicing pronunciation.Try to think in English instead of translating every sentence from your first language. Use new words in real conversations, record yourself speaking, and learn from your mistakes. Even 15–30 minutes of focused English speaking practice each day can help you become more comfortable over time.Remember that fluency develops through consistent practice. Don’t wait until your English is perfect before you start speaking. Speak now, make mistakes, correct them, and keep going. With regular conversation practice, better listening habits, and growing confidence, you can gradually become a more natural and fluent English speaker.

FAQs

1. How can I speak English more fluently?

Practice speaking English every day, learn common phrases, listen to English regularly, and try to think in English instead of translating from your first language.

2. How long does it take to become fluent in English?

The time varies from person to person. Your current level, daily practice, exposure to English, and learning methods all affect how quickly your fluency improves.

3. How can I improve my English speaking skills at home?

You can read aloud, talk to yourself in English, record your voice, shadow native speakers, describe your daily activities, and practice conversations with an English-speaking partner or app.

4. Should I focus on grammar or speaking?

You should work on both, but don’t let grammar mistakes stop you from speaking. Practical speaking practice helps you use grammar naturally during real conversations.

5. How can I stop translating English in my head?

Start with simple thoughts and phrases in English. Describe objects around you, think about your plans, and silently form simple English sentences throughout the day.

6. How can I improve my English pronunciation?

Listen carefully to proficient speakers and imitate their pronunciation. Shadowing, recording yourself, and practicing difficult sounds can also improve your pronunciation.

7. What should I do if I’m afraid of making mistakes while speaking English?

Accept mistakes as part of learning. Start with short conversations and gradually speak for longer periods. The more you practice, the more your confidence will grow.

8. Can watching English movies improve fluency?

Yes. Movies and shows can improve listening skills, vocabulary, pronunciation, and knowledge of natural expressions. Try repeating useful sentences instead of only watching passively.

9. Is it possible to become fluent without living in an English-speaking country?

Yes. You can create an English-speaking environment at home through podcasts, videos, books, online conversations, speaking practice, and daily English activities.

10. How much English should I practice every day?

Aim for at least 15–30 minutes of focused practice each day. Consistent daily practice is generally more useful than studying for several hours only once a week.