09/28/2026
“I Know English… So Why Can’t I Speak?”
Over the past 15 years, Amalia and I have heard the same sentence from students again and again:
“I know English… so why can’t I speak?”
It is one of the most frustrating experiences for an English learner.
You can understand what people are saying.
You can read an email.
You know the grammar.
You have studied hundreds, sometimes thousands, of words.
You may even get good marks on English tests.
But then someone asks you a simple question in English…
And suddenly, your mind goes blank.
You know what you want to say.
You just can’t get the words out.
We’ve seen this happen with students from all over the world.
And we’ve learned something very important:
The problem isn’t always a lack of English.
Sometimes, it’s a lack of confidence using the English you already have.
“I was translating everything in my head.”
One of the most common things our students have told us is that they were constantly translating.
They would hear something in English.
Translate it into their first language.
Think about their answer.
Translate their answer back into English.
And by the time they were ready to speak…
The conversation had moved on.
We have watched this change.
As students become more comfortable speaking, something happens.
They stop trying to create the perfect sentence.
They stop worrying about every mistake.
They start responding naturally.
English becomes less of a mental exercise and more of a conversation.
And that is a huge moment for a student.
“I was afraid to speak with native English speakers.”
We’ve also heard students tell us that they were comfortable speaking English with other learners, but became nervous when speaking with native English speakers.
They were afraid of not understanding.
Afraid of being judged.
Afraid of saying something incorrectly.
Afraid of looking foolish.
But after working with us, many students have told us that this changed.
They became more comfortable starting conversations.
They became less nervous when they didn’t understand something.
They learned that making a mistake wasn’t embarrassing.
It was simply part of communicating.
And perhaps most importantly…
They started speaking anyway.
The change goes far beyond the classroom.
This is the part of teaching that means the most to us.
Because eventually, students stop talking about English class.
They start telling us about what English allowed them to do outside the classroom.
They felt more confident in job interviews.
They participated more in meetings.
They gave presentations.
They made friends.
They became more comfortable talking to people in their community.
They stopped feeling embarrassed about their English.
They felt more independent.
They felt like they could finally express their personality in another language.
That is when we know something important has happened.
Because English has stopped being a subject they are studying…
and has become a tool they are actually using.
We don’t expect students to speak perfect English.
After 15 years of teaching, Amalia and I don’t believe confidence comes from speaking perfect English.
In fact, we believe the opposite is often true.
You become confident by speaking before your English is perfect.
You make mistakes.
You learn from them.
You try again.
You realize that people still understand you.
You realize that you can have a conversation.
And slowly, the fear starts to disappear.
That’s when English begins to feel different.
So, “I know English… why can’t I speak?”
Our answer is simple:
Knowing English is knowledge.
Speaking English is a skill.
Speaking English confidently is a transformation.
And those are three different things.
For us, the most rewarding part of teaching isn’t watching a student memorize another grammar rule.
It’s watching the student who once sat quietly in the classroom suddenly raise their hand.
It’s watching someone who was afraid to speak with a native speaker start a conversation.
It’s hearing a student say:
“I don’t translate in my head anymore.”
Or:
“I’m not nervous anymore.”
Or simply:
“I can speak English now.”
Those moments are why Amalia and I have been doing this for more than 15 years.
Because our students don’t just come to us to learn more English.
They come to us because they want to use the English they have to live a bigger, more confident life.
And that’s the transformation we love being part of.
