If your vocabulary is very limited at age 26, will you never be as good at speaking as others?

Question

Since i was a kid i never spoke much, shy all the time, never had friends. and i don't read that much. But now i try to read, try to talk more,,,, But will this ever get me to have a broad vocab any time soon, or will i never be as good as someone who has been talkative since he was a kid? Cause i see kids now, and i see how talkative they are, and they know a bunch of words. I think to understand new vocab and feel comfortable with it i would have to use it alot, still to study and learn vocab takes me time.. days, weeks.. just to learn 5 or 10 words, plus there are Idioms and stuff .. so much i don't know. Will it take me like 20 years?

Answer 1

Think of someone who has to learn English from scratch at the age of 26. Thousands of people find themselves in that situation and eventually master the language. There is no reason why you can't improve your vocabulary and overall language skills. You aren't old. Reading more will definitely put you on the right track. Remember, it's what you say, not how much you say. Being talkative by itself does not make one a good speaker, so don't just compare yourself to those who are talking non-stop. It might take you a while to improve, but learning in this case is exponential. The more you know, the easier it will be to learn more. Don't get discouraged and keep reading.
Good luck!

Answer 2

Not really, I would just continue trying to increase your vocabulary. When I'm reading a book or when I hear someone use a word I don't know, I usually write it down. Every other day I usually go over the list of words and eventually I start incorporating them into conversations. This is method that worked for me. After a year of doing this, you will find yourself being much more comfortable in conversations with other people. Best of luck!

Answer 3

My wife didn't start speaking English until she moved to NYC when she was 15. It is hard for her still.

You gotta read, you gotta watch tv, you gotta talk. I know, I don't like talking much either, but that is the only way to improve. It will take a lot of time. I suggest you keep a small notebook with you, take it everywhere, and anytime you see a word you don't know, write it down and look it up when you get home.

There is no reason to be shy about this. There are lots of adults that are plain illiterate. You at least have some skills. Just stay with it, the journey is worth the effort!!

Answer 4

No, it shouldn't take you that long. You're right that it is a matter of practice and usage, but reading is an excellent way to improve your vocabulary. And don't be afraid to use the dictionary, I have a good vocabulary but I still need to look up words I've never seen before. There are a lot of words you'll never need to know, but there are many that are commonly misused by 'educated' people. If you express yourself simply and clearly you have nothing to be ashamed of.

Answer 5

Get a book called something like "1100 Important Words You Need to Know" at the book store. It has idioms also. Keep trying, Keep reading. Good Luck!!

Answer 6

there is always the possibility to learn... and if it takes you time, so be it. It's just great what you are trying to do... maybe you think that as a kid you didn't have a great vocabulary, but now you are doing something that not many adults do, so go ahead and good luck.

Answer 7

You just need to read more and try to use new words when speaking. No, it will not take 20 years but it will take some effort on your part.

Answer 8

I am more than double your age. I am constantly learning new words and their meanings and how to use the words. You are never too old to learn.
An easy way is to listen to other people talk.

Answer 9

It's never late to improve your language skills. Just learn one word a day, and you'll have extraordinary progress in a very short time.

Answer 10

Not if you put your mind to it, and keep your focus on trying to learn as much as you can every day.