Beyond Textbooks & Drills: Gemini - Your Interactive Playground for Mastering English Speaking

Last week, Google changed the name of its generative AI tool from Bard to Gemini and upgraded its skills. Even before this, what set Gemini apart from ChatGPT was its microphone feature, which allows you to speak to Gemini and it will give you feedback about your grammar, fluency, etc. So, today I want to focus on some Gemini prompts and activities to help you practice speaking English when you don’t have a human to help you.

Here are some ways you can use Gemini to enhance your speaking skills…

1. Practice Conversations:

• Topic Prompts: Use prompts like "Describe your perfect vacation," "Discuss the importance of renewable energy," or "Debate the role of technology in education." Ask Gemini to follow up with questions or add details to generate a conversation-like flow.
• Role-playing: Set up scenarios like job interviews, ordering food, or giving directions. Play both roles, have Gemini respond, and analyze your grammar and word choice afterwards.

2. Analyze Recordings:

• Microphone Feature: Click the microphone icon on the right side of the text box. Speak clearly and concisely on a chosen topic or prompt. Gemini will transcribe your speech and analyze it for grammar, fluency, and vocabulary. Focus on areas marked with red for improvement.
• Error Correction: Copy & paste a recording transcript (from another app) into Gemini. It will highlight errors and suggest corrections. Pay attention to recurring mistakes and practice using alternatives provided.

3. Enhance Vocabulary & Phrasal Verbs:

• Word Association: Type in a phrasal verb you want to practice (e.g., "run out of"). Ask Gemini to provide synonyms, antonyms, and example sentences in context.
• Fill-in-the-blanks: Create sentences with blanks where phrasal verbs fit (e.g., "I ___ out of coffee, so I had tea instead"). Ask Gemini to suggest appropriate options and explain their usage.
• Story Creation: Choose a theme or picture prompt. Use Gemini to suggest interesting verbs and phrasal verbs to incorporate into your narrative.

4. Personalized Practice:

• Identify Weak Areas: Analyze your speech recordings or writing samples to pinpoint specific areas for improvement (e.g., specific tenses, verb conjugations). Then, create targeted prompts for Gemini to address those issues.
• Create Custom Prompts: Design prompts relevant to your field, hobbies, or current events. This personalizes your practice and strengthens vocabulary within specific contexts.

Additional Tips:

• Record & Review: After practicing with Gemini, re-record yourself speaking on the same topic. Track your progress and celebrate improvements.
• Variety is Key: Mix up activities and prompts to keep learning fun and address different aspects of speaking.
• Use this prompt to get more activities: “I’m an adult, upper-intermediate student of English. How can I use Gemini to help me improve my speaking skills in English? Please give me some activities and prompts I can copy & paste into Gemini to help me improve my grammar and word choice (especially with phrasal verbs). Also give detailed instructions about how to use the microphone feature in Gemini to help analyze my English speaking.”

Remember, consistency is key! Practice regularly with Gemini, human tutors, and other resources to see a significant improvement in your English speaking skills. And then, practice speaking with native speakers who can help you advance faster and build your confidence for speaking English in any situation. Check the comments for the most affordable & convenient option to do this.

Do you have friends & colleagues who want to improve their English? Please share these newsletter articles with them…