Many native English speakers understand what it’s like to travel to a country where the primary language is foreign to them. They know what it’s like to struggle to put together a sentence despite studying the language beforehand. So take heart! It’s normal to feel apprehensive about using English to talk to others, especially strangers. As you learn English grammar rules, you’ll feel more comfortable reaching out to strangers and asking questions, even if you’ve used an incorrect tense.

This doesn’t just mean chatting up a stranger who is standing next to you at the park. Customer service situations, making phone calls to order food delivery, and other interactions will become easier as you become more and more confident in your English language skills.