Why is speaking usually mastered later than other skills?

Even though English is spoken by a large number of people, not many of them are able to communicate fluently in it. Having immense knowledge of this language is still no guarantee that you will be able to converse on it at a high level. So why does this occur?

There are four skills that need to be mastered in order to become proficient in English. Reading and listening – receptive skills – are usually acquired more easily since you are only required to understand what is written or what you listen to. In addition, due to education and job requirements, as well as entertainment industry, we are often exposed to reading and listening. Our passive knowledge is usually enough to develop these skills.

However, it is considerably more challenging to master speaking and writing, the two productive skills. You are required to activate your knowledge and use it effectively in various situations. The main problem is that you rarely get a chance. Moreover, even though you do practice, you still need someone to monitor your progress and correct your mistakes in order to enhance your use of English.

Inability to speak English fluently despite considerable knowledge of it is a consequence of disproportionate practice in using the four language skills. If you do not exercise all the skills equally, it will probably result in the discrepancy in levels of these skills. Becoming a proficient user entails perfecting them all.