How to Use ChatGPT to Improve Your English Conversation Skills

In my English conversation classes I often encourage students to practice their English speaking skills using ChatGPT. Not many people can afford daily conversation classes, but using AI you can now practise speaking English regularly. Even better it’s free!

Using voice mode, ChatGPT can now listen to you and respond in real time, making it an incredibly effective tool for practicing spoken English, or any language.

I’m learning Mandarin and every morning I have a quick chat with ChatGPT and ask it to teach me a new phrase and check my pronunciation.

Of course, Chat GPT is not a perfect substitute for real-life practice or a teacher, but it can give you plenty of opportunities to explore different topics, pick up new vocabulary, and refine how you express yourself. Here’s how you can use it to step up your English conversation skills.

1. Have Conversations on a Range of Topics

One of the hardest parts of improving your English is finding regular opportunities to practice speaking. ChatGPT can act as your conversation partner on all sorts of topics—whether it’s everyday small talk, hobbies, work, or more complex discussions about current events or personal growth. You can also role-play different scenarios, like ordering food, handling a tricky customer service call, or making polite small talk with colleagues.

✅ Tip: Start simple, then gradually challenge yourself with more in-depth discussions. You can even ask ChatGPT to use more advanced vocabulary or respond like a native speaker.

✅ Tip: You can refer to the transcript of your conversation if you want to check spellings or record sentence structures

2. Work on Pronunciation and Fluency

ChatGPT is particularly handy for working on English pronunciation. You can listen to it and try to mimic the rhythm and intonation of native speakers. Ask it to correct pronunciation errors and make a list of words you need to work on.

✅ Tip: Ask ChatGPT to generate dialogue scripts for you to practice, or request a list of tricky words along with their phonetic pronunciations.

3. Learn Natural English Phrases and Expressions

Native speakers often use idioms, phrasal verbs, and informal expressions that might not come up in textbooks. ChatGPT can introduce you to these phrases, explain what they mean, and give you examples of how they’re actually used.

✅ Try this: Ask, ‘Can you teach me some useful phrases for casual conversations?’ or ‘What are some common expressions for expressing excitement or frustration?’

4. Check and Improve Your English Grammar

If you’re unsure whether something you’ve said or written is correct, you can ask ChatGPT to check it for you. It won’t replace a teacher, but it can help you spot common mistakes and suggest more natural ways to phrase things.

✅ Try this: Write or speak a few sentences and ask, ‘Can you correct these and explain why?’

5. Practice Expressing Opinions and Debating in English

A great way to become more confident in English is to practice sharing your opinions and responding to different points of view. ChatGPT can act as a debate partner, helping you think critically and express your ideas more clearly.

✅ Try this: Say, ‘Let’s debate whether social media is good or bad for communication’ and see how you build your argument.

6. Prepare for Real-Life Situations

If you’ve got an interview, presentation, or even a tricky conversation coming up, you can practice with ChatGPT. It can help you rehearse answers, refine your wording, and even suggest culturally appropriate ways to phrase things.

✅ Try this: ‘Can you help me prepare for a job interview in English?’ or ‘What’s a polite way to disagree with someone in a meeting?’

7. Make Your English Learning Fun and Engaging

Improving your English doesn’t have to feel like a chore. ChatGPT can generate jokes, riddles, or fun language games to keep things interesting. You can even ask it to create short stories where you have to guess the ending or fill in missing words.

✅ Try this: ‘Tell me a short mystery story where I have to figure out what happened’ or ‘Let’s play a word association game!’

ChatGPT is a fantastic way to boost your English conversation skills, but nothing beats real-life practice. Use it as a tool to help you gain confidence, experiment with new vocabulary, and refine how you express yourself. And of course, whenever you get the chance, try to speak with real people—whether it’s in a language exchange, a class, or just chatting with friends.