Why conversation alone won’t make you fluent – and grammar won’t either

When you start learning a new language, it’s easy to think you have to choose a side. Some teachers believe conversation is everything – 'just talk and fluency will come.' Others insist on memorising verb charts, filling in gaps, and reading texts until you can recite the rules backwards.

Both camps mean well. The trouble is that neither approach works on its own.

If you’ve ever left a class thinking, 'That was a nice chat, but did I actually learn anything?' or 'I understand everything on paper, but I still can’t say it out loud,' you’ve seen the problem already.

The truth is that conversation and grammar aren’t rivals – they’re partners. And if you want real progress, you need both.

1. The two extremes most learners get stuck between

The conversational teacher: They’re warm, engaging and easy to talk to. Lessons feel relaxed and confidence-building. But after a few months, you realise you’re having the same conversations over and over. You sound smoother, but not necessarily better.

The textbook teacher: They’ve got plans, exercises and plenty of vocabulary lists. You learn a lot about the language, but not much of the language. You can spot every mistake on paper but freeze when you try to speak.

Neither is wrong – they just represent two halves of what language learning should be.

2. The danger of the ‘just conversation’ approach

Talking feels like progress because it’s active. You’re using the language, thinking quickly, expressing ideas. But if the lesson never moves beyond chat, you’re practising the same patterns every time. You’re becoming fluent in your habits, not your improvement.

A good conversational lesson should be the result of learning – the match, not the training session. You still need a teacher who plans what to introduce, what to recycle, and how to help you stretch beyond what’s comfortable.

3. The danger of the ‘grammar-only’ approach

At the other end, you have lessons that never quite reach real communication. You spend the hour reading, listening and filling in blanks, but never actually using the language.

It feels safe, but when you try to speak, everything disappears. You can explain a rule but can’t build a sentence. It’s like knowing all the theory for driving a car and never leaving the car park.

4. The balance that actually works

The best lessons combine both worlds: clear structure and genuine communication. One of the simplest and most effective ways to achieve that is through PPP – Presentation, Practice, Production.

Here’s what it looks like in a beginner class:

• Presentation: The teacher introduces new language through pictures or short examples – for instance, vocabulary for daily routines like wake up, go to work, have breakfast, watch TV.

• Practice: You work with the new language in a guided way – repeating, matching, and making short sentences such as I wake up at seven or I watched TV last night.

• Production: Finally, you use it more freely – describing your own routine, guessing information about your teacher’s day, or chatting about what you did yesterday.

  
  

Each step prepares you for the next. By the end, you’re speaking naturally, but everything you’re saying has been built on solid ground.

5. What to look for in your lessons

Think about your current classes.

• Does your teacher explain why something works, or just correct you when it doesn’t?

• Do you review and build on past lessons, or does every week feel like a fresh start?

• Do you ever get time for free conversation at the end, or is everything memorised and mechanical?

  
  

A good teacher mixes both sides. They can talk freely and teach precisely. They know when to push you, when to explain, and when to let you explore.

6. The right balance of structure and freedom

A well-structured class should still feel human. There’s room for natural conversation – ideally ten minutes or so at the end – where you can take risks, make mistakes, and experiment with the new language.

This is where the earlier structure pays off. The grammar and vocabulary you’ve learned start to turn into real communication. It’s no longer something you’ve memorised; it’s something you can actually use.

7. How to get more from your lessons

• Ask your teacher how the lessons are structured. If your classes are only conversation or only exercises, suggest trying a more balanced approach such as PPP – Presentation, Practice and Production.

• Ask your teacher to keep a short progress tracker or ‘language diary’. It helps you see what you’re improving and keeps your next lesson connected to your last.

• Don’t avoid grammar, and don’t hide behind conversation. Grammar gives you range; conversation makes it real. The two depend on each other.

Final thought

Fluency doesn’t come from chatting endlessly, and it doesn’t come from memorising lists. It comes from the combination of both – structured learning that gives you the language, and conversation that helps you bring it to life.

If your current lessons lean too far one way, try a class with a teacher who balances both. The difference will be obvious after the first few weeks.