There are two things you can’t do without if you want to express yourself in a foreign language :
– Vocabulary. Seems obvious when you think about it. If you don’t have the words… it’s gonna be difficult to get any conversation ! But who actually works on their vocabulary, fattening it, little by little ? It is crucial…
– Pronunciation. If you know what you have to say… but the person you’re speaking to doesn’t get it… you’re not going to go very far. A good amount of accent is not really a problem… if there is enough resemblance with the language and therefore makes you understandable.
My experience is that the French are better at understanding English speakers than the English are at understanding their French interlocutors… sooooo, that puts you on the good side of the fence, right ?
And what about grammar and all the rest ? Well, if you KISS… Keep It Super Simple… it’s not that important, after all… and it will come with hearing French natives talk to you… hence my Dare Speak French propositions