What's the problem! I have been thinking about my knowledge of English and came to an interesting thing. For me it turned out to be a PARADOX: I know English well and at the same time I don't know it at all. I am sure that many ESL have the faced this problem once in their way of possessing a foreign language. I may say for sure that I know English well, and it's true. I read a lot and not only fiction books but newspapers, magazines and other literature as well. I watch movies, mostly without subtitles, different programs, I listen to English songs most of my time, in fact I know all of them by heart. To prove the foresaid I can say that I understand pretty well what I read or watch or listen. I refer to dictionaries not often, and even if I don't know a word I understand from the context. Those rare words I translate I do just to know them. there are many people I talk to here in ITALKI and I do understand them also. So, what's the problem? why do I say that I don't know English at all? Actually, I understand English but I cannot use it. I mean when I speak I cannot remember the proper word, I cannot collect my thoughts and say exactly what I want to. I face the problem that I can't find words I need. The most offensive thing is that when I look them up in a translator I recognize them. I see I have already come up to these words many times. Of course I express myself changing words to easier ones, but this is not what I aim. I want to be fluent, I wish I could the proper words without any hesitation. They say you don't know the language until you can speak on it. I say I don't know it. It's very difficult to accept. it's so humbling. Anyway you should try harder, never give up, and one day the language will obey you. but how to come to this? Here is the question!!!!!!!!!