Forgive the long excerpt, but I stumbled upon this book, Fifteen Thousand Useful Phrases by Grenville Kleiser while looking for interesting ebooks to read.

While it was written for native English speakers to enhance their vocabulary, I found part of the introduction to be pretty interesting, and relevant to 2nd (3rd, 4th...) language learners as well.

I edited some out that I felt wasn't important, and probably left in some unimportant parts too...

Quote:We should not, however, study "sparkling words and sonorous phrases" with the object of introducing them consciously into our speech. To do so would inevitably lead to stiltedness and superficiality. Words and phrases should be studied as symbols of ideas, and as we become thoroughly familiar with them they will play an unconscious but effective part in our daily expression.

We acquire our vocabulary largely from our reading and our personal associates.
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Ruskin earnestly counsels us to form the habit of looking intensely at words. We should scrutinize them closely and endeavor to grasp their innermost meaning. There is an indefinable satisfaction in knowing how to choose and use words with accuracy and precision. As Fox once said, "I am never at a loss for a word, but Pitt always has the word."

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Many persons of good education unconsciously circumscribe themselves within a small vocabulary. They have a knowledge of hundreds of desirable words which they do not put into practical use in their speech or writing. Many, too, are conscious of a poverty of language, which engenders in them a sense of timidity and self-depreciation. The method used for building a large vocabulary has usually been confined to the study of single words. This has produced good results, but it is believed that eminently better results can be obtained from a careful study of words and expressions, as furnished in this book, where words can be examined in their context.

It is intended and suggested that this study should be pursued in connection with, and as a supplement to, a good standard dictionary. Fifteen minutes a day devoted to this subject, in the manner outlined, will do more to improve and enlarge the vocabulary than an hour spent in desultory reading.

There is no better way in which to develop the mental qualities of clearness, accuracy, and precision, and to improve and enlarge the intellectual powers generally, than by regular and painstaking study of judiciously selected phrases and literary expressions.

PLAN OF STUDY

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When you have chosen a section of the book which particularly appeals to you, begin your actual study by reading the phrases aloud. Read them slowly and understandingly. This tends to impress them more deeply upon your mind, and is in itself one of the best and most practical ways of acquiring a large and varied vocabulary. Moreover, the practise of fitting words to the mouth rapidly develops fluency and facility of speech.

Few persons realize the great value of reading aloud.
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This study should be pursued with pencil in hand, so that you may readily underscore phrases which make a special appeal to you. The free use of a pencil in marking significant parts of a book is good evidence of thoroughness. This, too, will facilitate your work of subsequent review.

The habit of regularly copying, in your own handwriting, one or more pages of phrases will be of immense practical value. This exercise is a great aid in developing a facile English style. The daily use of the pen has been recommended in all times as a valuable means of developing oral and literary expression.

A helpful exercise is to pronounce a phrase aloud and then fit it into a complete sentence of your own making. This practice gives added facility and resourcefulness in the use of words.

As an enthusiastic student of good English, you should carefully note striking and significant phrases or literary expressions which you find in your general reading. These should be set down in a note-book reserved for this exclusive purpose. In this way you can prepare many lists of your own, and thus greatly augment the value of this study.

The taste for beauty, truth, and harmony in language can be developed by careful study of well-selected phrases and literary expressions as furnished in this book. A good literary style is formed principally by daily study of great English writers, by careful examination of words in their context, and by a discriminating use of language at all times.

Things I liked, but for some reason hadn't though of before are reading out loud, and forming your own sentences. I've been doing this during reviews, and I've found that it's helping me actually use (or at least think of) words that I passively know through SRS in my real life and conversation.

I wouldn't bother reading the rest of the book, it's just literally a list of words and phrases, some of which I have never heard nor know the meaning. ie. "Your blood is red like wine" etc...

Anyway, I just found it interesting and thought I'd share.

When I was younger my parents used to get me to read classic novels aloud every evening and I'm certain it contributed significantly to my adult eloquence. Reading aloud makes you more aware of errors than does silent reading, and forces you to comprehend more accurately in order to correctly judge the tone and emphasis with which words should be spoken.

"Your blood is red like wine" is a poetic way of saying that someone is intoxicatingly sexual or passionate. It has more subtle connotations as well, such as implying the richness and complexity of the character of the person you are describing.

As with any simile the meaning isn't exact, but ascribes the properties of one thing figuratively to another, so each reader can interpret it uniquely but with a core universal meaning.

You know, I always thought reading aloud would help towards one's speaking skill as well, but I never got around to putting it into practice. I should definitely do so from now on.

I started reading 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' out loud to improve my public speaking. Perhaps it's not the best book for that purpose, but it was short, and I always wanted to read it.

So, anyone know of someone who accomplished this? As in, they became good at speaking by just reading aloud all the time?

Yeah, me. Not by just reading aloud - obviously I lived a normal life as well. But I did two things in my childhood that vastly accelerated my learning of english: read books aloud every night and listened to audiobooks as I went to sleep.

Right, and thanks for the testimonial, but English is your native language, no?

Yes, and the book is about improving your knowledge of your native language. The experience would definitely carry across to other languages too.

I'm a big fan of reading to improve language comprehension, as well as speaking and writing. I always tell people, as soon as you can start reading in L2, do so.

Anyways, I moved to America when I was seven, and didn't speak any English at the time. Then I was in a bilingual class (my school had those) for 2nd/3rd grade.

In forth grade we had some promo thing for Six Flags Great America. If you read a certain number of hours you got free tickets. It was supposed to be in your spare time, no real oversight, all you needed was a parents signature at the bottom. So I read a ton of children's books, short novels, short stories. At the time this was the only major reading I had done in any language. I can say that my English improved immensely after. It was like over night (month or two) I went from barely speaking to being near fluent.

In sixth grade we had placement tests, I remember having something like 3.6/4.6 (3rd grade, 6th month) in the reading section. In seventh grade the teacher made us read everyday. I read a lot that year, and not in the classroom (relatively a lot). As I got better I was blazing through Goosebumps books in no time. Then I began reading 'Superstitious' by S. King. It was way too difficult for me, but I dredged on. After a while it became easier, then not hard at all. By the end of that year I was indistinguishable from native-fluent level. I got a 8.6 (or something) on the state placement test.