What is Hardest- Reading, Writing, or Speaking?

[healthandfitness]

I really think that it depends on the language. I can speak for most native English speakers when I say, that languages from Asia look extremely difficult to read and write. Languages like Sanskrit, Chinese,and Japanese look very challenges. I think that they are probably not as complicated as they look (I always tell myself that the children in those countries learn to read and write as small children).

[forextraspecialstuff]

For me speaking is the hardest because I have to really think on my feet. I have always found reading to be the easiest, I think it's because if I forget a word I can generally guess the meaning in the context of the sentence.

[Gelsemium]

I agree, not only speaking is the hardest for me too, as it's also what we forget faster. A few years ago I tried to speak French (I still had some in my head), but no word came out of my mouth, rather embarrassing!

[gabriela]

Among the three language skills you mentioned, I consider Speaking as the most difficult. The skill of speaking a language involves physical effort as well as learning the proper intonation, accents, pronunciation (including the unfamiliar uses of the various parts of the mouth). For example, the letter "R" is pronounced differently by Spanish as compared to the Americans and the French.

A slight raise in pitch can change the meaning of a word. The same is true with identically spelled words with differing accents on various syllables.

These variations are also present depending on the region and dialect.

[LostInSpace]

For me, speaking would be the hardest. I sometimes forget the term or forget what I was about to say and that usually results in being confused and making mistakes.

It's also hard to speak because if you lack confidence in speaking, then you'll either have a hard time speaking or make grammatical mistakes.

[Kate]

For me it's always been speaking that's the most difficult.  I never found a problem in reading or writing... but I'm somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to anything to do with linguistics, and that causes me a problem.

Why?  Because no matter how we try, we never sound like native speakers when we're learning a new language... and to an obsessive perfectionist, that is *totally* difficult! 

[Flopster]

Speaking has always been my weakest point. I've always had confidence issues so whenever I try to talk to someone I always end up stuttering even though I know exactly what I want to say! Also as soon as I know what I'm going to say I need to rehearse it multiple times before I know I'm going to get it right and not look stupid.

[karean]

I agree, it's listening that takes a while to learn. I think it's because we have trained through our formal education to learn through reading and writing most often that it is considered both a life skill and a formally learned skill.

[Peninha]

That's true, we have to develop an ear for listening and it's not easy, but at the same time I think that speaking is way harder because it's not something merely passive, you need to be active and articulate your thoughts.