Totally understand that problem — I had the same “textbook English” issue. What helped me was mixing real-world input with consistent practice on sites like https://vocabloo.com  It has practical word sets and lets you actually review the kind of language you’d hear in real life. I pair it with podcasts and Reddit reading, and now I catch myself using phrases I never would have before. It’s like training your ear and brain together, not just memorizing definitions.

 Nice one! I’ll give it a shot. Sounds like exactly the mix I’ve been missing.