Shelvey has been in and out of the side at times this season, his cause not helped by a couple of suspensions.
But the midfielder impressed in the recent 1-0 Premier League victory at Southampton earlier this month, striking a superb late winner at St Mary's Stadium.
Ahead of Wednesday's trip to West Brom, Monk is encouraged by Shelvey's performances of late, but says the 22-year-old must continue to strive to improve.
"I think he enjoys his role with licence to join attacks," Monk said in a media conference on Monday.
"There are still certain aspects he can work on. The freedom he enjoys but he can be a bit more elusive.
"[He] has shown that in the last two games. I speak a lot to him, he understands the mistakes he has made.
"People forget how young he is, it feels like he is a seasoned pro.
"We're trying to bring consistency to his game, you can all see the quality."
