English is an excellent language to learn, whether it's for business, travel or personal reasons. Learning any language requires hard work, commitment and a willingness to make mistakes, and English is no different. Read below to gather information about learning English.
Improving Your Spoken English
1Speak a little English every day. The absolute best way to learn any new language is just to speak it. It doesn't matter if you only know five English words or if you're practically fluent -- speaking English with another person is the fastest, most effective method of improving.
- Don't wait until you "feel more comfortable" speaking in English -- you probably won't reach that level for a long time, so push yourself outside of your comfort zone and start speaking English today. You' ll be amazed at how quickly your language skills improve.
- Find a native English speaker who is willing to spend some time speaking English with you -- you may be able to offer them a language exchange, where they spend 30 minutes speaking English with you and you spend 30 minutes speaking your native language with them.
- If you live in an English-speaking country, you can practice by starting simple conversations with the people you meet, whether it's saying "hello" to a shopkeeper or asking a stranger for directions.
2Work on your pronunciation. Even if you have an acceptable grasp of the English language, with good grammar and an extensive vocabulary, native English speakers may find you very difficult to understand if you don't work on your pronunciation.
- Correct, clear pronunciation is essential if you really want to improve your level of English. Listen closely to how native English speakers pronounce certain words and sounds and do your best to copy them.
- Pay particular attention to any sounds that you are unfamiliar with or that do not exist in your native tongue. For example some people have difficulty pronouncing the "r" sound, as it does not exist in their native language, while other people have difficulty with certain consonant clusters, such as the "th" sound.
- Be aware that the pronunciation of certain English words varies greatly depending on the part of the world it's spoken in. For example, American English is very different from British English. If you intend to travel to or live in an English-speaking country, this is something you should take into account when learning how to pronounce certain words.
3Expand your vocabulary and use idiomatic phrases. The wider your vocabulary and the more English phrases you learn, the easier speaking English will become.
- Again, spending time with native English speakers will help you to pick up on common vocabulary and phrases in a natural way. Although reading, watching English TV and listening to the news is also beneficial.
- Once you have learned a new word or phrase, you should make an effort to use it in a sentence -- this is the best way to commit it to memory.
- Another easy way to commit new words to memory is to make labels for everyday household items and stick them around your house or apartment. Then every time you use the kettle or look in the mirror, you will see the English word for these items staring back at you.
- You should also start a notebook of idiomatic phrases that English speakers use all the time. Some examples include "it's raining cats and dogs" (raining heavily), to be on "cloud nine" (to be very happy) or saying something is a "piece of cake" (when something is very easy). Sprinkling these kinds of phrases into your conversation will bring your level of English up several notches.
4Attend an English class or discussion group. Another great way to incorporate some extra English conversation into your weekly routine is to sign up for a class of discussion group.
- Attending an English class is a great way to focus on some of the more formal aspects of speaking English. A class will teach you the grammatically correct way of speaking -- which includes proper sentence structure and verb conjugation and will generally provide a very structured approach to language learning.
- Attending a discussion group is a more informal and relaxed way of learning English, where the emphasis is more on communication and relationship building than on speaking "correct" English. Speaking English in this setting can help you to become more comfortable with speaking in front of other people.
- Both of these language-learning settings have their pros and cons, so it's best to do both if you can!
5Carry a dictionary. Carrying an English dictionary with you at all times (whether it's an actual book or a phone app) can be very useful.
- Having a dictionary means that you will never be stuck for a word. It can save you a lot of embarrassment if you're having a conversation with an English-speaker and forget a word in the middle of the sentence -- all you have to do is take a second to look it up!
- Aside from saving you awkwardness, looking up the word you need then immediately using it in a sentence will actually help you to commit the new vocabulary to memory.
- It is also helpful to have a dictionary to peruse throughout the day during private moments, like when you're sitting on the train, waiting to cross the street or just having a cup of coffee. You could learn an extra 20 to 30 English words per day using this technique!
- As a beginner, you should should start with an English dictionary that provides definitions in your native language. However, once your language skills improve, you should switch to using an English-English dictionary, which provides English definitions for English words.
Improving Your Writing, Reading and Listening Skills
1Listen to English radio or podcasts. One of the best ways to improve your English listening comprehension is to download English-language podcasts or radio apps on your phone or MP3 player.
- You should then make an effort to listen to the podcasts or radio shows for at least 30 minutes per day. Do it in the gym, on your commute to work, or while you're sitting at your computer.
- Make an effort to understand what's being said, don't just let the English wash over you. Even if you find it too fast, try to pick out key words and phrases to get a general idea of what the conversation is about.
- If you can, make a note of any words or phrases that you don't understand and look up the translation afterwards. Then listen to the podcast or show again to hear the new words or phrases in context.
2Watch English movies and TV shows. Another fun way to improve your listening comprehension is to watch English movies and TV shows.
- Try to pick movies or TV shows that you will enjoy -- this will make the exercise feel like less of a chore. If possible, choose movies or shows that you are already familiar with, such as children's cartoons or blockbuster films. If you already know the basic story you will find the language much easier to pick up on.
- However, you should avoid watching movies or television shows with subtitles in your native language -- they will only distract you and make you less inclined to focus on understanding the English, which is the whole point of the exercise.
3Read an English book, newspaper or magazine. Reading is an essential part of learning a new language, so don't forget to practice!
- Find something you are really interested in -- whether that's a famous English novel, The New York Times or a fashion magazine and start working your way through it. If you find the content boring, you will be less inclined to persevere with it.
- Again, make an active effort to actually understand what you're reading, don't just skim over it. Highlight any words or phrases that you don't understand, then look them up in the dictionary.
- If you're alone, you could also try reading aloud -- this will allow you to improve your reading comprehension while also working on your pronunciation.
4Keep a diary in English. Aside from reading and listening comprehension, you should also spend some time working on your written English.
- This may be one of the most difficult aspects of your language learning, but it is important nevertheless. Writing in English will help you to work on your sentence structure, grammar and spelling.
- Try keeping an English diary in which you write down a few sentences every day. It doesn't have to be deeply personal -- you could write about the weather, what you ate for dinner or what your plans are for the day.
- If you feel comfortable with it, get a native speaker to look over what you've written and check it for any errors. This will help you to avoid making the same mistakes over and over again.
5Find an English-speaking pen-pal. Once your written language skills have improved, you could consider getting an English-speaking pen-pal!
- Having an English-speaking pen-pal combines your English writing practice with the excitement of getting a letter or email!
- Your pen pal may be someone who is learning English like you, or they may be a native English speaker who wants to practice their foreign language skills by writing to you in your native tongue.
- Having a pen pal from an English-speaking country (such as the United States, Britain, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa, for example) will also allow you to learn more about the culture and what life is like in that part of the world.
Committing to Your New Language
1Stay motivated. When learning any new language, it is important to stay motivated and never give up on your goal of fluency.
- Stay committed to your language-learning goal by reminding yourself of how badly you want to achieve it. Think of all of the amazing experiences and opportunities that will be available to you once you've mastered the English language.
- You will be able to converse with English speakers from across the world and develop new and exciting relationships, you will be able to engage with English-speaking culture like never before and potentially further your career as a result of your new language skills.
2Practice every day. If you want to to gain fluency quickly, you need to commit to practicing every day.
- Learning a new language is based on repetition, so if you wait too long between study sessions, you will forget everything you learned previously and have to start all over again, wasting valuable time.
- However, you shouldn't study so much that you grow sick of English -- try to keep things interesting by completing a different task each day - one day of reading, one day of listening comprehension, one day of writing practice, one day studying grammar, etc.
- However, you should never pass up an opportunity to practice speaking English, as this is the number one most important thing you can do to gain fluency.
3Train yourself to think in English. One way to make the transition from being very good at English to being fluent is to train your brain to actually think in the English language.
- Constantly translating from your native language into English and back again inside your head consumes time and energy. Every language has its own nuances and peculiarities, which makes it impossible to accurately translate from one language to another in certain instances.
- As a result, your spoken and written English will flow much more naturally and fluently if you can just train your brain to think in English. Think of it like a switch -- when it's time to communicate in English, you need to turn your English brain on and your mother language brain off!
4Make friends with English speakers. One of the greatest tests of a person's fluency in a second language is to put them in a room with a bunch of native speakers and see if they can follow and contribute to the conversation.
- The best way to achieve this level of fluency is to make some English-speaking friends and hang out with them in a social setting, like in a cafe or bar.
- This way, you will be forced to speak in English if you want to interact with your peers, but it won't feel like work or study because you'll be having so much fun!
5Don't be afraid to make mistakes. The biggest obstacle that stands in the way of learning a new language is the fear of making mistakes.
- This fear serves no purpose -- it is merely a hindrance that prevents you from reaching your goal of fluency.
- Don't be afraid of making a mistake and don't be shy! Of course you can't speak a new language perfectly at the start. Try to express yourself albeit with difficulty.
- Remember that everyone makes mistakes when they are learning a new language -- it's a rite of passage. You will almost certainly have your fair share of awkward or embarrassing moments when you accidentally say something rude or incorrect, but this is all part of the fun.
- Also remember that you are not aiming for perfection when learning to speak English, you are aiming for progress. Making mistakes is all part of the learning process, they will help you to become better, so embrace them!
I find it hard to learn the grammar, what should I do?
- Grammar is hard to master (as with all languages) and even for native speakers some grammatical points are debated often. As long as you can get your point across, that's the most important thing - grammatical details will come. Learning from mistakes is important - get someone who knows the language to correct you if you go wrong.
What if I don't have an English speaker in my community? What can I do then?
- In this case, make use of the internet as much as possible and find online English speakers to chat with and watch English videos, listen to English radio, etc. You can also talk to yourself in English using your imagination or chat with friends who are also learning English.
How can I increase my English vocabulary?
- You can increase your English vocabulary by thinking in English, practicing with a native speaker, reading newspapers/books/magazines, writing a diary/journal in English, using flashcards or apps with vocabulary on them, watching movies/TV shows and keeping a vocabulary book to help you remember the harder words. Read the dictionary now and then -- just open up to anywhere in the dictionary and read through the words, learning new ones that look interesting to you.
How long will it take to be a fluent English speaker?
- It takes about 5 years to express yourself freely. It depends on how motivated you are and if you are an excellent speaker in your own language, you will learn more quickly because you seek out the words that you already know. It is called transference skills. If you read comic books, watch TV or get a job where English is spoken, this will speed up the learning process.
The article says I should not watch TV with subtitles in my language. Can I put on subtitles in English?
- This depends on how advanced your English is: If you're just starting out, familiarizing yourself with the sound of English and using subtitles in your own language can be useful. But when you're ready to practice conversation, turn off all subtitles, because after a certain point, this won't teach you anything new. Although, it can be helpful to use English subtitles only. This should be used as a step toward watching without any subtitles at all.
I seem to make most of my English mistakes in my essays. How can I stop this?
- Eliminating mistakes is simply a matter of practice. Mistakes are to be expected at first. Have someone else even slightly familiar with English read your essays before you submit them. Don't be embarrassed about mistakes. English is a difficult language to learn! Everyone struggles with it at first.
Which dictionary do you recommend?
- That is a question that would be better put to your teacher or tutor because they may have a very specific preference. It will also depend on where you're learning and which English you're learning (American, British, Australian, Canadian, etc.), as each region has its own preferred dictionaries. If learning in Britain, the Oxford dictionary is legendary. You should also factor in cost, accessibility and your own preferences. Do an online search for various dictionaries to see what seems good to you.
How do I improve my pronunciation?
- The best way to do this is to listen to and speak with someone who is fluent in English. If this is not possible, find spoken English online or in a recording. Remember that English is pronounced slightly differently in different parts of the world or even in different parts of the same country.
How can become more confident to speak in English?
- As with other skills, the only way to gain confidence in speaking English is to keep practicing! English is a difficult language to master. Even small children -- who are very good at acquiring language skills -- take five years or more to become fluent in English. Many continue to make errors with the irregular forms of the language.
How can I make sentences?
- A basic sentence consists of a subject and a predicate. A subject consists of one or more nouns or pronouns and any modifying adjectives. A predicate consists of one or more verbs and any modifying adverbs. (Some sentences will be more complicated than this.) The subject is the person, place or thing which performs an action or inhabits a state of being. The predicate describes the action or state of being. A sentence will include at least one independent clause and may include one or more dependent clauses. A sentence typically begins with a capital letter and ends with a form of punctuation such as a period, question mark, exclamation mark or quotation mark.
I've followed all these steps for six months but my English still hasn't improved. Why?
- English is a very difficult language to master. It takes even small children several years to learn English. Expect to take much longer than six months to become fluent. Be patient, and look for help from other people, preferably native English speakers.
How can I improve the way my English sounds?
- Keep practicing! Write a paragraph in English, then read it out loud (to yourself and to someone else who is even slightly familiar with English). If the words don't ''sound'' right, they probably ''aren't.'' Re-write the words until they ''do'' sound right! It's very important to have someone nearby who is familiar with English. Trying to master the language by yourself is almost impossible.
In what time can I speak English as well as a native speaker?
- To talk like a native speaker, the time will vary depending on your personal ability, the level of immersion you are capable of and how many native speakers you spend time around. It can take months or it can take years, depending on what your situation is. Few people ever lose their own accent but many people become fluent and comfortable within a year or so of regular immersion in the other language.
I can understand other people but not speak very well myself. Is this normal?
- It is quite typical for someone learning a new language to understand the speech of other people before learning to speak well him/herself. If you understand the words of other people, you are making good progress!
How can I enjoy learning English?
- If you want to enjoy mastering the English language, watch movies with subtitles. You can start with a light comedy or a sitcom with a very simple language. Keep the subtitles on until you feel that you can make out the words without looking at the subtitles. And finally - read a lot. Preferably, classic authors, such as Mark Twain or Jane Austen. By reading the best written books, you'll enjoy the language and learn to speak it well too.
How do I learn English writing? I am not used to the alphabet.
- Start with a grammar book that included short exercises after each topic. Good writing skills always go hand in hand with a good knowledge of grammar. Try writing simple short compositions, like those you wrote in school about your family or the city you were born. If you don't have anyone to check your compositions for errors, try online proofreading tools such as Grammarly.
While I can understand English, I'm hesitant to answer in English. How can I feel okay about this?
- This is difficult, because you have to be willing to make mistakes and sometimes look and feel silly. Assuming you are around English speakers, try to make small talk. This will help you to catch on to non-verbal language cues. Generally the weather is a safe subject. So remarking "Can you believe this (heat, snow, etc.)!" after making eye contact with someone is a good chance to see if they are willing to exchange small talk without offending them. Rain: "I'll be glad when it stops raining." If you are in a farming area, it is often appropriate to add, "But I know we need it." Don't be afraid to tell people you are learning; most will be kind.
How can I speak English faster?
- There is no substitute for practice. Lots of it! Record yourself while speaking. Listen back to the recording, and try to speak faster than the recording. Repeat again and again until that part is well learned and you can move onto the next part of your learning.
- Learn the phonetic alphabet (pronunciation symbols). This can help you pronounce correctly, and it's necessary to speak with the correct tone if you want to make some friends with native English speakers. This is a big deal for non-native English speakers.
- Dictation is an excellent way to improve your listening and spelling skills. Have a friend read a few paragraphs from a book or a newspaper. Write down what you think you hear. Compare what you have written with the actual text.
- Learn about the cultures of English-speaking countries.
- Find a native individual who not only speaks English, but can teach it. Learn grammar and vocabulary using visual, auditory and spoken methods. Spiral the cycle and keep it interesting.
- Learn all the verb tenses and moods in English. A quick internet search will take you right to them. It is also important to learn correct subject-verb agreement. If you conjugate verbs improperly, it will sound sloppy, as native speakers hardly do so. If you conjugate them correctly, on the other hand, you will impress native speakers of English.
- If you have your sights set on the US, look for literacy programs in your area -- they are often free, learn a trade and do your best to acquire English-speaking friends. Americans like people with an "I can do it!" attitude. In Britain, a useful skill and some modesty are more the key.
- Take an ESL (English as a Second Language) class at your local community college.
- Read English or bilingual news papers.
- Talk to everybody in English.
- Compose a song in English. Write a little story in English.
- Listen to English songs, so that you can improve your skills.
- Try reading and speaking English to others and keep practicing until you can master it.
- If you are just learning English, if you get b's and d's mixed up, think of the word bed. The stem of the b is the head of the bed,and the stem of the d is the foot of the bed.
- Join a Facebook group, online community or forum so that you'll be interacting in writing and reading English on a daily basis. Spend about 20-30 minutes a day to read and respond to posts.
- If you're not sure what's the right way to write something try to guess what's the correct one and search Google (or any other search engine) the way you think it's suppose to be, in most cases you'd see in the results what's the right way to phrase it.
- Install a spell checker on your browser/smartphone/whatever and try to guess what's the right spell while you're writing, if you didn't manage to find it you can click the right mouse button and see the spell checker would give you the right spell.
- Some words might have confusing spelling (e. g. 'write' and 'right') therefore if you're afraid to do mistakes you could write a whole paragraph by the way you feel it's right to write it and by the end copy the text and paste it into a translator, check the translation and see if the translation is what you meant, if not locate the error and fix it.
- If you're not sure what some phrase means you could just search it up by Google and you're probably find the answer, same goes for shorts and slang.
- Many old British sitcoms use strong (and sometimes ambiguous) accents and dialects.
Sources and Citations
- http://www.teacherjoe.us/Learn.html Suggestions and exercises to help students become fluent in English
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/ For the BBC news site.
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/ For the BBC Radio 4 site, offering 'listen live' and 'listen again' options (down the right hand side).
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/ For the BBC World (Radio) Service site (there's no point visiting it if you don't view it in English).
- http://www.loecsen.com/travel/0-en-67-2-2-free-lessons-english.html Useful expressions.
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