10 tips for learning English
1. Set a goal
Before you start learning a language, make sure you have a clear idea of the level of proficiency you want to achieve. Learning English will certainly be useful for many reasons, such as reading the latest news on the most popular foreign news websites or even getting a better job. English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the labour market today, so your language skills will be an asset. Maybe you’ve just had the opportunity to study English abroad or listen to online lectures by world-renowned professors? Or are you planning to travel more and a conversational dictionary takes up too much space in your bag? Whatever your goal is, once you set it, you must stick to it!
2. Find English language courses to suit your needs
Everyone has different preferences and habits. This means we also have different ways of acquiring new knowledge. For some, it’s easy and learning fits in harmoniously with their routine, while others need extra motivation and some self-readjustment. Before learning English, you should carefully study the range of services on offer, assessing your time resources and daily routine. Having information on learning methods and the differences is an invaluable asset. Once you find the courses that speak to you, learning English will no longer seem a chore and difficult, but fun and interesting.
3. Be responsible
Learning is a process that takes time and dedication. Only you can control what, when and how you want to learn. It is important to remember that taking a few minutes to learn a language every day is much more useful than studying for long periods of time sporadically. It is definitely not necessary to spend the whole day revising and consolidating what you’ve learnt – this will tire you out and may make you lose interest in learning the language. Just a short amount of time each day – whether it’s reading, listening to your favourite songs or just doing some exercises – this is enough. Try to make learning English accompany you in your everyday life.
4. Watch movies with subtitles
We all love movies – that’s why it’s a great idea to turn on the subtitles while watching them. You may find it tedious and exhausting, but this time, by paying more attention to the sound and the words on the screen than to the image, you will certainly remember both the expression and the words, which will get stuck in your memory over time. Watch your favourite TV series – in time you will understand why the ever-so-funny “Keeping Up Appearances” with our beloved Mrs Bucket is so famous all over the world.
5. Read, read, read!
Even if you’re not very proficient in English, start reading – whether it’s children’s books or BBC news. Be sure not to start with Shakespeare’s sonnets – reading these will be too complicated and you’ll lose the courage to learn! Instead, start with simpler things like children’s books and comics – yes, it may seem awkward, but pictures and simple sentences will help you understand what’s written and learn new words you may not have come across before. And it will be your first experience of everyday English.
6. Listen!
It is very important to improve and develop not only speaking, but also listening skills. Even if you don’t like music, listening to songs or watching music videos in English will help you recognise the words you’ve learnt, hear new ones, and again, this means great practice. There are many programmes on the internet on various topics in English. By listening to them, you will become familiar with the pronunciation and intonation quirks, which are very important in learning any language. You may not understand everything right away, but with time, you will feel that you’ve started to understand more. The key to learning a language in the early stages is to begin to understand context.
7. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes!
This is easier said than done, but it’s important to realise that everyone makes mistakes when learning new things, even native speakers! Don’t let the fear of not knowing stop you. The day when you’re able to spot your own mistakes, analyse them and correct them before anyone else even notices will surely come. Making mistakes is the best way to learn. In the learning process, try to use and think in English to explain your mistake. Even if you don’t know how to say it or explain it, try using simple sentences and words, use your imagination and build a strategy.
8. Practice, practice, practice!
Don’t miss any opportunity to practice. The only way to learn a spoken language is to practice, so use English whenever you can. Practice with colleagues, family or friends. It will be fun! You can’t learn to rollerblade without putting them on. Similarly, you can’t learn English without speaking and practising!
9. Use different resources
You definitely want to learn real English, not just what you read in textbooks. The teaching materials are for lessons only, generally being methodical without containing examples of street language. You will be much more interested in the information available on the internet – reality shows, newspapers, magazines – even browsing Craigslist is very good for learning a language! This will bring variety into your vocabulary, allowing you to explore different English pronunciations, colloquialisms and even complicated terminology.
10. Try to develop all your language skills at the same time!
Make sure you focus on all language skills – listening, speaking, reading and writing. This will give you more confidence. If you only know how to read or write, it will not give you much confidence in speaking or listening. We perceive differently with each sense. It may be easier for some to communicate by writing and others by speaking, but over time, developing every skill will seem much easier. English is beautiful – so why not be friends with it?
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