Do you need to improve your English quickly? Are you looking for new ways to help you become fluent? Here are some tips on how to learn English, which you probably hadnât thought about before! Put these into practice right away!
1. Switch your search engine to English and type something that youâre interested in.
This could be anything from healthy food recipes, learning English, or holidays, to fashion, animals, or cars.
Youâll find many websites with information that interests you, and articles to read in English on subjects that matter to you. Read them and you will automatically build your vocabulary! Donât worry if you donât understand everything you read immediately, you will probably need to check some words in a dictionary from time to time, but thatâs how you learn!
2. Read a book in English.
Go to your local bookstore or library, and find a book thatâs written in English. You could even buy one on-line and have it delivered to you (if you donât have these facilities in your area). E-books are also quite popular nowadays! Once you have your e-reader, you can simply buy an e-book on-line and it registers onto your e-reader instantly. There are also thousands of free e-books on offer on various websites!
It doesnât have to be anything complicated or difficult to read, just something simple that you can enjoy and learn a few new words at the same time. Try to find a book that is the right level for you. You only want to learn a few new English words on each page at a time. If there are a lot of new English words on every page, then you need to find something a little easier. Even if you start with a childrenâs book, it doesnât matter! Donât make it any harder for yourself, than it already is.
This will help you to learn some new English words, and train your brain to think in English! This is an active learning process, and is very important if you want to become fluent. You have to be able to not just speak in English, but also think in English.
When you are reading, you imagine the scene in your head and try to understand what the writer is saying. This can sometimes be quite difficult, but it offers many advantages to English learners:
- You can learn new vocabulary, not just words alone, but also how they would be used in sentences.
- Learn at your own pace. You could finish a book in one week, or study each page carefully and read it over a few months or longer â itâs up to you!
- You can pick something that interests you personally.
- If you pick the right book, youâll also see how the grammar is structured. This will help to prepare you for writing in English!
3. Listen to Podcasts.
This is a brilliant way of learning English on the move. If youâre going for a walk, plug your headphones in and listen to something in English.
You can download podcasts about almost any topic you like! Another great thing about listening to podcasts, is that youâll hear native speakers using colloquialisms, slang, and idioms that are used in everyday English, and this will help you to understand them in context.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- http://www.eslpod.com/website/index_new.html
- http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/elementary-podcasts
- http://www.podcastsinenglish.com/index.shtml
4. Change your language settings on your computer to English!
I would only recommend you do this if your English is at pre-intermediate level or higher. This is a fabulous way to learn English without even realising it! At first, you might struggle with seeing messages or commands popping up in English, but after a while it will seem quite natural.
Start off by changing your MS Word or MS Excel settings, and see how you cope with that. After a while, if youâre feeling brave enough, you could switch your whole computer to English!
5. Follow companies and people on Twitter who tweet in English, and the same on Facebook, Google+ or LinkedIn.
Only go for the ones that genuinely interest you, otherwise you probably wonât be bothered about reading what they have to say. Just type in a twitter search such as #travel or #business, then tweet and communicate with people about your chosen topic.
Just âLikeâ or subscribe to brand pages or people whom youâre interested in. Then read their news or articles and comment on what they share. It is definitely much easier to learn when the subject matters to you.
Would you like to start right now? Follow MyEnglishTeacher on Twitter.
6. Use Google News or Newswhip.com.
You can find some amazing articles to read on these sites. They cover topics in Sports, Science, Health, Entertainment, Technology, as well as others!
Just scroll through the lists until you find something that youâre interested in, and would like to read.
7. Sign up to a magazine subscription.
If you live in an area that is quite remote, or maybe you donât have access to a library or a bookstore that sells books in English. Go online, and subscribe to a magazine that is based on a topic that interests you. This could be anything from animals, sports, health, the planet, or even something youâre studying!
If you donât want to commit to paying for a monthly subscription, then alternatively you could go to a store that sells magazines and buy one when you want to. Just like reading a book, you will come across new vocabulary all the time, which you can check in your dictionary, and try to understand its usage in context while you are reading.
8. Start your own blog in English.
This blog could be about anything you like. It would probably be easier to focus on a topic that you are familiar with, or something that you would like to get feedback on from your readers. As an example, you could write about learning English. You could talk about how you study, what your main problems with the language are, and maybe encourage other English learners to share their views with you! This could also be a good opportunity to communicate with native English speakers around the world about what youâve learnt, what you know, and what youâre trying to improve.
People will be able to give you advice on how to improve your English. This way, native speakers could comment on your blogs and offer tips, and other English learners could join you in becoming fluent together!
Thatâs just one idea though, you could write about anything you want.
Share your knowledge and experiences with others; ask questions, and get answers.
Take me as an example, Iâm an English language learner and this is my blog. My English has improved a lot, since I started blogging!
9. Read other peopleâs blogs and forums.
If youâre unsure on how to start writing your own blog, read other peopleâs blogs first. See what they write about, how they write, and what feedback they get from their readers. This could help to encourage and motivate you.
As well as writing your own, you should continually read other blog writerâs articles. This helps to refine your writing skills and encourage inspiration from one another.
10. Do all the things you usually do, but in English.
Watch TV, listen to the radio, read books, watch the news, talk to your friends â just do it using English!
You asked about how to learn English. Here are some ideas on how to start, but the next one is probably the most important oneâŠ.
11. Practice with your own native, private English teacher.
Only your very own teacher can explain how it is best for YOU to learn English, only he/she can tell you how YOU can improve your English rapidly.
Study English on-line with a qualified Native English Teacher and improve your English a lot faster than studying alone.
12. Use all the free resources you can get your hands on!
We all know how expensive it can be to learn a new language. So try to make the most of any QUALITY materials you can find for FREE. For example, MyEnglishTeacher.eu is brimming with spectacular materials that you can use every day!
Here are some suggestions:
- 1000+ Most Popular English Idioms and Their Meanings
- Your Top 10 Language Exchange Websites to Speak English Fluently
- 7 Simple Steps to Improve Business Email Writing Skills in English
- Formal and Informal Email Phrases Starting with Greetings, Finishing with Closing Phrases!
- 6 Unusual Websites to Practice English
- 6 Ways to Immediately Improve Your English Communication Skills and Make it Powerful Using the Simplest Tips
- 6 Ways to Improve Your English Writing Skills Using Cool Websites
- 8 English Learning Websites You Need to Become Proficient in English
This is just the beginning; there is so much more there for you. Go and have a look!