Top 10 Tips and Resources to Improve Your English

As adults, we do not magically learn languages without working hard. There are specific ways to go about it.

Structured courses and language-learning textbooks are great for beginners, but they are not enough.

You rarely get the chance to speak in classes; when you do, it’s usually about a narrow topic with predetermined grammatical structures and vocabulary. The same goes for listening. This is why students scoring high in classes may not be able to watch movies without subtitles, much less hold a real and natural conversation well.

So, how can you improve your English language proficiency?

Guaranteed Tips and Resources to Improve Your English

Here are some resources you can use to learn new English words and conversations.

• WordReference.com: This website provides an online English-Spanish dictionary and forum for questions and discussions related to translation and language learning.
• Duolingo: It’s a language-learning platform that offers free English courses. The app includes vocabulary lessons with audio pronunciation and exercises to practice new words.
• Linguee: Linguee is an online translator that translates English words and phrases into Spanish and many other languages. The website also includes examples of usage in context, which can be helpful for language learners.
• Anki: It is a flashcard app that can be used to create and study vocabulary lists. You can create your own flashcards with English words on one side and their translations on the other side.
• Memrise: This is another language-learning platform that offers language courses. The app includes a variety of vocabulary lessons and games to help you memorize new words and phrases.

Also read: Top 10 Websites to Learn English Online For Free

Below are some useful tips for learning English.

Immerse yourself:

Language is learned by exposure. This cannot be stressed enough. Yes, you also need to study grammar, words, and idioms. But how can one expect to use a language without observing how native speakers do it? Can you imitate someone you’ve never met? Our brains are innate to learn languages by listening and reading a lot. True, the ability to do this in adults is less than in children, but it’s still there, no matter your age. The difference is that adults need to rely on instruction and exposure.

So now the important question is, How do you immerse yourself in a language? What does it mean?

It means you should listen and read a lot. Simple, right? And nowadays, you don’t have to travel hundreds of miles to do it. Luckily, we live in an age where a mouse click can help you reach materials produced on the other side of the globe.

You can find many movies and shows on the internet, with subtitles in almost all languages. Movies and shows are perfect for language learning because they are enjoyable, so you’d never feel like studying.

They’re also full of cultural information that you’d pick up effortlessly and will help you communicate more effectively with native speakers. They present how people in other countries act and think in real life and can include various topics and vocabulary.

Songs are excellent for growing language proficiency as well. This is especially true for pronunciation. Catchy melodies help you remember lyrics and, in turn, phrases, and collocations really well.

Many people develop an interest in a singer or actor or may be charmed by the rich world and complex characters in a movie. This can prompt them to seek online fandom groups and forums to share their passion with other people, which will allow them to read hundreds of comments and posts in English.

They will be motivated to learn more, so they’d translate the words willingly and memorize them quickly.

Other ways you can immerse yourself are through YouTube videos, podcasts, stories, and novels.

By the way, you’d need to spend hundreds of hours immersing yourself, so don’t expect an overnight proficiency increase.

Make English a part of your life:

When you find yourself ready, you can start using English in your daily life. Switch your phone language to English. Search your favorite food recipes in English. If you want to learn how to play the guitar, follow a course in English. Watch and read the news in English.

Also read: Top 5 YouTube Channels to Learn English

Practice speaking:

Speaking can be improved in two ways: listening and speaking. While finding plenty of ways to practice the former is easy, you’d need someone else to talk to. A partner should preferably be a native speaker who could correct your errors and give you pointers about the language and culture. But if you don’t live in an English-speaking country, you’d be hard-pressed to find one. However, there are modern solutions. Apps like HelloTalk and Tandem help people find native speakers to practice speaking and receive feedback.

If you speak Arabic and want to learn English, for example, HelloTalk will help you find plenty of suitable matches who need your feedback on their Arabic language skill and will give you theirs about your English skill in return.

Record yourself:

Please choose a topic, such as a TV series or movie that you’ve watched recently, and talk about it while recording yourself. Listen to the recording and note the errors you make. This will make you aware of your mistakes and will help you improve your English greatly.

Think in English:

Bilinguals can think in two languages equally well. Thinking in English will keep it fresh in your mind. What you learn will also become deeply entrenched in your memory.