Learning a new language is the most popular New Year’s resolution. And perhaps the most unfulfilled one. How many of us signed up for courses only to drop out two months later? And how many couldn’t even make it to a language center or a tutor, using lack of time as an excuse?
First of all, you should answer the question: why do I need a foreign language? For work, entertainment, travel, or to watch favorite movies in the original language. The program and the amount of effort required for learning depend on your answer. Reading “Harry Potter” in the original or ordering a tuna sandwich in a New York cafe are different goals. Achieving the first may take years of daily practice, while a couple of hours is enough for the second.
For those who want to start speaking English quickly, we have selected six methods that will yield positive results in just three months.
Online learning
We are used to academic education standards from school: desks, a blackboard, a teacher. Many still perceive gaining new knowledge exactly this way and are not ready for online language courses. In reality, online learning has its own advantages and is currently on the rise, offering dozens of effective learning formats.
Be prepared that you will have to motivate yourself to study. In traditional courses, a teacher usually does this. With online learning, everything depends solely on you and your desire. But in return, you get the opportunity to create your own schedule and study whenever and wherever you want: at night, on a business trip, or on the way to the office.
As for choosing a course, there are plenty of them. From paid training by certified centers to free platforms like EngVid or BBC, featuring hundreds of lessons for any proficiency level.
TV shows with subtitles
A simple and fun way to quickly improve your conversational English is to switch to movies and TV shows in their original language. Love “Game of Thrones”? Combine business with pleasure and turn on the subtitles.
Firstly, you can visually observe the articulation and emotion during conversations and hear the correct pronunciation. Secondly, you encounter real-life speech and see where, under what circumstances, and how certain words and phrases are used. You can also find shows with dual subtitles online, where both your native and English sentences are displayed simultaneously.
English speaking practice
Successful foreign language learning is impossible without constant speaking practice. Without immersing yourself in a language environment, your learning will be purely theoretical. The eternal problem of studying English solely from textbooks is: I understand everything, but I can’t say anything. Look for opportunities for real-life communication at the first chance you get.
Finding a speaking club on social media is quite easy. There are also groups at libraries and language centers. As a rule, they are free or require a minimal organizational fee for tea and cookies.
If you wish, you can start your own club and host meetings once a week. Dedicate each meeting to a single topic, announcing it in advance so other participants have time to prepare. It could be a movie, a book, or anything else. There’s only one rule: all conversations must be exclusively in English.
You can also practice with native speakers online. Sites like Coeffee allow users to find people who want to learn their native language in exchange for teaching theirs. Communication takes place via Skype or any other convenient messenger.
Karaoke
Another unconventional way to brush up on your English is to sing karaoke songs by English-speaking artists. Singing is an excellent form of speaking practice that helps with listening comprehension. The inability to make out and understand what is heard is the main problem even for those who have spent a lot of time learning.
Moreover, thanks to catchy lyrics, it will be easier for you to learn many English phrases and idioms. You must admit, humming your favorite song instead of endlessly memorizing verbs is much more fun.
Top 100 English phrases
When choosing between a bulky textbook and a thin phrasebook, pick the phrasebook. Don’t try to learn all the rules and tenses at once. Your first task is to master phrases you can use in real-life situations. Understand the logic behind their construction, and only then expand your grammar knowledge.
Make a list of 100 basic phrases and memorize them until they become automatic. How to ask for directions, ask for help, order in a cafe, buy a ticket at the airport, etc. This will be enough to feel confident anywhere in the world where English is understood.
A new word every day
There are only about 3,000 words regularly used by native speakers. By memorizing 10 words a day, you will master the basic vocabulary of an average American or Londoner in a year. Don’t forget to insert the new words into your speech.
Write English names on sticky notes and attach them to corresponding objects in your apartment. By seeing them regularly, you will immerse yourself in an English-speaking environment much faster and get used to the foreign sound of familiar things.
English is the language of international communication, and learning it has long transitioned from a hobby to a mandatory skill for anyone who loves to travel or wants to advance further in their professional career. English provides a competitive edge, allowing you to access new information earlier than others. In the US alone, more than 10,000 scientific journals are published annually.
If you haven’t learned English yet, it’s time to start right now. Online courses, free access to original movies, karaoke, and many other effective methods await you.
