These are the most common questions I am asked! Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question.
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The fastest way to learn English is to move to an English-speaking country and go to school or work with native speakers.
If you are serious about learning a language, take any opportunity you can to spend time in an English-speaking country (for a long period of time, not just one or two weeks).
For many people, however, this is not possible! So, what you need to do is …
If you can’t go to an English-speaking country, you need to create an English-speaking environment as much as possible!
- When you get up in the morning, listen to an English radio station, watch an English TV channel, or read an English newspaper
- On your way to work, listen to English music, English podcasts, or English radio stations (in your car or on your phone)
- Speak English to everyone and everything: your family, children, friends, co-workers (if possible), pets, plants…
- After work, watch English TV shows and movies (it’s OK to watch with English subtitles if you need to!)
- Write something in English! Even if you only write one sentence a day, this will help you focus and THINK in English. Write it in a diary. Start your own blog. Use Twitter, Facebook or MyEC. Just start!
- Do you like to cook? Use English cookbooks.
- Do you like clothes and fashion? Read English fashion magazines.
- Do you like to know what’s going on in your country? Look for English newspapers and magazines that talk about local or national issues in your part of the world.
- Use an English day planner or calendar (or set your phone/email calendars to ‘English’)
- Change all the settings on your phone, on your computer, on Facebook/Twitter/YouTube to English
Think of it this way: if you decide to live a healthier life, you don’t say “I’m going to live healthfully for 2 hours every day, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.” When you decide to live healthfully, you do it all day long, every day, as much as possible. If you decide that you want to become fluent in English, you can’t say “I’m going to be fluent for 2 hours every day, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.” It’s something that you have to do all day every day as much as possible!
Lots of little things add up to big things. The more you listen to and read English, the more comfortable you become with it and the easier it is to remember new words. You get used to the sounds of English and you can imitate them when you speak!
Melanie is a TESL-certified English teacher. She lives near Toronto, Canada. Through her blog, videos, podcasts, and social media, she helps thousands of people around the world improve their English. She makes English a little less confusing and a little more fun! She also helps people understand Canadian and American culture. She believes that natural interaction with a native speaker helps people practice what they have learned and builds their confidence with English!
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
I'm not god at speaking even when I speak in Japanese-my mother tongue. To say the truth, I feel difficulty in making human relationships in my daily life.
But I like reading and writing. Is there any good book written in English to improve my introverted character?
P.S. I began to read "Anne of green gables."
Hello 雅憲,
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment! I love 'Anne of Green Gables'! In Canada, the 'Anne' series of books were made into popular TV movies.
In English, there is a genre of books called 'self-help' books – pschology books to help people with their problems. You may find some of them useful:
"How to Win Friends and Influence People" – Dale Carnegie
"The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" – Stephen Covey
Here are some others on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/bestsellers/books/942404/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_b_3_3
I hope this helps!
Melanie
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Thank you for your kindness. I'll read some of these books. You can pronounce 雅憲 as "Masanori." See you!
It's nice to meet you Masanori!
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Hello Melanie, How are you?
I'm a Brazilian girl and I appreciated your advices, I try to do some things in your list, but is hard…I think the best way for I to learn English is to go to English-speaking country.
Thank you again….Have a good week Melanie!
thank u very much it'll really help.
Hi, Luana!
I agree that the best way to learn English is to go to an English-speaking country, but only if you are surrounded by native speakers and only if it is for a long period of time! It doesn't help if you go to an English-speaking country and are surrounded by non-native speakers, or if you only go for a short time.
Try to recreate an English-speaking environment at home as much as possible! Every little bit helps.
Good luck!
Melanie
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Yeah Melanie! =)
I do some of those things you said. Every day I keep on speaking english alone or with mom, relatives and some friends even they can't speak english at all. It helps a lot. =)
As you speak english more and more, it becomes something like a habbit and you start to get used to some characteristics, the spelling and the pronunciation of words in english.
Am I right Melanie?
Sometimes I guess people who pass by my house think I'm crazy because I keep speaking english out loud everyday, almost all the time and alone (hehe), but the thing is that I like english a lot. =D
Thanks a lot for sharing all these informations Melanie! =D
All the best!
Marcos
You are correct Marcos! You 'train' your brain to remember these things, just like 'muscle memory' in sports. So make sure you have the right spelling & pronunciation – you can just as easily start bad habits as good ones!
You sound like a very enthusiastic & dedicated student, Marcos!
All the best in 2012,
Melanie
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it's an importent tips and helpfull ,from you
thank's alot to you
You're welcome, Rami! I'm happy to hear that these tips were helpful to you.
thanks melanie your are nice and i going to put into practice these tips. i thought these advice are very clever like you.
see you and take care.
Thank you again for your kind words!
This is so important, Richard! You can make small changes to your environment that will help you make HUGE improvements in your English. Make sure you do something every day in English!
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