How to improve your English. How to improve your level in learning English How you can improve your English on your own

1. Write down your weak and strong English skills on a sheet of paper.
2. You can't be too young or too old to start learning English. Remember this.
3. Use English in your daily activities.
4. It is better not to exercise for more than 30 minutes at a time. Take breaks for 5-10 minutes.
5. Nobody likes to listen to their own voice. But record yourself and listen back to catch any mistakes.
6. Very often two English words are pronounced as one: get away, try out, look out, etc.
7. Identify your most common mistakes and get rid of them.
8. Don't ignore phrasal verbs.
9. How to improve your English on your own? Just sing in English!
10. Watching movies and TV series is more effective for students at Intermediate level and above.
11. Memorize root words to understand the meaning. For example, Big is large, but there are also synonyms - large, great, massive, grand, etc.
12. Perhaps you could work in an English-speaking environment or become a volunteer?
13. Use the correct articles a/an/the.
14. Don't forget to review topics you've already covered.
15. Use those methods that have shown the greatest effectiveness previously.
16. Don't worry if your exam score is lower than you expected. The main thing is to keep learning.
17. Use services to improve your English pronunciation.
18. Meet new people and attend clubs where you can discuss and speak English.
19. Keep the conversation going with “really? / go on / what happened next?” to be an active participant in the conversation.
20. You can only learn English if you use it.
21. Verb tenses are used most often in colloquial speech. Learn them.
22. Watch video lessons more often than TV shows and movies.
23. Select the material according to your level. Too easy and difficult lessons have an unfavorable effect.
24. Write all your ideas on paper without worrying about grammar. Then think about the structure and then correct the mistakes. Submit the text for review and repeat again.
25. Study in the morning if you are a morning person and in the evening if you are a night owl.

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• Alexey: 2019-03-29 07:47:58

  I studied here. I really liked the teacher. I learned to speak at the level I needed. The learning goal was achieved....

• OpaPa: 2019-03-23 ​​12:52:21

  I don’t even know what to say, the school is good, but somehow I personally didn’t like it......

1. Listen to audiobooks and podcasts whenever you have a free minute.
2. Don't rush to improve your English level. Focus on your level and improve it gradually.
3. The most natural way to improve grammar, speak more English.
4. Say the sentences along with the narrator as you listen to the recording. This technique is also called “mirror speech.”
5. Determine how you most like to learn a language: reading, memorizing, listening, working in a group, using online services, etc.
6. In English, words are pronounced differently from how they are written. This should be remembered.
7. How to improve English on your own? Just create an atmosphere in which you would actually like to practice.
8. Book English is significantly different from what we hear in films or on the street.
9. There are American, British, South African, New Zealand and other varieties of English. None of them are unimportant or insignificant.
10. However, learn only one version of English (American or Classical).
11. Discuss everything you can. Find people with whom you can discuss a variety of topics in English. The easiest way to do this is online.
12. Never give up and be positive. Sometimes it feels like you are making very little progress. But don't worry about it.
13. If you do not get the expected results, try changing your teaching method or diversifying the process.

1. If you want to know how to improve your English, then read more books and try to get the general idea. Don't worry about understanding every word.
2. If you have the opportunity, meet foreigners so you can communicate in English.
3. During lessons, try not to be distracted.
4. Children's books contain simple words and help teach the basics of language.
5. To improve your English, stick notes on all the things in the house and write their names in English.
6. How to improve your spoken English on your own and simply: take exams to increase your motivation.
7. Learn English with friends to boost your motivation.
8. Keep an English-English dictionary to immerse yourself in the language environment. To do this, write a new phrase and explain it in your own words in English.
9. If such a dictionary seems difficult to you, then you can use the adapted Oxford Dictionary.
10. Don't just rely on your dictionary though. It only helps to learn English. Try to guess the word before looking it up in your dictionary.

1. Once you reach the beginner level, start using synonyms. For example, how many synonyms can be found for the word “Hello”?
2. Think before you speak. Stop for a couple of seconds and formulate a sentence in English, and then say it.
3. To practice pronunciation, plan your speech in advance. Think about what you can talk about with your interlocutor when you meet and how to maintain a conversation in English.
4. Remember the common letter combination “schwa-, th-, -oing” and learn its pronunciation.
5. How to improve your English speaking? Just enjoy the process itself.
6. Newspapers help develop English reading fluency.
7. Exercise at least once a day
8. Let English radio into your home!
9. Read simple and adapted literature in English.
10. Set long-term goals and focus on them.
11. Don't forget about short-term goals and reward yourself for achieving them.
12. Avoid procrastination. It may have become your habit, so be careful.
13. Words are easier to remember if they are spoken in a sentence.
14. Write down new words in a separate notebook.
15. Repeat and memorize phrases from your vocabulary.
16. Surround yourself with English and use it in every possible situation.
17. Record lessons during courses on a voice recorder so you can repeat them in your free time.
18. Irregular verbs should be remembered.
19. Use your intuition when translating words.
20. Listen to the English speech on the recording and try to repeat it, observing intonation and pronunciation.
21. Always watch your punctuation. After all, understanding spoken language is mainly based on your intonation.
22. Always practice Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. Every skill is equally important.
23. Find people to talk to and communicate in English online.
24. Learn prefixes (dis-, un-, re-) and suffixes (-ly, -ment, -ful) to further develop your vocabulary
25. Work with a good tutor periodically to test your skills.
26. Idioms are difficult to remember, but they greatly enhance your spoken English.
27. As in Russian, in English the stress is placed on one syllable. When reading, maintain intonation and stress.
28. Tell your friends and family about your plans so they can motivate you to study.
29. To improve your English grammar and pronunciation, find a quiet and peaceful place where you can study only. For example, a library.
30. Carry cheat sheets with you to quickly remember rules and words.
31. If you take long breaks from studying, your English level will decrease.
32. As you read, determine the meaning of words from the context.
33. Keep a diary or diary in English.

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• Andrey Voevodin: 2019-05-07 14:37:03

  A year and a half ago I bought a subscription. It so happened that the dictionary has accumulated quite a lot of words, which I study mainly using the Phrase Builder. About a year and a half ago, we registered an error with technical support regarding the incorrect selection of phrases in this simulator - the same 10-20 phrases out of 1000 constantly come across. The issue was never resolved, I had to solve it myself by adding words to the sets. But Lingualeo employees do not stand still, and if you are driving too fast, you simply must...

• lion: 2018-12-25 09:23:09

  you need to try very hard to find objective shortcomings of this school) I have been an active user for a month now, I have gone through almost all the available free materials for beginners and I understand that I have significantly improved my level of English - it has become easier to communicate in games with foreign children, I understand them better and can more or less competently answer, at least in simple sentences. The structure of the lessons, especially in grammar, is simple and unpretentious, at the same time convenient and effective...

• Elsa Snowflake: 2018-12-21 18:20:22

  I’ve been using this service for a year and a half, leisurely, a couple of hours a week. I’m learning words, going through listening tests - a very interesting activity, however! The benefit is palpable: I can already calmly perceive simple fiction, I can write sentences that are more complex in design than “may name is Lisa,” but I am still far from free speech, even though this was not the original goal. The pricing policy is very loyal - even students can open the way to knowledge without compromising their budget)...

1. How to improve your English level? Just don't be afraid to make mistakes and be confident.
2. Even Native Speakers don't know all the intricacies of English. So don't worry about it.
3. Do your homework and review your notes before each lesson.
4. Get enough sleep. It is much easier to learn with a fresh mind.
5. Your accent is an important part of your culture. So don't worry about it.
6. Gestures and facial expressions help you quickly get used to English speech.
7. If you feel nervous while communicating, take a couple of deep breaths to relieve stress. We speak and think better when we are calm.
8. Rapid progress is only possible at the initial level.
9. Keep the completed CDs and textbooks so you can look at them sometimes. You'll be surprised how simple they will seem to you after a few months.
10. Why not start a blog in English?
11. The harder you try, the higher the chance of success.
12. Learn the current type of English you use most often (business, American, technical, etc.)
13. Make a schedule, study daily and follow the plan.
14. It is not enough to just learn words, you need to understand and use them.
15. Listen to English speech and write dictations.
16. When learning a new word, write down its forms: win, winner, unwinnable, etc.
17. Don't translate your thoughts from Russian to English. Think slowly, but only in English.

According to Winston Churchill, a pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty. Often, difficulties in learning English arise at approximately the Intermediate - Upper-Intermediate level, and not all people see these difficulties as an opportunity to improve their knowledge of English. Therefore, we decided to tell you how to get started and teach English to intermediate students, as well as how to improve the level of English to the level you need.

Why should you continue to learn English?

By “continuing” we mean people who are “stuck” at the and level. In the article "" we outlined good reasons to complete your studies to the secondary level. It would seem that this level of knowledge is a pretty good achievement, so why continue to learn the language?

The better you know English, the more opportunities you have to use it in all areas of life:

1. Upon employment. While workers with an average level of English can still be found, higher levels are already a rarity. A potential employer will definitely notice a resume that indicates the Upper-Intermediate or level, and even more so if this is confirmed by an international certificate. And it’s not just that you may need knowledge of English in your work. Achieving a high level is proof that you know how to finish what you start, and this is a valuable character trait for an employee in any field.
2. For reading professional literature. An average level, as a rule, is still not enough to read specific literature using terminology. Climb one step higher, and you will be the first to use the “chips” of foreign companies.
3. To expand your social circle. You will be able to make new acquaintances with people from different parts of the world, communicate with interesting interlocutors from other countries on forums, language exchange sites, and blogs. At the same time, on language exchange sites, native English speakers prefer to communicate with English learners who have a fairly high level of knowledge, then communication is easier and more interesting.
4. To broaden your horizons. The main source of knowledge for a modern person is the Internet, where there is 9 times more varied information in English than in Russian. Knowledge of English at a high level makes it possible to study more information on a topic that interests you, and get ideas from foreign forums and websites.
5. To watch the video. If at an average level it may be difficult for you to watch videos of any topic, then at higher levels you are practically unlimited and can watch films and TV series of any genre in the original.
6. For family. At high levels of knowledge, you already know how to learn English and how it “works”, how to interest your children, relatives or friends in learning it.

We have named several common reasons to “survive” the intermediate level and continue to learn English. We also recommend reading our article “”, we think you too will be able to find your own motivation. However, no matter how motivated you are, sooner or later at an intermediate level, almost all English learners experience a plateau effect, that is, “marking time.” Let's take a closer look at what the essence of this phenomenon is and how to deal with it.

“Standing in one place” is an almost inevitable part of the improvement process. Whether you're learning English, trying to lose weight, or learning to knit, you'll experience a plateau effect. And it can be difficult to overcome it, not even physically, but psychologically. We want to receive everything at once, but only a few are ready to systematically work towards achieving the goal.

Why does the turning point occur exactly in the middle of learning English? When you start learning a foreign language, you quickly achieve positive results: a month ago you didn’t know anything, but today you can already say a few simple phrases about yourself in the language you’re learning. Such simple but clearly visible achievements will inspire any person; it seems that English is very easy and in just a couple of years you will know the language at the level of the average American.

However, such rapid developments occur only up to the average level of English proficiency. And from the Intermediate level, the English language begins to resist. Every day you learn new words and every day you are surprised to find that, despite all your efforts, you constantly come across unfamiliar vocabulary. And if you (God forbid!) look into the Oxford dictionary and realize that out of 500,000 words you know “only” 2000-3000, then the suspicion will begin to creep into your thoughts that in two years you will not become any kind of American. As for grammar, even here at the intermediate level “surprises” may await you in the form of complex cases of using this or that tense and the “great and terrible” passive voice, about which you have probably heard horror stories at previous levels of training.

In addition, English learners are frustrated by the fact that at the first stages they completed each course in 5-7 months, and from the Intermediate level, each level can take from 7 to 12 months. That’s why people ask questions: “Why did it take so long? Am I finally “stuck” in the middle? How to improve your English level?

The fact is that before Intermediate you learned the “inches” of English necessary for survival. From the Intermediate level, you take on the “roots”: you go deeper into each topic, study more complex nuances, synonyms of words, slang, phrasal verbs, etc. And there are quite a lot of similar subtleties in any language, which is why it turns out that you need to spend more time to improve your English level.

Fortunately, the plateau effect is a common problem that anyone can solve. And the first step you should take is to understand that plateaus are completely normal. Every person encounters it sooner or later, so it’s not about your abilities, but about the peculiarities of the process of learning a foreign language. Just take it for granted and keep learning English to overcome the plateau faster.

Below we will outline the techniques that will help you “get the ball rolling” on your English and improve your level of knowledge. All techniques are selected in such a way that you can get rid of the most common difficulties associated with learning English at the Intermediate and Upper-Intermediate levels.

Thinking will not overcome fear but action will.

Thinking will not overcome fear, but action will.

1. Continue studying with the teacher

“I don’t know what to grab first” is one of the main reasons why a student finds it difficult to overcome the plateau effect. At the intermediate level, many paths are open to you: you can listen to podcasts, read books, watch movies, etc. Therefore, many English learners from this level quit classes with a teacher and start studying on their own. However, choosing the right path to learning English yourself is difficult, because this is the first time you have found yourself at such a fork in the road. Therefore, in order to quickly improve your English level, we advise you to continue studying with your teacher, who has experienced the effect of the plateau effect on himself and his students and knows how to cope with it. In addition, lessons with a teacher discipline you: you will be less tempted to skip class or put something off “for later.”

2. Try lessons with a native speaker

Speaking is a skill that continuing students need to work hard on. And at the intermediate level, an effective way to develop this skill is to study with a native English speaker. He will teach you to communicate naturally, to use idioms, phrasal verbs, slang in your speech - those “highlights” of the language that distinguish the speech of a person with a high level of English proficiency from a person at an average level of knowledge. This is how you can move to the next level of foreign language proficiency. If you wish, you can combine lessons with a native speaker and lessons with a Russian-speaking teacher, this will also be effective.

3. Don't slow down

It would seem that upon reaching an intermediate level, the pace of learning can be slowed down: you seem to know quite a lot, and all that remains is to improve your knowledge. In fact, this is not so: the material at the middle and high levels of training is more complex and voluminous than at the previous levels. That is why we recommend not slowing down, or even better, speeding it up. Moreover, it is best to increase the intensity through independent study, and if you study in a group or with a teacher, you can also increase the duration of classes. During lessons with a teacher, devote maximum time to speaking practice so that you can be taught to speak competently and fluently.

4. Find people to talk to in English

This is the most difficult and at the same time the most important task, because we learn English primarily in order to speak it. Take every opportunity to communicate in the language you are learning: go to English language discussion clubs, attend group lessons and talk with classmates, find yourself a friend on a language exchange site, or visit. You can find an interlocutor yourself, using the resources from the article “”. And, of course, our people are always ready to help you “talk.”

5. Prepare for the exam

The surest way to find out whether you have reached the next level of English is to pass an international exam, in which case you will receive an independent assessment of your knowledge. For example, if your knowledge is at the Intermediate level, set yourself a goal to pass the FCE. In this case, during preparation you will solve various tasks corresponding to the next level - Upper-Intermediate, and you will be able to see what you should know at this new level. And after you are awarded a certificate of successful completion of the exam, there will be no trace of the plateau left.

6. Learn English grammar for intermediate students

It would seem that at the Intermediate level you have already become familiar with all tenses of English, but there are important grammatical structures that are required to move to the next level of knowledge. We'll point out resources you can rely on to help you learn advanced English grammar.

Sources of knowledge:

• Without good textbook It will be difficult to study grammar, because everything in the book is systematized. We recommend that those continuing the “blue Murphy” textbook “English Grammar in Use” at the Intermediate level (it is also suitable for Upper-Intermediate). You can also take Oxford Practice Grammar at Intermediate level. These books present the theory briefly and clearly and provide many practical exercises.
• To get acquainted with the theory and practice it with practical exercises, take a look at our blog, where English grammar for intermediate level is presented, select the “Intermediate” tab.
• As you learn grammar test yourself to see how the plateau effect is gradually replaced by the effect of rising to the next level of knowledge. In the article "" you will find resources for checking your achievements

7. Keep learning new words

Your vocabulary is already quite large, but the more you expand it, the faster you can improve your English level.

What words should beginners learn:

• Vocabulary from special textbooks. Textbooks for learning English vocabulary are the best assistants for advanced students. Their value is that they give you thematic selections of words presented in texts, dialogues and practical exercises. Such manuals teach you not just new words, but the rules for using them. We recommend the following textbooks for those continuing: “English Vocabulary in Use” at the Pre-Intermediate - Intermediate or Upper-Intermediate - Advanced level, “Oxford Word Skills” at the Intermediate or Advanced level, and the “4000 Essential English Words” series of manuals. These books have answers to all tasks, so you can even study from them on your own.
• Unfamiliar words from texts. Books or articles in English are a valuable source of new vocabulary. Write down unfamiliar words that are often found in the text or play an important role in understanding the meaning of what you read, and learn them. At the same time, give preference to modern literature, books and articles on the Internet in English adapted to your level of knowledge.
• Synonyms and antonyms of words you already know. The words good and bad are good to use at beginner levels. At the middle stage, you need to expand your vocabulary with synonyms and antonyms of similar words. Fortunately, you don’t even have to look for them yourself; you can always find this information in electronic dictionaries. For example, enter the word good into the search bar on merriam-webster.com, and under the heading “Related to GOOD” you will see a fairly extensive list of synonyms and antonyms for it.
• Phrasal verbs. Phrasal verbs are just as widely used and just as difficult to learn as idioms. We recommend studying such vocabulary using a special textbook “Phrasal Verbs in Use”, and also take note of the application “The Phrasal Verbs Machine” (Android, iOS).
• Collocations. Collocations - stable phrases. They need to be taught to make it easier for you to correctly select words for each other and make sentences. In addition, phrases are easier to remember than individual words. It is best to learn such phrases using the textbook “English Collocations in Use Intermediate”. In addition, you can use the special dictionary “Oxford Dictionary Collocations”.
• Idioms. This vocabulary will embellish your speech, make it more natural and expressive. Native speakers use idioms everywhere, even in formal speech. We recommend using the special textbook “English Idioms in Use Intermediate”, it presents various practical exercises to help you remember set expressions and the rules for their use. Learning proverbs and idioms is not always easy, so we have written several useful articles: “”, “”. In addition, you can install applications for learning idioms “English Idioms and Phrases” (Android) and “English Idioms Illustrated” (iOS) on your gadget.
• Slang. Slang words and expressions will be found in almost all books, films and TV series. Therefore, it is important to take time to memorize such vocabulary to improve your English proficiency. The meaning of slang expressions can be found in the specialized dictionary Urban Dictionary.
• Lists of words from learning blogs. Pay attention to the articles in the “ ” series on the Macmillan online dictionary website. Each of these small notes provides examples of sentences with useful vocabulary on a specific topic.
• Words on special electronic resources. Special sites for learning words for intermediate students will help you learn new vocabulary using various tests. We recommend using esl.fis.edu or englishteststore.net, they are aimed at people with an average level of English.

It is important for those continuing to develop the skill of listening to English speech. Moreover, if earlier you needed to understand at least something of what was said on a simple recording, now you need to complicate your task - try to understand 70-80% of what you heard. Also, listen to more complex audio recordings and watch videos of people speaking with different accents, and then try to explain the idea of ​​​​the video in your own words, at the same time practicing your speaking.

• Podcasts- an excellent “trainer” for English language learners. In addition, it is also a portable exercise machine: you can save files to your smartphone or tablet and exercise whenever it is convenient for you. We recommend where you will find a lot of free educational materials. Also pay attention to the resource ted.com, where you will find fascinating video lectures on any topic that interests you.
• Watching movies and TV series- the most pleasant and exciting technique that helps improve your listening comprehension of English speech. You can just watch them in your free time for your own pleasure, but it is better to use the techniques from the article “”.
• Online dictations will help you develop both listening and spelling skills. We suggest you visit, where you will find short tasks of different difficulty levels. Such training will not take much time and will be beneficial.

9. Read in English

Reading texts in English is a great opportunity to see how the grammar and vocabulary being studied “works” in practice, and to learn new words, and it’s also just a fun activity.

• Adapted books convenient because you won’t need to consult the dictionary often. The text contains no more than 3-10 unfamiliar words per page, and at the end of each publication there is a dictionary. Adapted literature can be found on the website english-e-books.net and english-easy-ebooks.com.
• Literature in the original is a good challenge for an average level of knowledge. Reading the book may be difficult at first, but you will learn many new words and enjoy reading the work as the author created it. You can find many books in English on the website e-reading.club.
• Modern articles on the Internet are a convenient alternative for those who do not have the time or desire to read a long work. Small articles on various topics can be found on. And you can read more serious and complex material in the online newspapers “The Guardian”, “The Washington Post”, “The Daily Telegraph”.

10. Write in English

When you write something in English, you learn to formulate your thoughts in the target language, you can use the words you just learned and consolidate them in your memory. If you later need to say a similar phrase in a conversation, it will be easier for you to formulate it, so writing skills also need to be improved for those who want to cross the plateau and improve their level of English.

How to improve your writing skill:

• Translation exercises will teach you how to correctly construct sentences in English. And this is useful for both written and oral speech. Read our article “”, from it you will learn why and how to perform such exercises. And read about the 2 best manuals with translation exercises.
• Online dictations. We have already written about them in the previous paragraph, so we can say that this is a universal exercise that will kill two birds with one stone.
• Essay. By writing essays on different topics, you will achieve two goals: learn to express your thoughts in English and learn new words. Replenishing your vocabulary occurs if you do not limit yourself to using vocabulary you already know, but look for new words in the dictionary and use them in your essay. Thus, you immediately use the new word in context, and when writing you also use mechanical memory, which also makes memorization easier. However, one should take into account the fact that such work makes sense when it is checked by a person who knows English well. So for maximum benefit, try to find a teacher or someone else to proofread your essays.
• Groups on social networks. On Facebook and Vkontakte you can count hundreds of groups for learning English. In such public pages, correspondence in English is welcome: you can comment on posts you like or communicate in one of the open topics. Take a look at our English learning groups

There is no point in talking about the benefits of knowing English. But learning this language is not the easiest thing. We have prepared for you several dozen tips that will help you successfully cope with this task.

1. Start your own English-language blog. This is a great way to practice writing in English. And your vocabulary will be expanded.
2. Lead Another good way to practice writing texts in English. Especially when you don't know what to write about. And if you add your forecast of developments (for example, “The President will hang himself”), this will give you a reason to return to your articles again and again. And then you will be able to find your mistakes and correct them.
3. Sign up to receive regular tips on learning English. There are a sea of ​​sites that offer weekly or even daily newsletters of small English lessons via email. Using your phone or tablet, you can read these tips on your way to work or school. But please note that these lessons can only be considered as supplementary material to what you (or your teacher) have prepared for your level of knowledge. You can also subscribe to English language groups on VKontakte.
4. Listen to audiobooks and radio shows. You can find tons of audiobooks and radio shows in English on the Internet. They can be downloaded absolutely free from sites such as Scientific American, BBC and Australia's ABC Radio.
5. Listen to English-language music. If you go about your business and listen to English music at the same time, you will gradually begin to get used to the natural rhythm and tone of the English language.
6. Read the lyrics. You can get much more out of listening to songs in English if you take a little time to read the lyrics with a dictionary. But keep in mind that there may be copyright errors in the texts. The next time you listen to a song that you already know the words to, try to sing along. This will improve your spoken language.
7. Sing karaoke in English. Once you have understood the lyrics to the song and memorized them, the obvious step is to sing it. This will help you learn English pronunciation.
8. Write a review for a movie, hotel or book. Naturally, in English.
9. Google only in English. This is great practice for reading English quickly.
10. Read a book you've already read or watch a movie you've already seen in your native language. It is quite easy to read a book whose plot you are already familiar with.
11. Read translations into English. Another easy read in English could be a book that is translated from your native language. Books are usually translated into a simpler language than written by authors whose native English is their native language.
12. Skip the first 10 pages. If the book is difficult to read, try reading the first 10 pages diagonally or skip them altogether. The beginning of any book is, as a rule, a description filled with complex vocabulary. If difficulties arise during further reading, then put this book aside. Come back to it when you read easier things.
13. with a lot of dialogue. Dialogues are much easier to understand than long narratives. Plus, you will add phrases to your collection that can be used in conversation.
14. Read comics in English. Comics are even easier and clearer than books with a lot of dialogue. But difficulties may arise here due to the use of slang words. Choose serious comics or adventure comics. They are easier to understand.
15. Read the entertainment poster in English. Today, most major cities in the world publish magazines with information about film screenings, games, and theatrical performances in English that will take place in the city. Monitor and attend such events.
16. Read magazines in English. Try reading two versions of the magazine (in English and, for example, Ukrainian). This will make the English version much easier to understand.
17. Take part in a week-long intensive course. While you shouldn't expect great results from this short training, it will certainly have a positive impact.
18. Alternate your intensive course with an extensive one. The more time you spend learning English, the better, of course. But periodic intensive training (several hours a week, with breaks) is probably the best system. It gives your brain time to subconsciously learn and begin to apply what it has already learned before moving on to something new.
19. Complement your group lessons with private ones. A personal teacher will help you understand the points that you did not understand during the group lesson, and will also correct your mistakes.
20. Complement your individual classes with group classes. The benefits of group classes are often less noticeable to students. However, this type of learning involves communicating with several people who can simultaneously engage in discussions. This way, you have the opportunity to interrupt speakers, listen to different points of view, and simply talk about different topics in English.
21. Teach your children or other people English. This will help improve your level of foreign language proficiency and retain existing knowledge in your memory.
22. Ask your company to introduce English classes. Even if you don't need to speak English at work, lessons can be a lot of fun and useful.
23. Turn on an English radio while you do your homework. Even if you don't listen carefully, the radio will help you feel the rhythm and intonation of the English language.
24. Play educational games on your video console. This is a great way to take a break from your main classes and learn the language while playing.
25. Talk or think about what you do in English. When you are doing routine things, try saying to yourself sentences that describe your actions in English. For example: “I open the ketchup.” This will allow you to think in English without translation. It will also help you realize how many simple things there are around you whose names you don’t know.
26. Watch English-language films with English subtitles. This method of watching films can be recommended to those who constantly catch themselves reading subtitles in their native language, without listening to the English version at all. If you find this too difficult, you can watch the first 10 minutes of the film with subtitles in your native language, and then switch to English.
27. Watch films in your native language with English subtitles. If you find it too difficult to watch movies in English with English subtitles, then this method is just for you.
28. Watch movies in English with subtitles in your native language. Although this is not as good English practice as with English subtitles, it is more relaxing.
29. Watch movies and episodes over and over again. This way you will better remember phrases and expressions without cramming. In addition, most comedies can become funnier and funnier for you with each viewing.
30. Realistically assess your level of knowledge. One of the reasons that slows down the improvement of English is the overestimation of one’s own capabilities. Many people overload their brains with too much complex information. But he is not ready for this yet. Try to objectively assess your level of English proficiency, for example, using a test on the Internet.
31. Assess your actual reading level. Many scientists argue that people learn material better when they understand almost everything they read. If there are one or two unfamiliar words on a page of text, this is a normal level. If you don’t understand three or more words on each page, then you should switch to something easier.
32. Read adapted literature. These are books that are written specifically for English learners. Well-known works are specially simplified lexically and grammatically for people with a certain level of knowledge. However, sometimes it is difficult to find books that will be not only useful, but also interesting to read.
33. Read everything without any help. Although using a dictionary helps you learn new words, constantly interrupting your reading to look for a translation can completely discourage you from reading in English. If you read without any help, guessing the meaning of unknown words from the context, then by the end of the book you will be able to experience all the pleasure of reading in a foreign language.
34. Read and study everything. This can be a very difficult task. But just imagine how much pleasure you will get after reading the book to the end! You will feel that you know every word in it and that what you purchased will certainly be useful to you.
35. Watch English-language children's films or TV shows. Many things will probably seem strange to you (a lot of animal names, the sounds they make, children's names), but due to simpler words and the structure of the story, everything will become clearer.
36. Read children's books in English. They are written in simpler language than adult books. In addition, they have a lot of colorful pictures that help you understand the plot, lift your spirits, thereby motivating you to further read.
37. Keep a list of what you need to learn, such as making up words. Even if you don't have enough time to occasionally skim through this list, the very fact of its existence is another step towards learning English.
38. Go through your word list several times a day. If it’s not entirely convenient or awkward for you to check off words you’ve already learned while on public transport on the way to work, then you can easily add them to your to-do list on your phone. An audio recording of words would also be a good alternative. This activity may seem useless to you, but this is not at all the case. As you write or speak words, you will somehow remember them.
39. Keep your list of words to study exclusively in English. The point is that you stop translating words from English into your native language. How to do it? There are many ways. For example, you could maintain a list of synonyms such as “high” and “tall”; list of antonyms - “high” and “low”, etc.
40. Cross out and delete. Crossing out and deleting words, sentences, or even entire pages that you've already studied can be a great motivator.
41. Throw everything away and start over. Very often, half-read books, a lot of prepared but unstudied material become a strong demotivator. People simply abandon their studies. To prevent this from happening, we recommend starting over.
42. Attach stickers with the names of objects at work and at home. You can write the names of things around you on pieces of paper and stick them everywhere. This way, they will always be before your eyes, which will help you quickly remember the designations of objects.
43. Label things in photos. This is an excellent alternative for those who do not have the opportunity to attach labels with the names of things in English to real objects. You can take photos of things and sign them.
44. Start in English. This is a good way to use English every day, describing everything that happens to you. By doing this, you will significantly expand your vocabulary.
45. Online chat. This is the best way to improve speaking for those who have no other way to communicate in English.
46. Listen to radio news in English. You can make your task easier by reading the news first. You can also read or listen to a news report in your native language first.
47. Read the news in English. There are a huge number of English-language news sites on the Internet - all of them are at your service.
48. Write stories in English. This is suitable for those who find keeping a personal diary describing routine events a very boring activity. Give free rein to your imagination and write about everything that comes to your mind.
49. Watch English-language videos with sets of physical exercises and practice them. This will have a good effect not only on your English skills, but also on your health.
50. Learn famous poems in English. This will help you reproduce the intonation of English speech. In addition, you will be able to use the grammatically correct expressions you have already memorized in everyday life.
51. Drink a little before you start speaking English. This will give you confidence and make your speech fluent. You will realize that you can quite normally communicate in a foreign language.
52. Use a dictionary while watching the movie. Movies often use the same words. So by the end of watching you will definitely expand your vocabulary.
53. Learn and use phonetic transcriptions. Write down the words along with the transcription. This will help you not only learn the correct spelling, but also improve your pronunciation.
54. Learn a few pronunciation rules. Many people think that pronunciation in English is completely random. But in fact, most words are read according to certain rules.
55. Record your voice. This is a wonderful way to hear and correct your mistakes, especially for those whose incorrect pronunciation has no one to correct.
56. Use computer pronunciation analysis. This may turn out to be a more interesting and productive activity for you than just recording your voice on a voice recorder.
57. Learn as many words as you can from one category (for example, animal life). This will not only expand your vocabulary, but also facilitate the process of memorization due to the semantic connections established in your head.
58. . This is not only a good opportunity to practice English in a situation where you cannot use another language, but also a great motivation to improve your English in the weeks or months before your trip.
59. Create pictures of the words you want to learn. Especially if you are a creative person. After all, this is much more interesting than simply writing down words and their translation.
60. Get yourself a foreign girlfriend or boyfriend. Agree, dates with conversations in English are a great motivator for improving your knowledge.
61. Organize classes on a tandem basis. The idea is that you can act as a teacher of your native language as well as a student learning English. In both cases you will speak English, which is very good practice.
62. Sign up for an English exam. Even if you don't need it. Paying for an exam such as TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS or FCE can be a great motivator to study a language more seriously.
63. Model your accent. Pick an actor - Robert De Niro, for example - and try to sound like him. Not in his voice, of course, but trying to copy the pronunciation.
64. Use a monolingual English dictionary. Start using monolingual dictionaries instead of bilingual ones. This will help you stop translating words in your head while you speak or listen. In addition, you will expand your vocabulary with new words that you will encounter when using the dictionary.
65. Chat or write emails to your friends in English. Many people may find this strange or awkward. But if you treat this idea as a kind of club for learning English, then everything will immediately become easier.
66. Go to English or Irish bars. Menus, TV shows, magazines - all in a foreign language. There is also a high chance of meeting foreigners and practicing your spoken English.
67. Buy an electronic phrase book. Although many electronic dictionaries are not as good as paper ones, they still have one great feature - they reproduce words.
68. Study lists of words from your electronic dictionary. Look up the last 30 words you looked up in your dictionary. Remove from them those that you consider completely useless. View the rest several times a day.
69. Change the OS language to English. Changing the language on your phone, computer, video camera, etc. to English will force you to use it daily.
70. Set a goal for yourself. Decide how many hours you want to spend studying, how many words you want to learn, or what grade you want to get on an exam.

50 tips to improve your English! Very motivating!

How to improve your English.

Hello! I have already mentioned many times that success in learning comes with constant practice and development of your English. That's why it's a language, to constantly use it, thereby making your level better and better. You cannot read a rule and start speaking English. If you want to master active, lively, spoken English, then constant speaking practice, development of auditory skills, vocabulary and grammar are your best friends!

I wrote about where you can speak English for free in the article! In my opinion, the best textbook for developing grammar is “Grammar of Modern English” by L.G. Verba, G.V. Verba. Find it in my article! Podcasts and various audio materials will help you develop your listening comprehension of English. There are many useful resources online, such as

“Audio English lessons for free” - https://audiourokidarom.ru/

Learn live English! Don't worry about failures! Absolutely anyone can speak English! If you have the desire, you will achieve anything!

It was a small cry from the heart. And now I return to the article. The other day I was surfing the Internet and found an excellent article with 101 ways to improve English. I didn’t like all of the tips, but 50 of them were really cool and very motivating! I would like to share them with you!

50 ways to improve your English!

1. Don't be afraid of mistakes. Be confident. People can only correct your mistakes when they hear them.
2. Practice every day. Create your study plan and stick to it. Decide how much time you are willing to devote to studying per week. Stick to the system.
3. Practice 4 basic skills: reading, written English, speaking and listening skills. To improve your English, develop these skills equally.
4. You will remember words more easily if you learn entire sentences in which those words are used.
5. Set your main goal. And work towards achieving it.
6. Also, always set intermediate goals and congratulate yourself when you achieve them.
7. If you don't understand something, you should ask someone. Ask your teacher, classmate or friend to help you.
8. Repetition! Repetition! Repetition! Make sure you brush up on everything you've gone through in the past.
9. It's a bad idea to study for more than 30 minutes at a time. Take regular breaks, breathe air and stretch your legs.
10. Take your time to improve your level. Concentrate on the level you have now.
11. Read adapted literature. These books are written specifically for your level. Read entire novels. You can do it! You will immediately feel progress after reading!
12. Read the book as a whole first. Don't try to understand every word. Then read it again and learn new words.
13. If you don't understand a word, look at the words next to it. They will give you a hint. Try to understand the meaning of a word based on the context.
14. Use English whenever you can. Plus it's so easy!
15. Do not translate into English from your native language. Think in English! Talk to yourself...but not on the bus, otherwise people will think you're crazy!
16. You can't learn English from a textbook. Just like driving a car, you can only learn it with practice.
17. Find pen pals in chat rooms, forums or social networks. If you can't talk to people, this is the next best thing.
18. The most natural way to learn grammar is to learn it through conversation.
19. Keep a diary or journal in English. Start writing down a few sentences and then get into the habit of writing more.
20. Sing out loud! Show the world your beautiful voice! Learn English songs and sing along to develop your speed and intonation.
21. Listen to the radio in English at home. Even passive listening trains your listening skills!
22. Don't be dependent on the dictionary. The dictionary should help you, not be your main teacher. Try to figure out the meanings of words, rather than jump straight into the dictionary.
23. Do not give up! Be positive! Sometimes you will feel that you are not learning English fast enough. Everyone gets this feeling, don't worry about it. You'll figure it all out in the end!
24. Have fun learning! We learn better when we enjoy the process!
25. If you feel nervous during a conversation, take two deep breaths before you say anything. You will speak better when you are relaxed.
26. You can't be too young or old to start learning English. No more excuses! What are you waiting for?
27. Procrastination can prevent you from being successful. Don't delay, it is very important to understand that if you put off studying, it can become a bad habit.
28. If you have not yet achieved the result you wanted, it is not because you are not inclined towards languages, but because you have not yet found the way of learning that suits you.
29. Use resources that are appropriate for your level. Don't use texts/listening exercises that are too difficult for you.
30. Don't worry too much about your accent being imperfect. It is an important part of your culture to maintain an accent. Native speakers like to listen to people speaking English with an accent.
31. There are many types of English: British, American, South African, etc. They are all correct. English is English!
32. Instead, try to be aware of the differences between American and British English and use words accordingly. for example: Elevator (elevator - US) / Lift (elevator - British).
33. You can't ignore phrasal verbs, there are hundreds of them in English and they are widely used. The more you focus on their meaning, the better you will become at guessing the meaning of new phrasal verbs. You will begin to recognize their patterns.
34. Use your intuition. Follow your gut feeling. You'll be surprised how often your first guess is correct. As said earlier, be confident in yourself!
35. Gather your thoughts. Take a second to think about what you are about to say. You know grammar, but maybe you don't use it correctly when speaking.
36. Meet new people. Try to find English speaking people in your city. You can join a club or go to a bar where foreigners hang out. Buy them a drink, they love it!
37. Be the person who starts the conversation. Try to maintain a conversation using gestures and words such as: “really?”, “go on...”, “what happened then?” Don't wait for someone to talk to you. Take action!
38. It is not enough to learn only English words. You can teach English words to a parrot, but that doesn't mean it can speak English! You need to understand grammar.
39. There are many irregular verbs in English. Try to learn them.
40. Maintain your English! If you take breaks from speaking English, you will feel like your level is deteriorating and that all the work you've done so far has been a waste of time.
41. Don't be discouraged by bad test results. Sometimes students do well on tests but cannot speak with English speakers. If you speak English fluently, you should be proud of yourself.
42. Learn English with a friend. You will have a partner to practice and encourage each other.
43. Keep in mind that it is more difficult to improve your English if your level is already good. Usually the fastest progress occurs at the beginning of study. Don't think that you suddenly stopped developing, but that your progress has become less noticeable.
44. Make sure your English is appropriate for the situation. Slang can be used with friends, but not in business meetings. Decide in what situations it is acceptable to use the words or phrases you have learned.
45. The English from textbooks is often different from the one we usually speak. To learn live English, watch movies.
46. Idioms are hard to remember, but they are fun to use and will make your English more beautiful.
47. Use online resources. There are many resources that can help you learn. Think about your strengths and weaknesses. Write down what you would like to improve and work on it. But don't ignore your strengths. Always congratulate yourself on your successes!
48. Take an English course in an English-speaking country.
49. Once you have reached a basic level of English, try to find new ways to say the same thing. This makes your English more interesting to listeners and should not be difficult for you since you already know the basics. For example, how many different ways are there to say “Goodbye” in English?
50. And the easiest way is to sleep! You will be able to learn more after a good night's sleep. You will be able to concentrate better!

These were 50 ways to improve your English! Keep learning the language and take care of yourself!

Just 15-20 years ago, in order to improve your English on your own, you had to accomplish a small feat. Thick dictionaries, clumsy self-study books and attempts to translate the latest radio hits were used. There was no talk of practice at all - if there was no familiar foreigner at hand, it was impossible to test the acquired knowledge in the field.

Nowadays, learning English has become much easier and more interesting. We talk about the most convenient and fun tools for learning a language.

How to improve your English listening comprehension

• Cinema and TV series

TV series and movies are a fun way to learn to understand English by ear and expand your vocabulary. English teachers often invite students to watch a movie or episode of a TV series, and then discuss with them what they saw and analyze the vocabulary they encountered. You can easily do the same thing yourself.

The main thing is to try to stop using subtitles as soon as possible. Even English. The sooner you get rid of them, the sooner you will begin not to “read” the film, but to actually watch it.

Where to watch films and TV series in the original:

• Amediateka - a large collection of foreign TV series in the original, subtitles are not available everywhere, but it’s a matter of time.
• iTunes- here you can easily find hundreds of films with ready-made subtitles. Look for movies with the SS icon.
• Netflix is a popular online cinema that recently launched in Russia. In our case, it is good because almost all the content is exclusively in English, and subtitles can be easily enabled in the player.

• YouTube

On YouTube, people speak English the way they do in real life: with slang, memes and accents. By watching the video you will learn a lot of everyday vocabulary, learn to distinguish accents and get acquainted with the cultural characteristics of English-speaking countries.

• Jenna Marbles- one of the most famous video bloggers in the world. A cheerful girl who makes videos about everything in the world.
• Marques Brownlee - a popular channel about the technologies that surround us: they talk about smartphones, tablets, laptops.
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon - evening show of a healthy person. Many famous faces, artistry and pleasant humor.
• Ted Talks - a well-known online short presentation platform where people share ideas, knowledge and experiences. Combine useful with useful.

How to expand your vocabulary

• Books

By reading in a foreign language, you “absorb” vocabulary and grammatical structures, and, without noticing it, you begin to write more correctly and put together sentences more harmoniously.

Nowadays, there is nothing easier than reading books in the original. For any smartphone, there are dozens of “readers” with built-in dictionaries and notes. Download a book that you've been wanting to read for a long time and open it at every opportunity - this way you can get through several novels in a year. Or one, if you suddenly decide to take on Joyce's Ulysses. But after it you will not be afraid of any English language.

Books that are best to start reading in English:

• Harry Potter saga- a simple, interesting and already familiar story to many. It’s hard to find something better to start reading in English.
• « The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy» - interesting, funny and short story. Can be easily read in a weekend, even in English.
• stories about Sherlock Holmes - stories familiar to many from childhood. A classic English detective story that is a pleasure to deal with.

• E-mail newsletters from the online English school

E-mail newsletters are the most convenient way to receive free and interesting content. For example, the online English language school Skyeng sends out thematic newsletters every week with analyzes of popular mistakes, links to videos, new words on specialized topics: cinema, beauty, business, relationships, etc., idioms and tests, facts about English-speaking countries.

• Applications

Let's continue the topic of smartphones. In the AppStore and Google Play you will find a dozen applications with ready-made programs for practicing the language and even learning it from scratch. As in the case of books, such applications are good for killing time on the subway or in a long traffic jam. The goal of almost every app is to make language learning an enjoyable habit. The average “lesson” time is only 5-10 minutes, but you need to study every day.

Finding these applications is not difficult: go to the “Education” category and choose the one that you personally like.

Applications for learning English:

How to improve your speaking skills

• Conversation clubs

An almost extreme way for those who are ready to enter the real world. There are many paid and free conversation clubs operating in large cities - it’s easy to find them on social networks or simply on Google. Each club meeting is a discussion on a given topic, where anyone can express their opinion. And all this is exclusively in English.

For a person unsure of his knowledge, this sounds terrifying. However, remember that those who really know English well do not attend such meetings. Conversation clubs are created for those who, like you, want to overcome the language barrier.

Popular conversation clubs in Moscow:

• Conversation Club at the American Center in Moscow;
• Speaking club skyeng;
• ESPlaneta Conversation Club;
• Clever English School Club.

• Volunteering

An extreme way without “almost”. By signing up for a volunteer program, you will move a kilometer away from your comfort zone. An unfamiliar country, unfamiliar people, an almost unfamiliar language in which you need to somehow communicate. In such conditions, progress in English happens literally every day, because you have no other choice.

After two weeks of the volunteer program, you will not begin to speak perfect English, but you will get used to it, stiffness will disappear and you will learn to express even very complex thoughts in simple words.