Top 10 Tips for Learning English

Do you want to know how to learn English? Sometimes it’s hard to stay motivated if you feel you aren’t learning quickly enough, here are our top 10 tips for learning English and keeping you motivated to stay on track!

1. Don’t kick yourself when you are down

Remember, you are learning. Learning English is a process and you are on the way. It takes time to learn and everyone makes mistakes, it is an important part of the process- just practice as much as you can!

2. Practice, practice, practice

Don’t miss any chance you have to practice English. Read, watch, speak as much as you can in English! Find your favourite book, movie, series and start reading or watching in English. The only way to master the language is by practicing, and using it as much as possible!

3. Learn from your mistakes

Don’t worry when you are making mistakes, mistakes are an important part of the process, it gives you feedback and will help you remember English rules and usage – keep on practising.

4. Be curious

Ask a lot of questions and actively take note of new vocabulary wherever you go. This seems obvious, but if you are curious and aware about the language, then you will notice new words and phrases everywhere, if you don’t understand something ask questions, don’t sit and wonder, get answers, and soon you will recognise more vocabulary much quicker.

5. Use English every chance you get

Talk talk talk, find anyone who will listen! Always use English. Even if you don’t know how to say something. You can always find another way to explain what you want. Try to find simple ways to communicate and use your imagination to overcome difficulties.

6. Don’t try to learn everything at once

Focus on the immediate things you need English for. Are you going on holiday? Focus on simple expressions for travel and tourism. Are you going to study abroad? Focus on vocabulary related to your studies. Are you going abroad for business, focus on conversation starters to use with new colleagues and business terms. This will help you remember what your aim is, and get their faster.

7. Read!

Read everything you can find, books, newspapers, social media, news feeds, tweets, emails. Reading is an excellent exercise, it will help reinforce words you have learned, refresh your memory and introduce lots of new words and phrases in different contexts. You will start learning vocabulary and structures without even noticing!

8. Be patient, regular and consistent

Learning languages takes time, and you need to be patient with yourself. Sometimes you’re ahead sometimes you’re behind – but if you practice regularly and are consistent with studying then you will succeed! 

9. Don’t try to translate everything

Don’t try to use the same structures you use in your native language. Sometimes short and simple sentences will make you more comfortable and will help you put what you are thinking into words.

10. Forget the rules!

It is all about communication! Rules can help when you have a specific question, but they will not help you learn the language if you don’t focus on communicating. Take learning to drive for example, you can’t learn to drive by only studying the theory, you need to get outside into the car and practice! The same goes for learning English, you need to start speaking and communicating.