If you ever think “How can I improve my English?”, then you must read this post.
Today I’m going to show you how to improve your English in 7 easy steps. Let’s get started!
- Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. People learn from mistakes. You’ve done something amazing. You left your country and culture and chose a new one, and a new language. That shows a lot of courage. Most Americans will overlook your mistakes in your English. They won’t require you to speak perfectly. We want you to do well.
- The best way to improve your English is to speak English! Try to find American friends to talk with. Join a conversation class. Speaking English every chance you get will help you improve your English quickly.
- Read as much as you can in English. You can read newspapers, books, or magazines. If you have children, you can read their books. It will help your vocabulary grow. If you want to improve your English quickly, reading English is very important. You can find English books easily and read them for free by getting a membership at your local library.
- When you don’t understand, tell us. We want to help. Ask us to speak more slowly. If you don’t know the meaning of a word, ask us about it. You can ask us a question like,” Do you mean…?” or “What is…?” We can help you better if we know where you’re having trouble.
- Watch TV in English. You can watch the soaps, quiz shows, the news, or sporting events. The news is always a good choice because you may have access to the news in your own language. If you do, watch it, and then watch the local news in English. Some of the stories will be the same, and the local weather will certainly be the same. Since you will already be familiar with what you will hear, comprehension will be easier and you will become aware of words that are similar in both languages. The people reporting the news also speak slowly and correctly. Sit-coms can be good too. The characters in a sit-com speak in a realistic way, they way Americans really speak. If your TV allows it, you can turn on subtitles–but in English, not your language. That will make it easier if the characters speak fast or don’t pronounce their words in ways you are used to.
- Use an English dictionary, not a translator. You probably have an electronic translator, or at least Google Translate. You should also have an all English Dictionary. A good dictionary will help you improve your English by learning to think in English. Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary is an excellent choice. This dictionary gives meaning of words in simple English with many examples. It also pronounces the word for you. You can bookmark it on your laptop. The same app for your phone will cost you $4.99.
- Keep a vocabulary list of new words so you can study them and review to them when you need to. You should review your new words on a daily basis. Try putting them in sentences. Try using them in a conversation with someone. The more you use them, the more you will remember them. You can improve your English rapidly if you improve your English vocabulary.
In summary, if you’re wondering how to improve your English, try these seven easy tips. You’ll see big results.
Idioms of the Day
- An arm and a leg—something that is very expensive. I have no money now. I had to get my car fixed, and it cost an arm and a leg.
- Feel a bit under the weather— feel a little bit sick. I can’t go to the party tonight because I feel a bit under the weather.
In the next post we’ll talk about common English sounds that are difficult to pronounce.
