There are many reasons to invest time into learning English. However, if you’re having trouble learning English the old-fashioned way (with worksheets and study books), there are other ways to do it.
You can improve your English language skills and enjoy doing it thanks to the web and the variety of platforms and services available. Let’s talk English, and how you can quickly improve your language skills without getting burnt out or tired.
1. Read Books and Graphic Novels in English
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One of the best ways to get started on improving your English skills is to pick up a book or a comic book. Printed publications are one of the best means of learning a new language, be it English, Spanish, Italian, or German.
You can visit sites such as Amazon and Book Depository and look for affordable books which can be shipped to your address. Going for eBooks and PDFs of your favorite authors is also a good alternative if you don’t mind reading from a computer screen. Pick whichever medium works best for you and read in English at least for 30 minutes each day.
2. Download Language-Learning Apps to your Phone
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Speaking of digital, there are numerous amazing apps and platforms you can use to learn English straight from your phone. These are gamified and designed to encourage daily use, so you should download one of them. Here are the best apps to use for learning English:
- Duolingo
- Babbel
- Drops
- FluentU
Check each app out to see which one fits your learning style the best. After a while, it will become normal for you to start your day by doing some English exercises on your phone before moving on.
3. Watch Movies and TV Shows with English Captions
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We live in an age of digital streaming where thousands of hours of content are available on the web. You can watch your favorite movies and TV shows and still learn English by simply turning on English captions.
If you watch English-speaking TV shows and follow their captions, you will hear people speak and see how each sentence is spelled out immediately. This is a fun, engaging way to learn English, especially if you don’t have the patience for writing down exercises by hand. Check platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu and pick the content you’d enjoy the most.
4. Listen to Podcasts and Music in English
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Listening to English-speaking people while you’re doing chores, exercising, or writing is another great way to learn English more quickly. Both podcasts and music can help you learn English by listening to how native speakers pronounce certain words, phrases, and sentences.
Listening to hours-long casual dialogue between podcast hosts or choosing a music playlist with English singers are both viable choices. You can also listen to audiobooks which are an amazing way to consume books while learning English. Take a look at Spotify, Audible, and Stitcher to find the kind of audio content you’d like to listen to.
5. Do Writing Exercises Daily
A great way to improve your English skills quickly is to simply do writing exercises in English. Whether you write diary entries, essays, or short letters to yourself, writing in English is a great way to practice your vocabulary and spelling skills. You can use PickWriters to translate your writing into other languages and have it proofread and formatted by professional editors.
Make sure to keep your old English writing for later reference so that you can see how much you’ve improved over time. You can write either by hand or on a computer, just make sure not to refer to dictionaries or auto-correct features while writing. Use the knowledge you have at the moment and learn from any spelling or grammar mistakes you make as you go.
6. Visit Local Language Cafes
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Language cafes are great places for people to learn new languages from one another in a casual and laid-back environment. As their name suggests, these are coffee places that organize social events with thematic nights.
For example, Thursdays may be Spanish days and Saturdays may be English days. Look up language cafes, grab a friend, and visit one in your area. This is an amazing way to boost your English skills without a serious commitment.
7. Read Aloud and Listen to Yourself Reading
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Once you get into a habit of reading more content in English, you should read your favorite passages, paragraphs, or essays aloud. Record yourself reading and listen to it afterward. You can share your recording with a friend or a teacher you trust to get feedback.
Working on your reading comprehension will dramatically improve your English skills quickly. Start with simpler texts and work your way up to book chapters or magazine articles.
8. Speak English with a Friend
Learning a new language is all about feeling the language at the tip of your tongue. If you have a friend, a colleague, or a relative who is proficient in English, why not talk them up? You can talk about anything from your favorite movie, what you did last week, or about opening a fashion business or a bakery later on.
It doesn’t matter which subjects you choose to talk about as long as you speak English. You will stumble and twist your tongue a couple of times before you get the hang of pronunciation and intonation and that’s to be expected. Don’t give up even if you mispronounce words and phrases at the moment – you’ll develop your English skills quickly by talking.
9. Go on a Vacation Abroad
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Lastly, the best way to get out of your comfort zone in terms of using English is to go on a vacation. Go to a place where English isn’t a native language, such as Greece, Italy, Russia, or France.
Use English as much as possible to communicate with natives. You can use it to get directions, order food, or even partake in historic tours. Combined, these will drastically improve your English, unlike any other learning method.
Improving your English Step-by-Step
You can do a lot to improve your English language skills quickly but the most important thing is to keep at it. Don’t take week-long breaks between writing exercises or listening to podcasts in English – be consistent. Also, the more you speak and exit your comfort zone, the more enjoyable it will be to use English to get by. Whether you need English for work, school, or traveling abroad, use the tips we’ve outlined and you’ll learn English in no time.
