11 daily ways to improve your English
If you’ve hit a rough patch in your language learning and the usual lessons don’t bring you the desired results and satisfaction, then this article is definitely for you.
Quite often, the main stumbling block on this path is burnout or exhaustion from too serious and traditional approaches to this matter.
So, here you will find some engaging and perhaps even unconventional methods of mastering English that you can practice almost every day and many of which you will definitely enjoy.
1. Put your smartphone and computer into English
Our gadgets are things we use countless times a day. Making phone calls, checking work emails, chatting with friends, scrolling social media are almost impossible to get through the day without. Since you’re accustomed to how your gadget is managed, you can easily continue to use it while memorizing and absorbing English equivalents of interface items’ vocabulary.
2. Use mobile applications
Proceeding with the topic of gadget presence in our everyday life, it’s worth mentioning a wide range of different apps designed specifically for learning English. Of course, a few minutes a day of interacting with such an app won’t significantly upgrade your English level, but similar regular activities can noticeably enrich your language knowledge.
3. Watch films
For those who are into gripping movies, TV shows and even cartoons or other video materials, there is an excellent opportunity to not only enjoy but also benefit from their favorite pastime by watching them in English. In this way, you will expand your vocabulary, learn English slang, colloquialisms, and various expressions in the context as well as adopt the intonations of native speakers and learn to understand different accents. If you have difficulty recognizing words, then you can turn on subtitles to follow them, and over time they will become unnecessary.
4. Listening to podcasts and audiobooks
Not enough time for watching movies? Listening to podcasts and audiobooks is a good alternative to it. A significant advantage is an ability to combine this practice with another activity. You can easily listen to podcasts on your favorite topics or an exciting audiobook as you walk around the city, on the way to work, or even while doing housework. If you really get into it, your listening skills are doomed to improve.
5. Read everything you can in English
Would you like to learn news from the source or ponder the author’s original thoughts directly without translation? Or maybe you are fond of reading online blogs? Go for it. Modern technologies enable this in a few clicks.
A systematic reading of authentic English texts will greatly enhance your word stock. In addition, you will considerably improve your sense of language, forcing your brain to work out the structure of sentence constructions inherent in the English language.
6. Write down information on paper
Make it a good habit to write a short review after every movie you watch or book you read. You can express your impressions of the film or briefly describe the story in the book, thereby recalling the vocabulary you learned from them. This will not only help you remember the words and phrases better, but it will also contribute to your writing skills and use of grammatical structures.
7. Try karaoke
Have you ever noticed yourself humming your favorite song uttering non-existent words or similar sequences of sounds? Oh, almost everyone has. Then why not finally get around to learning the lyrics? A productive way to practice English is to follow the text while listening to music. Very often, the lyrics contain English expressions regularly used in daily conversations. Moreover, by singing along with your favorite vocalist you’ll also work on your pronunciation.
8. Google in English
Do you often try to find out something by searching for information on the Internet? Probably so. Then turn one of your routines into another way to improve your skills. Formulate your queries in English and try to understand the answer while revealing the unknown words. If something remains unclear, check again in your native language. Then go back and review the English version once more.
In order to practice your pronunciation in general and specific sounds in particular, you can use the voice assistant to make queries and check if it can recognize what you say.
9. Cook with English
Another thing you face every day is cooking. If you like experimenting with different foods and dishes, try looking for recipes in English. This tip is suitable even for beginners as the vocabulary and grammar in cooking recipes are relatively simple. You can also try translating the recipes you are already familiar with into English and even make a list of ingredients to buy at the grocery store using their English names. In case you don’t know an appropriate word, a dictionary will come in handy for you.
10. Find an English pal
One of the most effective but in the meantime most difficult ways to master any foreign language is to communicate directly with a native speaker. The effectiveness of this practice is beyond any doubt and even doesn’t need additional explanations since everyone knows it is best to learn a language in its environment.
Fortunately, the English language is at its peak of popularity right now. As a result, there are many opportunities to find an English friend to communicate with not only by texting but also during real-time online meetings.
11. Label the objects you see
The last but not least way to quickly pick up a lot of new vocabulary is to mentally or physically label English everything you come across. You can attach notes to any objects at home or in the workplace. This way, even without paying much attention, your brain will subconsciously process and memorize them. Also, try to recall the names of the random objects you run into while walking around the city or going shopping, or if you don’t know them yet, look up the English names of these things in the dictionary. This is a really nice habit to consolidate the material you have learned.
Hence, do not waste another second and start incorporating your favorite methods into your routine right now. Remember that by using unique and creative ways to practice English, you can explore the language in a whole new way.
Follow us on other social media: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
