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8 Quick Tips to Learn English:
Every language has certain characteristics that you need to learn to engage a native speaker to respond naturally to you in it. This is because the words of the language have meanings. Words arranged in sentences convey a concept. In order for these concepts to be crystal clear, we have to choose the right words and the right order to utter them or write them down. Here are some tips to help you learn English quickly.
1. Immerse Yourself in an English Environment:
Find every source of material from around you that can help you learn the English language. With the internet this is extremely simple as English is the most popular medium of the internet outside of China and maybe Russia. SearchGoogle for on-line English reading material, and also material you can use as listening lessons. Writing and speaking can be in the next stage of learning English.
The reason why you must first read and listen to English is because the fundamental step to begin to learn English or other any language is to build a vocabulary. There are 3 aspects of a word you need to grasp in order to build a vocabulary.
– Pronunciation
– Spelling
– Meaning
A word enters your vocabulary only when you can pronounce it correctly, spell it correctly and forever remember its meaning. In order to pronounce a word correctly you need to pronounce each individual letter or syllable correctly. Most people only learn the pronunciation of a word by rote – that is by memory, like a parrot hears a sound and mimics it perfectly. But the parrot has no clue why it is pronounced the way it is or about the meaning of the sound.
Why this is important is that you may develop a good vocabulary and enough grammar to speak, but the native listener will never understand THE SOUND YOU MAKE, which is what we call the accent. This is a very complex subject, so we have to paraphrase it to convey the gist. Everybody has an accent with which he/she speaks the mother tongue most comfortably and so becomes very natural in the mother tongue. But when he/she learn english a new language, it is obvious that the new language has its own accent to native speakers. The problem arises when you CARRY OVER your native language-accent into the new language. So learning the correct pronunciation of every word is a primary task. Spelling of course is a matter of memory mostly for the beginner. As you grow better you will construct the word mentally by other means and learn to spell intuitively. Knowing the meaning of a word, again takes memorizing after learning the concept.
3. Develop a Keen Desire to Read English Avidly
Every good English school teacher will teach you that reading is the most effective way to develop a good vocabulary. Even a beginner will gradually pick up words on a daily basis. Soon you will learn the art of constructing sentences even with your limited vocabulary. You will slowly get an idea of how English grammar works.
Most of the courses offered that promise to have you talking English in a short period are reluctant to give you the true facts about English grammar. English grammar taught in an academic institution is very complex. But it is a fact that a course can be designed for travelers to be talking essential English quite efficiently in a short period.
To learn English as a functional language, a working knowledge of grammar is crucial. Reading even children’s books at the first stage is a good idea. Another method is to have a mentor who can read clearly to you. This is tremendously important as you can learn to listen to the English language and learn the pronunciation of words to learn English, the cadence of English to avoid your own accent, and the chance to instantly stop and ask for the meaning of a new word to add to your vocabulary.
4. Interact with Native-English Speakers or People who speak fluently in English
When you are in the company of people already conversant with English, you can quickly pick up new words for your vocabulary, the right accent to speak sentences with and colloquialisms that can keep you engaged with English speakers. Always talking formally is not a good idea, so colloquialisms are important to make you appear more interesting. If you are lucky enough to find friends who enjoy helping you to learn English it is the greatest asset you can have. They will quickly point out your weaknesses and your strong points, making you aware of where you need to focus on improving. If you live in a community that speaks English in their routine life, get involved in their mainstream activities. You could find a job in a restaurant or a laundry where you are compelled to use your knowledge of English to communicate. This will quickly increase your command of the language.
5. Learn English to Write Effectively in English
This is an area where the beginner needs to be diligent and dedicated. Writing literature in any language, calls for an inspiring imagination and an inborn skill. But a beginner can quickly develop the skill to write English functionally. In an academic setting, the student is introduced to writing skills in English along with a comprehensive foundation in English grammar. Since this done from primary school itself, the student has a long-term structured approach to be proficient at the language.
A person learning English with little time needs a separate approach. Functional English can be learnt quickly with a sound basic knowledge of grammar. Parts of speech, the tense of a verb and elementary rules of constructing a sentence can establish the foundation a student needs. Then he can start by writing personal letters, writing basic reports in a work environment, writing entries in a diary daily,
etc.
6. Find an Institute That Teaches English Effectively
An institute with proficient coaching will be distinguished by these traits:
– They will assess the students initial skill level with English
– They will carefully observe the students learning capabilities
– They will quickly assess their strengths and weaknesses
– They will identify specific problem areas
You can find out if they do that by contacting their PR staff. You can also examine their syllabus and their study material to get an idea of the quality of the learning material they provide. The advantage of a good coaching center is that you are constantly in a community of people with the same goal as you, which are the other students, and also people who are dedicated to help you achieve that goal.
7. Learn about the Culture of an English Speaking Country:
It is well known that English is the mother tongue of the people of a rather small island called England. So it is interesting how English has taken root in completely diverse cultures like India and South Africa. Of course, the British Empire was responsible for introducing the language globally and the colonials in the US, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa propagated it there. But in India English has bridged the culture gap and many Indians speak better than native English speakers themselves.
8. Enjoy the process of learning English
Make sure that your desire to learn English is always enthusiastic. Make friends with people who speak English fluently. Engage in a social life that lets you enjoy learning the language. Play games online like Scrabble, Upwords etc. Solve easy crosswords! This is a very thought provoking vocabulary building exercise and a fun thing to do. English is an evolving and dynamic language and critically important in some circles. It has very effective mechanisms to help you gain a mastery over it.
This Article is published by : Grace Academy
