What is your approach to improve your English?

iamawriter Level 1

January 2, 2018, 5:12 am

53

Write the reason you're deleting this FAQ

What is your approach to improve your English?

With the way texting is done on mobiles it is bound to destroy whatever one learnt while at school. With that background forums that expect good English will not have a place for such 'candidates' However one can get out of that situation and equip oneself with approaches that are available.

I speak in English as far as possible with those who speak the language well. I watch BBC and CNN. But I do not trust those native speakers at forums where good English is not a requirement. There these native speakers will use colloquial terms and such

What is your approach.

Comments

Please login or sign up to leave a comment

Join

Barida

Barida

I just feel free speaking English language for that is a way of expression. It's quite unfortunate that one could have to scrutinize the way others speak the language and feel okay with it. Language is all about communicating with the other person in a way they understand what you're saying.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

mildredtabitha

mildredtabitha

I also think it is not okay to criticize the English of other people. We can't expect those who learned English in school to be perfect as a native English speaker. As long as we can communicate with each other and understand what the other person is saying.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

ballyhara

ballyhara

That's true. No matter how hard we try, people who learn English on a school as me, never accomplish a native accent or grammar, because is not our native tongue. For sure we can learn a lot, we can improve, we can get almost a perfect English, but that requires time, effort, and practice with native speakers. I had some differences with people when I was studying, people who were really rude at me, but honestly I just decided to ignore them, because they were the wrong ones, they only know English, while I'm learning more languages and getting more educated.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

TheInsaneSakif

TheInsaneSakif

I like your enthusiasm! You keep learning and moving forward, even though people just overlook you. How many languages do you know so far?

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

ballyhara

ballyhara

So far, I know English and Spanish really well, Spanish is my native language, and I've been learning English since I was a kid. Pretty much was self taught, and then when I had some savings, I traveled to USA and took a couple of lessons, while had the chance to learn a little bit of slang, culture, and traditions. There, I also made brazilian friends, who inspired me to learn Portuguese, which is the one I'm learning right now. I would like to learn German, or Duch, or maybe Japanese too. I love learning new languages.

6 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

Marako0406

Marako0406

Yup you're right about that and I like what you did and ignore those kinds of people which doesn't help anything all and don't have anything to do with you. I believe that a person can achieve something that is close to a native accent by just talking and conversing on native american speakers everyday for about 3-4 years. By just hearing them say, speak and pronounce words, If a person really like to be like that then one can be so close to speaking english as their native language. It just takes time and practice.

6 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

ballyhara

ballyhara

Unfortunately, you can't get rid of evil people right? they're everywhere. Honestly, I was doing a big effort while I was taking English classes, they were expensive too, and teachers were really demanding. I was told that I was doing a nice job, and getting very good grades, and that's why the rest of my classmates hated me. So, I decided to fire back by getting even better, studying so hard, and trying to be a top student. They wanted me to fail, to be lazy like them, but that never happened.

6 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

Marako0406

Marako0406

True enough that we can't get rid of them but we can do something about how we treat them. If a person can ignore their evil agenda everyday then we already won over negative people. What's important is that we just go and move forward and keep on bettering ourselves and our life. Like speaking in english the native way, a person can do that by lot's of practice and conversing with a native american speaker.

6 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

iamawriter

iamawriter

Speaking good English is like listening to music that has no false notes. Also when it comes to online writing where one earns it is important that one writes correct English taking care of spelling and grammar.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

tiffiecute

tiffiecute

That's correct. Anything that you get yourself involved with by putting effort and time would make you better on it. If you exposed yourself to the English world, you would be conversant enough.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

Steve5

Steve5

This is how learn best to speak English. Writing our thoughts and expressing them clearly trains us. It improve our word choice. That's why constant use of English naturally enhances our understanding of it.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

mar06

mar06

I prefer to read a lot because I knew that someday this thing will enhance more to approach in English though sometimes there are many deep words to comprehend which made mi sick but yes I still love doing it. Because longer and longer I saw my English have improved.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

Pixie06

Pixie06

I am a book lover and reading is my hobby. Reading has definitely help me to improve my English. Moreover, since I am now working online I have to regularly interact with many people across the globe in English. I also work as an English tutor and this is further helping me to improve my English. Ever since I started this job I bought some English vocabulary and grammar books. In the process of teaching my students, I am learning too.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

ballyhara

ballyhara

This is the key to any language, people please do some reading! When I say reading, I don't mean online, but proper books. The ones with perfect grammar, wide vocabulary, and reviewed by editors. Search for new words meanings, look the way to use them in sentences, different time tenses. Thanks to my love for reading, I've learned a lot.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

DenisP

DenisP

I was thankfully blessed with the gift of lingual dexterity, and have never had trouble expressing myself in neither the English language nor any of the other foreign languages I speak. I believe that there are different ways of expressing oneself through written language, and that there is a time and place for each of them. If you wish to use common contractions such as "u" for "you", or "r" for "are" while texting, then I see no problem with that. However, language such as that has no place in a professional environment.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

bienn05

bienn05

I just speak this language everyday. We need to practice are tongue if we like to improve our english speaking skills. Personally, I am having a hard time speaking this language but I knew I improve a lot. I use it in my everyday life and I communicate with my brother with this language.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

Kakashi2020

Kakashi2020

I'm more fluent in spoken English than written English, I think it's because i used to converse a lot in English in my previous jobs, my bosses where either Americans, Australians or Japanese. One way to brush up on speaking English is by watching a lot of Hollywood films, it's where you'll learn about the different slangs and often used words in mainstream conversations.

6 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

jeffreyjose48

jeffreyjose48

To improve my English, I just keep on speaking English. For me, since grade 1 until I graduate in College, I always have an English subject. English is an international language. When you go to other places abroad you use English so that people there will understand you.

Two of my siblings could not work abroad without passing first their English test. One of my brother is now in America. He said that his work in call center helped him greatly. My sister also is in Australia now with her family. I think she got 3 same tests before she passed her exam.

6 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

mildredtabitha

mildredtabitha

I learned English in school and I was really not good at it. But my English has greatly improved over the years. Reading books, blogs and participating in forums had helped me improve my English.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

iamawriter

iamawriter

One should speak the language as far as possible as that is one way one can keep in touch with the language. Speaking with those who have a good command can truly help and accepting constructive criticism is yet another way.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

mildredtabitha

mildredtabitha

I always speak Swahili at home and at school. I have realized that I do all of my writing in English and not speak it. I know speaking English will help improve my English but I am glad I have learned more over the years.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

iamawriter

iamawriter

Those whose English is their second language always speak in their vernacular. Having said that it is good to avail of every opportunity to speak in English as that is one of the best ways to master it.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

Baburra

Baburra

The same is true for me. I learned a lot in school but most of them were just technical terms and names for the practical use and not really all that much the actual use and most of that I learned from reading books and blogs. I probably at this point have already forgotten most of what I learned in school but I definitely have retained a lot of what I picked up from reading those books and blogs.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

prettylass8831

prettylass8831

Like you I also learned English in school because it's the medium of instruction, and almost everyone in my country speaks fluently. Aside from speaking English in school and at home, I improved my English by reading a lot and always watching American shows and movies. My having a passion for writing also helped because I was able to express myself more through written words.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

EfficientNinja

EfficientNinja

Same here. I also do all of those things that you've mentioned and it helped me out a lot in learning English. Although I also play video games which I've spent a lot of time as a kid. Those video games that I played require you to read through walls of text to know where to proceed next. I owe my English skills to RPG games.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

Baburra

Baburra

I am fortunate enough to live somewhere where English is taught in schools at a very early age so I never really had much trouble understanding or learning English, and our television and radio channels were always filled with English content so I pretty much grew up with it and it became second nature. What I feel like helped me more though was that I read a lot of comic books when I was younger and having that as a visual aid helped me a lot with grammar and punctuation and also it added a lot to my vocabulary.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

iamawriter

iamawriter

Reading good material is a sure way to get a good brushing of the language. Different writers have different styles that one could adapt to. People have a tendency to break into vernacular which is fine at informal gatherings but I have seen even in banks and other establishments they do that.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

Tronia

Tronia

Same here. In my country, English is obligatory since the age 6. Well, we can choose between English or German and I picked the first option. I am so happy that I did because English actually puts bread on my table. 90% of my work is based on it!

Also, almost all of our television programs play English things with subtitles. That's great practice.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

JoeMilford

JoeMilford

I was actually lucky, as an English-speaking American, that Japan was like where you are from in terms of English. I do not know Japanese, and I went over there to reach for a few months years ago, and I would have been pretty lost if most of the Japanese people I met had not known the English that they did. They also wanted to "practice" their English with me, so I had so many fun, and funny, conversations with people there. It was a wonderful life experience and a wonderful experience in terms of language.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

treecko142

treecko142

Yeah, English being taught at an early age is one of the reasons why I got proficient with the language despite not being my native tongue. We were taught every year parallel to the lessons of our main language and so it helped early with the various rules and intricacies of the language.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

gelotologist

gelotologist

I'm not really fond of speaking English back when I was in high school, but my English teacher have told me that English is a universal language and also a key to success, she also told me to speak English if the person doesn't know how to speak your local language, so he/she would understand what you are talking about. And that is the moment that I've realize how important speaking in English is, even though it's not your own language.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

iamawriter

iamawriter

English is a universal language and it should be learnt by all. Your teacher gave you good advice. Here in India the emphasis is to give more importance to State language but when the children want to seek greener pastures leaving their shores they have problems if they have not mastered the English language.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

oksoda

oksoda

I see your point by saying all people should learn English, but I really disagree. There's a lot of beauty in the diversity of human experience and part of that diversity is born out of the languages we speak. English can be wonderful - I write! of course I like English - but there are cultural, regional nuances it could never capture. I think the idea that everyone speaks this one language is kind of sad. Like I said, I know this can mean a path toward greener pastures as you put it, but it's more than a little unfortunate that the world works in this way.

6 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

peachpurple

peachpurple

During my school days, English was the only language we communicate with each other although 90% of the subjects are taught in Malay language, because our principal was a NUN

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

iamawriter

iamawriter

I have to thank the exposure I have had that helped me master the language. The family spoke in English and my husband had a good command too. The firm where I worked was a great place to mingle with those who spoke great English

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

treecko142

treecko142

Some classes we had required us to speak English for the whole period and whoever slips have to pay, kind of like a swear jar.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

Martinsx1

Martinsx1

English language is a compulsory subject for us during our school days right from primary to university level. It's a must pass subject to enable your promotion into the next class. So I had to put in my all to improve in it both in writing and speaking as well.

Growing up I sought other means to in my English language. I watch lots of American movies and British ones as well because they are well acted with good English.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

jaymish3

jaymish3

I agree, the best way to improve your English is to read as many books as you can. You need to learn to think in English, it becomes disastrous when you think in another language and translate your writing into English. I don't agree @mildredtabitha that people should not be criticized,for their English. This is a language like any other, that has rules, if you don't obey them then you should be open to criticism. The first step of learning is acknowledging that you don't know it all. If people don't point out your mistakes, you will never learn.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

iamawriter

iamawriter

You have hit the nail on the head when you say one should think in English to be able to speak the language correctly. Literal translation from a local language to English will spell disaster. It may sound comical too.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

Baburra

Baburra

For me, comic books were extra helpful because I got to see the facial expressions behind the sentences and also I got to learn the language in a more conversational context which is majority of the reason why I am learning the language in the first pace. I also agree with you that mistakes should be pointed out and shouldn't be taken personally because learning is much more important.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

treecko142

treecko142

Comic books helped me too. It felt natural for me learning since I love reading them in the first place, so improving my English was just a huge bonus!

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

JoeMilford

JoeMilford

I have been wanting to learn Spanish now for a while. I was actually told, and this made me laugh, that the best way to learn it would be to watch Latin soap operas on the foreign language channels. I think that this is an interesting approach to learning a language in terms of conversation, but i do agree with you that you still have to do the academic work on the language and learn its rules on its own terms. It's good to have people point out what you should work on to improve--I ALWAYS welcome constuctive criticism!

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

iamawriter

iamawriter

I have picked up a lot watching BBC and CNN The anchors and reporters there speak beautifully. With constantly being there one automatically picks up words and phrases that could be used while creating articles and posts.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

anahbello1206

anahbello1206

I also listened and watch those videos and it really helped me improve my vocabulary and at the same time helped me to get more comfortable with the English language. In addition , I try to read as many English books as I can and to speak English often.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

DenisP

DenisP

I grew up in the United States, so naturally I learned English not only in school but was surrounded by English media and print. That being said, after moving to a different country, I've experienced the difficulty of learning a new language in the way that many non-English speakers do with English. I definitely have to agree that reading has been one of the best ways I've come across in order to improve my vocabulary. Unlike watching television or movies, you have enough time to really process and go over the words while you're reading, and it allows you to register the information better and test/review yourself.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

Kakashi2020

Kakashi2020

My English professor told me to improve my English I need to read and study one English word per day by using a dictionary and a thesaurus. Doing this would not only familiarize me with the word but also with its synonyms, antonyms and how it is used in a sentence.
Another thing he taught me is to read classic novels and poems and alternate it with American comic books.

6 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

Adesuwa08

Adesuwa08

I have different approach towards improvement of my English, there are so many ways to go about it, depending on your way of learning and accuracy skills.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

Adesuwa08

Adesuwa08

The easiest way I learn is through reading always, as I read I pronounce the words memorize them, then check it up in the dictionary. That's how I improve my English skills, I also get books about it too, so to know the latest development.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

iamawriter

iamawriter

Pronunciation is the most difficult when it comes to English. One has to either listen to a recording or go through the dictionary where how a word is to pronounced is clearly explained. Nothing like being in the company of those who have a good background and have studied the language at a professional level

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

mar06

mar06

Just focus to those deep vocabulary words and I guarantee it that it really help to improve your English. You may also read lot of books and if you did not understand those deep words there so look for those meaning of it and if you do that habit every time it can affect your English in good.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

Judas2018

Judas2018

English is my native language so the best advice I can give a non-english speaker is practice makes perfect.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

iamawriter

iamawriter

Being a native speaker does not mean one's English can be perfect. What I have noticed is that since the language is first learnt phonetically and when that is translated to writing there are errors. For example I see many writing 'I use to' instead of 'I used to' Some just use th word 'to' instead of 'too' and so on.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?

esteban123

esteban123

Yes you are right on that and I really agree on you, sometimes in order to achieve certain goals we should have the dedication to do things on our own. Practicing a certain thing would really help us to make it perfect or master them instantly. Patience and hard work should always go so that we can be good at all things.

7 years ago

Are you sure you want to delete this post?