In a globalised world, everyone strives to learn the English language to communicate without boundaries. However, English can be quite a complicated language to start learning, whether it is your first or second language. With complex grammar, confusing pronunciation and vocabulary building, there’s a lot to develop and learn.
Even with an english tutor online, there’s a few tips and tricks that one can use to improve their spoken and written English. Read on to understand how to make learning the language fun and efficient.
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Reading
The first step to mastering pronunciation and increasing one’s comfort with the English language is reading. Read any English material that you can get your hands on. While the meaning isn’t crucial, try to understand each word. Do not be afraid to look up any word you do not understand or cannot pronounce.
List of New Words
While building one’s vocabulary, it can be helpful to maintain a book or a list of new words. This list can help one eventually incorporate new words in everyday speech or essays and written articles.
Actively noting down your growing vocabulary can help you set goals to achieve and visualise your learning progression.
Conversation
For those who aren’t familiar with the language, conversing with other people in English can help in improving your speaking skills.
Listening to people respond fluently and maintaining an active conversation also allows one to expand their vocabulary. This activity ensures that one gets experience alongside theory. Some specific verbal expressions and phrases are understandable only through speech.
Flashcards
For beginners, making a list may not work as effectively. In this case, the use of flashcards might be better. Many organisations have a readymade set of flashcards for beginners. However, for an advanced level of learning, you can use blank flashcards that help you customise the words.
Grammar
Basics
While words are easy to learn, grammar can be trickier. The key to mastering English grammar is by focusing on the basics.
The verb conjugation is the first step of this long journey. Following this, one can look at article usage, comparative adjectives, and so on.
Sentence Formation
Forming sentences with new words is a good practice for improving grammar. You can use an english tutor online or a grammar checking application to ensure that the formed sentences are grammatically correct.
Patterns
One of the tricks to learning grammar is remembering the rules, which form the foundation of the concept. Concepts like Degrees of Adjectives or Subject-Verb agreement have rules that serve as the pillars of grammar. Identifying these rule patterns can help solve several issues one has with grammar.
Parts of Speech
Focus on identifying the different parts of speech as this can make learning rules easier. This activity involves dissecting a sentence into the subject and the verb and identifying the nouns, verbs, prepositions, and adjectives.
Tense
One of the most confusing aspects of the English language is the application of tense. Begin by understanding the difference between present, past and future tenses before delving into their extensions.
Observation
Learning through observation includes listening and reading. Exposure to the English language can help one subconsciously notice patterns and implement them in day-to-day conversations. This activity also helps one develop an intuitive sense that allows you to detect incorrectly phrased sentences. Alternatively, you can learn from an english tutor online to improve your grammatical skills.
Exercises and Workbooks
Many grammar workbooks provide detailed explanations about the rules of grammar. They also contain exercises that help you track your progress while practising and applying the different concepts you learn.
Author: Alison Lurie
