English Tips

Tips #1 : Start
If you don't start, you'll never finish.
The longer you put it off, the more likely you are to give up. So start. Now.
Find an English class.
Find some English learning software or books.
Join an English learning forum.
Begin learning the English alphabet (ABC) and numbers (123).
Learn the vocabulary for your hobbies or interests.
Do something. Do anything.
Once you've started - don't stop.
Tips #2 : Practice Makes Perfect
OK - so you've started. Now what?

Now you have to practice - a lot.
Have you ever worked out how many years it took you to gain your current level in your native language?

Don't forget you had exposure to that language 24 hours a day seven days a week. Now work out how many hours that was.

So, if you think you can learn all the English you need in an hour and a half a week - think again. Don't get me wrong, it's fine if you only want to learn certain phrases for travelling or fun: "Two beers please", or "Hello my name is ...", but if you want to become truly proficient, you've got a long way to go.

You can do a lot by yourself, you can rehearse conversations and explanations you might need to use in real life, but then you have to get out into that real life. Luckily with the internet you can do a lot online. Find a friendly native speaker who would like to learn your language, or learn about your culture, if you can't do that you can do a lot by finding a language buddy, someone who is learning English and is on a similar level to you. Finding someone who is better than you certainly helps, and once you are more proficient find someone who needs your help too.

Just remember, English is a living language, you need to live it.

Tips #3 : take Responsibility
It's easy to expect your teacher to teach you English, but that's not how language acquisition works. The teacher is there to present English to you, but you have to learn it.

After all, you wouldn't expect a waiter to eat your dinner for you, or a barman to drink your beer for you.

I was always very clear with my students. In the first lesson I would tell them I wasn't there to teach them English, I was there to help them learn it. There is a difference. So, once you've been presented with new English words or vocabulary, it's up to you to use it, review it, even play with it. It's the only way you'll get it to stick in your brain and start to make sense.

tips #4 : The most commonly used word in written English
1. The
2. Of
3. And
4. A
5. To
6. In
7. Is
8. You
9. That
10. It
11. He
12. For

These might be the most common words, but they're also the ones that will probably give you the most trouble, knowing them is one thing, knowing how to use them quite another. Size can be deceptive. Tongue out

tips #5 : talk to yourself
Talking to yourself is no longer the first sign of madness - it's the first sign of excellence.

"Self-talk" can help you to become more fluent. And the great thing is - you can do it anywhere: in the bath, in the car, while you're taking the dog for a walk.

Try to put a regular time aside every day when you can talk to yourself in English. Talk about what you did yesterday, what you are doing, about interesting things which have happened to you and the things you're planning to do in the future.

tips #6 : reflect on what you are learning
Try to recall what you have learn as you are taking a class as well as after wards. Try different ways of studying the material. Think about applying these new concepts to your work situation. From time to time, review the classes you have completed as a refresher. Do some of the exercises you did a few months ago, and see if you've improved your score.

tips #7 : learn words in context
Research shows that the vast majority of words are learned from context. To improve your vocabulary pay close attention to how words are used. Doing a search on a word using Google or DejaNews (for searching newsgroups) will give you many examples of how that word is used in context.

tips #8 : Learn From Your Mistakes
We all make mistakes, so we need to learn to accept them as a fact of life. Making a genuine mistake does not make you any less of a person.
If anyone gives you an unnecessarily stressful time about making a mistake, remember they will have made just as many mistakes as you, if not more. The question 'May I congratulate you on never having made a mistake in your life?' is a useful answer here (just not to your teacher)!
Never making a mistake means never living life to the full.
More useful lessons are learnt from mistakes than from successes.
Children learn to walk because they get up when they fall, not because they stay down.
Repeat each morning that to risk failure is to court success.