This blog is dedicated to students who are from non-English speaking countries and who would like to know about ways to learn the English language better. These tricks worked for me before coming to the United States.

I know that it is difficult to consistently improve the English language because basically you speak your native language with your parents and friends on a daily basis. Therefore, most of your time you are not practicing it and the only time you practice English language is during your classes. It may sound cliché but these are the most effective ways to improve your English:

1. Listen as much as you can!

The more you listen, the more you develop your speaking skills and build a strong vocabulary. As you actively listen to the audio, your brain picks up on words and phrases you’ve previously studied, which reinforces the language in your mind.

2. Practice English daily!

You can do this either by talking to your friends, writing essays, watching movies (preferably with subtitles) or by listening to music (a slow-paced song so that you can understand the lyrics). Whatever you do, do it in English.

3. Read books in English!

I know sometimes you can be lazy but it helps a lot, especially to learn new words. Read either e-books or print books, it depends on your preference. Try not to use the dictionary and try to understand unknown words based on the context.

4. Take advantage of free online media or apps!

We spend so much time using our phones, why don’t you download an application like Duolingo for learning new words? You can even find a game which will help you to learn new words and expressions. For most of you who use Instagram, there are dozens of accounts that post (videos/photos) useful idioms, expressions, sayings, advanced-level words, and even tongue-twisters to improve your pronunciation, fluency, and accent. Here are some:

https://www.instagram.com/ewa.english/ 

https://www.instagram.com/english_grammar_tips/ 

https://www.instagram.com/quickenglishfluency/ 

A lot of people believe that “learning” can be enough to know the language. In reality, it’s not because you need to PRACTICE everything you have learned in your writings or in your real life conversations. The more you practice, the better knowledge of English you will have. Always remember that practice makes perfect!

Finally, just believe in yourself – you can do it! 🙂