You have so many career aspirations and academic goals that would be enhanced by knowing English. And not just a little English…you want to know how to understand all its nuances and communicate fluently.
Do you wake up every morning thinking, “I want to learn English,” but you just don’t have a lot of time or a lot of cash?
Here are 10 surefire ways to learn this language quickly without having to spend any money at all.
- Read comic books. The pictures can help you understand the meanings of the words, with a bonus of facial expressions, gestures, and other language idiosyncrasies. As a bonus, you may have some laughs, too.
- Read the newspaper. Newspapers are written in the language that is simple and correct. Besides, they are an excellent source of cultural information. You will find it interesting to see how the language differs in the various sections, such as sports, classifieds, entertainment, etc. Try starting with The New York Times.
- Read books that you already know. Find the English version of a beloved, classic novel or even a fairy-tale. The language will already be familiar to you, and if it’s a book you love, you will learn the vocabulary much more quickly.
- Watch movies. An English movie is an ideal way to surround yourself with the language for a couple of hours. It even helps with your pronunciation. Start with subtitles, and then gradually try watching movies with the subtitles turned off.
- Get an online pen pal. Social media platforms like Facebook, Skype, and Instagram make it easy to find an English-speaking pen pal. You can take turns writing in each person’s native language so that both can learn.
- Listen to the radio. Find an English or American radio station and keep it on in the background as you do laundry or cook a meal. Listen to the words of songs, and listen even more closely to the announcers and advertisers. The constant sounds of English will keep you immersed in the language.
- Learn some songs. Everyone loves music, and it is the perfect way to learn a language. Because of their rhyme and rhythm, songs are easy to remember. The words will stay in your head and quickly become familiar.
- Label objects with sticky notes. Most of us are visual learners and can learn better if we have an object to go along with a new word. By seeing the English word for an object over and over again in such a visual way, you remember it.
- Use Google Image Search. This is another great way to harness the power of visual learning. Type new English words into the search bar, and use the images that come up to give you a powerful way to remember them.
- Write. Write things in English as often as you can, even just silly things like shopping lists or reminders. You might even try keeping a journal in English! It is the perfect, “no-pressure” way to practice. The more you write, even if it isn’t perfect, the more you learn.
With these 10 tips, you will be conversing fluently in English in no time.