Learning the English Language on Your Own

By David H. Urmann

English is an international language used in many countries. It may seem difficult to learn at first, especially to those who don’t speak it in their home countries. But with practice, English is quite easy to learn.

English is the international language of communication. Almost 1.5 billion people speak English and 1 million are still learning it. It is not impossible to learn it, even to those with foreign tongues.

To start off, build your vocabulary. Learn as many words as possible. Jot down words that you might encounter and seem unfamiliar to you. Check the meaning of these words in the dictionary. A laptop or palmtop is just a few clicks away, for free online dictionaries.

The best way to learn is to familiarize yourself with English. Read English literature often, be it a book, newspaper or novel. A reader can pick up different sentence structures and ideas. Highlight some of the hard to understand words or expressions. Jot down and look for its definition.

Try to listen to the news and reports of different Media. They use good vocabulary and idiomatic expressions. They also have good dictions. It is also a good idea to record the segment that might interest you. Listen to it again and again to be familiarized with the context they used. Watching English shows and movies can be a fun way of picking up new phrases.

You can also play scrabble, word puzzles, garden path sentences or pun war. Invent your own words and explore. Use it in your everyday conversation. After all, it is easy to lose what you have learned if you don’t actually use it.

Talk to your friends using the new words you learned. Listen to words that sound differently. The person you are talking to can comment on your wrong diction or wrong context usage. Ask your friends when you are not sure on what you have said. Be diligent enough to learn more.

The library is a stepping stone in getting resources in learning English. There are books, tapes, CDs, videos and even DVDs that you can borrow for a period of time. The local library is a great option to take it one step at a time.

Look for topics in the English language in your local bookstore. There are also many learning tools you may want to buy and have at home.

Be patient with yourself. Learning something new is never easy, and may take some time to master. Just be determined.

Ask yourself what English words you have learned mostly alone or in a group. Can you listen and remember the pronunciation and vocabularies immediately? Analyze your level of learning. Think of the best ways you can learn effectively and use it as often as you want.

Apply your learning skills in writing. Write a journal or blog in the English language. Have someone proo your writings so as to distinguish wrong grammar and structures. Practice daily and use complete sentences, especially in text messages and emails.

English is one of the easiest languages to learn. You can use either conversational or the written method. You may spend money to support it or take time and have tremendous effort with no money involved. It is your choice.

Learning English can take you places. As an international language, learning it will make it easier for you to get jobs abroad. It also makes you more confident.

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