Let’s first find out whether it is realistic to learn English on your own or not. Is it worth spending time and energy trying to learn the language?. It is quite possible to learn English on your own and for free – many learning resources on the Internet will help you. Why isn’t everyone able to master the language at the desired level?
We are going to look at that: we’ve put together several simple guidelines on how to learn English on your own. These practices are based on the experiences of the teachers and students. Follow all the recommendations to make self-training effective for you and your language partner.
Goal-Oriented Learning is More Important Than You Think
Goal-oriented learning is the type of learning where you can determine your goal. It sounds simple, but learning why you have to learn English is tricky. Do you want to enter a university or travel more? Maybe you want to master conversational or business English, prepare for an interview, or watch original films or determine your English proficiency level. A great goal is to reach the intermediate level first; in that case, you might build a good knowledge base.
Resources to Know About
The abundance of valuable resources does not always have a positive effect on learning. Many people decide to learn English and buy up all the textbooks available in one day. This kind of zeal is commendable on the one hand, and on the other hand, you risk creating a mess in your head. Each textbook and each area have principles of presenting the material; therefore, daily practicing on different resources. You will not know what to do after a week or two. Take a couple of days to choose no more than two resources to practice each skill.
Find Someone to Communicate With
Some believe that English can be learned offline using only books, audio, and video materials. However, it is not. You can read Agatha Christie in the original and listen to BBC news, but what’s the point if you can’t speak English. It is possible to talk about the target language only with the help of a professional English tutor. Try to find a talking partner on social media. Specialized websites can also be helpful.
Take Extra English Courses
Some professional textbooks will be enough for you to improve your English skills, but sometimes if you want to take a break from books – diversify your learning with entertaining materials. You can choose comics for that or some other funny material to help you master English.
Write More Than Usual
You can learn to write in English without the help of a teacher. There will be no one to check your written work if you decide to learn English independently. There are services for communicating with foreigners like websites. They also can offer something like a language exchange: you check the text in your mother tongue, and a native English speaker checks your written work in English.
Keep in mind that illiterate people can also surf these sites so that no one can guarantee the reliability of the check. Your reviewer will correct your mistakes but will not explain them. You should consider taking lessons with a teacher if learning to write well in English is essential to you.
Work on Your English Pronunciation
Improving pronunciation during self-study is not that easy. You need to have experience in learning English and know perfectly how all sounds should sound to analyze your speech and find mistakes in it. This kind of difficulty can be dealt with by using special techniques. Practice speaking tongue twisters – you can find them online. Say at least a couple of them every day, and your pronunciation will improve in a couple of months, and it will become much easier to pronounce complex English sounds.
To Sum It Up
We have brought you a detailed, practical small guide on learning English independently and for free and pointed out the best resources to help you succeed. One more thing you have to remember when starting to learn English on your own: never give up, and success will eventually come!