How To Learn English Fast
Your Practical Guide to Learn English Fast – 8 Learning Strategies.
English, the most spoken language on the planet, has over 1 billion speakers. This number factors in people who speak it as a second, third, or higher language, meaning that millions learn English as a foreign language. The English language also provides a vast knowledge base for all kinds of topics and skills to learn.
Although learning the English language has numerous benefits for all kinds of people, it’s no easy task. No matter what motivation you have to speak it, this guide is all about how to learn English fast and provides you with tips and techniques to get started today.
How To Learn English Fast – Overview
Benefits of Learning English
So, lots of people speak English around the globe. What makes learning the English language so popular? There are plenty of reasons that people aspire to speak English as a foreign language. Since nearly 400 million people are native English speakers, learning it opens opportunities to meet new people, forge friendships, and grow your network.
More specifically, English dominates fields like technology, science, tourism, and business, so it’s certainly a handy skill if you want to work in any of these fields or for international companies. Yet, other people want to learn English to be able to read famous literature or simply to challenge themselves.
If you’re motivated to learn English for any reason, you’ve come to the right place.
What’s Tricky About Learning English?
English is a language full of nuances and exceptions among the rules. Depending on your native tongue, you might face some additional obstacles. Some common hurdles are:
- Pronunciation
- False friends
- Lack of grammatical structures found in other languages
- Exceptions to grammar rules
- Lack of language immersion
- Different accents
- Irregular verbs
- Fear of speaking with strangers
- Intonation and rhythm
While this list of obstacles might seem intimidating, there are even more ways to overcome them and reach your goals. Now, let’s dive into some fun and helpful tips to help you learn English fast and get you speaking from day one!
English Grammar Learning Hacks
English certainly has some obstacles when it comes to grammar. There are lots of exceptions to grammatical rules, including irregular verbs. The following techniques aim to help you overcome these tricky aspects of learning English.
The best way to properly learn English grammar is from a teacher or a native speaker. That way, you won’t have to worry about being taught incorrect rules and you can be certain that you’re learning the most important information.
Since classes and private sessions can be expensive and not accessible to everyone, English students can seek out reputable teachers on video platforms like YouTube. Seek out native-speaking friends (or teachers, if you can) to answer your questions and make your English sentences flow more naturally.
Exercising your brain is vital to perfecting your English grammar. English teaching books usually have grammar exercises, which are important for cementing the language into your memory. Plenty of other resources for English grammar exercises are available online.
Another way to improve is by reading texts in English and paying close attention to grammatical structures. Scan books, newspapers, and articles to better understand how words are strung together to form phrases and sentences. Pay extra attention to the things that challenge you.
Lastly, remember to practice, practice, practice. Grammar only sticks with consistency, so make sure to keep up your lessons, exercises, and reading for grammatical practice.
Tip: Ready to learn a language? Browse our lists of best Italian courses or German courses or English courses or French classes or Portuguese classes or Mandarin classes or Japanese classes or Russian classes online.
English Vocabulary Learning Hacks
Vocabulary is perhaps one of the most important parts of learning the English language. Making sure that you have a basic English vocabulary is the first step to being able to communicate sufficiently. However, the idea of memorizing so many words is a frightening thought for many. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to accumulate words and actually remember them when you need them.
Depending on what your native tongue is, you might be able to find cognates in English. Cognates, which are words that share a linguistic derivation, often sound very similar among two languages and have similar meanings.
For example, the French word “indépendance” means the same thing as the English “independence”. You’re almost certain to come across some cognates if you speak a romance or Germanic language.
However, watch out for words that appear to be cognates but aren’t “false friends”, as teachers often call them. While false friends are less common than cognates, you’ll have to do some memorizing to decipher if an English word is a cognate or a fraud.
Another great way to learn words is to use thesauruses and all-English dictionaries. That way, you can learn definitions, synonyms, and antonyms of words while maintaining your mindset completely in English. If that’s a little too advanced for your level, don’t worry. An English dictionary that defines words in your native language is helpful, too.
Lastly, grow your English vocabulary with traditional study methods, like flashcards. Test yourself from time to time to keep track of your progress and make new vocabulary goals.
Strengthen Your Reading + Writing Skills in English
Reading and writing can seem tough to tackle if you’re a beginner and are just starting to learn English grammar and vocabulary words. However, it’s possible to find reading and writing resources for all levels. Plus, practicing these skills actually boosts your English vocabulary and English grammar skills!
If you’re new to learning English, read English translations of children’s books you are familiar with in your native tongue. Try to decipher it, making note of words, phrases, and grammar. Using your background knowledge of the story, you might be able to teach yourself and make connections between English and your native language.
Studied a bit of English but not ready to jump into full English books yet? Not to fear! Luckily, lots of books are available in bilingual versions. That means that all of the left pages will be in either English or your native language, and the right pages will be in the other. If you’re stuck on a word or a phrase, just glance across to figure out the translation. It’s an excellent way to challenge yourself without making you feel unnecessarily stressed.
Once you’ve gained substantial skills, move on to texts fully in the English language. Beyond books, you can read newspapers, online news articles, magazines, and more.
With respect to writing, there are a few things to prioritize. Practice English grammar that you’ve learned through reading and exercises, and learn how to use English punctuation correctly. Write as much as possible, and think in English while you’re at it.
Write journal entries, emails, haikus, and anything else that strikes your fancy. If possible, have a native English speaker correct your work.
Tip: Here is a general guide on how to learn a language fast. You can also dive into our guides of How to Learn Spanish Fast or How to Learn Italian or How to Learn Japanese or How to Learn German Fast.
Tips for Listening and Speaking in English
Comprehending and talking are often considered the most challenging parts of studying a new language. But there are so many ways to grow as an English listener and speaker.
Listening to music and podcasts is perfect for teaching yourself to pick up on English sounds and words. You can attempt to write down the lyrics of an English song just by listening, and then compare them to the real lyrics to test your understanding.
Listen to Ted Talks and watch television shows and movies. Because of its prominent role in pop culture, a lot of these resources will be in American English, but it’s best to search for sources with a range of accents. Seek out television, news, and podcasts in British English and Australian English as well.
As you train your brain to pick up spoken English, you’ll also be better able to respond in the language. Although speaking in a new language can induce anxiety and fear of making mistakes, chatting with native speakers is perhaps the best means to achieve vast improvements. Ask them to gently correct your mistakes or assist you with pronunciation. Embrace their kind criticism and use the chance to become a confident English speaker.
Additionally, you can practice reading out loud to improve your English pronunciation. Record yourself speaking and play back the recording to identify areas for improvement. If you aspire to have a particular accent from the English-speaking world, practice primarily speaking in that kind.
If you can, immerse yourself by going to a destination where the target English is spoken. You’ll find specific ideas on going abroad further below.
Learn English Fast – Tips for Crash Training for Travel
If you’re just trying to learn some handy English phrases for a trip to another country, you won’t need to study the same way as someone seeking fluency in the language. In order to maximize your experience abroad, you should prioritize techniques and strategies that will allow you to communicate the essentials in English.
First, consider where you’re going and what kinds of English phrases and words will be helpful. You’ll definitely want to learn some basic greetings, how to ask for directions, and vocabulary for transportation, health, emergencies, and restaurants.
Be sure to study your English vocabulary and learn how to pronounce phrases so that you’ll be able to speak with locals. To the best of your ability, learn to read signs and menus by using resources online or travel books. You can look for English pocket travel dictionaries, travel books, and online resources that will help you learn what you need.
Other English Learning Tips
Travel to an English-speaking Country
It’s no surprise that visiting a country where the English language is spoken is the best way to immerse yourself. The United States, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Canada are five of the largest countries where English is the primary language.
Use an English Language Learning App
There’s no shortage of smartphone apps for learning English. Popular apps include Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, Babbel, Memrise, and Hello English. Duolingo offers English to those who speak one of the following: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, or Vietnamese.
Find an English Language Partner with an Exchange App
Language exchange apps, like Tandem, differ from traditional language learning apps. The concept of these applications is to connect English learners with native English speakers who are trying to learn the native tongue of the English learner.
Users spend half of their time communicating in English and half of their time communicating in the other language via chat and voice messages.
Read Labels in English
If you come across a label that has information in English, read it out loud to improve your English vocabulary. Keep your eyes peeled for English instructions on medication bottles, cleaning supplies, and food items. Tip: Guide on how to improve vocabulary.
Change the Settings on Your Phone
If you have a smartphone, you can change the settings to help you learn English. You can add an English keyboard so that autocorrect can assist you with English grammar and English vocabulary errors. Or, if you’re up for more of a challenge, you can change the settings completely so that all aspects of your device are in English.
Study English Abroad
Studying in an English-speaking country is a wonderful way to immerse yourself further than if you were to visit the country. By spending a prolonged period of time abroad, you’ll be able to befriend locals, meet other students, and perfect your academic English skills.
Work Abroad
If you don’t want or aren’t able to study abroad, you might be interested in working abroad. You can search for jobs in a number of fields in the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, or Canada. However, remember that you’ll likely need to obtain a work visa.
Volunteer Abroad
Want to spend a considerable amount of time immersing yourself in English but can’t study or work in another country? Consider volunteering abroad! Volunteer exchange platforms like Worldpackers and WWOOF reduce expenses and don’t require you to get a work or study visa.
Play Word Games in English
If you want to expand your English vocabulary without studying tedious flashcards, try playing word games. Scrabble is great to play with a native English speaker. Wordle, word searches, and crossword puzzles are perfect for solo learning.
Write your Lists in English
Writing your to-do list or grocery list in English is an easy way to continue expanding your vocabulary. Use an English dictionary or thesaurus to find words you don’t already know, and make sure to keep practicing your newly learned words.
Add Things in English to Your Calendar
Adding tasks in English to your calendars is another way to strengthen your vocabulary. If you can, get a calendar with the month and day names in English. Depending on where it’s from, the new week will start on either a Sunday or a Monday.
Follow a Recipe in English
What better way to learn English than by cooking a tasty dish? You’ll learn vocabulary related to cooking, measurements, and food, as well as the grammatical structure of commands in English.
Learn English with Software and in Classes
Lingoda English
Lingoda (visit website) has students speaking English from day one and helps them build confidence that’s vital to being able to express themselves in conversation. Instead of teaching English from a textbook, the platform emphasizes English for everyday situations through its structured curriculums. From A1 to C1, Lingoda offers classes for all skill levels.
Rocket English
Rocket English has been teaching English for 20 years and has over 2 million learners. The platform provides lifetime access to help users perfect their pronunciation, train their ears, and practice on the spot.
The Rocket English package covers the beginner to intermediate level, ensuring that learners get to a decent conversational level.
British Council
The British Council’s extensive options for online English courses appeal to all kinds of learners. This platform offers live interactive online classes, online self-paced courses, and one-on-one online tutoring. All options highlight speaking, reading, writing, and reading and are offered for a variety of levels.
Don’ts of Learning English
While there are many techniques to learn English fast and steadily, there are also plenty of things to avoid doing.
Don’t Be Too Hard on Yourself
Learning a foreign language is tough work, and it’s common to feel discouraged sometimes. Don’t let this interrupt your journey! Practice optimism as much as you can and remember that it takes consistency and time to make progress. And, even if you don’t feel like you’re making progress, you likely are.
Don’t Wait to Become “Perfect” at English Until You Speak It
Speaking can truly be a daunting task, but the pursuit of perfection can be dangerous to learning. Start speaking English from day one. Embrace mistakes and constructive criticism; it’s one of the best ways to learn English or any other language!
Don’t Fret Too Much about Grammar and Vocabulary
Sure, grammar and vocabulary are instrumental in learning English. But don’t let yourself slip into the perfection vortex mentioned above. Study them, but learn to find creative ways to communicate in English when you’re stuck instead of becoming upset that you don’t know the exact word you want to use.
How To Learn English – Summary
Wrapping up our guide on how to learn English fast. Given the omnipresence of English today, it’s no surprise that so many people want to learn it. The English language opens doors for careers, friendships, and relationships while teaching individuals about new cultures. No matter your age or knowledge of English, it’s never too late to start.
Remember to stay consistent, absorb media, and embrace your mistakes to surpass your English learning goals. By implementing the tips and techniques from this article, you’re sure to reach at least the intermediate level in no time!
How To Learn English Fast – Tips
- Learn the Basics of English Grammar
- Build Your English Vocabulary Steadily
- Strengthen Your English Reading and Writing Skills
- Improve Your English Listening and Speaking Skills
- Build Specific English Lanaguage Skills for Travel
- Learn English with Software and in Classes
- Allow Yourself to Make Mistakes
- Be Kind to your Mind and Enjoy Learning English
- Study English Abroad, Work in English Speaking Countries
- Immerse Yourself into the English Langage Daily – Read, Speak, Listen
Resources to Learn English Fast
- How To Learn English – English with Jessica – YouTube – View
- Learn English Grammar – English with Rebecca YouTube – View
- Learn English Pronunciation – English with Lucy YouTube – View
What is your learning experience? Have you got any additional practical tips on how to learn English fast?´ Please let us know or contact us via email if you have questions.
Sources: Overview English Language –1 | Most Common Words English – 2
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I find your article to be a treasure trove of helpful tips not just for students, but also for educators. If ok, I’ll use some of the tips from the Crash Training for Travel section as they will be particularly useful for my adult learning classes, where students are often preparing for international trips.
It’s refreshing to hear that it’s okay to make mistakes and that I should just start talking and not worry about grammar. Applied it to English and Norwegian.
I’ve always been scared of speaking up in class, but the idea of practicing with music and movies makes it seem a lot less daunting. Gonna try it out.
As someone who loves reading, incorporating more English books into my daily routine is not only a way to enjoy non-fiction but also to improve my business English skills.
I’m curious how different studying abroad is from just taking classes here. Seems like a big step, but maybe the adventure is part of the learning.
‘Read Labels in English’ or any other language is very useful. Simple and effective. It’s small things like this that make learning feel less like studying and more like part of everyday life.
Learning the basics of a language before travelling really does make a holiday less stressful and more enjoyable. It’s fun to be able to interact with locals beyond just simple gestures, although it is likely to forget these basics quickly again.
You mention not to worry too much about grammar. However, mastering grammar is essential for clear and correct English communication.
In my experience, listening and speaking are often overlooked in traditional classrooms, which tend to focus heavily on reading and writing. Incorporating more listening and speaking activities could benefit students greatly.
Valid points on ‘Don’t Fret Too Much about Grammar and Vocabulary,’ but doesn’t that conflict with learning proper English? I get the emphasis on communication, but aren’t accuracy and fluency both critical?
So true. Moving to an English-speaking country really pushes you to learn English faster than any class. Nothing beats the necessity of learning a language to make your daily life smoother, easier. I carry a notebook to write down new vocabulary and phrases from situations I struggled in so I can do better next time.
That’s fascinating! Did you find any language barriers in professional settings, and how did you overcome them?
I’ve tried a few language apps, and they’re great for beginners and for learning on the go.
Could someone give me a rundown on which specific grammar and vocabulary hacks were found most helpful for adult learners? I’m diving back into education and balancing a hectic life schedule, so any tips for efficiency are welcomed.