5 English Learning Tips

Here are 5 random, but useful pieces of English learning advice.

1) Use ‘-ish’ to give non-exact times

The ending “-ish” is used with time phrases to say “around the time we want to do something.”

For example: “Oh, I’m gonna be at the cinema at 10-ish.”

This doesn’t mean I’m gonna be there exactly at 10, it means I’m going to be there at maybe 10:05, 10:15 — because it’s “ish.”

2) Being Polite

When you’re not sure or you want to sound more polite, just make your statement into a question.

For example, if I am at a restaurant and I want to order a hamburger, I wouldn’t say “I want a hamburger.” I would say, “Can I have a hamburger?”

Of course, no one is going to stop me from getting a hamburger. I’m not asking for permission. It’s just more polite if I ask.

3) Find a Language Partner

A language partner is someone who helps you learn a new language. This can be a native speaker or someone else who is also learning.

With native speakers: They offer authentic conversational practice, allowing you to apply what you've learned in a real-world context. They can offer cultural insights, helping you understand nuances that textbooks often miss. Additionally, they provide immediate feedback, correcting errors and guiding pronunciation, which is crucial for refining your skills.

With another learner: Creates a supportive environment where you can practice together, share learning resources, and motivate each other. Also, it’s often said that the best teachers are those who have just learned the material themselves, and if something is confusing or tricky for one person, the fresh perspective of the other person who just recently worked through the same issue will likely help learning.

4) Talk to yourself

If the previous suggestion isn’t possible for you because you have no one else to speak to, there’s nothing wrong with talking to yourself in English.

It might sound really weird, but actually speaking to yourself in English is a great way to practice if you’re not able to use it all the time.

This can keep new words and phrases fresh in your mind and gives you practise speaking. It also helps build up your confidence for the next time you speak with someone else.

5) Make learning relevant and fun

If your English learning is relevant to your life and enjoyable, it will be able to consistently do it and make progress.

To make it relevant, learn things that are related to your job or studies. You can research a topic you’re interested in in English. If you’re travelling to an English speaking place, learn useful phrases and information about the culture of the place.

Making learning fun can be useful when you are getting bored or tired of learning English. Some fun things you can do to make progress in English when you’re tired are watching a TV show in English (without subtitles), listening to music, writing a journal entry, or playing a video game in English.