If you’ve ever wondered how to learn English fast, you’re not alone. As the most spoken language in the world, having a working knowledge of English will open doors for you in terms of employment, places to live and quality of life.
According to the world-famous English testing group, Cambridge, it could take up to 1,200 hours (that’s 50 non-stop days!) of study to achieve mastery in English. Let’s see if we can help you speed up the process with our 5 tips for how to learn English fast!
1.Do a language stay in full immersion
Let’s not beat around the bush – the fastest way to learn a language is by studying it in a country where it’s spoken. The possibilities are endless for learning English, with the USA and Canada as options in North America, and England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Malta in Europe. Itching for someplace far away? Why not try Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or India?
The bottom line is there’s nothing that beats an English language stay in full immersion. If time is an issue, you can always do an intensive week-long course, or if you’re worried about the money, combine a part-time job with a morning or afternoon English course to finance your studies.
2.Simulate full immersion in your home country
While this option is a trickier one, you’ll also have fun getting creative with ways to simulate full immersion in your home country! As much as possible, try to make sure that everything you listen to is in English. Start by downloading English podcasts and music to listen to on your commute, at the gym, while you’re grocery shopping or just whenever you’re on the go. One tip: listen to a podcast right before bed and see if you end up dreaming in English!
Then you’ll need to get yourself some reading material, and we’re not just talking about your textbook. If you get your news online, check out the BBC or NPR to stay up-to-date on current events in English. Browse Amazon or hit up your local bookstore to pick out some English reading material (short story collections are a great place to start if you’re nervous about wading through an entire novel).
If you’re a TV watcher, the same goes for your favourite series and movies – only in English, or it’s not allowed! For an added benefit, make sure to add the English subtitles whenever available.
The idea is to cut off all access (or as much of it as you can) with your native language. Think of it as creating your own protective English bubble!
3.Network with native speakers
The next step is to make connections with native English speakers. They tend to be everywhere, so even if you live in a small town, you should be able to find at least a few native speakers with a little detective work! Universities are great places to start. Check if there are any conversation exchange programmes you could become involved in to practise with English-speaking foreign exchange students. If that’s not an option, try putting up a flyer at your local coffee shop, gym or library announcing your English conversation group. Chances are you’ll find more people interested than you expected!
4.Sign up for an official exam
Are you a procrastinator? Has finding out how to learn English fast been on your list of New Year’s resolutions for the past five years? Then you need some added motivation, and there’s nothing like the pressure of an official exam to give you the jumpstart you need to start studying! Whether you’re studying on your own with exam prep books and online exercises or you’ve signed up for an English course to prepare you for your official exam, your learning curve is guaranteed to take a swift uptick. What’s more, the Cambridge exams include a speaking section, which is incredibly valuable when trying to achieve English mastery.
5.Learn 5 new words a week
When it comes to vocabulary, English can feel downright overwhelming. Commit to learning just 5 new vocabulary words per week, and you’ll be amazed at your progress! The trick is to actually use your new words during the week so you don’t forget them when you’re learning next week’s words. Get in the habit of noting down new vocabulary whenever you come across it, either in a physical notebook or in a note app for your smartphone. You’ll be sounding more like Hugh Grant with every week that goes by! So, to make a long story short, if you’re wondering how to learn English fast, it all depends on you. Make the decision to get serious about your language learning, follow these tips and watch your progress go through the roof. What are you waiting for?
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