10 TOP TIPS FOR LEARNING ENGLISH AT HOME

 

You don’t need to live in an English-speaking country to become fluent in English. If you are smart about the way you learn English, you don’t even need to leave your home town. Use these 10 top tips and see how to learn English without even leaving your city.

 

1. Surround yourself with English

You don’t need to be in an English-speaking country to surround yourself with English. Find ways to make English part of your everyday life at home, like writing your shopping list, reading the newspaper, listening to the radio, writing a diary in English, or listening to English on your cellphone while traveling to work.

2. Make English friends

Even if you don’t live in an English-speaking country, there are probably many foreigners living nearby. Find ways to meet native English-speakers: going to foreign bars and restaurants, joining sport and social clubs, or arranging language exchanges. You could even volunteer as a guide at a local tourist attraction to meet English-speakers from all over the world.

3. Find study partners

You don’t need native speakers to practice your English. Find a study partner, or form an English club and meet regularly to speak English. You can motivate each other, and you will learn by helping others with their problems.

4. Use authentic materials

Just reading English in textbooks can get boring. Try reading English texts written for and by native speakers. It will be a challenge at first but a lot more interesting once you can do it. If you can’t find English books or magazines, use the Internet to read the news in English every day. Why not take a look at the EF English Live free Engish resources and check your skills with our free English test, try fun quizzes, learn with our ebooks and more?5. Get online

Get online and you can be in contact with people from all over the world. Join chat rooms or forums, take an online English course, or find a penpal to practice your English while learning about different cultures. With social media, it’s easier than ever to stay in touch with friends from all over the world.

6. Set yourself realistic goals

Give yourself a reason for studying: do you want to get a promotion, be able to talk to your foreign colleagues, study abroad, or spend your next holiday in an English-speaking country? Set short-term as well as long-term goals, and keep track of your progress.

7. Listen to real English

Train your ear by listening to English spoken at normal speed, even if you don’t understand everything. Also practice listening without seeing things written down and don’t be afraid to listen to things several times to catch any interesting or unusual vocabulary in there. It’s easy to find free English podcasts online and news agencies from most English-speaking countries have audio and video news available for free online.

8. Find fun ways to learn new words

If you like singing, then look up the words for your favorite English songs. Or if you remember what you see, write new words on ‘Post-it’ notes and stick them up around your house. Make funny example sentences or draw little pictures next to new vocabulary to help you remember it.

9. Learn about the culture

Find out about the people and the culture of English-speaking countries. Learning a language is not just about grammar and vocabulary: it’s about communicating with people who have different ways of thinking as well as speaking!

 10. Have fun!

Learning a language does take work, but you’ll be more likely to stick to it if you are enjoying yourself. Play games, do crossword puzzles, sing songs, read comics, and don’t worry too much about making mistakes – making mistakes is often the way to learn best!

10 TIPS FOR PERFECT ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION

Accurate pronunciation is an important part of learning any language, and especially when you’re learning English. The way your speech sounds can have a big impact on whether or not people understand what you are saying and their initial impression of you. The tricky thing about pronunciation is that it not just a question of acquiring knowledge, it’s a physical skill that you need to practise regularly.

How to improve English pronunciation

There are no shortcuts to perfect pronunciation, however there are some ways you can practise more effectively and improve your skills faster. Follow our ten top tips, start improving your pronunciation today and take a step closer towards your goal of perfect English pronunciation.

1. Listen to yourself
2. Slow down!
3. Picture it…
4. Get physical!
5. Watch yourself
6. Copy the experts
7. Practice English alone
8. Find a language buddy
9. Pay attention to intonation and stress
10. Sing a song!

1. Listen to yourself

   It’s often difficult to hear pronunciation errors in your own speech because you are concentrating actually communicating rather than the sound you are making. If you can’t hear your pronunciation problems, it’s tough to correct them. Try recording your speech with your smartphone or PC and making a note of specific areas you need to improve on.

2. Slow down!

   Many English learners think that speaking fluently means they need to speak fast. This is wrong. Speaking too fast reinforces bad habits and makes the speaker sound nervous and indecisive. Speaking slowly will give you time to breathe properly and think about what you want to say next. Because it gives you time to think while you are speaking, you’ll feel more relaxed and be able to concentrate on making your English sound fantastic.

3. Picture it…

   Close your eyes and think about how to make a sound before saying it. Visualize the positioning of your mouth and face. If you have studied with the phonemic chart, think about the sound you are making and how it relates to other English phonemes. If you have used diagrams of the mouth and tongue, think about the shape you need to make inside your mouth if you want to make the sound correctly.

4. Get physical!

   Pronunciation is a physical skill. You’re teaching your mouth a new way to move and using different muscles. Focus on difficult sounds each day. Having trouble with ‘th’? Put your tongue between your teeth (don’t bite down) and blow air out of your mouth. Feel the air move over the top of your tongue.

5. Watch yourself

   Stand in front of a mirror to see the placement of your tongue, lips, and shape of your mouth when you make certain sounds. Compare what you see with a video of a native-speaker saying the same thing.     

   

6. Copy the experts

   There’s no replacement for learning pronunciation from the experts – native-speakers. So listen! Listen to English radio programs and watch television and movies in English. Imitate what you’re hearing – even if you’re not sure what they’re saying yet.

7. Practice English alone

   Pronunciation problems persist because we’re afraid to make mistakes. Create scenarios – meeting someone for the first time, ordering at a restaurant, asking for directions – then act out the dialogue by yourself. Don’t be shy.

8. Find a language buddy

   Getting feedback from an outside observer is crucial. Find a friend who’s also interested in improving their English. Try exchanging recorded messages so you can listen closely to each other’s pronunciation.

9. Pay attention to intonation and stress

   Good pronunciation is more than just mastering individual sounds. It’s also understanding intonation (the rise and fall of the voice) and stress (some sounds in words and some words in sentences are louder or clearer than others). Read poems, speeches and songs aloud, concentrating on the word stress and intonation.

10. Sing a song!

    Learn the words to popular English songs and sing along. Singing helps you relax and just get those words out, as well as helping your rhythm and intonation. Because you don’t need to concentrate on constructing sentences for yourself, you can concentrate on making your pronunciation sound great!

Give each of these tips a try next time you have a chance and find out which of them works best for you. Remember, none of them is an instant fix but they will all help you reach your goals as part of regular practice. Are you ready to improve your English pronunciation?

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50 Common Grammar Mistakes in English

 50 Common Grammar Mistakes in English

Below are some of the most common English mistakes made by ESL students, in speech and in writing. Go through the examples and make sure you understand the corrections. Then try the grammar test at the end to check your progress.

1. Wrong	I have visited Niagara Falls last weekend.
   Right	I visited Niagara Falls last weekend.

2. Wrong	The woman which works here is from Japan.
   Right	The woman who works here is from Japan.

3. Wrong	She’s married with a dentist.
   Right	She’s married to a dentist.

4. Wrong	She was boring in the class.
   Right	She was bored in the class.

5. Wrong	I must to call him immediately.
   Right	I must call him immediately.

6. Wrong	Every students like the teacher.
   Right	Every student likes the teacher.

7. Wrong	Although it was raining, but we had the picnic.
   Right	Although it was raining, we had the picnic.

8. Wrong	I enjoyed from the movie.
   Right	I enjoyed the movie.

9. Wrong	I look forward to meet you.
   Right	I look forward to meeting you.

10. Wrong	I like very much ice cream.
    Right	I like ice cream very much.

11. Wrong	She can to drive.
    Right	She can drive.

12. Wrong	Where I can find a bank?
    Right	Where can I find a bank?

13. Wrong	I live in United States.
    Right	I live in the United States.

14. Wrong	When I will arrive, I will call you.
    Right	When I arrive, I will call you.

15. Wrong	I’ve been here since three months.
    Right	I’ve been here for three months.

16. Wrong	My boyfriend has got a new work.
    Right	My boyfriend has got a new job. (or just "has a new job")

17. Wrong	She doesn’t listen me.
    Right	She doesn’t listen to me.

18. Wrong	You speak English good.
    Right	You speak English well.

19. Wrong	The police is coming.
    Right	The police are coming.

20. Wrong	The house isn’t enough big.
    Right	The house isn’t big enough.

21. Wrong	You should not to smoke.
    Right	You should not smoke.

22. Wrong	Do you like a glass of wine?
    Right	Would you like a glass of wine?

23. Wrong	There is seven girls in the class.
    Right	There are seven girls in the class.

24. Wrong	I didn’t meet nobody.
    Right	I didn’t meet anybody.

25. Wrong	My flight departs in 5:00 am.
    Right	My flight departs at 5:00 am.

26. Wrong	I promise I call you next week.
    Right	I promise I’ll call you next week.

27. Wrong	Where is post office?
    Right	Where is the post office?

28. Wrong	Please explain me how improve my English.
    Right	Please explain to me how to improve my English.

29. Wrong	We studied during four hours.
    Right	We studied for four hours.

30. Wrong	Is ready my passport?
    Right	Is my passport ready?

31. Wrong	You cannot buy all what you like!
    Right	You cannot buy all that you like!

32. Wrong	She is success.
    Right	She is successful.

33. Wrong	My mother wanted that I be doctor.
    Right	My mother wanted me to be a doctor.

34. Wrong	The life is hard!
    Right	Life is hard.

35. Wrong	How many childrens you have?
    Right	How many children do you have?

36. Wrong	My brother has 10 years.
    Right	My brother is 10 (years old).

37. Wrong	I want eat now.
    Right	I want to eat now.

38. Wrong	You are very nice, as your mother.
    Right	You are very nice, like your mother.

39. Wrong	She said me that she liked you.
    Right	She told me that she liked you.

40. Wrong	My husband engineer.
    Right	My husband is an engineer.

41. Wrong	I came Australia to study English.
    Right	I came to Australia to study English.

42. Wrong	It is more hot now.
    Right	It’s hotter now.

43. Wrong	You can give me an information?
    Right	Can you give me some information?

44. Wrong	They cooked the dinner themself.
    Right	They cooked the dinner themselves.

45. Wrong	Me and Johnny live here.
    Right	Johnny and I live here.

46. Wrong	I closed very quietly the door.
    Right	I closed the door very quietly.

47. Wrong	You like dance with me?
    Right	Would you like to dance with me?

48. Wrong	I go always to school by subway.
    Right	I always go to school by subway.

49. Wrong	If I will be in London, I will contact to you.
    Right	If I am in London, I will contact you.

50. Wrong	We drive usually to home.
    Right	We usually drive home.