1. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Be confident. People can only correct your mistakes when they hear you make them.
2. Surround yourself in English. Put yourself in an all English speaking environment where you can learn passively. The best way to learn is through speaking.
3. Practise every day. Make yourself a study plan. Decide how much time a week you are going to spend studying and stick to it. Establish a routine.
4. Tell your family and friends about your study plan. Get them to push you to study and also don’t let them interrupt you.
5. Practise the 4 core skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening. They all need to be worked on for you to improve.
6. Keep a notebook of new words you learn. Use them in sentences and try to say them at least 3 times when you speak.
7. Visit EC’s free learn English website at least once a day and complete a lesson.
8. Memorisation of lists is one of the most common ways of learning vocabulary for a test. It's only a good exercise for short term studying because you often do not retain the information that you have learned for a test.
9. Use your body clock. If you’re not a morning person, study in the afternoon.
10. You will find words easier to remember if you try to remember an example sentence using that word rather the word on its own.
11. Plan to take a test. You’ll find that you work harder when you need to study for something.
12. Saying that, it’s better not to study just to take a test. Think of the bigger picture. What can you do when you have a good command of English? How will the quality of your life improve?
13. Give yourself a long term goal. Focus on working towards it.
14. Give yourself short term goals too and reward yourself when you achieve each one.
15. Create an atmosphere in which you want to learn, not because you have to. You’ll learn more when you’re learning because you want to.
16. Know what works best for you. Think about what methods have been successful for you in the past and stick with them.
17. Figure out how you learn. It can be by memorising, reading, speaking, summarising or other methods. Find out how you study best. It can be in a quiet place by yourself or with a group.
18. Get help! If you don’t understand something you’ve got to ask someone. Ask your teacher, classmates or friends for help.
19. Review! Review! Review! Make sure that you take the time to review things you have studied in the past.
20. It’s not a good idea to study on your own for more than 30 minutes at a time. Take regular breaks, get some fresh air and stretch your legs.
21. Don’t be in such a hurry to move up a level. Concentrate on the level you are at now.
22. Watch DVDs rather than TV. It’s better to use something that you can watch over again to catch information you might have missed the first time.
23. Watching TV only gives you the chance to hear something correctly first time. This is better for high level students. It can be great practice for speaking to native English speakers so you don’t have to ask them to repeat themselves!
24. Read graded readers. These books are especially written for your level. Read a whole novel. You can do it! You’ll feel great afterwards.
25. Children’s books have easier words and are a good alternative to graded readers.
26. Newspapers are a good place to find passive constructs. Read through an article and see if you can find the passive sentences.
27. Read for the general meaning first. Don’t worry about understanding every word, then go back and look up new words.
28. For a word you don’t understand in a sentence, look at the other words around it. They will give you a hint. Try to guess the meaning from the context.
29. Learn root words. They’ll help you guess the meaning of words. For example: scrib = write, min = small
30. When you learn a new word, think of all its other forms: Beautiful (adjective), beauty (noun), beautifully (adverb).
31. Learn prefixes (dis-, un-, re-) and suffixes (-ly, -ment, -ful), these will help you to figure out the meaning of words and build your vocabulary.
32. English, unlike Japanese or French, uses word stress. For new words, count the syllables and find where the stress is. Only one stress per word and always on a vowel. Two syllable verbs have a stress on the second syllable (beGIN). 2 syllable nouns (TEAcher) and adjectives (HAPpy) stress the first.
33. Use English whenever you can. It’s as simple as that!
34. Don’t translate into English from your own language. Think in English to improve your fluency. Talk to yourself…but not on the bus otherwise people will think you have gone crazy!
35. You can’t learn English from a book. Like driving a car, you can only learn through doing it.
36. The most natural way to learn grammar is through talking.
37. Keep an English diary or journal. Start by writing a few sentences a day and then get into the habit of writing more.
38. Why not start an online blog and share your writings with the world?
39. To become a better writer brainstorm as many ideas and thoughts onto paper without worrying about grammar or spelling. Then think about the structure. After that, write your piece using good grammar and spelling. Finally, read it through or give it to someone else to check for mistakes.
40. Keep an eye on your punctuation as it can totally change what you’re trying to say. Check out the difference in meaning between these two sentences: “A woman without her man is nothing” and “A woman: without her, man is nothing”.
41. Sing your heart out! Show the world your beautiful voice! Learn English songs and sing along with them to improve fluency and intonation… anyone for Karaoke?
42. Get a penfriend or use chat-rooms, forums and community sites. If you can’t speak to someone in English, this is the next best thing.
43. Shadow English CDs. Listen to a few sentences then repeat what you heard. Focus on the rhythm and intonation.
44. Have English radio on in your house. Even if you are not actively listening to it, you will still be training your ears.
45. Mirror CDs. Read out loud along with a CD. Again, this is great for intonation, pronunciation and rhythm.
46. Dictation. Listen to a CD or friend and write down what you hear.
47. Nobody likes to hear their own voice, but be brave and try it! Record your voice and listen to your pronunciation and intonation. It will help you to identify your problem areas.
48. Ask your helpful teacher if you can record his lesson. This is a great way to review. You can also listen to your teachers speaking speed and intonation.
49. Use an English/English dictionary as it will help you to keep thinking in English and not translating.
50. If an English/English dictionary seems scary, there are learner’s dictionaries for English students of your level.
51. Don’t become too reliant on your dictionary. Your dictionary should be an aid, not your main teacher. Try to guess the meaning of words rather than going straight for your dictionary.
52. Don’t give up! Stay positive! Sometimes you will feel that you aren’t learning quickly enough. Everyone feels like this, don’t worry about it. You’ll get there in the end.
53. Enjoy it! We learn more when we are having fun!
54. If you get nervous when speaking, take two deep breaths before you say something. You’ll speak better when you feel relaxed.
55. Keep yourself motivated by looking back at the textbooks and CDs you used in the past. You’ll be surprised at how easy they seem to you now! Congratulations, your level is improving!
56. You are never too young or too old to start learning English. Don’t make excuses not to learn. What are you waiting for?
57. Procrastination can stop you from being successful. To stop procrastinating, it's important you understand if your procrastinating is to avoid studying, or if it is your bad habit.
58. If you haven’t gotten the results you wanted yet, it’s not because you’re bad at languages, it’s because you haven’t found your own special way of learning yet.
59. Use resources which match your level. Don’t use texts/listening exercises which are too difficult or too easy. Use materials which challenge you but don’t frustrate you.
60. Don’t worry about making your accent perfect. It’s an important part of your cultural identity to keep your accent. Native English speakers enjoy hearing English spoken with an accent.
61. There are many types of English: British, American, South African and so on. None of these are wrong or not as important. English is English.
62. Instead, be aware of the differences in American and British English and use your words accordingly. For example: Elevator (US) / Lift (British).
63. Carry cue cards with you. These are small cards which you can write new words on. You can pull them out and look at them whenever you a free minute.
64. Use post-it notes and stick them around your home. You can use them to label things. Stick one on your pet dog!
65. You can’t ignore phrasal verbs (two words verbs), there are hundreds of them in English and they’re widely used. The more you focus on their meaning, the more you’ll be able to guess the meaning of new ones. You’ll start to recognise their patterns.
66. Use your intuition. Go with your gut feeling, you’ll be surprised how often your first guess is the right guess. Like we said before, be confident.
67. Gather your thoughts. Take a second to think about what you’re going to say. You know the grammar, but maybe you don’t use it correctly when you speak.
68. Meet new people. Make the effort to mix with English speakers in your town. You could join a club or go to bars where foreigners hang out. Buy one a drink, they love that!
69. Be the person to start conversations in English. Try to keep the conversations moving and use listening words (‘really?’ / ‘go on…’/ ‘what happened then?’) Don’t wait for others to speak to you. Get in there!
70. Debate. Discuss topics in a group. Each person should choose a viewpoint (even if you don’t agree with it) and debate it within the group. Make sure you get your point across. Learn to listen actively. Active listening will help in the classroom and it will help you get more out of, and contribute more to, group study sessions. Focus on the person who is talking. Don’t fidget or become distracted by other people or events. Concentrate on the speaker with your ears and eyes. Follow the movements the speaker makes in an effort to hear more. It may help to repeat what you hear others say in an effort to understand their thoughts.
71. It’s not enough to only learn English words. You can teach a parrot English words but that doesn’t mean it can speak English! You still need to have an understanding of grammar.
72. Verb tenses are used by English speakers to talk about the timing of actions. You might not have the same expressions in your own language. It’s important that you know these tenses and when to use them.
73. English has many irregular verbs. You should drill yourself on them.
74. Keep it up! If you take a break from speaking English, you will find that your level decreases and all your hard work has been wasted.
75. Don’t be put off by a bad test score. Sometimes students have the ability to pass an English test, but can’t communicate well with English speakers. If you can speak freely in English, you should be proud of yourself.
76. Remember that as long as you have tried your hardest, you have succeeded!
77. Learn English with a friend. You’ll have someone you can practise with and you can motivate each other to study.
78. Remember, the way we write English is not the same as how it’s pronounced. For example ‘Ough’ has over 6 pronunciations. Familiarise yourself the Phonetic Alphabet. It will help you correctly pronounce words in the dictionary.
79. Get used to the ‘schwa’ sound [ə] - an unstressed and toneless neutral vowel sound. ‘Schwa’ is the most common vowel sound in English. For example, the 'a' in about and the 'u' in supply.
80. Keep in mind that it takes longer to improve when our level is high. Usually the fastest progress is made when we are beginners. Don’t think that you’re suddenly not learning anymore, it’s just a less noticeable progress.
81. Make sure that your English matches the occasion. It’s OK to use slang with friends but not in a business meeting. Decide in which situation it’s appropriate to use the words and phrases you have learned.
82. Textbook English is often different from the way we casually speak. To learn casual ‘slang’ watch movies.
83. Idioms can be difficult to memorise, but they are great fun to use and they’ll make your English more colourful.
84. When talking we usually link words together so that two words can sound like one. Simply put, we link words ending with a consonant sound to words beginning with a vowel sound (consonant > vowel). We link words ending with a vowel sound to words beginning with a vowel sound (vowel > vowel). Practise these to improve your listening and pronunciation.
85. Make use of the internet. It’s full of resources to help you learn: BBC Learning English ; learnenglish.ecenglish.com
86. Think about your strong and weak points. Write down which areas you want to improve on and work on improving them. Of course, don’t ignore your strong points. Congratulate yourself on how well you’ve done!
87. Unlearn your mistakes. You probably make the same grammar mistakes over and over again. Use English tests results as a study tool. Go over your mistakes and choose one or two that you want to focus on. Use your favourite grammar book to check rules.
88. Use the correct article (a/an, the). Be aware that there is more to this rule than a/an= non specific, the=specific. For example: A university (not an university because it begins with a consonant sound). An hour (not a hour because the ‘h’ is often silent).
89. For fluency, try image training. Before you go to that restaurant think through what the waiter is likely to say to you. Think of what phrases you are going to use.
90. Much communication comes through body language and gesture. These can be different between cultures and countries. For example, the two-fingered "V" for victory symbol is fine palms-out. If you make it with you palm facing toward you, you'll offend a British person. It means…well, you ask a British person and find out for yourself!
91. The easiest one - Sleep! You’ll learn more after a good night’s sleep. You’ll be able to concentrate more.
92. Take an English course in an English speaking country.
93. If you studying abroad, mix with people from other countries not only people from your own country. It’s not a good idea for you to live in a shared house with people from your own country. Enjoy a more cultural experience by spending time with other nationalities.
94. Have you thought about getting a job or doing an internship abroad?
95. Get yourself a qualified teacher. Who wants to learn wrong things?
96. Nobody can learn all of the English language. No need to worry about trying. A useful shortcut to learning is that in English we have lots of words that have the same pronunciation, but a different spelling and meaning. For example, ‘come here’ has the same pronunciation as, ‘I can hear the birds’. You might find it easier to build vocabulary by knowing the different meanings.
97. Once you have a basic level of English explore the different ways you can say the same thing. This makes your English more interesting to the listener and it shouldn’t be too difficult for you because you already know the basics. For example, how many ways can we say, ‘Goodbye' in English?
98. When you are on your English course, be prepared for your class. Do your homework as soon as possible and hand it in on time. Review your notes and your last lesson a few minutes before the class. Doing this will refresh your memory and you'll be warmed up for lesson.
99. Don't get distracted in class. Focus on the lesson, don't stare out of the window. Don't be late, arrive a few minutes before the start of the lesson. Don't sit next to people who won't speak to you in English. Switch off your phone. Be organised, remember to take your textbook, notebook and pen.
100. Find a comfortable, peaceful place for quiet study. You need somewhere where you can focus 100%.
101. Last but not least, learn English with Cool Mango!
English is a fun language to learn (here are 9 reasons why it rocks), and even though it’s considered an accessible and relatively easy one to learn, with 750,000 words and spelling that can throw off even the most skilled learner, learning English fast can seem impossible. But I’m here to tell you that it isn’t – as long as you have the right strategy.
Take these 10 tips on how to learn English faster as your starting point and you’ll master this wonderful language in no time!
Classic literature, paperbacks, newspapers, websites, emails, your social media feed, cereal boxes: if it’s in English, read it. Why? Well, this content will be full of juicy new vocabulary, as well as a fair amount you already know. This helps you improve quickly, as re-exposure to learned vocabulary gives you new examples in context, therefore reinforcing those words in your mind. On the other hand, learning new words and expressions is essential to building your vocabulary arsenal, particularly in a language like English with so many words! However, don’t just read and move on – next, you’ve got to…
This tip is a classic one for good reason: it works! When learning, we often enjoy a new word of phrase so much that forgetting it seems impossible. But trust us, not everything sticks the first time. To fight this, get into the habit of carrying around a funky notebook or using a tool like Evernote. Whenever you hear or read a new word or expression, write it down in context: that is, in a sentence and with its meaning noted. This saves you time as you won’t return to that word and ask yourself: “What did that word/expression mean again?”
What is a language for if not to communicate? Sure, we humans have become experts at communicating without opening our mouths – thanks Whatsapp! – but when push comes to shove, it’s true that speaking a language helps it stick in your head far better than only reading or writing it. Just think of how many times you’ve heard people say that they “understand, but can’t speak English.” A lot of would-be English speakers have turned talking into a huge insurmountable barrier that only serves to psyche them out. Don’t be like that. Seek out native speakers for an informal language exchange, enroll in a course, or take classes online.
Like humor? Politics? Blogging? Cooking? With topics covering every interest imaginable, there’s an English-speaking podcast or Youtube channel out there for you. Subscribe to a few and listen while driving or watch during the commute to school or work. At first, you might find the native accents difficult, but stick with it and you’ll soon start to understand what you hear (as well as learning lots of new vocab from a native speaker!)
If there’s a better way to learn English than being immersed in it while living and studying in an English-speaking country, we’d love to know! It’s no secret that English is the most widely-spoken language in the world, and with a long list of countries to choose between, you can select your ideal learning environment based on hemisphere, weather, or favorite city. ThinkAustralia, New Zealand, the UK, the US, Canada, and South Africa to name a few!
Have friends who post online in English? Don’t gloss over them in your newsfeed: scan the items they share and commit to exploring one or two each day. They might be news or magazine articles, videos, talks, blog posts, songs, or anything else: if it’s in English and the topic interests you, it’s going to be helpful!
Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it also propelled the language learner to fluency! As you learn English, you’ll soon collect a mountain of questions. Don’t sit on your doubts – be curious and resolve them! If you’re enrolled in a course, ask your teacher (it’s what they’re there for, after all). But if you’re learning alone, don’t worry: find answers in blogs or language websites, ask other learners, or read through forums. You’ll be happy you did!
Mix up your learning by picking a native English-speaking actor or singer you like. Now, head online, find a bunch of interviews they’ve given – and watch them! Watch once for gist, then again, taking time to note down interesting expressions and words you hear. The slang, stories, humor, and anecdotes that come out of these interview are sure to give you plenty to work with!
Your English studies are likely to go far more quickly if you constantly remind yourself of your motives for learning. Are you going on a study exchange? Then, focus on vocabulary related to your studies. Have an overseas conference? Brush up on conversation starters to use with the other participants. Going on a gap year? Looks like travel and tourism vocabulary will be your guide. If you simply launch into learning English hoping to magically learn anything and everything at once, you’re likely to end up confused and burned out. Which brings us to…
When you start to feel like you’re not making ground – which happens to all learners at some point – don’t say, “I don’t speak English,” or “I’ll never get this.” In fact, ban those phrases from your vocabulary! They only blur your understanding of the progress you’re making and convince you that your dreams of speaking English well are impossible. Instead, say “I’m learning English and making improvements everyday,” “It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it,” “I’m so much better that I was six months ago,” and other phrases to remind yourself of the big picture.
This is a non-exhaustive (growing) list of standardized tests that assess someone's language proficiency of a foreign/secondary language. Various types of such exams exist per many languages—some are organized at an international level even through national authoritarian organizations, while others simply for specific limited business or study orientation.
Official ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI)
STAMP 4S English (Standards-Based Measurement of Proficiency-4 skills)
Berlitz Telelangue Language Audit
Berlitz GTEC English Language Assessment
Cambridge English Language Assessment
Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
Cambridge English: First (FCE)
Cambridge English: Key (KET)
Cambridge English: Preliminary (PET)
Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
Cambridge English: Young Learners (YLE) tests
CaMLA ECCE (The Examination for the Certificate of Competency in English)
CaMLA ECPE (The Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English)
CaMLA EPT (CaMLA English Placement Test)
CaMLA ITASA (International Teaching Assistant Speaking Assessment)
CaMLA MELAB (The Michigan English Language Assessment Battery)
CaMLA MET (The Michigan English Test)
Certificados en Lenguas Extranjeras (CLE). Certificate of proficiency in six foreign languages, English being one of them, issued by the Ministry of Education, City of Buenos Aires (Argentina). Tests the four skills. Targeted at primary and secondary-level students in the City of BA, for whom it is free of charge. See http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/educacion/idiomas/certificados-en-lenguas-extranjeras
(CAEL) The Canadian Academic English Language Assessment
City & Guilds Entry Level 1 Certificate in ESOL International (reading, writing and listening) (Preliminary A1)
City & Guilds Entry Level 1 Certificate in ESOL International (speaking) (Preliminary A1)
City & Guilds Entry Level 2 Certificate in ESOL International (reading, writing and listening) (Access A2)
City & Guilds Entry Level 2 Certificate in ESOL International (speaking) (Access A2)
City & Guilds Entry Level 3 Certificate in ESOL International (reading, writing and listening) (Achiever B1)
City & Guilds Entry Level 3 Certificate in ESOL International (speaking) (Achiever B1)
City & Guilds Level 1 Certificate in ESOL International (reading, writing and listening) (Communicator B2)
Duolingo Certificate in English - Online in the Duolingo Test Center
ECL - European Consortium for the Certificate of Attainment in Modern Languages
EF Standard English Test
Former ELPT - English Language Proficiency Test
GTEC - Global Test of English Communication
G-TELP - General Tests of English Language Proficiency Test
IELTS - International English Language Testing System
IELCA - International English Language Competency Assessment (www.lrnglobal.org)
iTEP - International Test of English Proficiency
MHLE - Iran Ministry of Health Language Exam
MSRT - Iran Ministry of Science, Research and Technology language exam (Also known as MCHE)
MUET
EXAMAGRAM - Free On-line English testing
PAPORA - On-line Accreditation of A1/A2 English Proficency
PTE Academic - On-line testing
PTE General - A series of six exams from Pearson Language Assessments (formerly known as the London Tests of English)
STEP EIKEN - Test in Practical English Proficiency (Japan)
TEPS - Test of English Proficiency (South Korea)
TELC - The European Language Certificates
TIEC - Test of International English Competency
TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language
TOEIC - Test of English for International Communication
TOLIMO - The Test of Language by the Iranian Measurement Organization
TrackTest English Proficiency Test - Online English Assessment Center using six CEFR levels.
TSE - Test of Spoken English
Trinity College London ESOL
TWE - Test of Written English
UBELT - University of Bath English Language Test
学习汉语益处很多，这似乎是公认的。初学汉语时，除了遇到羡慕的目光、称许的点头，我还总是听到同样的话语：“你做得对。”学习世界上13亿人使用的语言，其用处显而易见，然而，学习汉语的本质何在？我又如何有权称之为“有用”呢？
我住在约翰内斯堡，上学的地方离家很远。回家的时候，我总喜欢看看这个城市在我外出求学时所发生的变化。有一天，我正在开车，突然发现路边一栋17层高的大楼拔地而起，顶上写着“中钢广场”。这栋建筑说明中国的机构已经近在咫尺。
头脑里映现出中国这个迅速发展的亚洲国家。我一边驶过数家大银行的总部大楼，一边开始思索。当时，中国工商银行以360亿兰特收购南非标准银行股份的消息风起云涌，接二连三地又从斯泰伦博斯的中国研究中心传来消息，详述中非关系，强调重大的跨国交易。这些消息有力地证实了关于中国经济繁荣的种种猜测。一时间，所有关于中国的传闻更为真实了。我想到了自己学习汉语的下一目标：当时，我已掌握了一些简单会话，或许该深入钻研一些商用汉语了。到家时，我还在苦苦思索。坐在沙发上，打开电脑，发现这个闪烁的机器背后的不起眼处有个标签：“Made in China”。
不过，经济繁荣绝非我踏上纷繁复杂的汉语学习之旅的主因。中国及其语言另有奥妙，那种奥妙难以言表。我觉得我的选择可以更多地归因于与中国的缘分。像很多西方人一样，我对汉语的兴趣源于对东方莫名的向往。
在学习汉语的课程中，我最感兴趣的是书法。书法中，汉字笔画错综精致，语句优美，堪称艺术佳作（后来，我从《华尔街日报》上得知，练习书法有助于提高认知能力和记忆力）。解读汉语更无异于阅读成百上千个小故事，因为汉语的意思潜藏在单个汉字里（这些汉字都是一些表意符号）。举例来说，汉字中的“好”是个象形文字，表示母亲和孩子相依相偎。中国人认为，母亲的慈爱所营造的和谐即是他们理想的“好”。这就是汉字背后的故事。汉语吸引我的还有口语的练习，其中包括学到的第一个词、连缀起来的第一句话以及背诵的第一个段落。
生活中有了汉语，是一件很好玩儿的事情。每个夜晚我都练习说汉语，一练就是好几个小时。握笔在手，奋笔疾书，这门拥有3000多年历史的文字跃然纸上。每当此刻，我就意识到，我不是在背一个词，而是在保存一种文化。
如今中国在世界经济上排名第二，人口第一，而其历史十分悠久。这样一个国家的语言是独一无二的。学习汉语是走进历史，也是学习一门艺术；是一个战略举措，也是一场无法言说的热恋；是认识上的历练，也是获取环球视野的必由之路。作为一名敏锐的观察家、热心的记者和激情澎湃的辩手，我从很多角度亲身感受了中国和中国语言。对我而言，学习汉语是所有的一切，但最重要的，它是一趟旅行。
以前只知道英语有四。六级考试，从来不知道有普通话考试，来到这个学校才知道，毕业还必须通过普通话考试才可以拿到毕业证，学习普通话的心得体会。是呀，身为一名教师，就必须用标准的普通话教书育人。
通过学习感受颇多，学习普通话不是一件容易的事情，对于方言较重的人来说，由于舌头已经习惯了方言的发音，前鼻音和后鼻音不分，舌前音和舌后音不分，俗读音与普通话读音更不一致。我在实践中总结出几点心得体会，在这里拿出来同朋友们共享，心得体会。
首先多听、多说、多问，勤听普通话广播和收看新闻类节目，这类节目一般都是使用标准的普通话，通过经常性的收听和收看，对学习普通话有很大的帮助，这是一种拓展的学习方法。平日里我们不要错过机会。
然后就是勤查字典。有些字，摸棱两可就需要查查字典，（别嫌费事），把它的拼音弄清楚，尤其要注意一些字的多音与多义，这样才能发音准确。
最后一个比较深刻的体会就是坚持用普通话进行日常会话。有人说：语言取决于环境。在一个大家都说普通话的环境中，耳濡目染，近朱必赤。即使你方音浓重，逐渐你也会受其感染。
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