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How to improve the level of English?

How to improve the level of English?

Everyone who started learning English wondered how to improve their own level? But there are several affordable ways to quickly improve your knowledge. We will talk about them in detail in our article. You just have to choose which one is right for you.

There are a number of the most popular methods of mastering any foreign language:

  • Individual lessons with a tutor.
  • Group lessons.
  • Independent study of the language.
  • Online courses.
  • Online platforms.
  • Mobile applications.

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Now let's look at each of these methods in more detail.

Individual lessons with a tutor

Perhaps the main advantage of this type of training is an individual approach to everything, the ability to choose a convenient schedule, and the creation of a curriculum for your request. All the teacher's attention is paid to you, which means that speech skills will be worked out in detail and not a single mistake will slip away. You can quickly improve the level of English. However, in this case, you will most likely have to allocate a significant amount from your budget for classes, and also be prepared that the teacher will not let you sit quietly in the lesson if you have not done your homework. An individual lesson implies that you should be set up for maximum work both in the classroom and on your own at home, practicing the acquired knowledge and doing homework. Usually the teacher requires the same amount of effort from the student as he himself spent on preparing for the lesson. It is also worth noting that there is no interlocutor change during the lesson, as in a group, so you will build all dialogues and discussions directly with the teacher.  

Group lessons

When choosing group training, it is worth remembering that if you are not a team player, then you should think about individual training. In the group you will have many interlocutors, which means you will be able to improve your English well and not be afraid to engage in dialogue, it is easier to perceive speech and various accents, be able to communicate and find an approach to various interlocutors. Also, do not forget that the cost of training in a group is an order of magnitude lower than individual training. Of the minuses, a not very convenient class schedule, difficulties in communicating with the group, as well as the lack of an individual approach are possible. It is not always possible for the teacher to pay sufficient attention to each student during the lesson and answer all questions of interest and correct all students' mistakes.

Independent language learning

  • watch instructional videos,
  • self-taught,
  • read English-language resources,
  • listen to podcasts and audio in English.

Here it is necessary to remember that you must have high skills of self-organization, discipline, and also be able to motivate yourself and strive for the desired result in learning. This format is often suitable for adult learners. Lack of control and correction is fine for freedom-loving individuals, but if you are just starting out, it will be difficult for you to understand what exactly you are doing wrong. A large number of resources makes it possible to tailor learning to suit your interests, but there is a chance that you will spend a lot of time selecting material and simply run out of steam in the preparatory stage before starting classes. Self-study implies a comfortable pace of work, but at the same time you will not have outside support, and there will also be a lack of communication and practicing oral skills in dialogues and discussions.

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Teach English! It is the best way to earn money.
Travel, work online, get a job abroad, or be
an EFL and ESL teacher in your country.
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Online training courses

Nowadays, the Internet is full of various courses and webinars for those who want to quickly improve their English level. The most famous are courses from:

  • skyeng
  • EnglishDom
  • English Live

And if you are a teacher and want to improve not only your English skills, but also get the opportunity to teach abroad, then the TEFL / TESOL course is right for you, more about which you can find out here.

The main advantage of online learning is the ability to learn English from anywhere in the world and at any convenient time. All materials are provided remotely, and most of the lessons are made using interactive resources. You will not spend large amounts on study materials and the lessons themselves. However, you may experience a lack of face-to-face communication during class, as well as problems with motivation and self-discipline. It is also necessary to take care of the technical component before the start of classes - problems with the Internet and connection can arise completely unexpectedly and significantly spoil the quality of the lesson.

Online platforms and mobile applications

Online learning is gaining momentum and is only strengthening its position.

Due to the fact that the material is presented in an exciting way, interest and motivation to learn English increase. Very often, such online services have several subscription options, as well as content with free access. Of the minuses, lessons that are difficult for independent study are possible, which may be incomprehensible to beginners and require additional explanation by the teacher.

Application Description Annual Subscription
Duolingo Small interactive lessons in the format of mini-tests help to replenish vocabulary and improve listening comprehension. Annual subscription for $80
Lingualeo A fascinating service with a wide variety of activities, where you will be able to improve not only grammar, but also reading, listening, vocabulary. Annual subscription for $40.99
FluentU A site with authentic materials for learning "live" English. Annual subscription for $239.99

Polyglot 16

It will help to master the language at a basic level in a few lessons and acquire the necessary minimum of words.

$4 for 16 lessons

There is free content

Memrise

Helps memorize words, work with pronunciation and learn colloquial phrases. 

$6 per month

There is free content

BBC Learning English

Adapted radio broadcast materials for learning English, as well as various exercises for working on grammar, building sentences and memorizing speech structures.

Is free

Easy Ten

Easily memorize 10 new words a day and expand your vocabulary.

$10 annual subscription

There is free content

ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE

It will help improve grammar skills, suitable for students with basic knowledge of English.

6 lessons for free

$20 all classes

$2 one lesson

Voxy

The application adapts daily to your needs and the information around you. Language learning takes place in context and with the help of authentic materials. You can consolidate what you have learned in a mini-group with a native teacher.

$20 for 1 lesson

There is free content

This way of learning English is ideal for memorizing new words, practicing grammar structures, or working on one specific language skill. In order to develop a language system and significantly improve your knowledge, one application is indispensable.  

How to improve English to a certain level?

It's no secret that learning English is divided into certain levels. If you want to confidently go from Intermediate to Advanced, then we advise you to familiarize yourself with the detailed CEFR classification scale, which describes what the student should be able to and know in each of them. The main question is: how to reach each of them and increase knowledge?

A1 - Beginner

You are just starting to discover the wonderful world of the English language, but you can already tell us about yourself, your family, hobbies and hobbies. Also understand the interlocutor if he speaks clearly and slowly using vocabulary familiar to you. Composing short written statements is also within your power.

At the initial stage, it is important to keep the motivation in learning English. Be responsible in choosing a program and a teacher - after all, it is with them that your exciting journey into the world of the English language will begin. Try to make up as many of your own examples as possible, memorize them and say them out loud - this will help you start speaking on your own. Listen to the audio material and repeat after the speaker, trying to catch the changes in intonation. Put into practice as much of what you have learned as possible. Surround yourself in English - sing along to your favorite English artist, watch short entertaining videos for children. Do not be afraid to speak English, because knowledge of complex structures is not required here.

A2 - Pre Intermediate

At this level, you will be able to talk about your plans for the future, share an experience or a story from the past, discuss a movie or a book, easily deal with everyday issues while traveling, have a conversation about travel, and interact with native speakers. You can support a leisurely conversation or speak on a specific topic. Listening comprehension becomes easier, and you already catch the essence of the statement, even if not all of the words are familiar to you.

At this stage, add reading light authentic literature. This will help you increase your vocabulary. Be sure to write out and apply new phrases and expressions. Try to make small notes, describe the events of the current day or tell plans for the future. This will help you learn to speak fluently. Write reviews of films or books in English, share your comments on forums on the Internet. English for beginners can be fun and interesting.

B1-Intermediate

You have a huge range of topics to discuss and it is not difficult for you to make a detailed statement on a specific topic. You do not simplify your speech and use a variety of grammatical structures, as well as intonation. You have a good understanding of adapted literature and simple books in the original. It is easy to watch movies and videos with subtitles. In addition to informal communication and correspondence, you have a businesslike and more formal style.

Build learning in a comfortable format. Your goal is to be systematic. Give yourself time to absorb what you have learned and don't forget to put it into practice. See more authentic materials, read books with a dictionary - write out and use new constructions. It will be good to find a study buddy or a pen pal so you can support each other while studying, as well as discuss what you have learned and practice speaking. Try to speak spontaneously - mark the time and build an unprepared statement on a specific topic. This will help you further in real communication. Play a podcast or video while you're doing chores or driving to work. Do not forget to repeat already studied topics and grammatical constructions, improve your pronunciation.

B2-Upper Intermediate

You speak fluently and easily take part in discussions without fear of forgetting a word or structure. You can easily convey the essence of what happened and share your opinion. At the same time, your vocabulary is very large and you confidently use complex grammatical constructions. Also in your speech there are a lot of phrasal verbs, idioms, you understand different contexts and shades of words. The pace of speech is gaining momentum and you can already more easily understand authentic statements and read more complex literature.

Spend a significant amount of time retelling what you heard or read, add more original and authentic material. This will help improve listening comprehension. Go to conversation clubs, communicate more and correspond. Complicate grammatical turns, compose your written statements, do not forget about pronunciation.

C1-Advanced

The Advanced gives you confidence and a sense of comfort in communication. It is absolutely no problem for you to communicate with native speakers and understand them, as well as people of other cultures with different accents. You use the full range of grammar and vocabulary, smoothly maneuvering from topic to topic in a conversation. Fast speech or complex phrases are no longer an obstacle for you on the way to understanding the essence of the statement. It is easy for you to think in English and immediately make complete statements.

A high level of language proficiency requires a lot of effort. Try to listen to different accents and fast paced speech. Be sure to repeat the topics covered and train the rules on a new one. Write down your thoughts about what is happening in your notes, try to keep abreast of the global news agenda, and also use new vocabulary to the maximum. Get into the habit of reading or listening to English in the original every day. The result will not keep you waiting.

C2 - Proficiency 

This level is as close as possible to a native speaker. You can read and understand any literature in the original, including specialized ones. Conduct business negotiations and presentations, talk on professional topics. It will not be difficult for you to complete any written work and conduct complex business correspondence. You can easily perceive the essence of the statement, fluent speech of the speaker and can adapt the information you hear.

Your speech becomes not just literate and fluent, it becomes much more complicated in all plans. Learn live English with the intricacies of idioms, slang and specialized vocabulary. Read complex literature - mark statements, put them into practice. At this stage, language courses with a native speaker can greatly help, in which you can ask out the slightest nuances and hone your skills to perfection. Watch more scientific and documentary films that are rich in complex vocabulary. And remember that there is no limit to perfection.            

How to improve the level of spoken English?

Spoken language is an opportunity to interact with other people. This skill will differ depending on your language level. To work on this skill, you will need a strong base of grammar and vocabulary, which means you will need to expand your vocabulary and eliminate gaps in grammatical constructions. Practice! Don't wait for your language to reach the right level or for you to learn a certain number of words. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, you learn from them. Visit conversation clubs, travel and communicate with native speakers, the result will not be long in coming. You can study the issue in more detail by clicking on the link.

Conclusion

Enrol now

Get your TEFL TESOL certification

Teach English! It is the best way to earn money.
Travel, work online, get a job abroad, or be
an EFL and ESL teacher in your country.
Get it now

These tips will help you master English as quickly as possible. Find your "chips" that work just for you. On our site you can find a lot of useful resources, as well as information about TEFL / TESOL courses, which will help not only improve the level of the language, but also give you the opportunity to teach it around the world. Never stop learning!

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