Fun ways to improve your English

Despite what your professors say, learning a new language isn’t just about memorising flashcards and being able to talk about the weather. You can only really become fluent by taking what you’ve learnt in the classroom and putting it into practice. While this might seem terrifying, there are some ways to improve your English without going out into the street and shouting it to anybody who’ll listen.

We’ve thought of some ways for you to take your English to the next level while enjoying yourself!

1)    Listen to music/radio/watch TV – in our opinion, this is the best way to improve your listening skills. Watch a TV show you love or your favourite band in English, and your English will be miles better in almost no time. If you’re really struggling with listening, you can always find shows with English subtitles, and pretty much every song has its lyrics posted online!

2)    Talk to yourself – this sounds a bit strange, but it’s much easier to talk to yourself than to strangers! Practise pronouncing words and phrases you’re not so sure of, until you’re confident enough to use them with people you meet.

3)    Read things you enjoy – reading will help your comprehension skills, but why read something you don’t like? If Charles Dickens isn’t your think, read action novels, read romance, read whatever you want to read. Even guilty pleasures like tabloid magazines will give you some pretty useful vocab.

4)    Tongue twisters – this does wonders for your pronunciation, so meet up with a friend and practise tongue twisters as fast as you can!

5)    Go to language exchange events – when you feel confident enough to go out and speak English, search for language events in your city and try one out! There’s always people looking to learn a new language, so help them as they help you. It’s also a great way to make new friends in a new city.