Today, English is a vehicular language in global society. Knowing it is almost essential to be able to feel comfortable in most social circles. Unfortunately, it is also a difficult language to learn and hugely inconsistent. However, with practice and perseverance, you can learn to speak the English language as well as any native speaker of the language.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Master the Basics
Step 1. Start simple
When it comes to English, very few people are true beginners. Some phrases, such as "Hello" (Hello), "Hi" (Hello) and "How are you?" (How are you?), They have been introduced in most societies, so chances are that you know more English than you imagine.
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Take what you already know; for example, the sentence "How are you?" (How are you?); it uses the verb "to be" ("to be" or "to be"). What other sentences are you like? Take what you already know and expand it!
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How is she? (How is she?)
How is your father? (How is your father?)
How are your children? (How are your kids?)
How is the weather? (What's the weather like?)
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- Start memorizing verbs. The ten most common verbs used in the English language are the following: "be" (to be or to be), "have" (to have), "do" (to do), "say" (to say), "get" (to get), "make" (to do), "go" (to go), "know" (to know), "take" (to take) and "see" (to see). Just knowing them will help you deal with a lot of basic conversations.
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English uses the structure "subject, verb and object", in that order. The subject's personal pronouns are "I" (I), "you" (you), "he" (he), "she" (she), "it" (this), "we" (we), "you "(you) and" they "(they). Likewise, the corresponding object pronouns are "me", "you", "him", "her", "it", "us", "you" and "them". Now that you know these verbs and that you know that English uses the SVO structure, what sentences can you make?
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I know her.
She makes it.
He takes us (She takes us).
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Step 2. Practice various conversations
Once you know a handful of verbs and the fundamental subject and object pronouns very well, you can start asking questions.
- Questions usually start with the words "who", "what", "when", "where", "why" and "how". The "who" refers to a person; the "what", to a thing; the "when", at an hour or a moment; the "where", to a place; the "why" to a reason and the "how" to a way.
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Imagine that you know the subjects, some basic nouns, the ten verbs and the words that usually start the questions. What questions would you ask a native English speaker?
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Cual es su nombre? (What is your name?)
What do you do? (What are you doing?)
When is your birthday? (When is your birthday?)
Where is she? (Where is she?)
Why do you have it? (Why do you have it?)
How do you know? (As you know?)
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Method 2 of 4: Familiarize yourself with the grammar
Step 1. Start with the present tenses
Remember to start with the present simple and the present continuous:
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The present simple is used to express facts and habits. If you are going to describe something that is true or that happens, opt for the present simple.
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I go to work every day.
She eats breakfast at 7 (She has breakfast at 7).
China is a big country (China is a big country).
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The present continuous is used to express things that happen right now. For this, there are two verbs: one main and one auxiliary. According to the subject, the auxiliaries are "am", "is" and "are" (those that mean "to be" or "to be") and the main verb is any one plus the ending "ing":
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You are reading (You're reading).
I am writing (I'm writing).
I have is watching TV (He is watching TV).
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Step 2. Then continue with the past and future tenses
Once you have mastered the present tense modes, start with the past and future tenses. Now, try to go over these basics:
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Use the past tense to mention any event that occurred at a specific time in the past.
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I saw that movie last year (I saw that movie last year).
She died on a plane (She died on a plane).
We went to the bank yesterday.
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For the future tense, keep it simple. Add a future tense marker and just use the present continuous. This can also function as a future tense!
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They are making a cake tomorrow.
You are leaving in May (You will leave in May).
I am going at 6 pm (I will go at 6 pm).
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Step 3. Put your adjectives (the descriptive word) before the nouns
Always do it! In fact, there is even an order that you must follow between the adjectives:
- There are eight basic types of adjectives: opinion, size, age, shape, color, origin, material, and purpose. If you have more than one, these should go in this order. For example: "It's a huge, round, metal bowl" or "It's a small, red sleeping bag".
Method 3 of 4: Keep Your Advancement
Step 1. Label everything
Take the objects at home and label them with their English equivalents. The goal is to make your mind think in English. When you do, then you can no longer ignore it.
- When you've labeled everything and find yourself thinking, "Where is my blanket?" (Where's my blanket?), Try to think of the word (or sentence) in English. When you find it, think: were you right?
- Don't write about the objects. Take a piece of paper and stick it firmly on top.
Step 2. Pay attention to your pronunciation
It is very easy to get stuck in memorizing words; however, you must remember that pronunciation can be just as important. Unfortunately, the English language has exceptions to most of the rules. However, there are still some general guidelines you can follow:
- Always say the last sounds of words. This can be quite difficult for people who speak certain Asian dialects; keep it in mind if you know that is your case. The word "streets" is not pronounced like "stree". The "ts" sound is very important in order to give it its proper meaning.
- Take the sentence "I project the project will end soon". It's kind of confusing, right? Do you remember that English has an SVO structure? Well, therefore, this sentence also has that structure. The first "project" (the verb) is pronounced pro-JECT and the second (the noun), PRO-ject. The same happens with all the pairs of verbs and nouns, the nouns carry a greater emphasis on the first syllable and the verbs carry it on the second.
- Although there are certain exceptions, most nouns in English carry a greater emphasis on the first syllable. For example, think of the nouns you can find at home: "BED-room" (room), "BATH-room" (bathroom), "KITCH-en" (kitchen), "TA-ble" (table), "WIN-dow" (window), "SO-fa" (sofa), "WA-ter" (water), "JACK-et" (jacket), "TOI-let" (sink), etc.
Step 3. Choose a dialect
There are important differences between American, British and Australian English. Before you start to increase your vocabulary, think: what is the most suitable dialect for you?
- Sometimes is very important know who you talk to. If you say to an American: I'm not wearing pants, they might imagine you're wearing shorts, a skirt, or just underwear. If you tell a Brit, they'll think you're not wearing underwear!
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Besides the differences in vocabulary, the differences in pronunciation are tremendous. Know that these variations exist before you start getting confused with multiple correct pronunciations.
Some dictionaries use British English and others prefer American. Choose the one that is best for you
Method 4 of 4: Use Your Resources
Step 1. Get a good dictionary
If you need them, get many. It is better to get a bilingual dictionary, because with it you can translate texts between your mother tongue and English. You should also try to get an English-only dictionary.
Get a pocket version, you can use it when you are out and have to translate an annoying word that you usually forget
Step 2. Speak in English with native speakers
Although it may be tempting to talk to your other friends who are also learning English, you will see faster results if you are used to speaking with native speakers.
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Hire a tutor or tutor. Make sure they are native speakers and have the accent you want. Choose a person who has experience in teaching, because just because they are able to speak a language does not mean they can teach it.
If you don't have the money to hire a teacher, get a pen pal
Step 3. Use the Internet
There are literally hundreds and hundreds of websites that you can use to your advantage. Anything that can make grammar more exciting is welcome, there are plenty of games and videos!
- You can find these resources on Wikipedia in simple English (Simple English), the British Council and the English Club, among many others.
- Remember, YouTube doesn't have to be about funny cats and Rihanna videos, but you can also take advantage of its educational resources.
Step 4. Watch TV, listen to songs, and read books
Even if your goal is to speak English, you should also be able to understand it, even if you are alone and are not caught up in a grammar exercise that might keep your mind poised.
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It starts with children's books and television shows. The language they use is slower and simpler. Then change the channel on the TV and pick one that suits your interests. If you like cooking, take a look at the food channel and see what you can try to cook. Try not to turn on the subtitles!
- If you have a digital video recorder, try to record TV shows. This way, you can watch them again and work through the dialogues and conversations at your own pace.
- Listen to music in English! Ballads go very slowly and their choruses can be quite repetitive. Also, your vocabulary will expand naturally.
Step 5. Think in English
If you find yourself thinking of something simple in your mother tongue, think: what would its equivalent be in English? Make this a habit to improve your retention and memory.
Think out loud if you think it can help you. Explain to your roommates or family what you are trying to do, they may want to try it too! Finally, the simple phrases will become part of the tour
Advice
- Try to practice speaking English in your daily life.
- Practice every day. A language will not become your second language if it is just a hobby you spend your free time on.
- Do not use the dictionary all the time, otherwise you will find yourself on the same page an hour later and you will feel very frustrated. Try to understand the context and use the dictionary only when absolutely necessary.
- Learning English takes a lot of practice and determination. As with any other language, it will take you a long time to become good.