There are many ways to learn a foreign language from scratch on your own. The first thing to do is to answer the question - why. Knowing the answer to this question is super important. Speech as a communication tool involves regular use - if knowledge and skills are not used, they are forgotten. The human memory is arranged in such a way that it hides unnecessary knowledge as far as possible. Everything that I managed to learn well will quickly be forgotten - then I will have to start everything from scratch.
Before you start cramming the alphabet, it is important to realize the goal:
- communicate with employees of the airport, managers in stores, service personnel during tourist trips and understand the interlocutor well (colloquial variety);
- lead business negotiations with partners (business variety);
- be able to read scientific (or fiction) literature (technical and literary versions);
- communicate freely with residents of another country (read, write, speak).
Important advice! Motivation is essential to success. With the right goal setting, it is easy to master the necessary knowledge from scratch on your own and for free.
2 main ways in learning
There are two ways to quickly master someone else's way of linguistic communication.
The first is practiced at school: first they learn words, then put them into sentences, from phrases they construct a text. Phrases are built according to the laws of Russian grammar - this is a mistake. For this reason, secondary school graduates know a set of individual nouns and verbs, but it is difficult for them to quickly combine word forms into sentences, they have little experience in free communication.
The second approach teaches that it is better to study a foreign dialect in phrases, and to learn to speak - immediately with full-fledged constructions. The fact is that the word in the context acquires a new meaning - it is impossible to describe all the nuances with a set of strict rules. Any speech is phraseological: the meaning of a separate sentence is not is equal to the sum meanings of individual word forms.
There is no secret method to learn a language in a month. If someone promises you a miracle, don't believe it. But the process can be accelerated in order to overcome the barrier in six months and finally speak English. Lifehacker and Skyeng online English school experts share simple tips.
1. Study online
Online classes help you learn quickly. It is too lazy to go to the other end of the city in bad weather, and the Internet is always at hand. Adapting your schedule to the course schedule, agreements with teachers, wasting time on the road - all this bothers and slows down the process. Choose online courses. What makes life easier, increases motivation.
Many, choosing between a cozy evening at home and a long trip to the courses, decide that they can live without English.
Get rid of the reasons to miss classes - make a convenient personal schedule. At Skyeng, teachers work in all time zones, so you can study anytime, even in the middle of the night.
Online classes are also good because all the materials, texts, videos, dictionaries are collected in one place: in the application or on the website. Homework assignments are checked automatically as they are completed.
2. Learn at your leisure
Don't limit yourself to class time. Learning a language is not only about doing exercises. You can upgrade your skill by listening to songs and podcasts or by reading English-speaking bloggers.
Everyone knows how important it is to watch movies and series with English subtitles, but not everyone is aware that there are special educational applications for this. Skyeng online translators are linked to an app of the same name on your phone, so new words can be repeated at any time.
For example, if you install a special extension in the Google Chrome browser, you can read any texts in English, and when you hover over a word or phrase, you can immediately see their translation. The same goes for subtitles for online cinemas. Each word individually can be translated directly in the course of viewing. These words are added to a personal dictionary and sent to a mobile application, where they can be repeated and memorized in their free time.
How to start learning English on your own?
This question can be asked by two categories of people: very, very beginners and those who have some kind of weathered base since school days. So let's immediately separate: beginners - to the left (more precisely, we read further this article), and those who studied - to the right and. Because the recipe will be different for you.
Now for you newbies only: this article is about your route from beginner to elementary. Together with Olga Sinitsyna, Head of the Methodology Department, we described each step in detail and collected all the necessary links. This is the most complete article on the topic. It is for those who want to do everything themselves.
Content of the article: learning English on your own from scratch
1. Alphabet: learn English from scratch on your own and for free
Pay attention to the patterns and differences of the sound system as a whole: there are almost no soft consonants in English, there are long / short and wide / narrow vowels, etc. To deal with all this, .
3. First words: learn English on your own from scratch for free online
Since sounds must be learned as part of a word, at the very first stage you will learn your first English words. Need to start with simple words that are used in everyday life.
6. Learn English grammar for beginners
In parallel with reading and learning whole phrases, you need to deal with grammar. But not in theory, do not delve into it in itself - learn useful English phrases and on their own example, delve into the essence of grammatical rules. How it works, .
Also watch the video on how to learn grammar for a beginner
Let's take a look at what exactly you need to understand and remember at the initial level:
Articles. They are not in Russian at all. The article is a functional word that is used together with a noun:
an apple (apple)
We have used the indefinite article here. an because the word starts with a vowel. If the word begins with a consonant, then the article will be - a.
a dog (dog)
But in addition to the indefinite article, there is also a definite - the. The video will also help you understand the articles:
Plural. Learn the rules of education plural at nouns. This is usually done by adding the -s suffix:
a cat - cats (cat - cats)
Order of words in a sentence. In English, it is strict: first comes the subject, then the predicate, then the other members of the sentence:
I love my job. (I love my job)
In an interrogative sentence, the word order is already different and an auxiliary verb is added:
Do I love my job? (I love my job?)
Understanding these subtleties will help you.
There must be a verb. without a verb English sentence simply cannot exist. And where there is no verb in Russian,.
I am a doctor. (I am a doctor or I there is doctor, literally)
Features of the system of times. There are three tenses in English, like ours: present, past and future. But each tense has four forms, and students are constantly confused in them. You do not need to immediately plunge into this chaos, .
Imperative mood when you tell another person what to do. In English, it is formed simply:
love me! (Love me!) Do it! (Do this one)
And other topics: degrees of comparison of adjectives, correct and Irregular Verbs, turnover there is - there are. The entire list of topics And so you and I will gradually get to elementary.
7. Comprehensively, from all sides: how to learn English on your own from scratch
All this - words, phrases, grammar - needs to be pumped from 4 sides: listening, writing, speaking and reading. We have collected and described independent exercises and materials for you to work on each skill:
– Your level is now zero or beginner. On average, it takes 90-100 hours of practice to reach the next level. Immediately decide how many hours a day you are ready to practice? If by the hour, then in 3 - 3.5 months you should reach the elementary level. If half an hour, then multiply the time by two. So mark this period as a deadline.
– Now break down that huge goal of "achieving elementary level" into specific and very clear goals like "learn to express thoughts in the present tense", "learn the 100 most common words", "read a book in English". Plan these tasks according to specific deadlines.
Be sure to read! Or watch the video:
9. And then what? How to learn English on your own at home from scratch quickly
Learn English on your own online from scratch
Now you have a clear plan of action. All in your hands. If you need simulators for practicing English, then. When registering, we will determine your level of English, together we will choose the goal. And after that, the service will throw up daily classes for practice: vocabulary and grammar training, short stories for reading, video and audio for beginners. Let's break through together. 🙂
Surely you have already read hundreds of articles on the Internet about how to learn English on your own and for free. Still not able to reach the desired level of knowledge? The thing is that many offer theoretical advice without backing it up with practice. Therefore, we decided to make practical guide on self-study. In this article, we will tell you if it is possible to learn English without anyone's help, explain what materials you MUST use when studying on your own and what resources you can use in addition so that you do not get bored learning English at home. You can save yourself a free PDF that lists all 156 resources, and at the end of the article, we'll give you our Editors' Choice - a "best of the best" list.
Is it possible to learn English on your own
Let's first find out whether it is realistic to learn English on your own or if you should not waste time and effort on this activity. Let's say right away that learning English on your own and for free is quite realistic, because there are thousands of learning resources on the Internet that will help you do this. Why is it that not everyone succeeds in mastering the language at the desired level? You probably know people whose self-study has become a waste of time. Or maybe you yourself have repeatedly unsuccessfully tried to learn English?
We can say with confidence that only three factors determine whether you can learn English on your own:
- Your desire to learn the language.
- Willingness to work.
- An effective way to learn a language.
If both the first and the second factors are present, then it is only a matter of the third link - the ability to find the most effective method learn English on your own. This article is just designed to solve the problem of the third factor: we will tell you how to organize an effective learning process, what materials you will need.
At the same time, we want to immediately warn you: self-learning is an interesting process, but not easy, and it is especially difficult for beginners. We still advise those who study the language "from scratch" to use the services. Under his vigilant supervision and expert guidance, you will move faster than with self-study. Do you want to walk this path without anyone's help? We have already written an article on this topic "", however, it is aimed specifically at beginners. In the same article, we will share resources for all English learners, so for beginners it is better to start by studying the first article and then return to this material.
How to learn English on your own
We have compiled 6 for you simple recommendations about the best way to learn English on your own. These tips are based on the experience of our teachers and students. To make self-learning effective for you, follow all the recommendations, then positive results will not keep you waiting.
1. Set a specific goal
It is on your learning goal that all further actions for self-study depend. of English language. Think about whether you want to learn general conversational or business English, want to reach an intermediate level, or want to reach the top. You can look and choose a similar goal for yourself. In addition, a great right goal is to reach the intermediate level, in which case you will lay down a good knowledge base. Find out 8 more reasons to get to this stage from the article "".
2. Schedule your classes
It would seem that the beauty of self-study lies precisely in the fact that your English classes are not tied to any particular moment: you learn the language when it is convenient for you. However, in reality it turns out as in a well-known anecdote. Your conscience torments you: “When will you sit down for English?” And you answered her: “Well, no, today I can’t, I’m so tired. Let's never. Will it ever suit you?" Agree, with this approach, it is impossible to learn English. Therefore, take a tight rein on yourself and make a specific schedule, for example, study for an hour daily or 3-4 times a week for 1.5 hours. Of course, having a schedule will not protect you from procrastination, but you will already know that you didn’t just “legally postpone the class, I’ll teach you later”, but missed it. Gnawing conscience is a good motivator!
3. Select the required resources
As we have already said, we have many sources of knowledge, and such an abundance of useful resources does not always have a positive effect on learning. So, many people decide to learn English and in one day they buy all available textbooks, bookmark 541 English learning sites, install 37 language learning apps. On the one hand, such zeal is commendable. On the other hand, each textbook and each site has its own principles for presenting the material, therefore, if you study on different resources every day, you risk creating a mess in your head and in a week or two you will realize that you don’t know what to take on. Below we offer you a list of good time-tested resources for learning English by English proficiency. Spend a couple of days choosing no more than 1-2 resources for each skill.
4. Look for an interlocutor
Some people think that English can be learned "offline" using only books, audio and video materials. However, it is not. You can read Agatha Christie in the original and listen to BBC news, but what's the point if you find it difficult to speak English. You can speak the language you are learning only with the help of an interlocutor. Read on to find out how to find yourself a speaking partner.
5. Track your achievements
it important point for those who decide to learn English on their own at home. Be sure to follow test tasks to track your progress. You can do various online tests, such as knowledge level tests. It is important to check your mistakes. This is quite difficult when self-learning, so we wrote an assistant article "" for you. From it you will learn how to control your learning process.
6. Don't Take Long Breaks From Studying
Everyone has days when it seems like there is no time at all to learn English. In this case, we recommend finding literally 5-10 minutes and doing one of the exercises from the article "". If you still had to take a break in learning, try not to drag it out, otherwise the accumulated knowledge will start to fly out of your head and you will completely abandon your studies.
How to learn English for free at home: 156 useful materials
And now we will present you with resources that you will definitely need for effective self-study of English. You will see the entire list of resources in a PDF file that you can save to your computer for free:
Those who learn English on their own often complain that they cannot learn English grammar. In this case, we recommend taking an additional textbook with grammar exercises to the main textbook. When choosing such a book, be guided by our article "". Go through the manual from the first lesson to the last without missing anything, then the material will be easier to understand.
Good vocabulary will allow you to accurately express your thoughts, so try to constantly learn new words. It is advisable to take new vocabulary not only from your main textbook, but also from specialized manuals. A reliable source of the right words will be one of. The practical exercises in these books will teach you how to use the learned words correctly in your speech.
Correct pronunciation is necessary for the interlocutor to understand you, so this skill also needs to be developed. If, when studying English with a teacher, you can do without a special manual, because the teacher will teach you how to pronounce sounds correctly, then with self-study English at home you will need a textbook. You can take one of the following: English Pronunciation in Use , New Headway Pronunciation Course , Tree or Three? , Ship or Sheep? , How Now, Brown Cow? , Elements of Pronunciation . In them you will find many tasks for listening and setting the correct pronunciation.
A good dictionary is an indispensable attribute of an English learner. We recommend that you first use a Russian-English online dictionary, such as multitran.ru or lingvolive.ru. When you reach the intermediate level of knowledge, start using English-English dictionary, such as macmillandictionary.com or dictionary.cambridge.org .
Would you like to use teaching aids? We recommend reading our article "", in which we talked about the benefits of using aids, and also indicated who can learn English without them.
Additional Resources
The listed textbooks will be enough for you to improve your English skills, but sometimes you want to take a break from books and diversify your learning with some interesting materials. We have compiled a large selection of the best resources for you to help you learn English on your own.
- We speak English
- Learning new words
New vocabulary can be taught not only by the manual, but also by more modern and exciting methods:
- Install word learning apps: Anki for Android and iOS, Easy Ten for and iOS or Fun Easy Learn English for Android and iOS. Learning 10 words will take no more than 5-7 minutes, we think that even a busy person will have time to study with applications.
- Learn words with visual dictionaries like online-languages.info or oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com. An association with a picture is remembered better and faster than a single word.
- Run tests on englishteststore.net and esl.fis.edu. You can check how well you remember the new vocabulary and see how it is used in speech.
- Solve crosswords: .
- Improving listening comprehension in English
It is quite easy to improve your listening comprehension of English on your own. We recommend the following methods:
- Listen to audio materials: .
- Watch the news: . You can first watch the video with subtitles, and then without them.
- Watch exciting educational videos and video lectures:.
- Listen to interesting audiobooks: .
- Listen to music: .
- Improving grammar knowledge
To learn to communicate in English, you need to try to speak it as often as possible. Where to find a partner for communication? On one of the language exchange sites, such as italki.com or es.coeffee.com. You will find even more ideas and resources for finding an interlocutor in the article "".
Remember: without knowing grammar, it is impossible to speak English normally. Therefore, let's see what methods, in addition to the exercises from the textbook, can be used to deal with grammar once and for all.
- Learn grammar from understandable articles in Russian: engblog.ru.
- Run tests: . Doing at least one debriefing test every day will help you gradually eradicate your mistakes.
- Watch instructional videos: . Also visit the wonderful resource engvid.com. Pay attention to the videos with the teacher Ronnie: even those who hate grammar will like her incendiary sense of humor and exciting lessons.
- Use the grammar learning apps: Johnny Grammar for and iOS or Learn English Grammar for Android and LearnEnglish Grammar for iOS. These simple gadget programs will diversify the way to work or a trip to the country.
Reading is the easiest skill to work on your own. How to do it:
- Read adapted literature: . Such books can be read by people with a Beginner level and above.
- Read books in the original: .
- Read fascinating articles: . small interesting article- the optimal "dose" for those who want to learn English at home on their own.
- Read the news: install the Yahoo News Digest or BBC News app on your smartphone or tablet, then you will be in the know and will be able to improve your English daily.
- Read magazines: .
Improving pronunciation with self-study is not very easy: in order to analyze your speech and find errors in it, you need to have experience in learning English and know perfectly HOW all sounds should sound. But this difficulty can be overcome by using the following tricks:
- Learn to pronounce sounds correctly: .
- Practice speaking tongue twisters: download-esl.com has tongue twisters voiced by native speakers. Say at least a couple of them every day, and your pronunciation will improve in a couple of months, and it will become much easier to pronounce difficult sounds of English.
You can learn to write in English without the help of a teacher. The catch is that if you decide to learn English on your own, there will be no one to check your written work. There are services for communicating with foreigners, these sites offer something like a language exchange: you check the text in Russian, and a native English speaker checks your written work in English. However, keep in mind that illiterate people can also sit on such sites, so no one can guarantee the reliability of the check. In addition, your reviewer will at best just correct your mistakes, but not explain them. Therefore, if it is important for you to learn how to write well in English, you should think about lessons with a teacher. In addition, the following will help you:
- Learn to spell correctly...
- Work on pronunciation - .
- Online dictations - dictationsonline.com.
We have presented you with a detailed practical guide on how to learn English on your own and for free, and indicated best resources to help you succeed in this field. Now it's up to you. At first, this path can be difficult, because learning something new is never easy. Remember, when you first got on a bike, you probably fell more than once before learning how to ride. Driving English will also be difficult, but gradually you will be able to pick up speed and masterfully handle it. We wish you success in your studies!
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2015-11-12
Hello to all readers of my blog!
As you already understood, in this article we will talk about how to learn English. without the help of a teacher. And, although, in my opinion, such a feat can be accomplished only under certain conditions, it is impossible to argue that this is impossible or accessible to a very small number of people.
And if you still decide to take this step, the steps outlined below will help you save energy, time and nerve cells on the way to your cherished goal.
Well, let's start debriefing!
Before reading my advice, let me remind you that there are a lot of resources online now that help you learn the language on your own. I myself use and recommend to everyone the notorious Lingvaleo. There free registration and a lot of valuable materials, besides this, you can buy online course, which is right for you (I advise you to start with this ), and learn the language according to a clear scheme developed by professional teachers.
Where to begin? Where to look and how to learn the material? Am I doing it right?..
All these questions make my head spin at first. But don't panic, friends! In fact, you are capable of much more than you can imagine!
So let's go!
- Desire and motivation
Even the most deserving and experienced teacher will not be able to teach you English if you do not want it yourself. After all, while studying with teachers, most of the training is also devoted to independent work. As the famous teacher N.A. Bonk: " A foreign language cannot be taught - it can only be learned».
If you are truly obsessed with learning English, then activities should bring you satisfaction, but it’s not worth raping yourself and trying at all costs to study and cram. Don't waste your time! It is better to postpone training until better times.
Learning English requires great patience, strong will, self-discipline and hard work. " Too many things! You will say, and you will be partly right. Sometimes the most assiduous and patient give up and give up halfway through. The reason for this is no serious motive. So even if you don't have one, invent it! Ready!? Do you want to get a job in a western company? Apply to an English speaking university? Or ? And that will fit.
- From simple to complex
Do not rush to embrace the immensity and learn English as quickly as possible. Believe me, in teaching any foreign language there must be a clear structure, a developed system, otherwise " everything will be mixed up in the Oblonskys' house...”.
Do not spend too long classes at first, learn a lot at once rules or read English-language literature in the original. Start with
- learning elementary rules and their practice (in my rubric you will find them!)
- reading protozoa with a dictionary
- viewing with English subtitles
- auditions
- translation simple sentences of two or three words both from English into Russian, and vice versa
- performing simple practical tasks
- writing summaries of what has been learned
- passage on the Internet.
A very effective, in my opinion, method of learning a language for those who want everything on their own is given in the book Ovadenko "English without a tutor" . This manual, coupled with audio accompaniment, will definitely help you at the initial stage.
- Regularity is the key to success
Of course, the hardest thing is to force yourself to exercise regularly. It may be difficult, but this stability is probably one of the most important keys to success. Try to practice every day for at least 15-20 minutes. If the lesson is not long, then try to spend it as intensively as possible. Even if you don't feel well or are too tired, or repeat the words you just learned. If the language is always present in your life, it will become familiar and familiar to you.
- Repetition is the mother of learning
Try to repeat the topics covered, refresh the learned words in your memory, watch a video you already know, listen to an audio recording, or re-read a story you already know. Not only does this undoubtedly help to consolidate the material covered, it is also sometimes useful to feel that you know something well and enjoy the fact that everything is clear to you.
- Variety is good for everyone
Undoubtedly, you have one or two of your favorite ways to learn a language. Someone loves, and someone likes to watch videos or prefers to perceive. Use all the methods available to you: install a training program on your computer, learn the lyrics of your favorite artists and sing along to them, come up with sentences, watch training videos (which are also on my blog), communicate with native speakers via Skype, make flashcards with English subtitles, try to teach yourself a well-studied topic to a friend, wife or children. In short, any activity that forces you to work with English will be useful.
- Choose time and place
Studying at home, where there are a lot of temptations (drinking tea, lying on the couch or not missing your favorite show), is not always effective, so it is useful to visit the library from time to time, where the very atmosphere is conducive to work or try to study right on the way to or from work.
- Communicate in English at any opportunity e
If you are learning a language on your own and you don’t have polyglot friends, then use every chance to put your English into practice. Communication in, special meetings and seminars for learners of English, tourists you met by chance, like-minded people you found in social network are all from this area.
- How to memorize words
- Firstly, it is necessary to remember not only the meaning of the word, but also how it is pronounced correctly. Nowadays, it is much easier to do this - you don’t have to painfully deal with transcription - just drive the word of interest into Google translator, and he will pronounce it and give out a few basic Russian language.
- Secondly, the word must be written. Get yourself a notebook in which you will write down the words with the translation.
- Thirdly, do not try to memorize a large number of words at once. It is better to choose from 5 to 10 words, but remember them for sure - how to do it.
- Fourth Use the learned words as often as possible. Beginners, especially children, memorize words very well using cards or during various competitions.
- And finally fifth, just improve your memory! Believe me, this is very important when studying foreign language. Here, I can offer you what I use myself - to improve memorization skills with the help of Brainapps — a cool online platform specializing in this business. Guys, I didn’t know how exciting and effective it could be!
- Work on your pronunciation
Phonetics is also an important part of the English language, because in English speech there are sounds that simply do not exist in Russian. Especially if you are doing it yourself, it brings additional difficulties. Somehow you must hear correct pronunciation one or another word and try to repeat it correctly. and video courses, English songs and films, conversations with native speakers, as well as my materials - will help you on your way to excellence.
- Control your achievements
After a certain period of classes, arrange a mini-exam for yourself:
- complete tasks on the topics covered
- learn and retell the text containing the words and rules you already know
- pass .
In addition, it would be nice to demonstrate the acquired knowledge to a good friend, and even better to a teacher whose level of knowledge of the language is much higher than yours. Such periodic control will become an additional motive and, in addition, will allow you to understand how far you have progressed in learning English.
Finally
In no case do not think that you are not capable of something or cannot cope with something. Be patient, do not give up, believe in yourself, and you will succeed!
Don't be afraid to make a mistake or say something wrong when speaking in English. The roots of the notorious language barrier grow from there. These tips most likely will not help you overnight, but understand and perceive English speech and texts you will definitely become better. An understanding will come that you can achieve a lot, which means there will be strength for further improvement!
Thank you for reading my article to the end - I think it was not in vain :)
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