How to step over Intermediate and bring English to Advanced
Suppose you have already mastered English at a basic level, but so far speak uncertainly and only on familiar topics. How to expand vocabulary and learn to speak and understand better? How to maintain a high level when you reach it? And, most importantly, how not to lose motivation? Today in the Puzzle English blog we will share instructions.
Quite often, learning a language begins for a tick - they say everyone knows why I should not learn. And having mastered the base, the student is lost. What to do next? It seems that you know something, but at the same time do not speak freely and make serious mistakes. Can this be considered “learned English” or not yet?
The first thing you have to decide for yourself is why you learn the language at all. Your goal should be achievable and measurable. For example, English is needed for work. So, you need to learn it to the B2 level and consolidate your knowledge with the course of professional vocabulary in order to navigate freely in your field. If you see the final result, then it will be much easier to learn.
The second is that at high levels it is very important to maintain your interest in English. No need to do thirty grammar exercises per day. Based on your goal, do tasks that will be useful for you. If you feel that you are bored, then you need to find an occupation that will liven up your interest. We will tell about them in more detail below.
As we said in the previous article , when learning any language, work is carried out in four aspects: listening, writing, reading and speaking. It is impossible to learn a language by missing one of these aspects, because they are all interconnected. If you do not know how to listen to the interlocutor, you will not be able to actively participate in the conversation. If you do not read, you will not be able to write correctly. Therefore, at high levels you will have to work out all four skills, however, they will become more actively mixed with each other and will become more complex.
In addition to training exercises, you need to actively connect your perception by ear. Remember that in English there are several official options and dozens of dialects. Do not be afraid if you turn on the video and did not understand anything. Here's a great example where American actress Lily Tomlin doesn't understand Scottish comedian Kevin Bridges. But both are native English speakers. Or a classic of the genre: the differences between British and American slang, which are discussed by the well-known Hugh Laurie and the American TV presenter Ellen DeGeneres. As you can see, they also do not quite understand each other.
What to listen to? Thematic podcasts. You can listen to very smart podcasts, for example, The English We Speak from the BBC or Voice of America , which even has a breakdown by levels. And you can choose podcasts that correspond to your hobbies and needs on our website in the new section of Synchro podcasts , where the voice is also duplicated by text, and words can be added to your personal dictionary and then trained.
Do not forget about the famous talk shows, because they are often invited stars from around the world, and there is a chance to listen to different versions of English. In Britain, Graham Norton’s shows are popular, and in America, Jimmy Felon’s shows .
Of course, over time, you better go to the original movies. And you can watch them not only at home, but also in the cinema, if there is a cinema in your city that turns films with subtitles. If you drive a car, go to English radio stations or listen to audio books and radio plays. In general, any foreign language background has a good effect on the ability to perceive speech by ear. Unbeknownst to you, you will get used to a different intonation and tempo of speech. If you already have a very high level of proficiency in a language, then listening to anything in English will help maintain tone: words and grammatical structures will not be forgotten.
If you are not sure that you will draw a real English book in the original, then continue reading the adaptations. There is a mass of adapted books of levels B1 and B2, and after each chapter you will continue to be offered reading exercises. Do not be shy to read children's books. They are usually written in simple language and not very long. Of course, they will not give you deep knowledge of the language, but they can be the first step towards reading more serious literature.
Having mastered the base of the language, you can switch from training texts to foreign articles and blogs. Of course, you can read newspapers such as the Times, but it is better to find blogs and sites that are interesting to you. For example, you like to read about travel. Go to the search engine and enter “Top 10 traveling blogs” in the search bar. Then just follow the links and select your favorite blogs. Remember: even one article per day is already a warm-up for the brain.
Read a little and at your pleasure. Of course, having reached the C1 level, it is definitely worth switching to the original literature. Believe me, not even the best translation can compare with what was written by the author in English.
Unfortunately, the ability to write correctly in the modern world for some reason has ceased to be appreciated. Almost no one writes by hand, except in school. We use the built-in dictionaries and auto-correcting and much more often typing than writing ourselves. However, you definitely need to master at least the basics of writing. Learn to write different types of letters: requests, complaints, suggestions. Learn the basics of business correspondence and learn cliches that open and close letters, as well as structure them. If you need English for international exams, then you will have to learn to write different types of essays, articles, reviews and the like. This is best done with the help of preparation for the right exam. But whatever you write, you can check your spelling on the Grammarly resource.
In the previous article, we also included grammar in the “Letter” section. The higher the level, the harder the grammar. On the other hand, there are fewer rules, and you are not studying voluminous topics, but details. But the devil, as we know, lies precisely in them, so do not forget about grammar, even if you seemingly already know everything.
The higher the level, the more intelligent and beautiful your speech. At high levels, you will need to master phrasal verbs, running idioms, fixed expressions (collocations) and slang. There is no way to be silent and just memorize the expression. If you really want to learn to speak, then you will need to practice. This can be done with friends who also learn or already speak English, in conversational clubs or with real foreigners. The latter can be found on various sites such as WeSpeke or iTalki . On such sites you can find both regular carriers and qualified teachers. You can communicate with the first and communicate via video link, with the second you can engage in the production of pronunciation and working out speech skills.
Ideally, you need to find a so-called Language Buddy or English Friend - a carrier who can correct your mistakes and will be happy to talk with you on various topics. Sometimes the process can be mutually beneficial if a foreigner learns Russian or another language known to you.
A lot of everything! If you like board games, then you can order or find a place in your city where you can play these games, but in English. On the Internet a lot of learning games in English. Just search for “English flash games”, and you can add exactly which games you need, for example, “English flash games for vocabulary”. So you can spend time for games with benefit.
It is extremely useful to start your blog in English and just write something there three or four times a week. It will be difficult, and you will be mistaken and afraid, but it is necessary so that you write more confidently and do not make spelling mistakes.
English marathons with tasks are regularly held on social networks, but you can create such a marathon yourself. For example, in the course of a month, study 5 new expressions per day or write 10 sentences to the blog. It is also extremely interesting to arrange a real test for yourself and look for English around. A lot of borrowing from English has come to the Russian language, and often students do not even suspect that they use the English word. Arrange a competition with friends: who will find more signs with English words?
Whatever you choose, the general rule is one: surround yourself with English. Every day you have to watch, listen, read, or talk to someone. Of course, it will be very difficult for you, but at the same time, the more often you practice, the faster you will learn to perceive a foreign language. Do not forget that you can learn something new at any age, and the excuse “my age is not the same” simply does not work. With age, you learn more slowly, but still learn. The main thing is to work gradually and every day.
Readers of the blog give a coupon for 500 rubles for the purchase of a subscription, which includes 8 types of training and weekly mailings about English grammar and vocabulary - "Vitaminki" and "Buns".
And for unlimited and perpetual access to all features of the site there is an “All Inclusive” tariff (the discount does not apply).
Quite often, learning a language begins for a tick - they say everyone knows why I should not learn. And having mastered the base, the student is lost. What to do next? It seems that you know something, but at the same time do not speak freely and make serious mistakes. Can this be considered “learned English” or not yet?
The first thing you have to decide for yourself is why you learn the language at all. Your goal should be achievable and measurable. For example, English is needed for work. So, you need to learn it to the B2 level and consolidate your knowledge with the course of professional vocabulary in order to navigate freely in your field. If you see the final result, then it will be much easier to learn.
The second is that at high levels it is very important to maintain your interest in English. No need to do thirty grammar exercises per day. Based on your goal, do tasks that will be useful for you. If you feel that you are bored, then you need to find an occupation that will liven up your interest. We will tell about them in more detail below.
As we said in the previous article , when learning any language, work is carried out in four aspects: listening, writing, reading and speaking. It is impossible to learn a language by missing one of these aspects, because they are all interconnected. If you do not know how to listen to the interlocutor, you will not be able to actively participate in the conversation. If you do not read, you will not be able to write correctly. Therefore, at high levels you will have to work out all four skills, however, they will become more actively mixed with each other and will become more complex.
Listening
In addition to training exercises, you need to actively connect your perception by ear. Remember that in English there are several official options and dozens of dialects. Do not be afraid if you turn on the video and did not understand anything. Here's a great example where American actress Lily Tomlin doesn't understand Scottish comedian Kevin Bridges. But both are native English speakers. Or a classic of the genre: the differences between British and American slang, which are discussed by the well-known Hugh Laurie and the American TV presenter Ellen DeGeneres. As you can see, they also do not quite understand each other.
What to listen to? Thematic podcasts. You can listen to very smart podcasts, for example, The English We Speak from the BBC or Voice of America , which even has a breakdown by levels. And you can choose podcasts that correspond to your hobbies and needs on our website in the new section of Synchro podcasts , where the voice is also duplicated by text, and words can be added to your personal dictionary and then trained.
Do not forget about the famous talk shows, because they are often invited stars from around the world, and there is a chance to listen to different versions of English. In Britain, Graham Norton’s shows are popular, and in America, Jimmy Felon’s shows .
Of course, over time, you better go to the original movies. And you can watch them not only at home, but also in the cinema, if there is a cinema in your city that turns films with subtitles. If you drive a car, go to English radio stations or listen to audio books and radio plays. In general, any foreign language background has a good effect on the ability to perceive speech by ear. Unbeknownst to you, you will get used to a different intonation and tempo of speech. If you already have a very high level of proficiency in a language, then listening to anything in English will help maintain tone: words and grammatical structures will not be forgotten.
Reading
If you are not sure that you will draw a real English book in the original, then continue reading the adaptations. There is a mass of adapted books of levels B1 and B2, and after each chapter you will continue to be offered reading exercises. Do not be shy to read children's books. They are usually written in simple language and not very long. Of course, they will not give you deep knowledge of the language, but they can be the first step towards reading more serious literature.
Having mastered the base of the language, you can switch from training texts to foreign articles and blogs. Of course, you can read newspapers such as the Times, but it is better to find blogs and sites that are interesting to you. For example, you like to read about travel. Go to the search engine and enter “Top 10 traveling blogs” in the search bar. Then just follow the links and select your favorite blogs. Remember: even one article per day is already a warm-up for the brain.
Read a little and at your pleasure. Of course, having reached the C1 level, it is definitely worth switching to the original literature. Believe me, not even the best translation can compare with what was written by the author in English.
Letter
Unfortunately, the ability to write correctly in the modern world for some reason has ceased to be appreciated. Almost no one writes by hand, except in school. We use the built-in dictionaries and auto-correcting and much more often typing than writing ourselves. However, you definitely need to master at least the basics of writing. Learn to write different types of letters: requests, complaints, suggestions. Learn the basics of business correspondence and learn cliches that open and close letters, as well as structure them. If you need English for international exams, then you will have to learn to write different types of essays, articles, reviews and the like. This is best done with the help of preparation for the right exam. But whatever you write, you can check your spelling on the Grammarly resource.
In the previous article, we also included grammar in the “Letter” section. The higher the level, the harder the grammar. On the other hand, there are fewer rules, and you are not studying voluminous topics, but details. But the devil, as we know, lies precisely in them, so do not forget about grammar, even if you seemingly already know everything.
Speaking
The higher the level, the more intelligent and beautiful your speech. At high levels, you will need to master phrasal verbs, running idioms, fixed expressions (collocations) and slang. There is no way to be silent and just memorize the expression. If you really want to learn to speak, then you will need to practice. This can be done with friends who also learn or already speak English, in conversational clubs or with real foreigners. The latter can be found on various sites such as WeSpeke or iTalki . On such sites you can find both regular carriers and qualified teachers. You can communicate with the first and communicate via video link, with the second you can engage in the production of pronunciation and working out speech skills.
Ideally, you need to find a so-called Language Buddy or English Friend - a carrier who can correct your mistakes and will be happy to talk with you on various topics. Sometimes the process can be mutually beneficial if a foreigner learns Russian or another language known to you.
What else can you do?
A lot of everything! If you like board games, then you can order or find a place in your city where you can play these games, but in English. On the Internet a lot of learning games in English. Just search for “English flash games”, and you can add exactly which games you need, for example, “English flash games for vocabulary”. So you can spend time for games with benefit.
It is extremely useful to start your blog in English and just write something there three or four times a week. It will be difficult, and you will be mistaken and afraid, but it is necessary so that you write more confidently and do not make spelling mistakes.
English marathons with tasks are regularly held on social networks, but you can create such a marathon yourself. For example, in the course of a month, study 5 new expressions per day or write 10 sentences to the blog. It is also extremely interesting to arrange a real test for yourself and look for English around. A lot of borrowing from English has come to the Russian language, and often students do not even suspect that they use the English word. Arrange a competition with friends: who will find more signs with English words?
Whatever you choose, the general rule is one: surround yourself with English. Every day you have to watch, listen, read, or talk to someone. Of course, it will be very difficult for you, but at the same time, the more often you practice, the faster you will learn to perceive a foreign language. Do not forget that you can learn something new at any age, and the excuse “my age is not the same” simply does not work. With age, you learn more slowly, but still learn. The main thing is to work gradually and every day.
If you want to upgrade English, come to us
Readers of the blog give a coupon for 500 rubles for the purchase of a subscription, which includes 8 types of training and weekly mailings about English grammar and vocabulary - "Vitaminki" and "Buns".
And for unlimited and perpetual access to all features of the site there is an “All Inclusive” tariff (the discount does not apply).
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/410323/