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Attend an English class or discussion group. Another great way to incorporate some extra English conversation into your weekly routine is to sign up for a class of discussion group.
Attending an English class is a great way to focus on some of the more formal aspects of speaking English. A class will teach you the grammatically correct way of speaking -- which includes proper sentence structure and verb conjugation and will generally provide a very structured approach to language learning.
Attending a discussion group is a more informal and relaxed way of learning English, where the emphasis is more on communication and relationship building than on speaking "correct" English. Speaking English in this setting can help you to become more comfortable with speaking in front of other people.
Both of these language-learning settings have their pros and cons, so it's best to do both if you can!
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Carry a dictionary. Carrying an English dictionary with you at all times (whether it's an actual book or a phone app) can be very useful.
Having a dictionary means that you will never be stuck for a word. It can save you a lot of embarrassment if you're having a conversation with an English-speaker and forget a word in the middle of the sentence -- all you have to do is take a second to look it up!
Aside from saving you awkwardness, looking up the word you need then immediately using it in a sentence will actually help you to commit the new vocabulary to memory.
It is also helpful to have a dictionary to peruse throughout the day during private moments, like when you're sitting on the train, waiting to cross the street or just having a cup of coffee. You could learn an extra 20 to 30 English words per day using this technique!
As a beginner, you should should start with an English dictionary that provides definitions in your native language. However, once your language skills improve, you should switch to using an English-English dictionary, which provides English definitions for English words.
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Part 2 of 3: Improving Your Writing, Reading and Listening Skills
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Listen to English radio or podcasts. One of the best ways to improve your English listening comprehension is to download English-language podcasts or radio apps on your phone or MP3 player.
You should then make an effort to listen to the podcasts or radio shows for at least 30 minutes per day. Do it in the gym, on your commute to work, or while you're sitting at your computer.
Make an effort to understand what's being said, don't just let the English wash over you. Even if you find it too fast, try to pick out key words and phrases to get a general idea of what the conversation is about.
If you can, make a note of any words or phrases that you don't understand and look up the translation afterwards. Then listen to the podcast or show again to hear the new words or phrases in context.
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Watch English movies and TV shows. Another fun way to improve your listening comprehension is to watch English movies and TV shows.
Try to pick movies or TV shows that you will enjoy -- this will make the exercise feel like less of a chore. If possible, choose movies or shows that you are already familiar with, such as children's cartoons or blockbuster films. If you already know the basic story you will find the language much easier to pick up on.
However, you should avoid watching movies or television shows with subtitles in your native language -- they will only distract you and make you less inclined to focus on understanding the English, which is the whole point of the exercise.
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Read an English book, newspaper or magazine. Reading is an essential part of learning a new language, so don't forget to practice!
Find something you are really interested in -- whether that's a famous English novel, The New York Times or a fashion magazine and start working your way through it. If you find the content boring, you will be less inclined to persevere with it.
Again, make an active effort to actually understand what you're reading, don't just skim over it. Highlight any words or phrases that you don't understand, then look them up in the dictionary.
If you're alone, you could also try reading aloud -- this will allow you to improve your reading comprehension while also working on your pronunciation.
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Keep a diary in English. Aside from reading and listening comprehension, you should also spend some time working on your written English.
This may be one of the most difficult aspects of your language learning, but it is important nevertheless. Writing in English will help you to work on your sentence structure, gra