How to improve your level in learning English. How to improve your knowledge of English without teachers and courses.

Hello, friends! If you know a foreign language, then you can speak it. But often people learn English for years, and not only are they not approaching the level of good spoken English, but they cannot even string two sentences together. My colleague, an experienced teacher, Alexander has prepared an article for you on how to learn to speak English.

How to improve your speaking level in English?

Nowadays there are more and more English teachers. And not only are there more Russian-speaking teachers who teach English, but also native speakers are increasingly actively offering their services, for example, via Skype.

I think the goal of your training is first and foremost to develop good spoken English. One of my students told the following story:

I read several textbooks, did assignments, tests, but I can’t say anything. It's kind of a mess, and I feel like there are a lot of mistakes. I understand that we need to communicate more; a dry study of grammar and vocabulary will not give the desired result. But I don't know where to start.

This is certainly a common problem. You don't have to chase volume. Spoken English is not something that comes from doing routine writing exercises. To speak, you need to start speaking. Otherwise it won't work. Sometimes it’s scary, there’s some kind of embarrassment. But what is there to be afraid of? You need to start right now, train, so as not to embarrass yourself later. It's not even a matter of shame. We need to talk. And if we can't even say simple thing, then we ourselves cause discomfort to ourselves and our interlocutor.

How to improve your spoken English level. Here are some tips:

1.Talk more. Don't wait for the right situation, you can create it yourself. For example, find friends on English-language forums for learning English and chat on Skype.

2.If there is a teacher, try to speak only English during lessons. And I should most classes, it’s not the teacher who speaks, but you.

3.Listen to English speech more, read dialogues - this will give a big boost.

And, of course, we need to improve the general level of English. But be sure to try to speak more, and gradually the language barrier will be broken by your regular efforts.

Sincerely, Alexander Bebris, English teacher

How to improve your English level

1. Continue studying with the teacher

“I don’t know what to grab first” is one of the main reasons why a student finds it difficult to overcome the plateau effect. At the intermediate level, many paths are open to you: you can listen to podcasts, read books, watch movies, etc. Therefore, many English learners from this level quit classes with a teacher and start studying on their own. However, choosing the right path to learning English yourself is difficult, because this is the first time you have found yourself at such a fork in the road. Therefore, in order to quickly improve your English level, we advise you to continue studying with your teacher, who has experienced the effect of the plateau effect on himself and his students and knows how to cope with it. In addition, lessons with a teacher discipline you: you will be less tempted to skip class or put something off “for later.”

2. Try lessons with a native speaker

Speaking is a skill that continuing students need to work hard on. And at the middle stage in an effective way This skill will be developed through classes with a native English speaker. He will teach you to communicate naturally, to use idioms, phrasal verbs, slang in your speech - those “highlights” of the language that distinguish the speech of a person with a high level of English proficiency from a person at an average level of knowledge. This is how you can move to the next level of foreign language proficiency. If you wish, you can combine lessons with a native speaker and lessons with a Russian-speaking teacher, this will also be effective.

3. Don't slow down

It would seem that upon reaching an intermediate level, the pace of learning can be slowed down: you seem to know quite a lot, and all that remains is to improve your knowledge. In fact, this is not so: the material is on average and high levels training is more complex and extensive than at previous levels. This is why we recommend not slowing down, or even better, speeding it up. Moreover, it is best to increase the intensity by independent studies, and if you study in a group or with a teacher, you can also increase the duration of the lessons. During lessons with a teacher, devote maximum time to speaking practice so that you can be taught to speak competently and fluently.

4. Find people to talk to in English

This is the most difficult and at the same time the most important task, because we learn English primarily in order to speak it. Take every opportunity to communicate in the language you are learning: go to English language discussion clubs, attend group lessons and talk with classmates, find yourself a friend on a language exchange site, etc.

5. Prepare for the exam

Most the right way To find out whether you have reached the next level of the English language, take an international exam, in which case you will receive an independent assessment of your knowledge. For example, if your knowledge is at the Intermediate level, set yourself a goal to pass the FCE. In this case, during preparation you will solve various tasks corresponding to the next level - Upper-Intermediate, and you will be able to see what you should know at this new level. And after you are awarded a certificate of successful completion of the exam, there will be no trace of the plateau left.

6. Learn English grammar for intermediate students

It would seem that at the Intermediate level you have already become familiar with all tenses of English, but there are important grammatical structures that are required to move to the next level of knowledge.

Sources of knowledge:

• Without good textbook It will be difficult to study grammar, because everything in the book is systematized. We recommend that those continuing the “blue Murphy” textbook “English Grammar in Use” at the Intermediate level (it is also suitable for Upper-Intermediate). You can also take Oxford Practice Grammar at Intermediate level. These books present the theory briefly and clearly and provide many practical exercises.
• To get acquainted with the theory and practice it with practical exercises, take a look at our blog, where it is presented, select the “Intermediate” tab.
• As you learn grammar test yourself to see how the plateau effect is gradually replaced by the effect of rising to the next level of knowledge. In the article "" you will find resources for checking your achievements

7. Keep learning new words

Your vocabulary is already quite large, but the more you expand it, the faster you can improve your English level.

What words should beginners learn:

• Vocabulary from special textbooks. Textbooks for learning English vocabulary are the best assistants for advanced students. Their value is that they give you thematic selections of words presented in texts, dialogues and practical exercises. Such manuals teach you not just new words, but the rules for using them. We recommend the following textbooks for those continuing: “English Vocabulary in Use” at the Pre-Intermediate - Intermediate or Upper-Intermediate - Advanced level, “Oxford Word Skills” at the Intermediate or Advanced level, and the “4000 Essential English Words” series of manuals. These books have answers to all tasks, so you can even study from them on your own.
• Unfamiliar words from texts. Books or articles in English are a valuable source of new vocabulary. Write down unfamiliar words that often appear in the text or play important role to understand the meaning of what they read, and teach them. At the same time, give preference modern literature, books and articles on the Internet in English adapted for your level of knowledge.
• Synonyms and antonyms of words you already know. The words good and bad are good to use at beginner levels. At the middle stage, you need to expand your vocabulary with synonyms and antonyms of similar words. Fortunately, you don’t even have to look for them yourself; you can always find this information in electronic dictionaries. For example, enter the word good into the search bar on the website, and under the heading “Related to GOOD” you will see a fairly extensive list of synonyms and antonyms for it.
• Phrasal verbs. Phrasal verbs are just as widely used and just as difficult to learn as idioms. We recommend studying such vocabulary using a special textbook “Phrasal Verbs in Use”, and also take note of the application “The Phrasal Verbs Machine” (,).
• Collocations. Collocations are stable phrases. They need to be taught to make it easier for you to correctly select words for each other and make sentences. In addition, phrases are easier to remember than individual words. It is best to learn such phrases using the textbook “English Collocations in Use Intermediate”. In addition, you can use a special dictionary “”.
• Idioms. This vocabulary will embellish your speech, make it more natural and expressive. Native speakers use idioms everywhere, even in formal speech. We recommend using the special textbook “English Idioms in Use Intermediate”, it presents various practical exercises to help you remember set expressions and the rules for their use. Learning proverbs and idioms is not always easy, so we have written several useful articles: “”, “”. In addition, you can install applications for learning idioms “English Idioms and Phrases” () and “English Idioms Illustrated” () on your gadget.
• Slang. Slang words and expressions will be found in almost all books, films and TV series. Therefore, it is important to take time to memorize such vocabulary to improve your English proficiency. The meaning of slang expressions can be found in a specialized dictionary.
• Lists of words from learning blogs. Pay attention to the articles in the “ ” series on the Macmillan online dictionary website. Each of these small notes provides example sentences with useful vocabulary on a specific topic.
• Words on special electronic resources. Special sites for learning words for intermediate students will help you learn new vocabulary using various tests. We recommend using or, they are specifically aimed at people with an average level of English.

8. Listen to audio and watch video

It is important for those continuing to develop perception skills English speech aurally. Moreover, if earlier you had to understand at least some of what was said on a simple recording, now you need to complicate your task - try to understand 70-80% of what you heard. Also, listen to more complex audio recordings and watch videos of people speaking with different accents, and then try to explain the idea of ​​​​the video in your own words, at the same time practicing your speaking.

• Podcasts- an excellent “trainer” for English language learners. Moreover, it is also portable exercise machine: You can save files to your smartphone or tablet and study whenever it’s convenient for you. We recommend where you will find many free educational materials. Also pay attention to the resource, where you will find fascinating video lectures on any topic that interests you.
• Watching movies and TV series- the most pleasant and exciting technique that helps improve your listening comprehension of English speech. You can just watch them in free time for your own pleasure, but it is better to use the techniques from the article “”.
• Online dictations will help you develop both listening and spelling skills. We invite you to visit, where you will find short assignments different levels difficulties. Such training will not take much time and will be beneficial.

9. Read in English

Reading texts in English is a great opportunity to see how the grammar and vocabulary being studied “works” in practice, and to learn new words, and it’s also just a fun activity.

• Adapted books convenient because you won’t need to consult the dictionary often. The text contains no more than 3-10 unfamiliar words per page, and at the end of each publication there is a dictionary. Adapted literature can be found on the website and.
• Literature in the original is a good challenge for an average level of knowledge. Reading the book may be difficult at first, but you will learn many new words and enjoy reading the work as the author created it. You can find many books in English on the website.
• Modern articles on the Internet are a convenient alternative for those who do not have the time or desire to read long piece. Small articles on various topics can be found on. And you can read more serious and complex material in the online newspapers “The Guardian”, “The Washington Post”, “The Daily Telegraph”.

10. Write in English

When you write something in English, you learn to formulate your thoughts in the target language, you can use the words you just learned and consolidate them in your memory. If you later need to say a similar phrase in a conversation, it will be easier for you to formulate it, so writing skills also need to be improved for those who want to cross the plateau and improve their level of English.

How to improve your writing skill:

• Translation exercises will teach you how to correctly construct sentences in English. And this is useful for both written and oral speech. Read our article “”, from it you will learn why and how to perform such exercises. And read about the 2 best manuals with translation exercises.
• Online dictations. We have already written about them in the previous paragraph, so we can say that this is a universal exercise that will kill two birds with one stone.
• Essay. By writing an essay on different topics you will achieve two goals: learn to express your thoughts in English and learn new words. Replenishment vocabulary occurs if you do not limit yourself to using vocabulary you already know, but look for new words in the dictionary and use them in your essay. Thus, you immediately use the new word in context, and when writing you also use mechanical memory, which also makes memorization easier. However, one should take into account the fact that such work makes sense when it is checked by a person who knows English well. So for maximum benefit, try to find a teacher or someone else to proofread your essays.
• Groups in in social networks . On Facebook and Vkontakte you can count hundreds of groups for learning English. In such public pages, correspondence in English is welcome: you can comment on posts you like or communicate in one of open topics. Take a look at our English learning groups

How to raise your level of English above average? The main reasons for the lack of progress in language learning at the Intermediate level.

To understand how to overcome the Intermediate level and improve your level of English to Upper Intermediate, it is important to honestly ask yourself: “Am I regularly attending classes?”, “Am I completing homework in full?" “Do I use alternative resources to improve my vocabulary?” Often, having felt a little confidence in language proficiency, which comes with the moment of studying at Intermediate, we allow ourselves to relax a little, and then this moment on the contrary, we should make every effort - after all, we need to know how to raise the level of English to Upper-Intermediate.

Each level in learning English requires proficiency in a certain set of words, expressions and grammatical structures. At the Intermediate level they should be phrasal verbs, idiomatic expressions, proverbs, subjunctive mood, passive voice.

Studying a foreign language in an artificially created environment - in the classroom, not in natural environment, not living in an English-speaking country, a person should strive with full responsibility to use all the material covered in his speech, even if sometimes making a fair effort on himself.

It is important not only to independently assess your skills, but also to apply for expert opinion to a foreign language school - take a live test or . Also, for training you must carefully choose a specialist teacher who successfully works with Intermediate levels and higher.

Foreign languages

Improve your English level to Advanced

At the moment my level is Upper-intermediate, I really want to improve it. There are a number of reasons for this. First of all, I am an English tutor. I worked mainly with children, then little by little adults began to become interested in my services. This really motivates me to improve my professional skills. Secondly, improved quality of services will provoke an increase in income, which is also important. Third, I want to enjoy and understand the language even more. Fourthly, I love learning. The goal is multifaceted, containing other, more important goals. I think everything will work out!

Goal Accomplishment Criteria

English test shows Advanced level

Personal resources

Enthusiasm, passion for language and knowledge, Internet resources, textbooks, foreign friends, desire, patience, activity.

Goal ecological compatibility

Improving your language level and professional qualities will affect the quality of my services and, consequently, the level of knowledge of my students and their happiness in the process of learning the language.

Learning English for many of our readers may not be as simple a task as it might seem at first glance. Like, what is there: buy self-instructions, an audio course - and learn. As a last resort, you can enroll in a local language school or take advantage of audio lessons and various interactive or foreign language learning platforms.

5 Ways to Improve Your Spoken English Proficiency

Work on your pronunciation: Good pronunciation will help you achieve mutual understanding when speaking with those for whom English is their native language. There are three different levels of pronunciation, and most English learners use all three levels in one way or another. In order to use all three and improve your pronunciation, we recommend that you various lessons and audio courses.

Listen to as many programs as possible and: Most beginners prefer to read a lot, but listen little to broadcasts and “live” English speech. Start with listening first, and then move on to constant reading and writing. Spend more time listening various options pronunciation, accents and style of English speech. In addition, it will be a good help to practice reading aloud, speaking monologues and dialogues in person out loud and repeating what is spoken out loud after the teacher or an audio recording.

Read aloud often and a lot. There are, however, a couple of difficulties with this:

Not everyone can easily formulate thoughts in English words

Not everyone can pronounce it the first time

Reading aloud will help solve the second problem by building skills. To improve your pronunciation, read large texts out loud several times. The words that cause you the most difficulty should be repeated a couple of times separately: the first time - slowly, the second time - at an accelerated pace, so that it sounds as natural as possible.

Learn entire phrases, not individual words. When you have learned a new word, then learn a whole phrase or sentence with it. Repeat this phrase or sentence up to 10 times in a row to make it sound as natural as possible and your pronunciation to be as effortless as possible.

Oral lessons and audio courses, as well as various thematic educational courses in English, will help you improve your speaking skills.

5 Ways to Improve Your Oral English Communication Skills

In communication your openness and naturalness of communication are often more important than following all the rules of grammar. Sometimes it’s better to say “not like the book,” but at the same time convey the correct idea to your interlocutor, rather than suffer for a long time, looking for words and formulating a complex grammatical structure.

When talking to your interlocutor, speak slowly. Speaking too quickly with an accent and mistakes will not make you “look like” someone who has known English since childhood. Slow pronunciation and unhurried speech have their own “advantages”:

You have time to think about what exactly you are going to say.

Your speech will be clearer and more understandable to the interlocutor.

Over time and with active communication with “native speakers”, your English will improve, your speech will become smoother and faster.

Practice thinking in English. Translate “thoughts in your head” from your native language into English, practice pronouncing and formulating sentences and phrases to yourself, thinking about events and what is happening in English, and not just in Russian.

If you forget a word, try replacing it with other words or a description of the “forgotten” concept. Often, beginners in learning English “stumble” in oral communication with other interlocutors, forgetting a word or definition. Don't get lost: use synonyms, antonyms, descriptive concepts, analogies.

And most importantly - don't be nervous! Conversation is not an exam; no one here requires you to have high grades or a thorough command of English. Be patient, be positive in your attitude towards your interlocutor, don’t get nervous for no reason and just learn new things: for this purpose, English as one of the key languages ​​of international communication is perfect.