5 Golden Rules for learning English

Remember, achieving your goal deserves your best.
So if you really want to learn or improve, follow me and I’m sure you will recognize your progress in putting these tips into practice.

No fear
Less than 10 percent of the English-language communications that are happening right now while you are reading are between native English-speaking people. It means that more than 90 percent of English spoken, written, heard, comes from people like you and me for whom English is not their mother tongue. We therefore all have the same problems, of grammar, of pronunciation, of comprehension. Who can judge you? We grew up educated in the culture of the red pen that underlines the error. How much nicer is it to underline the most beautiful phrases in green or to compliment the most successful ones? The most widely spoken language in the world, now lives and changes thanks to the contributions of accent, syntax, grammatical errors coming from each of the other 6999 languages ​​in existence. So don’t be afraid to try, the more you try, the more you learn, the more you contribute. You can also read How to overcome the fear of speaking English, you will find some other tips. Do you want to tell me about your best English conversation you ever had?

Do not compare yourself to others! – Do not compare yourself to others!
There is always someone who makes fewer mistakes, has higher grades than you, the most beautiful backpack, the newest phone, more money, a better job … Comparing yourself to others is depressing but above all it leads us nowhere and then I don’t see the reason to do it. Instead, I advise you to compare yourself to yourself: try to notice what level Trinity were at three years ago and where you are today, how many irregular verbs you managed with ease, how many idioms … This thought will make you feel good and give you new motivations to keep improving. I’m curious to know all your improvements, would you like to write them down?

Need
I do not like that English is considered only a subject, I prefer to compare it to a sport where it is certainly useful to know the fundamentals and it is very important to try them in the game situation, where muscles and brain have to act and react easily for the final goal. I therefore advise you to put yourself in a position to need to use the language and therefore move from the sterile practice of learning the rules to the most effective practical use. Look for English-speaking friends on social media, when you are at the beach or on vacation make friends with a foreign girl or boy, travel and study abroadwhere you can immerse yourself in a context where you will necessarily have to adapt to living the language. English can thus become the tool you need to solve many small everyday situations. Have you ever had the need to use it and did you do great?

Every day learning
Never stop practicing, even if it is only five minutes a day, it is obvious that the more you do it, the more you learn. Keep in mind that it is much better to do 10 minutes a day every day, instead of 1 hour and 10 a week. Here are some tips to spend your time profitably: watch a video on topics you are passionate about, fashion, magic, travel, football, listen to a podcast, create a chat with friends abroad, set the English language on your devices, listen to the music. You probably already do this occasionally, but if you don’t do them consistently, it’s a bit like starting from scratch every time. Imagine a bucket where you occasionally pour a spoonful of water but you always find it empty because the previous one has evaporated. You will never fill it.
Another suggestion is to set deadlines such as signing up for a Trinity exam every year or every six months. If you are interested in doing it, ask me in the comments when and where the next session will take place, in the next posts I will also explain why I like this certification. Having a deadline will spur you on for your daily training.

Have fun
I am not aware that anyone has ever learned to do something unhappy. Start by buying your favorite diary, one as colorful as the diary you buy for school. On it you will write down all the new words or notes that you will need day by day. You can attach photographs, newspaper clippings, wrapping snacks, anything that reminds you of something significant for the language. Use colored pens and add lots of sketches or drawings, no matter the style. You will have your own scrapbook that will record all the important things to remember and progress for you. After a year it will be a surprise to review how much work you have done and where you were at a certain date, any progress will be immediately measurable. Above all, learning your favorite language has never been so much fun.