Learning everything new is a daunting task that requires time and effort to master it. When you decide to take up a new sport, learning the techniques is necessary if you do not want to get injured while playing. Also, you should pay attention to your diet so that it will aid you in improving your mental and physical health. The same method applies to any other leisure or academic activities, particularly pursuing a new language, and what I am referring to here is English. With massive amounts of words and grammar to learn, the differences in pronunciation despite being identical, etc., English is undoubtedly a difficult language to get the better of it. However, you should by no means think there are no methods to help students learn it more easily. As for what they are, make sure you are ready to be taken on a wild ride, after which you will have to utter: “Can learning English be this simple?”
1.Learning word roots.
The root of a tree helps anchor it to the ground so that it is stabilized, and a word root forms the basis of new words through the addition of prefixes and suffixes. Understanding the meaning of word roots can help you guess the meaning of words including them. Good news for you: Many words we use in daily life come from a word root, and once prefixes or suffixes are omitted, the root is usually what remains. For example, the root “ex-” means “former” (ex-wife, ex-husband) or “out” (exterior, export). Many words can be developed from a single word root, so if you manage to learn by heart 20 to 30 word roots, you have already known at least 60 to 90 new words, which surely helps you save time and establish a systematic approach. However, not all identical words have the same meaning. For example, the root “a-” usually means not, without (atypical, amoral), but it does not apply to the word “abroad”.
Also, when you meet a familiar word, try to guess its other forms by adding prefixes and suffixes, and then check them out. By doing this, you will have a chance to use your judgment and feel excited when you check the answers, thus making you more enthusiastic about learning English.
2.Take your time
It would be best if you studied slowly but surely so that you can memorize what you have learned longer. Never mind if your peers move up to the next level so quickly, because it is very likely that they will forget what they learned soon as a result of rushing into new lessons, which should never be allowed in pursuing a new language. Don’t compare yourself with others either, always think that your version of tomorrow is better than that of today, try little by little; others will have to look up to you in the future. So, write down new things and revise them regularly for the purpose of long-lasting knowledge, or else you will waste time learning all from the beginning in the future.
Additionally, you can use the Pomodoro technique to aid your study, which means that you learn in 25 minutes in a row, and then take a 5-minute break. This technique has proved to be highly effective because it helps you complete your work effectively, yet still makes you feel comfortable.
3.Turn learning English into your hobby.
You only like something when it brings you fun and happiness, especially after long hours of work. As an adult, don’t consider learning English as a tool to help you go far in life. As a student, it should not be viewed as a mere subject at school or a means to an end, without which you will get bad grades. This thinking pattern only makes you feel more stressed when you learn English. At this time, you should take part in some recreational activities, of course, in English. You can solve a crossword, write a journal of your own, etc. or anything new you can think of if you are bored with reading books or listening to music. In the process, you will come across some words or expressions you have never seen before, and to understand the game as well as make the best of your leisure time, you will have to look them up. People tend to call back on happy moments, so everything contributing to these memories will be, too. Gradually, you will develop an affection for the activities, and learning English will naturally become your habit.
4.Talk to foreigners
When you communicate with native speakers on a regular basis, your speaking skills, together with listening skills, will be remarkably improved. Students who study abroad in English-speaking countries are the living evidence for this. However, you can still stand a chance of talking to foreigners if you study or work domestically, especially when you live in cities, which are visited or resided by lots of overseas citizens. Therefore, you can see them almost everywhere: on the streets, in restaurants or famous places. You don’t have to be under pressure when you are in a dialogue with them as they won’t find fault with you. All you need is the courage to approach them and say hi. And one more thing to bear in mind: Do not ask people from English speaking countries about tips to learn English effectively, as it is their mother tongue. I used to do the same when I was smaller, but they all gave the same answers, which are very general and can be easily found on the Internet. Some of them even say: “I’m not sure, I don’t have to learn English.”, so take your chance to communicate with them in order to train your reflex and get used to the intonation as well as accent.
I hope you infer some practical tips from this post. If you still have doubts about how they work, apply them to verify. Once you find them effective, share with your friends and families so that they can learn English effortlessly, just like you and I did. Opportunities are open to everyone, as long as you don’t give up. Good luck!
