Are you someone who is terrified of English? Have trouble understanding and conversing in the language? Well, good news for you! We are here to help you improve your English and help you say a big “Goodbye!” to your fears and phobia of the language.
Before you read the article, we just want to tell you that it is okay to not be good at English. It does not define you or your capabilities. With consistent and small efforts each day, you can be good at it. Keep faith in yourself and remember to always better yourself in your weak areas. There is nothing unattainable, and difficult if you have the right intent and methods. With that in mind, read the super easy and helpful tips that will help you, and those around you in bettering your language skills.
1. Accept your fears
The first and most important step towards learning something which scares us and makes us afraid is to admit and acknowledge our fears. Once we accept that a certain language makes us uncomfortable, and nervous, it gives a sense of motivation to improve ourselves. It makes us realize what our shortcomings are and how to overcome those. Therefore, kudos to you! You have accepted your fear and are actively trying to improve yourself by reading self-help articles, just like this one!
2. Make Notes
Now that we have started on a journey to improve our English, you will come across many new and interesting words that you may have never read or known. Whenever you see such words, make sure you write this word down in your notebook/diary/phone, etc. You can look up its meaning and sentence usage.You can also do this while reading. newspaper, books, articles,etc. This will help you increase your vocabulary and also help you tackle these words when you come across them next.
Pro Tip: We would suggest you write these words down on a medium you use the most. So, if like us, you use your smartphone frequently, you can jot these words down in your phone’s notes. You can keep on adding to these notes and revise them at a touch of a button!
3. Watch English movies, plays, and listen to English music
Just like we watch movies in languages we are comfortable with, we should also try to watch movies, shows, plays, and listen to music in English. Being surrounded by English, forces us to get out of our comfort zone and try to understand what is being said. If you struggle too much, you can always switch on the subtitles for a better understanding.
Pro Tip: You can use this tip while using Social Media too! However, the English used on these mediums is very informal and conversational, for eg: “wanna”, “dunno” ,etc. We need to look out for such informal English and make sure we only use formal English in our usage.
4. Try conversing in English with family and friends
The best way to get over fears is to face them. Start talking in English with your family. You don’t have to worry about speaking fluently or correctly. The exercise is to make sure that we try to get the words in our head, to get ourselves to try to form sentences, to try to speak these thoughts and words in front of someone. You can also ask your friends to converse with you in English and to guide you if you make any mistakes.
5. Read small stories and articles
English also comprises reading which helps us with comprehension and understanding of the texts. To improve these areas, you could start by reading short stories and articles. Even comics will do! If you come across any new idioms, words, and style of writing, you can always make notes of them, as discussed in the first point of this article, and make sure that you search for their meanings. This will improve and strengthen your understanding skills.
6. Try writing on your own
When you have been reading, listening and talking in english, the one part that you are left to practice is your writing skills. For this, you should try writing basic sentences about yourself, your likes and dislikes, or anything you feel comfortable writing about. If you want you can get these checked by a peer or family member who can show you your mistakes and teach you the correct manner in which you could have written it. After you have got it corrected, you can try writing a small piece again keeping in mind your previous mistakes and new tip that you may have gotten to know through your friends or family.
7. Language apps and websites
If you feel like you need guidance that suits your needs and requirements, you can always try trusted apps and websites which teach english online and that too free of cost. You read that right, Language apps like Duolingo, British Council, BBC Learning English etc. are some of the best apps which can help even the absolute beginners in the language to improve their language skills. They have fun ways of teaching English which is very user-friendly and easy to learn from.
We know that English is one of the most spoken languages in the world, and it plays a big role in almost all spheres of our life, be it education, or career. It becomes important to be good at it, given the high usage and demand of it in today’s day and age. While it is okay to not be great at English, it is certainly possible to improve it. We hope that you find these tips helpful, and use them everyday to get over your phobia and be the best version of yourself. Till then, keep on learning!
