- Your vocabulary is too limited to have a conversation. Everyone wants to speak English after the first few lessons. But it is important to realize that in order to speak any language you need a sufficient supply of words and knowledge about grammar, so that you can formulate a meaningful sentence. Yet, do not let your energy and inspiration evaporate. Just take your time getting into complicated conversations. After each lesson, systematize new knowledge and those you already have - words, expressions, grammar. Based on the relevant language stock, try to construct phrases that fit your level. The more you use them, the easier it will be for you to communicate.
- You learn new words, but when someone uses them - you don't understand their meaning
The main purpose of language is communication, that is, the exchange of thoughts and ideas between people. I mean, it's not enough just to be able to talk, you have to be able to understand what they're saying, because otherwise there won't be any dialogue. We are often so focused on our desire to talk that we forget, and our listening skills need exercise. If you suffer from this type of misunderstanding, then it is time to improve your listening skills. There are several easy ways you can use:
- Watch movies without subtitles;
- listen to radio or podcast;
- watch TV or other shows to your liking, but in English;
- Listen to music. Fill your day with English speech at all, and do not worry if you do not understand well at first. Your ear needs to get used to hearing and recognizing words. So get your patience and positive, and you will soon experience significant progress.
- You understand the language well, but you can't speak. This is the more frequent scenario that happens to English learners. We hear and read the language every day, but it is very difficult to overcome our language barrier. One reason is that in everyday life we do not have to speak English but Bulgarian. The solution is simple - speak! In the global world of Internet people with whom to practice are literally a click away. Put in some time to find the right communities for you - groups of people who like you want to train their English, forums for different discussions or even Facebook friends. You don't necessarily have to find a naive speaker. A friend who speaks the language well will also do. But if you want to not rely on chance and have a foreseeable horizon in which to see improvement - sign up for Conversation course.
- There are too many words that mean the same thing.
Yes, there are synonyms in every language and often for people who study it as a foreign person it is difficult to navigate. You will certainly continue to experience difficulties if you simply learn the words on your own. To avoid such situations:
- Whenever you learn a new word, try to do it by including it in a sentence. When you save it in use, you will not only learn its meaning, but you will be able to use it correctly and also recognize it when you hear it in the corresponding phrase. To study so use phrases that match your level to avoid further confusion. Don't be so quick to learn all of a sudden! If you build a stable foundation, you can easily and effortlessly build on time;
- use a synonymous dictionary. So you will not only teach the synonyms a certain word, but also the reflections of its meaning. Find a good dictionary that illustrates the meaning with examples;
- learn meaning, but not translation, but with an explanation in English. This method has many positive effects. First, your brain will automatically begin to understand, not translate when you listen. And secondly, the very explanation consists of phrases, that is, a brief related text which in itself is also a context for the word concerned. This will definitely help you avoid confusion with the synonems.
- You want your speech to sound natural.
Yes, this is often a difficult task, especially if you do not live in an English - language country. But it's certainly not impossible. Here are some more useful tips that will help you sound natural:
- learn new words in use - repeat the advice because it works. Consist with your level and the area in which you use language - everyday life, work, school ...;
- learn idioms and phraseological expressions - they will really make your language live and natural. But beware of their use, for not every layer of the tongue allows the use of one or another expressions;
- If you have no natural environment, watch TV shows. Yes, it's a series, because there you can hear much more than the living language. Not only will you learn new words and expressions and how to use them properly, but you will also feel the atmosphere of everyday language or how it communicates in an office environment, for example.
- You've been learning a foreign language for years, but you don't see progress.
One of the best ways to learn a foreign language is by exercising it. This includes both written and oral use. I mean, the more you read, listen and speak English, the better you'll understand and speak. And although this seems easy in a world where English is everywhere in our daily lives, we often fail to achieve the level at which we hope. Why is this so and how to correct mistakes that prevent you from speaking freely in English? Here are some problems and tips on how to handle: