Writing, reading and speech lie on different planes of knowledge and skills, so it is not surprising that a person who is versed in grammar may be confused when asked how to get to the museum. In the first two cases, we are working with textual information, but is it possible to learn abstract spoken English on your own? good authors teaching aids use all the resources provided, even if it is plain text without audio, however, the student is required to follow certain approaches in order to achieve the result, which we will talk about now.
Levels of knowledge
When it comes to the spoken form of a language, most of the time it means primary communication skills, not deep understanding, although this is not entirely true. In accordance with the requirements of the student, the following conditional categories of knowledge can be distinguished:
How to learn spoken English on your own?
Depending on your goals, you can selectively include the following steps in your conversational English for beginners program:
Almost all of the above steps, not related to communication as such, can be completed on our website. The Lim-English method offers many short texts and dialogues, on the basis of which you will create a basis for competent colloquial speech. By performing the suggested exercises, listening and repeating the phrases after the speaker, you will be able to replenish your vocabulary on the main conversational topics, work out the basic grammar rules in practice and memorize the basic structures that will later be useful to you in building your own statements.
This is business
The Dad says: I want you to marry a girl of my choice.
The Son says: No!
The Dad says: The girl is Bill Gates's daughter.
The Son says: Then okay.
The Dad goes to Bill Gates.
The Dad says: I want your daughter to marry my son.
Bill Gates says: No!
The Dad says: My son is the CEO of World Bank.
Bill Gates says: Then okay.
The Dad goes to the President of the World Bank.
The Dad says: Appoint my son as CEO.
The President says: No!
The Dad says: He is the son-in-law of Bill Gates.
The President says: Hmmm, OK!
This is business
Father says: I want you to marry the girl of my choice.
The son says: No!
Father says: The girl is the daughter of Bill Gates.
Son says: OK then.
Father goes to Bill Gates.
Father says: I want your daughter to marry my son.
Bill Gates says: No!
The father says: My son is the Chief Executive Officer of the World Bank.
Bill Gates says OK then
Father goes to the President of the World Bank
Father says: Appoint my son as Chief Executive Officer.
The President says: No!
Father says: He is Bill Gates' son-in-law.
The President says: Hmmm, OK!
Materials for learning spoken English
Suitable as an introduction "Book2 - English audio course" from the publisher Goethe Verlag. The course is focused on entry levels knowledge of the language, accompanied by a text phrasebook, Russian-English and English text recordings at a slow and normal pace.
Suitable for those familiar with colloquial speech Pimsleur English, which makes learning spoken English on your own as intuitive as possible thanks to the original memorization technique. With its help, you will not just memorize words, but delve into the very structure of the language, studying the principles of constructing a sentence and template constructions using real life situations as an example. It will also help in the development of conversational skills. "Rosetta Stone - English", which is based on dynamic immersion in the environment, that is, through natural gradual adaptation to a foreign language climate.
Conversational English courses
An alternative option for learning a language is classes with a teacher, including conversational courses and clubs.
How it works? You go to a specialized center, where they offer you a test to determine the level of knowledge. After passing it, you join a suitable group and begin to train your speech skills.
Usually the gradation of levels is as follows: beginners, continuing, improving. The first group includes those who can write, read and communicate in English on general topics, understand the main content (A1, A2). The second group (B1, B2) includes students with an extensive vocabulary, good knowledge of grammar and good listening skills. The third group (C1, C2) includes those who know the language at the level of a native speaker / close to a native speaker. Students on this bar typically have good pronunciation, excellent listening comprehension of different timbres and accents, they are not averse to speaking English on any topic, and they do it fluently.
In conversation centers, classes are held in which students learn new vocabulary, train all kinds of aspects for mastering the language. The teacher is usually a native speaker.
Among these establishments, the most popular are:
- Easy Speak in Moscow offering to learn how to speak English using the ESL method;
- BKC with many courses of different directions - theatrical, cinematographic and literary;
- English Isle in St. Petersburg with a convenient location and the ability to create an individual program.
Want to start improving your English speaking right now? Then memorize the phrases below.
Phrases for speaking in English. Exercises
It will be useful to remember introductory words- they will smooth out unnecessary pauses and make it clear that you know how to build a narration logically:
“As far / as to” is translated as “as to”, helps to draw the attention of the interlocutor to a specific aspect of the situation.
The expressions “in short / in brief” and “in a word” (“in a nutshell” and “in a nutshell”) are relevant when you need to briefly talk about a case / phenomenon / act.
"What's more" ("besides") is used if you need to add something to what has already been said.
Remember to say "After all" (after all, in the end), summing up the conversation or the situation.
"I'm so sorry!" ("I'm very sorry!") - use if you have been told sad news, as an expression of sympathy and regret.
If you see that the person needs help, ask "May I help you?", offering to help.
Entering the premises, be sure to let the ladies and higher-status people go ahead. Then those who miss say "After you!" ("After you!").
You can find even more colloquial phrases at the link.
Well, did you make some progress? In addition to everything, complete the task below:
Complete the conversational phrase with the right word
Choose the right response
Make popular words conversational phrases for tourists
Online service to improve your English speaking skills Lim English, in particular the exercise " Oral translation". Register and get started!
Despite the fact that at school a foreign language is included in the group of compulsory disciplines, few manage to master it within the framework of the school course. So the question is how to learn English language on your own from scratch at home, it costs sharply.
You can learn a language at home without outside help. You just need to have a clear motivation and choose the right course of study. This will get you results. I have a collection of tips that I will present to your judgment.
- First of all, determine the goals for which you are learning the language: passing an international exam, employment in a foreign company, communication with residents of other countries, or confidence in foreign travel. The methodology is determined by intentions.
- I recommend starting with learning the basics. Without this, it is impossible to learn the language. Pay attention to the alphabet, reading rules and grammar. The tutorial will help you to cope with the task. Buy it at the bookstore.
- As soon as the initial knowledge becomes stable, choose the contact study option. It's about about remote courses, school distance learning or Skype lessons. If you are highly motivated and your language learning is progressing well, having an interlocutor will not hurt, since external control is the key to successful learning.
- Mastering the chosen course, pay attention to reading fiction. At first, I recommend using adapted books. In the future, switch to full-fledged texts. As a result, master the technique of speed reading.
- Novels and detective stories are suitable for learning. Even if the chosen book is not a literary masterpiece, it will help to expand the vocabulary with new words and expressions. If unfamiliar vocabulary is encountered while reading, I recommend writing it out, translating and memorizing it. Over time, you will see that an extensive vocabulary array is often repeated in works.
- Watch movies, series and shows in English. At first, even with effective and intensive training, it is problematic to understand something. Over time, get used to foreign speech and be able to understand. Spend half an hour daily watching.
Even if you have recently started learning a language, try to talk more often and do not be afraid of mistakes. Learn to express thoughts, and master the technique of constructing phrases with practice.
Ways to Learn English in the Shortest Time
Continuing the topic of the article, I will share the technique of high-speed learning of the English language. I don’t know for what purpose you are learning the language, but if you ended up on the pages of the site, then you need it.
As practice shows, people get into awkward situations due to poor knowledge of the English language. We have to learn the language as part of the school course, but the knowledge gained at school is not enough for work and communication. Many strive to become better in this matter.
Any foreign language is easier to master in a country whose inhabitants are native speakers. But not everyone can leave the Motherland for the sake of such big goal. How to be?
- If you can't afford a short trip to the States or England, recreate an English-speaking environment at home.
- Study phrases in the target language daily. Give preference to complex phrases containing phraseological turns. A proverb or speech of a creative person will do.
- Lay out each phrase, rewrite it several times, print it out on paper and hang it on the refrigerator door or in another conspicuous place. The studied material is constantly pronounce aloud, making the correct intonation.
- Surround yourself with English. He must accompany you everywhere. The player will help with this. Listening to music or statements in a foreign language, you will initially understand poorly. Later, learn to catch words that will eventually develop into understandable phrases.
- Download the English-language series to your computer in the original, but with subtitles. Watch episode by episode before going to bed and discuss with your spouse or child the next day.
- An electronic book will become an assistant in the rapid development of English speech. Download from the Internet and read English-language works. AT e-book a dictionary is provided that will help you master complex literature, and the voice function will voice correct pronunciation.
- Don't forget about learning English via Skype. Find a teacher on the Internet, agree with him the time of classes and communicate within the lessons. This technique has many advantages. You can independently choose a teacher and agree on cooperation on favorable terms. It will offer a lot of interactive lessons based on an individual approach.
Videos training
The speed of achieving the goal and getting the result depends on perseverance, the level of motivation and the course of study chosen in accordance with the possibilities. Work hard and everything will work out. As a result, you will become smarter and feel free anywhere in the world.
Benefits of learning English
Compatriots are of the opinion that a thorough study foreign languages impractical. Popular films, literary works and scientific works have long been translated into Russian. For the sake of other spheres, areas and segments, it makes no sense to master a second language.
If you doubt the need to learn foreign languages, read the material and learn about the benefits of learning English. I have been teaching it for three years and I find this skill useful. I read, communicate and perceive live speech. A lot of experience has accumulated over the years.
Having mastered English, you will be able to perceive the world in a different way. This will not happen immediately, but by improving your knowledge and skills, you will gain a generally accepted perception of the world.
Let's take a look at the main benefits.
- Expanding horizons . The English-speaking audience of the World Wide Web is larger than the Russian-speaking part. Outside the information age, where it is considered the key to success not only in business, but also in life, owning a foreign language expands opportunities in terms of development.
- Watching movies in the original . As a result, it will be possible to enjoy the sound of the voice of your favorite actor, and not the translator who voices the roles. The play on English words and original humor will never escape.
- Understanding Music . Popular charts are full of foreign musical compositions. Knowing the language, you can understand the meaning of the song, feel the composition and get to know the personality of the performer.
- Communication with foreigners . Fluency in the language contributes to the unification of cultures. People travel and communicate with residents of other countries. Much nicer and more convenient when you can talk to foreigners. This makes the trip more enjoyable.
- Opening the way to success and wealth . After reading a few books about success, it turns out that not everything comes down to money. At the heart of the success of Western people lies the perception of the world and inner philosophy. You can read the translation of such books, but then you can only understand the essence of the teaching. Only the original helps to absorb knowledge.
Studying a foreign language, you find around you a huge number of foreigners. I like to talk with people who came to Russia from afar. It helps to make friends and makes the world "home". If you don't already know the language, it's never too late to start learning.
Why is English an international language?
I will devote the final part of the article to the factors due to which English has gained the status of an international language. English is the fourth most spoken language in the world. But this does not prevent him from remaining international. What contributed to this, history will tell.
From 1066 until the 14th century England was ruled by French kings. As a result, the structure of Old English changed. It's about simplifying grammar and adding new words.
Two centuries later, writing rules appeared that have survived to this day. At that time, 6 million people spoke English. Thanks to the English colonies, the number of native speakers increased and the formation of an international language began.
Britain was a maritime nation. After the discovery of America by Columbus, expeditions set off to the South American shores. Researchers were interested in values and treasures, and so that each voyage ended in success, colonies were formed on new lands. The first such settlement was organized in 1607 in Virginia.
After some time, residents of many countries began to migrate to America in search of a better life. Since they were talking mother tongue, it was impossible to do without an international language, and its role went to English speech.
The English, living in the new settlements, brought traditions along with the language. Local residents were forced to speak it. The British colonial policy contributed to the formation of English as an international language.
British imperialism lasted three centuries, and by the 19th century the country's influence had spread to the whole world. The colonies later gained independence, leaving English as their national language. This contributed to the strengthening of the international status.
Today, English is an integral element of the world community, economy, culture, technology and science. Whether you want to become a doctor, police officer, reporter or financier, English will help you succeed.
Knowing the language, you will be able to communicate with foreign friends and colleagues, draw information from an inexhaustible English source.
Be sure to warn you that you need to start not with the poems of Shakespeare and not even with the stories of Jack London. To improve your spoken English, first discover Alice in Wonderland or any fairy tales. In such literature easier language, which will allow you to feel how the level rises. Read books both in electronic form (electronic dictionaries can even help with translation) and in paper. At first, even fairy tales will seem difficult to you, but then you will see how easy it is to read in English, and how fast you are already reading.
Most modern players on your computer allow you to remove the Russian track in the film and watch the tape in English. To learn English and grammar, download subtitles for the movie (you can easily find them in a search engine by title) and paste them into the movie while watching (this can be easily done in Media player classic, Crystal Player, and many others). Stop the movie if you see an unfamiliar word or expression, look it up in the dictionary. You can write it out and then repeat the phrase several times. All this will allow you to speak English fluently.
3. Read English newspapers and use the English Internet
Reading newspapers is significantly different from reading books (both grammar and topics are more difficult). True, if you read English newspapers, watch English-language sites, this will give you the opportunity not only to keep abreast of events abroad, but also to understand how the language of English journalism sounds.
4. Go to a course or a tutor
I tried myself both there and there, so I know very well the disadvantages of each type of training. A tutor is an excellent tool for improving English grammar, because individual lessons always make you concentrate. However, courses will help to improve spoken English. With a tutor you are one on one, there is no feeling of spontaneous communication, group, while the courses allow not only to learn the vocabulary of the English language, but also to learn how to apply the grammar studied with the tutor.
5. Repeat
Remember how mothers teach their children to speak. Repetition of the same word several tens to hundreds of times, repetition of phrases, expressions. This is how any foreign language is mastered: there is no need to write out the darkness of words and memorize them. Just name all the surrounding objects in English. For example, imagine when you enter a store that you need to ask to see shoes not in your native Russian, but in English. Think over the phrase as you walk to the counter, repeat it to yourself several times. And every time now, when you approach the window, you will have exactly this, the right phrase, that will pop up.
6. Listen to audiobooks
Listening to audiobooks will help you learn spoken English quickly. As a rule, actors who read the text, place accents and stresses in the right places, speak clearly and correctly. You hear real live speech, however, it would be nice to have before your eyes the text that reads
7. Translate
Start translating books. Start small, and then by word, by preposition, translate more and more voluminous texts. This has several advantages at once: you will not only write out and learn new words, but also understand English grammar. Look up and write down everything that is not clear, and then find the answers in dictionaries or grammar books.
8. Speak up!
It may sound a little trite, but nothing will help you improve your level of English better than talking. Try to speak English even at home. If you want to eat, tell your family about it, first in English, and only then in Russian (if not everyone in the family speaks a foreign language). Try to even think in English when you walk or ride in transport.
9. Get a pen pal
This advice is similar to the previous one, but more productive. A friend from an English-speaking country will help you learn English. Get to know someone on ICQ if you don't have a friend in the US or UK. Chat with him, which will not only improve grammar, expand vocabulary, but also remove the language barrier.
It is important to just remember that English is, first of all, practice! Good luck!
Surely you have already read hundreds of articles on the Internet about how to learn English on your own and for free. Still not able to reach the desired level of knowledge? The thing is that many offer theoretical advice without backing it up with practice. Therefore, we decided to compile a practical guide to self-study. In this article, we will tell you if it is possible to learn English without anyone's help, explain what materials you MUST use when studying on your own and what resources you can use in addition so that you do not get bored learning English at home. You can save yourself a free PDF that lists all 156 resources, and at the end of the article we'll give you our Editors' Choice - a "best of the best" list.
Is it possible to learn English on your own
Let's first find out whether it is realistic to learn English on your own or if you should not waste time and effort on this activity. Let's say right away that learning English on your own and for free is quite realistic, because there are thousands of learning resources on the Internet that will help you do this. Why is it that not everyone succeeds in mastering the language at the desired level? You probably know people whose self-study has become a waste of time. Or maybe you yourself have repeatedly unsuccessfully tried to learn English?
We can say with confidence that only three factors determine whether you can learn English on your own:
- Your desire to learn the language.
- Willingness to work.
- An effective way to learn a language.
If both the first and the second factors are present, then it is only the third link that matters - the ability to find for yourself the most effective way to learn English on your own. This article is just designed to solve the problem of the third factor: we will tell you how to organize an effective studying proccess what materials you will need.
At the same time, we want to immediately warn you: self-learning is an interesting process, but not easy, and it is especially difficult for beginners. We still advise those who study the language "from scratch" to use the services. Under his vigilant supervision and expert guidance, you will move faster than with self-study. Do you want to walk this path without anyone's help? We have already written an article on this topic "", however, it is aimed specifically at beginners. In the same article, we will share resources for all English learners, so for beginners, it's best to start by studying the first article, and then return to this material.
How to learn English on your own
We have compiled 6 simple recommendations for you on how best to learn English on your own. These tips are based on the experience of our teachers and students. To make self-learning effective for you, follow all the recommendations, then positive results will not keep you waiting.
1. Set a specific goal
It is on your learning goal that all further actions for self-study of the English language depend. Think about whether you want to learn general conversational or business English, want to reach an intermediate level, or want to reach the top. You can look and choose a similar goal for yourself. In addition, a great right goal is to reach the intermediate level, in which case you will lay down a good knowledge base. Find out 8 more reasons to get to this stage from the article "".
2. Schedule your classes
It would seem that the beauty of self-study lies precisely in the fact that your English lessons are not tied to any particular moment: you learn the language when it is convenient for you. However, in reality it turns out as in a well-known anecdote. Your conscience torments you: “When will you sit down for English?” And you answered her: “Well, no, today I can’t, I’m so tired. Let's never. Will it ever suit you?" Agree, with this approach, it is impossible to learn English. Therefore, take a tight rein on yourself and make a specific schedule, for example, study for an hour daily or 3-4 times a week for 1.5 hours. Of course, having a schedule will not protect you from procrastination, but you will already know that you didn’t just “legally postpone the class, I’ll teach you later”, but missed it. Gnawing conscience is a good motivator!
3. Select the required resources
As we have already said, we have many sources of knowledge, and such an abundance useful resources does not always have a positive effect on learning. So, many people decide to learn English and in one day they buy all available textbooks, bookmark 541 English learning sites, install 37 language learning apps. On the one hand, such zeal is commendable. On the other hand, each textbook and each site has its own principles for presenting the material, therefore, if you study on different resources every day, you risk creating a mess in your head and in a week or two you will realize that you don’t know what to take on. Below we offer you a list of good time-tested resources for learning English by English proficiency. Spend a couple of days choosing no more than 1-2 resources for each skill.
4. Look for an interlocutor
Some people think that English can be learned "offline" using only books, audio and video materials. However, it is not. You can read Agatha Christie in the original and listen to BBC news, but what's the point if you find it difficult to speak English. You can speak the language you are learning only with the help of an interlocutor. Read on to find out how to find yourself a speaking partner.
5. Track your achievements
This is an important point for those who decide to learn English on their own at home. Be sure to complete test tasks to track your progress. You can do various online tests, such as knowledge level tests. It is important to check your mistakes. This is quite difficult when self-learning, so we wrote an assistant article "" for you. From it you will learn how to control your learning process.
6. Don't Take Long Breaks From Studying
Everyone has days when it seems like there is no time at all to learn English. In this case, we recommend finding literally 5-10 minutes and doing one of the exercises from the article "". If you still had to take a break in training, try not to delay it, otherwise the accumulated knowledge will start to fly out of your head and you will completely abandon your studies.
How to learn English for free at home: 156 useful materials
And now we will present you with resources that you will definitely need for effective self-study of English. You will see the entire list of resources in a PDF file that you can save to your computer for free:
Those who learn English on their own often complain that they cannot learn English grammar. In this case, we recommend taking an additional textbook with grammar exercises to the main textbook. When choosing such a book, be guided by our article "". Go through the manual from the first lesson to the last without missing anything, then the material will be easier to understand.
A good vocabulary will allow you to accurately express your thoughts, so try to constantly learn new words. It is advisable to take new vocabulary not only from your main textbook, but also from specialized manuals. Reliable source the right words will become one of . The practical exercises in these books will teach you how to use the learned words correctly in your speech.
Correct pronunciation is necessary for the interlocutor to understand you, so this skill also needs to be developed. If, when studying English with a teacher, you can do without a special manual, because the teacher will teach you how to pronounce sounds correctly, then with self-study English at home you will need a textbook. You can take one of the following: English Pronunciation in Use , New Headway Pronunciation Course , Tree or Three? , Ship or Sheep? , How Now, Brown Cow? , Elements of Pronunciation . In them you will find many tasks for listening and setting the correct pronunciation.
A good dictionary is an indispensable attribute of an English learner. We recommend that you first use a Russian-English online dictionary, such as multitran.ru or lingvolive.ru. When you reach the intermediate level of knowledge, start using English-English dictionary, such as macmillandictionary.com or dictionary.cambridge.org .
Would you like to use teaching aids? We recommend reading our article "", in which we talked about the benefits of using aids, and also indicated who can learn English without them.
Additional Resources
The listed textbooks will be enough for you to improve your English skills, but sometimes you want to take a break from books and diversify your learning with some interesting materials. We have compiled a large selection of the best resources for you to help you learn English on your own.
- We speak English
- Learning new words
New vocabulary can be taught not only by the manual, but also by more modern and exciting methods:
- Install word learning apps: Anki for Android and iOS, Easy Ten for and iOS or Fun Easy Learn English for Android and iOS. Learning 10 words will take no more than 5-7 minutes, we think that even a busy person will have time to study with applications.
- Learn words with visual dictionaries like online-languages.info or oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com. An association with a picture is remembered better and faster than a single word.
- Run tests on englishteststore.net and esl.fis.edu. You can check how well you remember the new vocabulary and see how it is used in speech.
- Solve crosswords: .
- Improving listening comprehension in English
It is quite easy to improve your listening comprehension of English on your own. We recommend the following methods:
- Listen to audio materials: .
- Watch the news: . You can first watch the video with subtitles, and then without them.
- Watch exciting educational videos and video lectures:.
- Listen to interesting audiobooks: .
- Listen to music: .
- Improving grammar knowledge
To learn to communicate in English, you need to try to speak it as often as possible. Where to find a partner for communication? On one of the language exchange sites, such as italki.com or es.coeffee.com. You will find even more ideas and resources for finding an interlocutor in the article "".
Remember: without knowing grammar, it is impossible to speak English normally. Therefore, let's see what methods, in addition to the exercises from the textbook, can be used to deal with grammar once and for all.
- Learn grammar from understandable articles in Russian: engblog.ru.
- Run tests: . Doing at least one debriefing test every day will help you gradually eradicate your mistakes.
- Watch instructional videos: . Also visit the wonderful resource engvid.com. Pay attention to the videos with the teacher Ronnie: even those who hate grammar will like her incendiary sense of humor and exciting lessons.
- Use the grammar learning apps: Johnny Grammar for and iOS or Learn English Grammar for Android and LearnEnglish Grammar for iOS. These simple gadget programs will diversify the way to work or a trip to the country.
Reading is the easiest skill to work on your own. How to do it:
- Read adapted literature: . Such books can be read by people with Beginner level and higher.
- Read books in the original: .
- Read fascinating articles: . A small interesting article - the optimal "dose" for those who want to learn English at home on their own.
- Read the news: install the Yahoo News Digest or BBC News app on your smartphone or tablet, then you will be in the know and will be able to improve your English daily.
- Read magazines: .
Improving pronunciation with self-study is not very easy: in order to analyze your speech and find errors in it, you need to have experience in learning English and know perfectly HOW all sounds should sound. But this difficulty can be overcome by using the following tricks:
- Learn to pronounce sounds correctly: .
- Practice speaking tongue twisters: download-esl.com has tongue twisters voiced by native speakers. Say at least a couple of them every day, and your pronunciation will improve in a couple of months, and it will become much easier to pronounce difficult sounds of English.
You can learn to write in English without the help of a teacher. The catch is that if you decide to learn English on your own, there will be no one to check your written work. There are services for communicating with foreigners, these sites offer something like a language exchange: you check the text in Russian, and a native English speaker checks your written work in English. However, keep in mind that illiterate people can also sit on such sites, so no one can guarantee the reliability of the check. In addition, your reviewer will at best just correct your mistakes, but not explain them. Therefore, if it is important for you to learn how to write well in English, you should think about lessons with a teacher. In addition, the following will help you:
- Learn to spell correctly...
- Work on pronunciation - .
- Online dictations - dictationsonline.com.
We have provided you with a detailed practical guide on how to learn English on your own and for free, and pointed out the best resources to help you succeed in this field. Now it's up to you. At first, this path can be difficult, because learning something new is never easy. Remember, when you first got on a bike, you probably fell more than once before learning how to ride. Driving English will also be difficult, but gradually you will be able to pick up speed and masterfully handle it. We wish you success in your studies!
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This is perhaps the most natural and enjoyable way to learn a language. The longer the journey lasts and the less it depends on tour operators and guides, the more language practice. Let at first it will be easier to explain everything on your fingers or poke at the desired picture in the guidebook, then the clip will pass and, completely immersed in the language environment, you will want to speak the local language. At the same time, it is absolutely not necessary to go to the UK or the USA; Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Malta and other countries are quite suitable here.
Chat with native speakers online
If you travel as long as you need to practice the language, until it works out, you can go surf the Internet and find English-speaking friends there by correspondence or Skype conversations. It is best to search on specialized sites, for example, here: busuu.com, interpals.net, mylanguageexchange.com, sharedtalk.com.
Watch lectures, films, series and cartoons in English
This method is for those who do not really like to communicate with people, but love to watch movies. Thus, it will turn out not only to learn the language, but also to listen smart people, expand your knowledge about the world, observe the skills of foreign screenwriters and directors, and just relax without feeling that time is wasted. The best lectures are collected here: ted.com, coursera.org, khanacademy.org, and a modern person should have no problems with films and series.
Listen to podcasts, audiobooks and songs in English
Do exercises on special sites
Now there are a lot of portals where you can learn the language around the clock. Here you can find boring rules, diagrams, tables, videos, audio, games, exercises of varying degrees of complexity. Some of these sites are even ready to remind the user every day that it's time to study English. For an integrated approach, sites proven by millions of students livemocha.com and lingualeo.ru are perfect.
Install useful mobile apps
If you don’t have time to sit on specialized sites, then you can practice vocabulary using applications on your phone almost anywhere. There are a lot of such applications now, here are just the most popular ones: Byki, Busuu, DuoLingo, Babbel, Accela Study, iBlueSky.
Read newspapers, magazines and books in English
For those who need more than just hearing to be sure English speech but also see the letters. You can read the good old newspapers, magazines and books in paper form, or you can download it to your tablet or phone. You can find an English-language newspaper from almost any country in the world on the sites: thebigproject.co.uk/news, ipl.org/div/news, goldenglish.ru. Of the books, it is best to read the specialized editions of Macmillan, Oxford University Press and Pinguin, some still really like bilingual editions compiled according to the method of Ilya Frank: franklang.ru.
Use stickers and cards
To memorize words and expressions in English, you need to repeat them every day. You can make paper cards or, again, download them to your phone and view them when you have a free minute, or you can hang colorful stickers around your house (office) that you willy-nilly have to stumble upon several times a day.
Surround yourself with English on all sides
If there are not enough stickers on appliances, furniture, walls and ceilings, you can take it and one happy day translate the language of all gadgets and household appliances into English in the settings. Here, if you want to call someone, wash, warm up food, in any case, you will have to understand the instructions.
Set yourself a vital goal
It is clear that most people are very lazy and will not really learn until they are put in strict frames and deadlines. Therefore, it is ideal to put yourself in a situation where you simply cannot do without knowing the language: find a job among English-speaking colleagues, start writing a dissertation on a topic that was developed only by British and American scientists, fall in love with an overseas beauty, after all!
PS Most of these methods are suitable for learning any language, not just English, so you can not limit yourself.
Photo: thinkstockphotos.com, flickr.com
