How to learn English, what advice would you offer?

After learning English for a long time, I feel that I have not grown much, and do you have good experiences to share. I will thank you very much for your help.

Hi KQH,

Here are a few current comments on how to use LingQ (deepl, etc.) for learning a language from scratch:

While the use case is for a LingQ user who wants to learn Swedish, you can easily adapt it for English.

Apart from that, as you’re more advanced in English, you should give
the “ultrareading-while-listening” approach using LingQ a shot:

I´d say it´s the most (time-)efficient method at the moment for reaching an advanced level in listening and reading comprehension - at least if that´s what you want / need.

Note:
Even though an advanced level in listening and reading comprehension is an excellent foundation for speaking and writing, you still need to practice them separately because they’re specific language skills.

Hope that helps
Peter

PS -
Here are also some videos on how to use the “app” LingQ:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=videos+how+to+use+lingq

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I am a native English speaker, from Texas, USA. Spoken English is quite different from written English. If you want to speak English perfectly well, you really must have a native English speaker to help you along. And, it is nice if you can have someone who speaks the dialect that you want to use (USA, UK, Singapore, Australia, etc). When I was a child, my mother would correct how I pronounced a word – often, children mispronounce words because they have only read the word, but not heard it. To improve in speaking, it’s ideal to have such a person to help you. To improve in reading, you only need to read in English a great deal. And, focus on the type of books or articles that you want to be best at. If you are a scientist, read scientific articles and magazines. If you are a business person, read the newspapers and business magazines. If you are a teacher, read the kind of material that your students need to understand. If you want to speak with ordinary people, read novels that have lots of dialogue. English is very difficult. Thank you for learning it. I’m grateful that you are willing to do the work of learning.

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For learning English I have pretty much only one advice: DON’T. There is no point in learning English when you can just go out and use it. Regardless how broken your English may be you should still be able to immerse yourself in the language (broken English is the norm nowadays so you will not even stand out). Just try to read stuff you like, watch videos you like, and try to interact with people when you find it worth your time.

There are only two exception to this rule:

  1. Phonetics of you native tongue is so different from english that you are not able to say anything even remotely understandable. Then you need to deliberately learn how to pronounce English words unless you are naturally gifted.

  2. You have some specific career aspirations that requires you to have native level English. Then you will need to study AFTER you become fluent to polish your grammar and so on.

I have spent like 15 years almost trying to learn English without any success. Then I stoped learning and after some time I started trying using it on the internet. In no time it got better than I really need to.

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That is great advice. And, wow! Your English is good, toroboro!

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I suggest if you want to be able to communicate in English well, then listen to audio books with subtitles. This will improve your reading, listening and pronunciation.

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Hi KQH,

As you wrote in another thread, you also seem to have difficulty using LingQ. Therefore, it would be a good idea to consult the following resources first:

  1. The “LingQ Getting Started Guide”:
    Getting Started Guide

Overview of topics:

  • Step 1: The LingQ Learning Philosophy & Methodology
    LingQ is likely a different way of learning than what you are used to. First, understand the philosophy and methodology behind LingQ. It will make everything else easier.
  • Step 2: Learn the Essential Functions of LingQ
    LingQ is a powerful, multi-functional tool that can take you from zero to fluent in any number of languages. Start with the essentials, and we’ll help you work your way up.
  • Step 3: Importing
    Importing content is one of the most powerful functionalities of LingQ. It allows you to learn from content you love. +
  • Step 4: Join the LingQ Community
    LingQ is not just a multifunctional language-learning tool, it is also a community of avid language learners. Make friends, ask and answer questions, and get into some friendly competition!
  • Step 5: Tutoring on LingQ
    Whether you like to teach your native language to others for some extra money, or you’re looking to speak live with a tutor in your target language, LingQ Tutors offers it all.
  • Step 6: Writing Exchange
    Practicing writing in your target language is a great way to solidify what you’re learning. You can also contribute to the LingQ Community by submitting a writing correction!
  • Step 7: LingQ Playlist
    A key to success in language-learning is listening to your target language every day. The LingQ Playlist makes it simple and easy to listen to your lessons while on the go!
  • Step 8: LingQ Statistics
    LingQ tracks all of your learning so you can check up on your progress anytime.
  • Step 9: Activity Score
    Staying active in your learning is a key to success. The Activity Score helps keep you on track.
  • Step 10: Personalizing your Notification Preferences
    Notifications are designed to help you with your language goals. Make the most of them by understanding and adjusting them to your preference.
  • Step 11: Vocabulary / SRS Review
    The majority of your vocabulary review will happen while reading new lessons and reviewing completed lessons. Clicking on yellow LingQs as you read is a very efficient way to learn the volume of words you need to learn. However, it is also useful to use the vocabulary review activities to vary your input, focus on tagged vocabulary or get a toehold when starting out.
  • Tutorials: Power Users and LingQ Team Show How to Use LingQ
    LingQ is a “choose your own adventure” tool. There are innumerable ways to use it. Check out how our power users and the LingQ team are learning languages on LingQ!
  1. The Ling Help Center with further explanations and how-to videos: Help

If you still have questions after consulting those resources, just ask in this forum. There are quite a few power users here who have been using LingQ for thousands of hours and are ready to help you on your language learning journey!

Good luck

~Peter

PS -
If you want to translate (text / resources) from simplified Chinese into English or vice versa, the AI translation tool https://www.deepl.com
is your best friend compared to “Google Translate”, for example, which is usually no match for “deepl”.

However, I don´t know how good deepl’s translations “English <-> Chinese” are but I´ve tested it intensely for several years with German, English, Spanish, French, Japanese and (Brazilian) Portuguese, and the results are often surprisingly good considering the fact that the AI can only statistically calculate transition probabilities between words and can´t process semantics like humans do!

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First of all thank you so much for giving me so many good advice,I took a closer look at your suggestions with the help of translation tools,I’m very touched by your help.I’m going to write your words in my diary today.Forgive me for having to express my gratitude in clumsy words.Thank you again.

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Thank you very much for your advice.

Your English level has shocked me,thank you very much for your advice.

Mr. KDH, you never have to apologize for using imperfect English. Native English speakers are practical people. We want to communicate, and most of us don’t care about the accent or the mistakes of English learners. Please don’t try for perfection. Just communicate, and share your thoughts however you can. May God bless you.

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Hello ZiWeiran! Here’s some scientific research about how human beings learn languages. Stephen Krashen's Theory of Second Language Acquisition

Steve Kaufman, the founder of LingQ, is a big believer in this research.

These are my summaries of how to learn a language based on the science of language learning. I think it will confirm every language learner’s personal experience.

We learn languages through what is called “comprehensible input”. (Messages that we understand through listening or read). We do NOT learn it through the conscious memorization of grammar rules.
Most of the language learning process for non-native speakers is PASSIVE. Only at the beginning do we really need to consciously learn some of the language’s common vocabulary and basic grammar structure.

  1. What materials should I use? Make sure that you LIKE what you are doing in English. Choose reading materials/videos/movies/applications that you like, such as; LingQ, Duolingo, Basu, interesting YouTube channels.

  2. Maximize learning: according to the current research by language experts, it is important that you should understand 98% or more of what you read or hear before you can stop using subtitles. If you only understand 80% or less of what you’re reading or listening to, then you should find something a little easier to learn more quickly

  3. How to Read/watch videos and learn: DON’T look up EVERY new word. If you see a word multiple times and you feel like it’s important, then you can look it up. Also, remember that you can change the speed of YouTube videos if you’re having difficulty understanding. Reading is the fastest and most effective way to learn new words. Context is very important. Research has shown that you need to see a new word between 10-20 times to remember what it means when you see it. And it takes between 20-50 times to actually recall the word to memory when speaking or writing.

  4. Grammar: Look for the patterns in English. Example: words that end in “LY” are usually adverbs. E.g. quickLY, effectiveLY. Studies done by language experts such as “Stephen Krashen,” show that heavy grammar memorization of rules is NOT helpful. It can actually be HARMFUL. Occasionally looking at grammar when you have a question is OK. Reading will help you get used to the structure of a language.

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