How to learn English on your own from scratch at home? Independent study of English.

IN modern world The importance of knowing English is undeniable, so an increasing number of people are striving to master this language. At the same time, many beginners who have never studied English before are lost from the variety of methods and textbooks. In this article we will tell you which English textbook to choose, how to maintain motivation and organize studying proccess, what to pay special attention to, so that knowledge is confident, and skills are brought to automatism.

Zero doesn't exist!

Talking about zero knowledge of English is not entirely legitimate, because in the Russian language there are countless borrowings and related words that everyone understands. For example, the words "information", "radio", "music", "sister", "bank" and others will be intuitively familiar to you. This means that a certain amount of foreign vocabulary will be given to you without the slightest effort. Not so scary anymore, right?

How to keep motivated?

Learning a foreign language from scratch is not an easy task. After a couple of sessions, it may seem to you that this iceberg of rules and exceptions will never succumb to you. Think of those who started out just like you and progressed to an advanced level. You can do it too, believe in yourself! Passion for the subject is your key to success. One needs English for work, another for travel, and a third for self-improvement. Everyone has their own incentives, but it is best if there are several of them at once.

With whom to study?

Today, learning English from scratch is possible in many ways:

• individual lessons with a teacher;
• group lessons;
• skype training;
• independent study.

The most effective will be classes with a teacher. Individually or with a group (5-7 people) you will pass necessary material at the optimum pace. It is important to find a qualified teacher with whom you will be interested. Believe me, the enthusiasm and love of the teacher for English will certainly inspire you to conquer the peak called "English".

If you choose group training, make sure that the group is not too large. Otherwise, the teacher simply will not be able to pay enough attention to each "student". Classes in English in groups have one important plus - a person is, as they say, among his own, the same beginners as himself. Making progress in a friendly atmosphere is much easier, especially since an experienced teacher will support a slightly playful direction of the lessons.

Independent study of English from scratch

For those who, for one reason or another, have chosen the path of self-learning, it will be more difficult. You constantly need to spur interest, not give up and not be lazy. And the hardest thing to start...

Where to start preparing?

1. Choice of methodology:

Nowadays, there are many methods of learning English from scratch. Choose for yourself the one that suits you, and with which you will be pleased to work.

2. Selection teaching aids:

The zero level will not allow you to immediately take on foreign textbooks, so get publications from trusted domestic authors. Suitable, for example, Golitsinsky or Bonk. Later, you should turn to well-known British publications: Headway, Hotline, True to Life, Language in Use, Blueprint.

A good manual boasts a fair amount of theory and practical exercises, developing reading, writing and speaking skills in equal measure. When buying a textbook, make sure that its structure meets your requirements: vocabulary, grammar, topics. The rules should be stated clearly and informatively, and colorful illustrations, additional tables, etc. give an important advantage over boring black and white editions.

3. The choice of time for classes and their duration:

It is best to study English at the same time: if you are a morning person, dedicate morning hours; owls absorb material better in the evening.

To learn a foreign language effectively, you must study every day - you can afford no more than one day off a week! The optimal duration of one "lesson" is 60-90 minutes, while you can rest 5-10 minutes in the middle of the lesson.

4. Comfortable conditions for classes:

Provide yourself with maximum comfort during classes: a cozy atmosphere, a pleasant background, the absence of external stimuli. All this will help you abstract from reality and completely immerse yourself in the world of language.

5. Don't overdo it!

Once you've chosen the best pace for learning new topics, stick to it and don't try to cover several difficult sections at once. Over time, you will achieve more intensive study, but at the initial stage it is undesirable to rush.

6. Constantly repeat the material covered:

Regular repetition is the key to consolidating knowledge and improving skills. Even if you have studied quite a bit so far, practice your knowledge every free minute - in transport, during morning exercises, at lunchtime, before going to bed, etc. Try to talk to yourself, saying out loud or to yourself words, constructions, sentences. If possible, feel free to talk to someone who speaks English. Having mastered the base, find a pen pal who is a native speaker.

How to study English on your own?

The English language has a well-coordinated structure, and you should start learning this system from the basics. The first thing you need to learn is the alphabet and pronunciation. Without knowledge of the alphabet, it will not be possible to write or read, and a distorted pronunciation can completely change the meaning of the statement. Don't neglect your workout oral speech, because in order to become fluent in spoken English, you need to practice as often as possible.

Reading

Undoubtedly, at first you will have to read a lot: rules, examples and simple texts. Reading grammatically correct sentences gives an excellent result - vocabulary and grammatical structures are memorized. Visual perception is the main source of new information, and regular reading of English-language texts is necessary at any stage of language learning.

listening

When learning English from scratch, understanding a text through listening may seem impossible. Actually this great help for reading. Sound accompaniment to tasks will help you learn how to pronounce a particular sound or word. By following the text with your eyes and listening to it at the same time, you can kill two birds with one stone. Gradually expanding the boundaries of your knowledge, try to close the textbook and listen to the text again. At first, only some words will be clear to you, and then sentences. This is the only way to learn listening comprehension, which will still play a significant role in learning.

Listening to English-language songs and watching films, including those with subtitles, keep the beginner in good shape and increase motivation, subtly dipping a person into an authentic atmosphere. It will be very useful to watch your favorite movie in the original, which you know almost by heart in Russian. A familiar plot will make it easier for you to understand the characters' lines in English, and you will also be able to see a lively and modern, rather than a purely bookish language.

Letter

Any new material must be done in writing! With all the convenience of modern computer programs that offer to insert a suitable word instead of a gap, they are not suitable for those who have just started learning English from scratch. The method of writing down in a regular notebook is more effective: performing written exercises allows you to hone your knowledge, bringing it to automatism. First, you will learn how to correctly express thoughts on paper, and only after that you will be able to confidently use them in speech.

speaking

Oral practice is an integral part of learning a foreign language. The ability to read and translate does not mean being able to speak English fluently. Beautiful and fluent speech is the dream of any beginner, but in order to fulfill it, you need to constantly practice it. If you do not have an "experimental" interlocutor, train on yourself! For example, talk to yourself in front of a mirror, try to tell in as much detail as possible how your day went. Going through a new topic, invent a new name, profession and past for yourself - create a fictional character. Such a playful moment will provide you with the necessary variety for oral topics.

You can do even better by combining reading or listening with speaking. After you read the text or listen to the audio recording, try to retell the content aloud (or in writing as an option). Such a presentation will help train memory and thinking, teach you to retell in your own words, and therefore speak English fluently.

Vocabulary

The study of foreign vocabulary begins with the simplest and most frequently used words:

• nouns (eg, a house, a man, an apple);
• adjectives (eg big, great, good);
• verbs (e.g. to do, to be, to get);
• pronouns (eg, I, he, her);
• numerals (e.g. one, ten, the fifth).

Mindless cramming is not suitable for those who really want to know English. Undoubtedly, international words are most quickly remembered, and the rest are best combined with already familiar lexical units. For example, "a big dog", "an interesting film". It is better to memorize set expressions in their entirety, for example, "to make a mistake", "to do one" s best ".

When memorizing lexical units, special attention should be paid not only to their meaning, but also to pronunciation. That is why it is at the initial stage of learning English that it is important to learn how to correctly interpret the transcription of a word and firmly master the rules for pronouncing certain letter combinations, for example, "th", "ng". Also, set aside a separate lesson to study the features of an open and closed syllable, and you will save a lot of time on constantly looking at dictionary transcription.

Grammar

Knowledge of the set of grammatical rules of the English language is perhaps even a little more essential than the richness of vocabulary. If ignorance of a certain word can easily get away with you, then the inability to use tenses and constructions will instantly betray you as a layman.

You need to start studying English grammar with the order of words in a sentence, because the correctness and meaning of the statement depends on it. Then you can move on to mastering the tenses of the Simple / Indefinite group (Present, Past, Future). The next sections will be Continous/Progressive and Perfect tenses. Important elements your knowledge will be the constructions "to be going to" and numerous modal verbs (for example, "must", "have to", "can").

English from scratch some come faster and easier, others a little slower and with more effort. Nevertheless, with motivation and quality teaching aids, anyone can master the English language. At the initial stage, it is especially important to pay attention to all aspects of the language as a whole. An integrated approach is a guarantee successful study and the acquisition of sound knowledge and skills.

Having firmly decided to study English on your own, you will definitely face the problem of choice effective methodology, of which there are many. Which method you choose is up to you.

What to focus on when choosing?

• First, your level of language proficiency
• Secondly, on personal financial and temporary opportunities
• Thirdly, based on your own intuitive desire

Dragunkin method

Dragunkin's Methodology Alexander Dragunkin explains the basics of English intelligibly and intelligibly. Dragunkin's technique for learning English is perfect for quick learning and memorization. The grammar is simplified as much as possible, the rules are facilitated. There are courses for both beginners and advanced.

Dragunkin has a completely different approach to learning, his own terminology, his own laws, his own vocabulary. He even redid the grammatical rules, systematized the exceptions, and solved the problems of using articles and irregular verbs. Dragunkin singled out new classes and groups of words, combining them according to common features; revealed the relationship between them. The presentation of the material follows a chain, from simple to complex, one follows from the other in a strict logical sequence.

Teaching English is based on the native language. Due to all these factors, the training time is reduced several times, and the perception of educational material is noticeably facilitated. The technique is aimed at quickly achieving results. The purpose of the program is not to teach, but to teach.

Pimsleur technique

The Pimsleur Method American Spoken English will help you master the Pimsleur English for Russian Speakers audio course. See the article Learn English using the method of Dr. Pimsleur. Also, the Pimsler technique helps to learn how to read correctly. Our site has all the audio lessons of conversational American, as well as lessons on reading.

The Pimsler Method is the only form of foreign language learning that includes a unique, patented memory training method. The course consists of thematic dialogues with detailed explanations and translation. Phrases are voiced by a native speaker.

The students listen to the recording and repeat the phrases after the speaker. Then the next speech turnover is voiced and its meaning is explained. The student repeats it again many times, then he needs to repeat the previous phrases, at the same time, inserting words from the new expression into it. New words are introduced, and old expressions are proposed to be repeated after a certain, constantly increasing, time interval.

A very interesting, and most importantly working, system of 30 audio lessons for half an hour. The course was created specifically for Russian speakers who want to know the speech of US residents. No textbooks, just listen and repeat. And soon you will be able to easily carry on a conversation with a real American.

Schechter method

This is a completely new emotional and semantic approach, stating that the development of a foreign language should be similar to the study of native speech. This method refers to direct gaming interactive methods of active learning. Politicians, cosmonauts, famous people studied using this method. Even Western private linguistic schools have paid attention to Schechter's method.

His methodology is based on a student-centered approach, where it is important to pay attention not to what to do with English, but what to do with a person in order to facilitate the learning process. A positive atmosphere, goodwill, learning without fatigue and stress are the main and mandatory components of each lesson.

The purpose of each individual lesson and training as a whole is to encourage the student to express his opinion in his own words, and not to reproduce memorized patterns and phrases from textbooks. Therefore, lectures are organized in the form of active participation of a person in the changing events of business and city life.

Also of great importance is the correction of speech and grammar, which students study in the higher cycles of the course. This technology is also used to memorize new material without memorization and rote repetition.

The BERLITZ Method of Learning English Another popular method is the BERLITZ method, which has been used by polyglots for over 200 years. It is based on the study of a foreign language abroad. There are over 400 BERLITZ language schools around the world. You can choose between group lessons and individual lessons. Read the article How to study English abroad.

This method requires a strict adherence to the basic principles:

• First you need to learn to speak, and then master the skills of reading and writing
• Grammar and vocabulary should be studied in the course of natural entertaining conversation, in a conversational context
• Only native speakers should teach the language
• The student must take an active part in the learning process.
• Native speech is not used at all, excluded from teaching
• The concept of translation is also excluded

Rosetta stone

Rosetta Stone Method of Learning English One of the best is also recognized as the Rosetta Stone method - a convenient program for those who are going to emigrate. Learning a language from scratch. The user follows the same path as when learning their native language: words and images, pronunciation, grammar and syntax. The level of difficulty increases gradually.

The flash method allows you to learn English the way you learned native language from infancy - without rules. Mastering English occurs through repeated repetition, immersion in the language environment, the formation of associations. This program teaches you to automatically perceive and reproduce the most common conversational constructions.

The course completely lacks translation, instead of it there is an associative series. Vocabulary, syntax and grammar are acquired during the simulation of various life situations. The main focus is on visual memory. As an addition, I advise you to read a lot on your own

The non-transfer method means:

• No rules and translation
• Words are given immediately in context
• Memorization is achieved through numerous repetitions

An excellent program for those who want to learn the basics of the language on their own, without going too deep into details. Pictures make the technique interesting, and the study is stress-free.

Lex!

Program Lex! - a well-known way of enriching the vocabulary. Sitting at the computer, the user memorizes words, phrases, speech turns that periodically appear on the screen. It supports the ability to delete and add vocabulary, edit it, change learning intensity levels and time parameters. The features of human memory, attention and perception are taken into account.

The user can set and separately configure various translation modes: direct, reverse, written translation, their random alternation. The student independently determines the number of correct translations, which is an indicator that the word has been learned. Lex! – is accompanied by a detailed guide that will allow you to quickly find answers to all your questions.

Muller method

Stanislav Müller's technique lies in the harmonious interaction of conscious and subconscious thinking. To improve learning and memory, the latest developments of Russian and Western science are used - superlearning and holographic memory:

• Overlearning - helps to master any skills several times faster. At the same time, getting tired is much less and supporting high level performance
• Holographic memory - helps to organize life experience, enhances memory capabilities, allows you to restore the ability to master the language

During the passage, exercises are performed to improve the imagination, which contributes to the memorization of lexical material. The course solves the problems of understanding spoken language, free reading, writing and speaking.

Frank method

I advise the method of Ilya Frank, which is based on learning English through reading special texts. With constant reading in this way throughout the year, one can learn to speak fluently, thanks to the special arrangement of the original text and translation. At the same time, the memorization of words and phrases does not occur due to cramming, but due to their constant repetition in the text.

All the same non-transferable method. In the books of Ilya Frank, the text is not divided into several passages - an adapted passage with a literal translation and lexical and grammatical commentary, then the same text, but without prompts. You are just reading a book, and at the same time learning a language.

The manager wrote up the sales slip (the manager filled out the form with the price). The crook looked at the slip and said, "This is a little more than I intended to spend." Can you show me something less expensive? (Could you show me something less expensive).”

The manager agreed and wrote up the sales slip. The crook looked at the slip and said, “This is a little more than I intended to spend. Can you show me something less expensive?”

The meaning of the unadapted text is that the reader, albeit for a short time, "floats without a board." After reading an unadapted paragraph, you can move on to the next adapted one. No need to go back and repeat. Just read the following text.

Gunnemark technique

You can try Eric Gunnemark's technique. The Swedish polyglot recommends that you start learning a language by mastering the active minimum of words and grammar rules. Why did he create a list of "speech stamps", which, in his opinion, must be memorized by yourself. Gunnemark called these collections "Minilex", "Miniphraz" and "Minigram". All material is illustrated and voiced by native speakers. The course is recommended for beginners. The Gunnemark Method These "mini-collections" should not be neglected, because they provide a guideline on what to focus on from the very beginning. Mastering the "mini-repertoire" will give the beginner self-confidence. The lists included in this collection are built in such a way that the student masters the most necessary independently. After all, when you have well-learned material and basic knowledge behind you, you inevitably begin to feel much more confident in any situation.

For Gunnemark, all training is subject to the following principles:

• Particular attention - "central words", that is, those words that most often "fly off the tongue"
• You need to learn not individual words, but whole expressions. You don't have to learn everything. For each typical situation, remember 1-2 expressions, but “by heart”
• It is better to learn one word perfectly than several words, but badly. Synonyms are not needed. Learn the main word
• Learned expressions try to use as often as possible
• As soon as possible, you need to learn the basics of good correct pronunciation
• Master the required minimum of grammar
• The most useful thing is reading

The linguist considers labor, time, teachers and material to be external factors of successful study. That is, how quickly you will advance in learning depends directly on your ability to organize your work and time, on the chosen methodology and teacher.

As you can see, there are many ways and they are all different. Which one is better is up to you. But having studied their basic principles, one can come to the conclusion that the main thing is communication and reading. Which I join.

Do you know any other interesting techniques? Tell us about them in the comments. I wish you success and sustainable results!

Friends, surely many of you have a desire to start learning english for free without outside help and any paid educational courses.

And it's great! After all, learning a foreign language expands human consciousness, opens up opportunities for travel and communication with people from other parts of the world. Believe me having mastered another language, you will begin to think differently and perceive the world around you!

However, judging by the experience of most students, some people give up trying to learn English due to lack of self-discipline and the presence of banal laziness! Indeed, the abundance of all kinds of rules and bad memories from the school curriculum beat off all the desire to learn!

We decided to help everyone explore English language on one's own and prepared 7 better ways for its development. These methods save a lot of time and make it easier to understand grammar, and most importantly, they are free!

Using these methods and devoting at least 1 hour a day to studying, in a few months you will master basic principles, refill lexicon and be able to speak fluently on general/simple topics with native speakers.

1. Method of Dmitry Petrov

Dmitry Petrov is a well-known linguist, translator and public figure who speaks more than 15 languages. He developed a course of 16 video lessons that can be found on the Internet in the public domain (releases of the Polyglot program on the Russia TV channel). You can watch video tutorials.

In addition to the course of video lessons, there is a free mobile app for learning English by the method of Dmitry Petrov.

The effectiveness of Dmitry Petrov's method: the material is presented in a very simple and understandable form, thanks to which the fear of tenses, verb forms, etc. is quickly dispelled. In a short time, you will gain communication skills, plus you will work out the basic algorithms of the language to automatism.

2. Duolingo.com Platform

A free international language learning platform without premium packages, ads or webinars that was launched in 2011. The learning system is built in the form of interesting lessons based on gamification, as they progress through which students help to translate websites, articles, etc.

The basis of learning is Dualingo skill tree, where users progress by completing tasks and earning experience points. The platform has many functions, for example, running a task for a while, etc. In addition to the web project, Duolingo has a mobile application. In addition to English, you can learn German and French on Dualingo, and soon Spanish and Swedish will also be available.

Duolingo Efficiency: according to research, 34 hours of classes on Duolingo provide as much reading and writing skills as they provide in a semester of study (130 hours) in higher education educational institutions. Currently, many teachers in schools use the Dualingo program. The project provides excellent skills for speech recognition and translations.

3. Movie mania with subtitles

The method is based on watching your favorite movies and series with double subtitles, but in English dubbing. It turns out that you simultaneously hear English speech and see spelling and translation.

The main nuance is the right choice of series and films. Beginners need to watch tapes that have simple dialogue and no use of specific words. Many people call the famous series "Friends" ideal for watching with double subtitles.

Method efficiency: memorize new words and phrases quickly, master pronunciation. However, to feel the effect, you need to watch a lot of series or films.

4. Method of Ilya Frank

This method involves learning the language by reading books in English without a dictionary. You read and memorize due to the repetition of words in the text of books.

In addition, for interesting reading, it offers explanations with a translation of each sentence. Just download books by Ilya Frank and read at any time convenient for you. You can see what the text looks like in the book in the picture below.

The effectiveness of the method of Ilya Frank A: Learning by Frank is ideal for memorizing words. You are reading a book and as you learn, you begin to skip explanatory inserts. Reviews say that if you read for 1-2 hours a day, then in a year you will be able to read without problems English books in the original.

5. Method of Alexander Dragunkin

Alexander Dragunkin developed his own methodology for teaching English, in which he abandoned the traditional classical study of the rules for reading words, replacing it with Russified transcription.

In his method, he also developed 53 "golden" grammar formulas which are different from the classical ones. Dragunkin offers his vision of language learning and understanding of grammar, which will be simple and understandable for beginners.

To get started, we recommend watching a 3-hour video lesson, under which you will find a link to the set teaching materials and Dragunkin tables to help with learning.

The effectiveness of the Dragunkin Method: the main advantage of the Dragunkin method is that the material is presented in a very accessible form for "dummies". All the material (tables, rules) in Dragunkin is systematized, making it easy to remember.

6. Dr. Pimsleur Method

Pimsleur's method is based on listening, when the student listens to dialogues, constructs phrases and recalls them from memory. Course of Study consists of 3 parts, each of which has 30 lessons(audio material + text).

The important point is that it is necessary to be very focused on learning according to the Pimsleur method. In particular, it is impossible, for example, to combine education with being in public places, because often as part of the training it is necessary to repeat after the speaker.

The effectiveness of Dr. Pimsleur's method: learning by this method Perfect for those with poor pronunciation. The course according to the method of Dr. Pimsleur perfectly develops memory and contributes to good recognition of English speech (especially dialects).

7. Learning on YouTube

In addition to the above methods, we will leave you some excellent youtube channels for learning English. Each of them has its own training program that will help you learn English.

Puzzle English— a great channel with a wide variety of grammar lessons, language learning tips, pronunciation lessons, etc.

English like clockwork- an entertaining channel in which language learning is carried out through jokes, games, music, films, etc.

OXANA DOLINKA- the channel of the user of the same name, on which the girl teaches English and focuses on live modern language, as well as the nuances of spoken English while traveling.

English at the Steve Jobs School— a channel where certain topics of the English language are touched upon in short lessons, as well as dialogues in films are analyzed, metaphors in English are discussed, etc.

Albert Kakhnovskiy- a channel where English is taught by the famous Raymond Murphy.

Method efficiency: learning english on youtube channels is easy and fun. The training does not oblige you to anything and you can spend as much time studying as you wish.

Learn English on your own not easy! Most people note that it is often difficult to overcome your laziness, remember this! Do not succumb to the provocations of your consciousness to abandon your studies!

There are many advantages to learning English on your own from scratch. Firstly, it is convenient in terms of time planning, and secondly, it is cheap or even completely free - most teaching materials for beginners can be found in the public domain. And third, it's fun - you can easily skip boring topics and focus only on what you like. In this article, we will give some useful tips on how to start learning English for beginners and, in fact, how to learn English from scratch to an acceptable level.

How to learn English from scratch on your own

Reading Rules

Deciding to learn English on your own, first of all figure out how to read in this language. The first stage includes:

1. learning the alphabet;


2. learning the basics of pronunciation - pay attention to sounds that are absent in Russian: [ŋ], [r], [ʤ], [ɜ:], [θ], [ð], [ʊ].

Also check out the cases when several letters in the transcription make one sound. For example:

enough [ɪˈnʌf]- enough
although [ɔlˈðoʊ]- although

Work on your pronunciation

Even just starting to learn English, gradually get rid of the accent. Some online dictionaries have a voice acting feature. Use it when in doubt about pronunciation.

keep training correct pronunciation sounds [ŋ], [r], [ʤ], [ɜ:], [θ], [ð], [ʊ], as they are difficult for beginners. Special tongue twisters for each sound of the English language will help you with this.

Increase your vocabulary

When, while studying English on your own at home, you will understand the basics of reading and pronunciation, start replenishing your vocabulary. Beginners should start with simple vocabulary on topics.

Standard topics for those who want to learn English from scratch:

• family;
• sport;
• rest;
• animals.

These topics are standard, but if they make you feel sad, replace them with something that interests you. For example, field hockey, medieval literature, music from the mid-twentieth century, electric cars, etc.

Free lesson on the topic:

Irregular verbs of the English language: table, rules and examples

Discuss this topic with a personal tutor in a free online lesson at Skyeng School

Leave your contact details and we will contact you to register for the lesson

In addition to nouns, learn simple verbs: take (take), give (give), walk (walk), eat (eat), speak (talk, speak), ask (ask), thank (thank), play (play), run (run), sleep (sleep ) etc. Do not forget the main adjectives: big-small (big-small), fast-slow (fast-slow), pleasant-unpleasant (pleasant-unpleasant), good-bad (good-bad), etc.

Try to speak already at this stage, making simple sentences from the learned words.

Learn grammar

When you have learned how to read and write words and learned the basic vocabulary while studying English on your own, it's time for grammar. But do not immediately dive into this topic with your head. All we need now is to learn how to correctly build simple sentences.

For beginners in English at home, it is enough to master:

• conjugation of the construction "to be";
• 3 times ( present simple, past simple, future simple);
• word formation.

When studying tenses, you will find that some verbs form the past tense differently than others. These verbs are called irregular, and each of their forms must be learned by heart.

Listen to the speech

Finally, we come to the most interesting stage of self-study of the English language. When the foundation is laid, feel free to start practicing, and already in the process, brick by brick, add new knowledge to it.

Practice is speaking and listening, inextricably linked. For beginners at this stage, it is important to remember the following tips:

• To speed up the process of learning English, you can watch video lectures, video blogs, TV shows, news releases, listen to radio and podcasts.
• Language learning will go faster if you decide to get acquainted in in social networks with a foreigner and start communicating in writing and/or via Skype.
• Your best assistant in learning English will be trying to speak it. Pester family and friends with the question How are you? (How are you?), or better, tell them everything yourself: what you do, what you think about, what you want, etc. If shyness interferes, talk to yourself, the main thing is to practice speaking.

By this time, with self-study, the beginner's vocabulary of English will no longer be enough to understand colloquial speech. Therefore, learn to memorize not individual words, but phrases and set phrases at once.

Read more

Learning to read English well is not easy, especially for a beginner who has chosen the path of self-study. If during a conversation the context and facial expressions of the speaker tell you the meaning of phrases, then when reading in English, you only see impassive letters on a white background.

Useful advice:

For beginners, the method of Ilya Frank, designed for those who decide to learn a language from scratch, will be useful: read special books in which sentences in English alternate with translation into Russian. This allows you not to be distracted each time by looking for the right word in the dictionary, but to memorize it immediately in context.

With this method, after 2-3 months, even with self-study, you will pay less and less attention to translation, and eventually stop noticing it at all.

Use apps and websites

Bab.la

A useful dictionary, both for beginners to learn English and for advanced students, in which words and phrases are presented immediately in the context of their use, so you can trace their meanings in different situations.

Multitran

The Multitran dictionary is useful for both beginners and translators. For each word, dozens of meanings are selected here. Multitran also boasts phraseological units and set phrases in English.

Duolingo

Duolingo is a comprehensive language learning platform. A great option for beginners to learn English on their own. On the site or through the application, students sequentially go through lessons consisting of theory, tests, practical exercises and game tasks. As you progress, the complexity of topics and tasks increases.

Busuu

Another site that uses a comprehensive approach to learning English from scratch: Busuu has materials for learning vocabulary, grammar, and speaking, listening and writing.

Learn English by British Council

Learn English by British Council is an educational resource focused on British English. In addition to standard theoretical rules, hundreds of exercises and tests are collected here. Also on Learn English there are videos, podcasts, songs and games that beginners will also understand.

Cons of learning English on your own

With all its obvious advantages, the method of self-study has one significant drawback - it requires strict discipline from beginners. To achieve noticeable results, you need to practice regularly and systematically, but not everyone can create an effective program and force themselves to follow it. Another difficulty for beginners to learn English may arise with error checking. English lessons for beginners from scratch are generally understandable, but they do not give feedback, and this is very important. If vocabulary and grammar can be checked in online exercises, then it is difficult for beginners to train listening and speaking without a teacher.

Useful video on the topic:

There are many ways to learn a foreign language from scratch on your own. The first thing to do is to answer the question - why. Knowing the answer to this question is super important. Speech as a communication tool involves regular use - if knowledge and skills are not used, they are forgotten. The human memory is arranged in such a way that it hides unnecessary knowledge as far as possible. Everything that I managed to learn well will quickly be forgotten - then I will have to start everything from scratch.

Before you start cramming the alphabet, it is important to realize the goal:

• communicate with employees of the airport, managers in stores, service personnel during tourist trips and understand the interlocutor well (colloquial variety);
• lead business negotiations with partners (business variety);
• be able to read scientific (or fiction) literature (technical and literary versions);
• communicate freely with residents of another country (read, write, speak).

Important advice! Motivation is essential to success. With the right goal setting, it is easy to master the necessary knowledge from scratch on your own and for free.

2 main ways in learning

There are two ways to quickly master someone else's way of linguistic communication.

The first is practiced at school: first they learn words, then put them into sentences, from phrases they construct a text. Phrases are built according to the laws of Russian grammar - this is a mistake. For this reason, secondary school graduates know a set of individual nouns and verbs, but it is difficult for them to quickly combine word forms into sentences, they have little experience in free communication.

The second approach teaches that it is better to study a foreign dialect in phrases, and to learn to speak - immediately with full-fledged constructions. The fact is that the word in the context acquires a new meaning - it is impossible to describe all the nuances with a set of strict rules. Any speech is phraseological: the meaning of a single sentence is not equal to the sum of the meanings of individual word forms.