How to quickly learn English yourself at home? English from scratch: how to start a successful study.

Decided to learn English language? Surely you did right choice, after all English language- the main language of international communication.

Chances are you've already encountered main problem at studying in English - a huge number of textbooks, courses on the market, most of which are a waste of time and money. And if we add to this selfeducation and complete lack of basic knowledge language, then all this confuses a person, and he loses his desire to learn English. BUT a wish- the main key to the successful study of any foreign language.

So what does the site offer you for a successful learning English from scratch?

First of all, especially for the entry level in the form online lessons a wonderful self-instruction manual by K. B. Vasiliev "Easy English" was designed. Classes on this tutorial are also perfect for children, because the texts are from popular English children's fairy tales, such as "Alice in Wonderland", "Winnie the Pooh and all all all", etc. Additionally, typos, some inaccuracies were corrected, and added audio for the whole course for free. And doing the exercises is not at all difficult, because for this there are special forms for entering text, as well as keys with answers. To view the answer, hover your mouse over the key: . You can peep back only after you complete the exercise! If you have any questions, you can ask them under the lesson in the form of a comment.

Please note that you do not need to rush and jump to the next lesson immediately after completing the current one. Proceed to the next lesson when you are sure that you have mastered the material of the current lesson. fully.

Further parallel with the study of the audio course above, you can also study the possibly simpler Assimil audio course. The Audio Courses page also has advanced courses, as well as an interesting tutorial on how to work with audio.

How do you learn so much and still get confused with verb tenses? Dont be upset, verb tenses in english- this is the most difficult part of it. After all, there are not 3 of them, as in Russian, but as many as 12! Especially for a simpler understanding and assimilation of tenses, the following section was created on the effective lessons of S. P. Dugin for beginners.

Verb tenses can also be studied in the English grammar section. Grammar lessons were originally intended for intermediate students, but translations have been added to them, and now they can be studied by slightly less advanced students. In this section very many lessons, it will help you find answers to many questions, so don't skip it. Proceed to study it only when you are ready. And in the lessons for beginners, there will periodically be links to specific grammar lessons from this section.

Have you already studied all this? Well you give! Congratulations! What to do next? And then you will have even more independent study. Unfortunately, from an intermediate level it is difficult to build any path for learning, build it yourself according to your interests. A lot of practice is needed. Listen to a lot of audio, video materials. Try to talk more. Not with whom? Talk to yourself! Read, write. The site also has videos. Perhaps there will be more later.

Please note that on mobile version Site right menu crashes to the very bottom screen, and the top menu opens at the touch of a button ≡ top right.

What kind of English do we study? British or American?

Correct answer: both.

On the one hand, British refers to the rules of pronunciation set many years ago. Almost no one speaks it now, but everyone who studies English, or sets the pronunciation, strives for it, incl. American actors (for example, Will Smith). Also in all textbooks standard grammar and spelling of words. It turns out that almost everyone learns British English. In American, grammar and spelling are a little, quite a bit different from British, so look for any textbooks on American English. very, very stupid.

On the other hand, British English also includes a special intonation that almost no one teaches, and it’s hard to get used to it. These intonation lessons also do not teach. It turns out that no matter how hard we try to pronounce, we will still get more American English than British. Intonation aside, our vocal apparatus is simply more like an American one. The video of the 1st lesson presents pure British English. The audio of the next lessons will be more like American English. Otherwise, English is standard, no need to come up with ridiculous reasons why I should or should not learn these lessons. Just teach! Responsible for quality! (Website author)

You must have found something interesting on this page. Recommend her to a friend! Better yet, place a link to this page on the Internet, VKontakte, blog, forum, etc. For example:
Learning English language

Time to learn about the pitfalls of English grammar. Based on our experience, we have compiled a list of sites where it is cool to practice it.

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For newbies

• EnglishDom.Grammar

  +

  Pros: detailed and available rules grammar, several types of assignments for consolidation, interesting and popular videos with exercises. Convenient dictionary with ready-made sets and the ability to create your own collections. Absolutely all exercises are supported by English voice acting, and the selection of material is based on the interests of the student. The site is also suitable for more advanced users, because it is possible to choose the level of difficulty, and the list of grammar topics is quite large.
  Minuses: Not all grammar topics have video explanations.

  Pros: Russian-language site, which presents more than 75 grammar lessons with examples, explanations and tests. The site has great videos created by native speakers.
  Minuses: not the most convenient and outdated interface.

  Pros: This site is great for beginners. The theoretical part is written clearly and plain language, you will not need to rack your brains, disassembling complex structures. All topics are well structured - from easy to more complex.
  Minuses: students with higher levels can be simply and bored.

For those who know

• britishcouncil

  learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar

  Pros: the same site from the British Council, where you can read the rules in English and practice grammar by selecting the desired category. There are many more on the site. useful information as well as games in English and preparation for exams.
  Minuses: the site is positioned as intended for all levels, but at the same time completely in English.

  Pros: An interesting and detailed grammar blog from the popular Grammarly service. You can find a lot of useful information on grammar, writing and modern slang.
  Minuses: there are no assignments to reinforce the rules.

  Pros: cool site from a whole team of teachers with video explanations and a fun way of presenting grammar rules. There are exercises for consolidation and breakdown by topic.
  Minuses: the site is completely in English, so some details will have to be clarified with the help of dictionaries.

  Pros: the site is conveniently divided into categories: tenses, nouns, verbs, prepositions and other grammar topics. You can also find video tutorials on the site and, if you do not have constant access to the Internet, tasks and rules can be downloaded to a computer or phone.
  Minuses: the site may seem difficult for beginners to learn English.

  Pros: here are the rules, examples and exercises, as well as the division into levels of difficulty. Distinctive feature of this resource - after each topic there is an example of using the rule not just in a sentence, but in a literary text.
  Minuses: quite complicated even for users with high level knowledge of the language.

For experts

• reddit

  www.reddit.com/r/grammar

  Pros: a very famous site with a separate section dedicated to grammar. It will be useful to everyone who already speaks English well and wants to understand its individual aspects and nuances, because on the site you can get an answer from the most qualified specialists.
  Minuses: there are no tasks for fixing the rules, the site is completely in English.

  Pros: The site also needs no introduction. Here you can learn about the grammar of English and about individual cases of using certain vocabulary.
  Minuses: The site only provides background information, without strengthening exercises.

  Pros: a site that is often used by many teachers. The nuances of grammar, the frequency of use of certain words, modern slang or the history of origin and pronunciation - this and even more can be found here.
  Minuses: there are also no tasks for reinforcing the rules, and it is worth looking through all the comments to make sure that the answer is correct.

We hope that the above resources will help you master the difficult English grammar.

Continue to study English comprehensively: words, grammar, writing and speaking practice, live communication. It is this approach that will help you master the language much faster than learning its individual aspects.

We wish you good luck with your studies and look forward to your comments!

Bonuses for Habr readers

Online courses

We give you access to an English course for a year self-study"Online course".
To gain access, simply go to before September 1, 2017.

Individually via Skype

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. Therefore, the question of how to learn English on your own from scratch at home is acute.

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 foreign company, communication with residents of other states 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. We are talking about remote courses, a distance learning school or Skype classes. 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, while reading, one encounters unfamiliar vocabulary, 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?

1. If you can't afford a short trip to the States or England, recreate an English-speaking environment at home.
2. 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.
3. Lay out each phrase, rewrite it several times, print it 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. An electronic book will become an assistant in the rapid development of English speech. Download from the Internet and read English-language works. IN e-book a dictionary is provided that will help you master complex literature, and the voice function will voice correct pronunciation.
7. 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 of foreign languages ​​is inappropriate. Popular Movies, 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 overflowing with 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.

Learning a language on your own is both easy and difficult at the same time. Organize your classes correctly, choose the right methodology, find good textbooks and dictionaries - and learning can even turn into a hobby.

The habit of studying regularly will allow you, over time, to raise the level of knowledge above the level of many university graduates who do not study the language after graduation. When communicating with foreigners, expand your social circle. And when you achieve your goals, you can rightfully be proud of yourself.

Problems in self-study of English

Learning English on your own is an idea that has been visited by many. But not everyone manages to implement it. Why?

The first problem is the lack of control. Sometimes, in order not to miss a class, you even need willpower. Anything can distract, from an interesting movie on TV to an invitation to take a walk with friends. Set yourself a clear schedule and strictly follow it.

The next problem is errors. When learning a language on your own, you need to be very careful, sometimes even pedantic. If you make a mistake (however small) while studying with a teacher, he will correct you. When you study on your own, there is no one to correct you, and a construction that was memorized incorrectly will “take root” in speech and writing. Relearning is harder than learning.

We make a schedule of classes

Make a schedule that is easy for you to follow. It is advisable to practice daily, for an hour - one and a half with a break of 5-10 minutes. Your schedule will most likely be different, but follow the principle of "it's better to do a little bit often than a long one infrequently." Daily classes of 20 minutes for two weeks will bring more sense than one five-hour "storm". Post the schedule in a visible place at home.

Define the goal

Set a goal - and direct all efforts towards achieving it. Why do you need English? Correspondence with business partners? Want to read your favorite books in the original? Communicate via the Internet? Or maybe go abroad to work?

In the classroom, combine reading, writing, grammar exercises and develop the ability to express your thoughts. And focus on what you need and what you like. If you want to learn how to speak, speak more, etc. Then the fruits of your labors - skills and knowledge will inspire you to conquer new heights.

Choosing an approach

In order to create an optimal training program for yourself, you will have to briefly become teachers and get acquainted with the methodology.

There are two main approaches to language learning: "traditional" and "communicative".

The traditional approach is a combination of audio-lingual and grammar-translation methods.

If you studied a foreign language at school, then you “know by sight” grammar-translation method. Grammar exercises, text retelling (and sometimes even memorization), vocabulary expansion with word lists, and translations, translations, translations. Of course, talented teachers expanded the list of activities in the classroom, could interest students. But these are units. In most cases, the method did not justify the effort spent.

Audiolingual method much more efficient than the previous one. It was fully implemented in language laboratories - and today you can buy CDs with recordings of exercises. Learning consists in listening and reproducing dialogues - on their basis, grammar is studied, pronunciation is “set”. If you want to learn how to speak as quickly as possible - look for good English courses on CD.

Communicative approach combines methods that use exercises that are unusual for graduates of Soviet schools: games, debates, tasks for finding errors, for comparisons, and analysis of situations. This approach is one of the most effective today. He doesn't just teach the language - he teaches how to use the language. Choose a textbook developed on the basis of the communicative method.

Textbooks, dictionaries and your other tools

If you have studied English before, the first thing you need to do now is to assess your level with tests. Do not overestimate it - it is better to repeat the well-known once again than to get stuck on the third page of an incorrectly selected tutorial.

Choose a textbook that has not only standard exercises, but also creative, unusual tasks that implement a communicative approach to learning. The more interesting the textbook is, the less likely it is to face the first problem of self-study: “I will study, but not today, but tomorrow.” "Tomorrow" rarely comes the next day.

Feel free to walk past books, CDs and cassettes with titles like "English in a Month!". If it were that simple, everyone would have known the language by now.

Whatever goals you pursue when learning English, you will need a very good dictionary. The Internet will not help here - the vocabulary of online resources will not be enough for you.

It is convenient to work with a thick dictionary of a small format, which cannot be said about publications with a format larger than a landscape one. We advise you to buy a dictionary of general vocabulary for fifty thousand words, no less (more is better). Please note: a good publication always has examples of the use of words.

Try to choose the most recent edition as possible so as not to waste time and effort on memorizing obsolete, obsolete words. Another argument for a “fresh dictionary”: in the editions compiled in the first half of the last century, you will not find many words that have long become part of our speech. It is convenient to use a dictionary with small print - do not let this moment confuse you when choosing. The dictionary is your permanent assistant in learning the language, do not spare money for it.

Be sure to use audio materials, courses on CD: as we have already said, they will help you improve pronunciation, expand your vocabulary and learn how to speak English. Even if these are not primary tasks, listening to dialogue diversifies the learning process. And the more interesting the classes, the better the results.

One option for self-learning a language is to use materials from an online course program. During distance learning, assignments will be sent to you by email. mailbox, you will fulfill them, send them to the teacher, after checking, he will point out errors. Passing such courses will help you to be disciplined and learn not to miss classes. This is a good option for beginners.

Large bookstores now have books in English, adapted for readers of different levels. The required level of knowledge is often indicated right on the cover. By reading books, you will expand your vocabulary, learn how to build sentences, develop literacy and a sense of language.

Watching movies in the original is a real pleasure. Buy movies that have an English audio track and subtitles. If your level does not yet allow you to understand complex dialogues, start with cartoons. They usually use simple vocabulary. Watch first several times with subtitles, pause if you meet an unfamiliar word. For each movie, make a small dictionary, writing down unfamiliar words as you watch the movie. Please note: there are films where the characters speak quite clearly (for example, "The Hot Chick", "Chick") and those where it is difficult to make out the speech ("Back to the Future", "Back to the Future").

Use the Internet while learning a language - it provides simply amazing opportunities. Using Skype, you can talk with native speakers, livejournal.com service you can start a blog in English or just read the online diaries of Americans and Englishmen. Social media, forums, chats - use and get the most out of it. Love to cook? Look for recipes in English, try to cook according to them. The language should be useful to you - otherwise, why learn it?

Techniques and exercises for independent language learning

We offer several methods of learning English that can help you.

• Find the lyrics of your favorite songs in English, translate, learn and sing along with the performer.
• Spend your holidays in a country where English is spoken: combine useful language practice with a pleasant stay.
• Try to start thinking in English, commenting on actions, events, daily incidents to yourself.
• Study the culture: This will be helpful if you want to travel to a country where English is spoken. Find out what is valuable to the people with whom you will communicate. For example, find the most detailed biography of Winston Churchill - it looks like the plot of an exciting book. Read about it (ideally - in English, but it all depends on your level of language proficiency). Not interested in politics? Read, watch movies key points history, outstanding figures of art, science, the development of fashion, the automotive industry, social phenomena and customs of countries.

Learning a language is interesting. Didn't you know?

There is so much information about English that it is easy to get confused!

Dear readers! I know from experience how difficult English is for beginners. And it's not a lack of textbooks, information, but rather their abundance, informational noise, which is impossible to understand.

In this article, I have collected and systematized site materials that will be useful to beginners, those who are learning English from scratch. In these articles, I share my opinion on where to start learning a language, what online resources and books to use, where to find good video lessons, how to choose courses, and where to find an online tutor.

How to start learning English?

If you decide to learn English from scratch, then you need to go from simple to complex, from the most necessary to the rarer. First of all, try to lay the foundation for future knowledge and skills, learn the basics of the language. The most basic knowledge is:

Having laid the foundation, you need to practice a lot and diversified in all types of speech activity: reading, listening, writing and speaking in English.

Actually, that's all. You have just taken a short language course! The rest is details and specifics.

You can find the necessary materials both on this site (links above), and in textbooks and online training courses for beginners. I recommend for initial stage study according to the textbook for self-study (self-study). In my opinion, it is most convenient to learn the basics of a language from a textbook, using interactive materials, such as vocabulary cards, as auxiliary ones.

What are English language sites for beginners?

The main advantage of the textbook is that the material is presented in it in a methodically correct order, in convenient portions. You do not have the feeling that you are wandering in the dark, the textbook literally leads you by the hand, giving very specific instructions. But in addition to textbooks, you can also use training programs - they contain a lot of audiovisual materials, and the learning process is built in a playful way. For beginners, these sites are suitable:

"Teacher's Method" - a step-by-step course for children and adults

“The Teacher Method” is an interactive course for different levels, starting from almost zero. It includes courses of three levels of difficulty for adults and children, as well as a separate children's course for the little ones.

In the course for beginners, learning begins with the alphabet, all explanations are made in the form of short videos in Russian with explanations from teachers, and tasks are given in the form of interactive exercises. The material is chewed down to the smallest detail. The service is paid, free of charge is available in a limited form.

Lingvaleo is a service for self-learning English with the help of:

The lesson plan is automatically generated and looks like a list of "Assignments for today", but you do not have to follow it. The site has a lot of audio, video and text materials of different levels of complexity - from simple to original foreign TV materials, so it is suitable not only for lesson learning the language, but also for practicing reading and listening. Most of the features are free, for an additional fee you can purchase interactive courses (for example, grammar or English for children) and unlock some modes of memorizing words.

Duolingo

A free interactive course in which, like the Teacher Method, you need to go from lesson to lesson. But there are almost no explanations here, training is based on a different principle. You need to complete tasks, studying the practical side of grammar and applying the vocabulary learned at the beginning of the lesson in practice: building and translating phrases. It is undesirable to take this course as a basis for learning English, but it is suitable as an auxiliary learning game.

English for Beginners: Free Video Lessons

Useful Internet resources are by no means limited to educational sites alone. Fortunately, now there are a lot of useful, interesting and free video tutorials. Lessons are available both in Russian and in English.

For beginners, it is better to start with lessons in Russian. For example:

I think that it is better for beginners to study with Russian-speaking teachers, and here's why:

• He better understands the peculiarities of teaching Russian-speaking students.
• At the initial stage, it is better to explain tasks and rules in Russian.
• It will be too difficult for you to understand a teacher who does not speak Russian.

The principles of language learning are very simple and have been known for a long time.

1. Set specific and achievable goals

Moving towards the goal is much more convenient when it is marked than when it is a vague fog over the horizon. Why did you decide to learn the language at all? To get a job at New Development Engineering as a chief engineer? To move in with your aunt in Sydney? Your goals will largely determine how you will go about them. For example, if you want to study at a foreign university, you will need to be able to write correctly, which is not so important for a trip to the United States under the Work and Travel program.

It is advisable to set short-term goals in addition to long-term goals. For example, complete lessons 1-6 in two weeks, learn 100 words in a week, read the first chapter of Harry Potter in a month, etc. Don't set unrealistic goals. It is better to walk in small steps, but without stopping.

2. Try to exercise regularly, preferably every day!

Ideally, you need to practice every day for 1-2 hours. In practice, this will not work for everyone, but with a strong desire to set aside at least half an hour a day, you can. The main thing is not to deceive yourself by coming up with excuses about lack of time and crazy busyness. It's okay if you watch less TV for half an hour or get things done half an hour earlier.

Even if you're a businessman/supermodel/pizza delivery man, there's at least 15 minutes a day in your crazy schedule - that's exactly 15 minutes better than 0 minutes. And don't forget that you can listen to audio lessons in the player while you're bored in traffic.

Crazy marathons once a month are also not necessary. It is better to do 30 minutes 7 times a week than 210 minutes once a week. What's the use of running a marathon for 3-4 hours a day if everything is forgotten within a week?

3. Practice does wonders

You don't need a great mind or talent to learn a language. You just need to practice regularly - that's all. Pay attention to all sides of the tongue: vocabulary, grammar, practice in reading, listening, speaking and writing- and everything will be ok. Don't get hung up on theory and try to practice more.

Language is a means of communication, transmission and perception of information, knowledge, expression of emotions. They need to use. Learning a language but not using it is like learning to swim from a book without diving into the water. Read more and listen, feel free to chat!