Personal Tips to Improve your English

The process of learning English as a Second Language never ends. There are always new words, idioms and slang that keep you busy.

Here are some tips I use everyday to improve my English:

Try to listen to talk radio. This will help you get acquainted with American idioms and slang. Besides, there are some interesting and informative shows worth listening.

Begin reading magazines and publications that use easy to understand words and composition like Reader Digest, People, and Biography.

Later read newsmagazines such as Time and Newsweek, which are challenging for an English learner. These publications use a higher English level and sometimes are hard to understand. This is the best way to improve your spelling and, by the way, they keep you informed of what is going on around the world.

When reading, try to do it in a loud voice so you can listen to your pronunciation. This will help develop your mouth muscle memory, required for the pronunciation without having to think on how to position your lips and tongue. And, if you designate a listener, he/she can correct your pronunciation right away.

To learn more idioms, watch one of the talk shows or some of the sitcoms. They really help. (I'm not a TV fan, but I spent a considerable amount of time watching TV for the sole purpose of learning English).

Every time you find an unknown word, don't hesitate to ask for its meaning or look it up in a dictionary right away. Make a connection in your mind associating it with a synonym or with a similar word.

If you don't live in an English environment, try to interact with people that speak only English. Go to the stores and try to ask for help in English. Don't look for a person that might help you in your own language. Push yourself to speak English and don't worry about making mistakes.