4 things you need to get fluent in English

Have you ever looked at someone who has learnt English fluently, and felt a little bit jealous? How did they get fluent in English, and you’re not? Did you think that maybe they have a secret you don’t know?

Have you ever hoped for a magic app that will install English into your brain directly? I know I have for other languages!

So what do successful English learners do right? What’s the secret to getting fluent in English? I’ve been researching I have found 4 things that you need to be a better learner and become fluent in English

Habits, Mindset, Plan and Joy

Let’s look at them one by one

1. Habits

Motivation is overrated. You might feel unmotivated to open your textbook, to start Duolingo, to do your homework, that is totally normal. So don’t rely on motivation. Don’t do it when you feel good. Just do it. You need habits.

So make a habit of opening your book to study at 10am every Tuesday. Book lessons so you have to attend at 9.30 every Wednesday. Start your Duolingo at 11.45 on Saturday. Don’t think about it, just do it!

2. Mindset

English is hard. English is too hard for me. English is complicated. Do you think like this? The more you think like this, the harder it will be to learn English. Because you believe you really can’t do it.

Change your mindset – the way you think about English. Swap your thought ‘English is hard’ to ‘English is a language I can learn.’ Don’t try to fool yourself into thinking English is easy, but accept that you can learn it.

3. Plan

Fail to plan and you’ll plan to fail – do you know that saying? It means you’ve got to make a plan! Think about all the resources you have to learn English – books, apps, lessons etc. Choose the ones you like and plan to use them. Really plan, write an appointment in your diary with your textbook, pay for the lesson and do it.

Keep the plan going for a month. Then assess. Did you do it? Did you enjoy it? What do you want to change or keep the same?

4. Joy

The most important element of learning anything is your enjoyment. If you enjoy something you are more likely to want to do it. So you must enjoy your English study too. What do you really enjoy doing? Can you find books, videos or meet up groups about that subject in English? You probably won’t understand 100% of them, but don’t worry. Enjoy yourself, and you’ll learn.

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