How to Learn More English in 3 Steps

Do you want to learn more English and become proficient in the language? When it comes to learning a language, it’s the slow and steady one who wins the race. Being consistent with your studies is one of the key factors necessary to master any language. Studying every day for a month and then studying once in a blue moon later is not effective. Even if you do have an aptitude for learning English, you might never be successful if you don’t study regularly.

That being said, it’s not an easy thing to do. You might be tired, busy, or overwhelmed, to the point where you find it difficult to be consistent. Still, there are ways to keep yourself motivated and goal-oriented! Check out these 3 steps to see how to learn more English and achieve consistency in studying:

1. Plan to learn more English

Do you need to plan to proceed with anything? Let’s assume you don’t have one for your English studies. What would your learning process look like? Probably random and messy. It might be enjoyable to have such freedom at first, but in the long-term run, it’s counterproductive and discouraging.

What does a plan have to do with consistency, anyway? Having a plan makes being consistent much easier. Once you write down what you need to learn more English this week, day by day, you have a clear goal on mind. There is no need to spend extra time planning what you should do on that particular day – you can focus purely on studying. This way, it’s also easier to estimate how much time you need to commit to your study sessions. That’s another vital part of coming up with your own studying plan. The sessions don’t need to be long – even 30 minutes is fine, as long as the plan is comprehensive and well-thought.

So, how do you create a studying plan? If you have classes with an English teacher, simply ask them what your plan should look like. If you are self-studying, the easiest way to come up with a study plan is to find a reliable English textbook, suited for your English level, and follow the table of contents. The content of English learning textbooks is not random – it is designed to maximize the students’ progress. Therefore, it might work just fine for you.

2. Stick to your plan to learn more English

Knowing how vital it is to have a studying plan and having such is one thing. However, that was just the first step on your path to consistency. The second part is actually sticking to that plan. Now, you might think, “Duh, it’s obvious!”.

Well, it is obvious, which doesn’t mean it’s a common practice.

Many people come up with a perfect studying plan just to forget about it after a week or a month. Again, there are many reasons for that, most of which revolve around life being too busy in general. Or, the plan might not be suited for them after all. (Again, remember to come up with a good plan!)

Sometimes students don’t forget – they genuinely try to stick to their plan. However, they might miss a day or two. Try not to do that. One day off now and then might slow down your progress significantly and ruin the consistency you are working so hard on. This is especially important when you are just starting to work on your consistency. After some time, it could be okay to take one day off once in a while, since you have already established a routine. But at the beginning, it is crucial that you keep discipline and stick to the plan.

It all sounds strict, doesn’t it? But it pays off. Really.

3. Take it easy

You might be surprised to see this advice, especially when we just wrote you should keep the discipline. While it’s true that you really need to stick to your plan and do your best to not miss any study session, it is inevitable that sometimes plans just don’t work out as well as they should. You might get sick, your kids might get sick, and you might need to stay overtime at work or commit more time than predicted to your Biology project. Life happens, as they say.

Once you happen to fall out of your routine, don’t beat yourself up. Simply get back on track tomorrow. If you are going to be busy for a week or more, there are two ways to solve this. The first one is to divide your studying routine into even smaller chunks so that you are able to study at least 15-30 minutes a day during that busy period. The second solution is to put your routine on hold, BUT with setting a specific date when you are going to start sticking to it again. The point is, you either need to maintain consistency in spite of being in a difficult situation, or you need to remember that you will eventually get back to it – a specific date will help you with that.

To sum things up, try to do everything to follow the study plan, but forgive yourself if you can’t do it for some reason that particular day or week. If you don’t hold any negative emotions towards yourself and your study plan, being consistent will come to you naturally.

All in all, probably the best source of a personalized study plan is your own English tutor! They will provide you with all the necessary knowledge and information, plus with the motivation to stay consistent. A professional teacher will be able to come up with a plan that suits your needs and schedule, making consistency a piece of cake.

With italki, there is a valuable opportunity to learn English online, which is the most convenient way of learning English. Again, the more convenient way of learning, the bigger the chances that you will stick to your studying routine. By saving time on commuting, you get more time for actual studying. Seize the opportunity and book a trial class today!