Learn English at home. How to learn English on your own


Hello, friends! Do you speak any other language besides Russian? Knowing a second language can be very helpful.

Today I will show you how to learn English language at home, because at one time I had an urgent need for such knowledge.

At the same time, you will have to devote at least half an hour a day to classes, but this should be done regularly. So, let's find out if it is possible to learn a second language at home and do without expensive courses.

It is believed that there are no incapable people, but there are bad teachers or insufficient incentive. In fact, it all depends on the person and the strength of his desire. To quickly learn a language from scratch.


An important point before studying can be the formulation of the problem. At the same time, the strength of your desire will help to carry out the planned.

There may be such goals for learning English:

  1. Obtaining a position in an international company and working abroad.
  2. Tourist trips.
  3. International trade and own business.
  4. Starting a family abroad
  5. Correspondence with friends from English-speaking countries.
  6. Study abroad.

Is it possible to learn a language on your own

You can learn a language completely free of charge, but it’s unlikely to be done in a month. Therefore, you should not believe when they promise to do this in courses or with the help of a special video.

For a good knowledge of the language, you will have to spend 2-3 years. At the same time, you need to practice regularly. To learn the language yourself, you need to consider certain tips.

As scientists confirm, English words and phrases are best remembered in the first half of the day.

Language is especially easy for children.

If you master new language, then it promises you new opportunities. You can watch movies and series in the original.

will be easier to perceive computer programs. And the colloquial version will allow you to actively participate in world-class cultural events.

This is a lot of new friends, travel and festivals.

The benefits of exercising at home


If you approach learning a language seriously, you can master it on your own, even from scratch, without specialized courses.

These activities have the following benefits:

  1. You can choose the time for training. In your free time, you can study the language.
  2. Training takes place in a comfortable environment and there is no need to go anywhere.
  3. You can choose a suitable company for language learning.
  4. English requires constant study over a long period, so self-study will save money.

Learning English from scratch on your own: the main stages

Here is the way to learn the language.

It includes the following steps:

  • learning the alphabet and pronunciation of letters. It is important to go over the sound and transcription;
  • study the words. Set yourself a plan for a month, for example 1200 words. At the same time, every day you need to memorize at least 20 words. In this case, words can be taken from a dictionary, from articles on the Internet, from books, and from video or audio clips.

It is better to choose words yourself.


You can learn the language according to this plan:

  1. Take an allowance or even children's textbook. Learn the ground rules. This is necessary for the base to appear.
  2. Listen to the beginners course in audio format. Learn to pronounce sounds correctly.
  3. Understand the nuances of transcription.
  4. Compile and replenish regularly lexicon.
  5. First, read simplified texts in children's books and comics.
  6. Install free mobile offers.
  7. Watch cartoons, news and movies in the original version.

Good results can be obtained with daily practice. Such exercises are useful not only for adults, but also for children.
Listen actively to audiobooks and podcasts. There are podcasts to watch and listen to.

Popular podcasts from the BBC, which are educational programs.
Skype more.

It is important to communicate with English-speaking people. With the help of special social networks You can find a person with whom to communicate on Skype.

You can find an Englishman who wants to learn Russian. At the same time, mutual exchange of knowledge is possible.

It is better to speak correctly initially, so as not to relearn later.

How to memorize words better

Remember that we remember best what is especially interesting. Words are best taught along with epithets. In this case, you can not only memorize the word, but also common phrases.


In this case, you need to combine nouns with verbs and nouns with adjectives.
It is better to memorize the material not in blocks, but in quatrains and phrases. Sometimes catchphrases are easier to remember.
Get a dictionary - a notebook where you write down sentences and phrases that you especially like.

At the same time, writing down words develops motor memory well.
Here's how to use a homemade dictionary:

  1. First, read all the information from the page.
  2. Then you cover the Russian words and translate.
  3. Then you do the opposite.

Remember that it is important to study transcription. It will allow you to deal with difficult words. great attention pay attention to grammar, as it is important to be able to combine and form sentences correctly.
If you have difficulty reading books, then this game will come in handy. Set a goal to read 3 pages and only after that do what you love.

Memorize phrases that you often use in everyday life.
As the reviews confirm, the online translator Yandex or Google will help beginners in translating. To better learn the language, you can make a friend in an English-speaking country.

You can communicate via skype or chat.
You can watch a movie on a computer and write down words that are unfamiliar. Then pause the movie and look up the word in the dictionary.

You can use the program to play text from voice. You can also learn English with the help of subtitles.
MP3 player will allow you to listen to any audiobook or foreign songs. You can choose books with translation into Russian.

Online services for learning English

Consider the possibilities of the Internet for learning English.

Here are some resources to help you:

  1. https://ororo.tv/ru This is a resource for watching movies and series in English. Each film comes with English subtitles. Unfamiliar words can be translated by pressing the cursor.
  2. https://www.esolcourses.com/topics/food-and-drink.html Site with board games, grammar exercises and quizzes. You can take tests or download assignments in pdf format.
  3. https://www.englishclub.com/reading/short-stories.htm A resource for learning English through stories. This is a free site.
  4. Lim-English.com is a remote tutorial based on the Oleg Limanskog method. Suggested texts and exercises different levels difficulties.

Exist special applications for ios and android, which are made for learning English. Especially popular is LinguaLeo And Duolingo.

There is also a paid program roseta stone.

What should lessons be?


Start learning from the very basics: the alphabet, sounds and simple designs. Classes should include the following activities:

  1. Reading.
  2. Listening to audio texts.
  3. Grammar exercises.
  4. Letter.

In order to speak English fluently, it is important to have a large vocabulary, that is, to know many different words by heart.

If there is a database of words, then you need to study it periodically.
To replenish your vocabulary, you need to read books in the original. In this case, you need to translate all unfamiliar words.

Suitable for studying and a movie with subtitles.
Where to find free study guides and materials
I also suggest that you get acquainted with the most popular books, video and audio materials that can be used in home lessons.
Here are some resources you might find useful:

  1. "Elementary course of English for Russians with parallel translation" Karavanova N.
  2. 90 lessons for beginners according to the method of Dr. Pimsleur.
  3. English according to Dragunkin in 115 minutes.
  4. Barry Tomalin Spoken English in 3 Months.
  5. "Polyglot in 16 hours" with Dmitry Petrov.

Audio courses are especially convenient, as you can listen to the lessons and still go about your business.


So, summing up, we can distinguish the following important points in learning English:

  1. It is necessary to choose a specific course of study and gain motivation.
  2. First, set clear goals for what you need the language for. It can be new opportunities in work, travel or communication with foreigners.
  3. Pay special attention to the alphabet, grammar and reading rules. This tutorial will help you. When the initial knowledge is obtained, you can proceed to the subsequent stages.
  4. Might be worth taking a course distance learning or some Skype lessons.
  5. Choose a specific time to read fiction in English. The first thing to do is to choose adapted books. Not bad suit novels and detective stories.
  6. Be sure to write out and study unfamiliar vocabulary. After a while, you will notice that the dictionary array is often repeated.

Remember that even if you have recently started learning a language, you need to talk more often. And don't be afraid to make mistakes.

First, you will learn how to express your thoughts, and with the technique of constructing sentences, you will get used to experience.
I hope you find my review article useful. After all, you can start learning a new language at any age.

Among other things, this is a great way to train your memory and expand your horizons. Show a little perseverance and perseverance, take a little time every day for lessons and the world will sparkle with new colors.

If you have something to add, write in the comments. Until we meet again, dear guests and visitors of my site!

If you have never learned English, or you once studied at school, but completely forgot everything, even the alphabet, and now you have decided to start learning English from scratch, then our tips on where to start and how to move might come in handy. The first and most important thing is to understand how much you need the language, what you need it for, whether you have enough to learn the language.

Motivation

Motivation should be your engine, without it you will not be able to for a long time practice the language daily. Without daily practice, it is impossible to master this huge layer of knowledge. If there is no obvious motivation, but there is an ardent desire to learn a language, then you should think about what knowledge of the language will give you - maybe this is a new prestigious job or the opportunity to read special literature on topics that interest you, or maybe you travel a lot and want to fully communicate with people around the world or chat with friends abroad.
Your motivation may still be in the subconscious. Try to extract it from there, it will play a decisive role in your successful progress in mastering the English language.

Choosing a teaching method

Your next step should be to choose teaching methods or teachers. Now students have access to very good language materials and a large number of teachers who are ready to Skype with students from all over the world. It is ideal, of course, to find a good teacher - a native speaker. But not everyone can afford such opportunities, but someone just wants to study independently and for free, at a convenient time, without any stress, according to their own schedule. Then you need to choose a system that you will follow.

English from scratch takes time

Schedule time for training, you need to practice daily, at least 15 - 20 minutes, and it is better to set aside an hour for classes. Our selection of English for Beginners articles includes beginners' material, audio and video tutorials, exercises, lots of examples, explanations, and links to resources to help you get up and running faster.

When choosing resources for your study, make sure that you like the materials. This is important, all polyglots talk about it. Interest plays in language acquisition leading role. It allows you to achieve more with less effort. Just imagine that you need to learn or translate a text on some boring topic for you, but you will fall asleep after the first phrase! On the contrary, if you come across an interesting book, you will definitely find time to read it. Go ahead, friends, give the language your time and attention, and you will raise your English from zero to fluency. Good luck to all!

Some adults believe that only children can start learning English from scratch. Someone thinks that an adult is ashamed to start from the basics and teach elementary rules and words, someone believes that only children can successfully learn foreign languages because they have excellent memory and learning abilities. Both the first and second opinions are wrong. There is nothing shameful in the fact that you start learning a language as an adult, on the contrary: the desire for knowledge always commands respect.

So no matter how old you are, what matters is your desire to learn and your willingness to improve your knowledge. Many people ask themselves: “What is the best way to start learning English?”.

Below are the main 9 steps that should be consistently followed when studying.

1. Learn the rules of reading English

Theater begins with a hanger, and English begins with reading rules. This is a basic piece of knowledge, thanks to which you can learn to read English and pronounce sounds and words correctly.

2. Check how words are pronounced

Even if you know the rules of reading by heart, when learning new words, check how they are pronounced correctly. cunning English words do not want to read the way they are written. And some of them even refuse to obey any rules of reading. Therefore, we advise you to check the pronunciation of each new word in an online dictionary, for example, Lingvo.ru or on a special site Howjsay.com. Listen several times to how the word sounds and try to pronounce it exactly the same way. At the same time, practice the correct pronunciation.

3. Start building vocabulary

Take visual dictionaries into service, for example, use the Studyfun.ru website. Bright pictures voiced by native speakers and translation into Russian will make it easier for you to learn and memorize new vocabulary.

What words to start learning English? We recommend beginners to focus on the list of words on the site Englishspeak.com. Start with simple words general topics, remember which words you use most often in your speech in Russian. In addition, we advise you to devote more time to studying English verbs. It is the verb that makes speech dynamic and natural.

4. Learn grammar

If you imagine speech as a beautiful necklace, then grammar is a thread on which you place word beads in order to end up with a beautiful decoration. Violation of the "rules of the game" English grammar punished by misunderstanding of the interlocutor. And learning these rules is not so difficult, it is enough to study with a good textbook.

We recommend that you take the first book in the Grammarway series of manuals translated into Russian. Do you find textbooks boring? It does not matter, fortunately, there is everything on the Internet, including blogs of English teachers. There you can find a clear explanation of grammatical nuances and get advice from experts in this field.

5. Listen to podcasts at your level

As soon as you started taking the first steps, you immediately need to accustom yourself to the sound of a foreign speech. Start with simple podcasts ranging from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. You can find simple audio recordings with translation into Russian on the Teachpro.ru website.

6. Watch the news in English

Once you've built your basic English vocabulary, it's time to start watching the news. We recommend Newsinlevels.com. News texts for the first level are simple. There is an audio recording for each news, so be sure to listen to how new words sound for you, try to repeat them after the announcer.

7. Read simple texts

While reading, you activate visual memory: New words and phrases will be easy to remember. And if you want to not only read, but also learn new words, improve pronunciation, listen to texts voiced by native speakers, and then read them. You can find simple short texts in textbooks at your level, such as New English File Elementary, or on the Internet.

8. Install helpful apps

How to start learning English from scratch on your own if you have a smartphone or tablet at hand? English learning apps are mini tutorials that you will always have in your pocket. The well-known Lingualeo app is ideal for learning new words: thanks to the spaced repetition technique, new vocabulary will not disappear from your memory after a month. And to study the structure, the principle of the "work" of the language, we recommend installing Duolingo. This application will allow you, in addition to learning new words, to practice grammar and learn how to build sentences in English, and will also help you develop good pronunciation.

9. Study online

If you ask Google how to start learning English on your own, a caring search engine will immediately throw you a couple of hundred sites with various lessons, online exercises, articles about learning the language. An inexperienced student is immediately tempted to bookmark 83 “well, very necessary sites on which I will study every day.”

We want to warn you against this: in the abundance of bookmarks, you will quickly get confused, and you need to study systematically, without jumping from one topic to another. Bookmark 2-3 really good resources that you will study on. This is more than enough. We recommend doing online exercises at Correctenglish.ru or Wonderenglish.com.

Surely you have already read hundreds of articles on the Internet about how to learn English on your own and for free. Still not able to reach the desired level of knowledge? The thing is that many offer theoretical advice without backing it up with practice. Therefore, we decided to make practical guide on self-study. In this article, we will tell you whether it is possible to learn English without anyone's help, explain what materials you MUST use when studying on your own and what resources you can use additionally so that you will not be bored learning English at home. You can save yourself a free PDF that lists all 156 resources, and at the end of the article we'll give you our Editors' Choice - a "best of the best" list.

Is it possible to learn English on your own

Let's first find out whether it is realistic to learn English on your own or if you should not waste time and effort on this activity. Let's say right away that learning English on your own and for free is quite realistic, because there are thousands of learning resources on the Internet that will help you do this. Why is it that not everyone succeeds in mastering the language at the desired level? You probably know people whose self-study has become a waste of time. Or maybe you yourself have repeatedly unsuccessfully tried to learn English?

We can say with confidence that only three factors determine whether you can learn English on your own:

  1. Your desire to learn the language.
  2. Willingness to work.
  3. An effective way to learn a language.

If both the first and the second factors are present, then it is only a matter of the third link - the ability to find the most effective method learn English on your own. This article is just designed to solve the problem of the third factor: we will tell you how to organize an effective learning process, what materials you will need.

At the same time, we want to immediately warn you: self-learning is an interesting process, but not easy, and it is especially difficult for beginners. We still advise those who study the language "from scratch" to use the services. Under his vigilant supervision and expert guidance, you will move faster than with self-study. Do you want to walk this path without anyone's help? We have already written an article on this topic "", however, it is aimed specifically at beginners. In the same article, we will share resources for all English learners, so for beginners it is better to start by studying the first article and then return to this material.

How to learn English on your own

We have compiled 6 for you simple recommendations about the best way to learn English on your own. These tips are based on the experience of our teachers and students. To make self-learning effective for you, follow all the recommendations, then positive results will not keep you waiting.

1. Set a specific goal

It is on your learning goal that all further actions for self-study of the English language depend. Think about whether you want to learn general conversational or business English, want to reach an intermediate level, or want to reach the top. You can look and choose a similar goal for yourself. In addition, a great right goal is to reach the intermediate level, in which case you will lay down a good knowledge base. Find out 8 more reasons to get to this stage from the article "".

2. Schedule your classes

It would seem that the beauty of self-study lies precisely in the fact that your English classes are not tied to any particular moment: you learn the language when it is convenient for you. However, in reality it turns out as in a well-known anecdote. Your conscience torments you: “When will you sit down for English?” And you answered her: “Well, no, today I can’t, I’m so tired. Let's never. Will it ever suit you?" Agree, with this approach, it is impossible to learn English. Therefore, take a tight rein on yourself and make a specific schedule, for example, study for an hour daily or 3-4 times a week for 1.5 hours. Of course, having a schedule will not protect you from procrastination, but you will already know that you didn’t just “legally postpone the class, I’ll teach you later”, but missed it. Gnawing conscience is a good motivator!

3. Select the required resources

As we have already said, we have many sources of knowledge, and such an abundance of useful resources does not always have a positive effect on learning. So, many people decide to learn English and in one day they buy all available textbooks, bookmark 541 English learning sites, install 37 language learning apps. On the one hand, such zeal is commendable. On the other hand, each textbook and each site has its own principles for presenting the material, therefore, if you study on different resources every day, you risk creating a mess in your head and in a week or two you will realize that you don’t know what to take on. Below we offer you a list of good time-tested resources for learning English by English proficiency. Spend a couple of days choosing no more than 1-2 resources for each skill.

4. Look for an interlocutor

Some people think that English can be learned "offline" using only books, audio and video materials. However, it is not. You can read Agatha Christie in the original and listen to BBC news, but what's the point if you find it difficult to speak English. You can speak the language you are learning only with the help of an interlocutor. Read on to find out how to find yourself a speaking partner.

5. Track your achievements

This is an important point for those who decide to learn English on their own at home. Be sure to complete test tasks to track your progress. You can do various online tests, such as knowledge level tests. It is important to check your mistakes. This is quite difficult when self-learning, so we wrote an assistant article "" for you. From it you will learn how to control your learning process.

6. Don't Take Long Breaks From Studying

Everyone has days when it seems like there is no time at all to learn English. In this case, we recommend finding literally 5-10 minutes and doing one of the exercises from the article "". If you still had to take a break in learning, try not to drag it out, otherwise the accumulated knowledge will start to fly out of your head and you will completely abandon your studies.

How to learn English for free at home: 156 useful materials

And now we will present you with resources that you will definitely need for effective self-study of English. You will see the entire list of resources in a PDF file that you can save to your computer for free:

  • Grammar
  • Those who learn English on their own often complain that they cannot learn English grammar. In this case, we recommend taking an additional textbook with grammar exercises to the main textbook. When choosing such a book, be guided by our article "". Go through the manual from the first lesson to the last without missing anything, then the material will be easier to understand.

  • Textbook to expand vocabulary
  • A good vocabulary will allow you to accurately express your thoughts, so try to constantly learn new words. It is advisable to take new vocabulary not only from your main textbook, but also from specialized manuals. Reliable source the right words will become one of . The practical exercises in these books will teach you how to use the learned words correctly in your speech.

  • Pronunciation guide
  • Correct pronunciation is necessary for the interlocutor to understand you, so this skill also needs to be developed. If, when studying English with a teacher, you can do without a special manual, because the teacher will teach you how to pronounce sounds correctly, then with self-study english house you will need a textbook. You can take one of the following: English Pronunciation in Use , New Headway Pronunciation Course , Tree or Three? , Ship or Sheep? , How Now, Brown Cow? , Elements of Pronunciation . In them you will find many tasks for listening and setting the correct pronunciation.

  • Dictionary
  • A good dictionary is an indispensable attribute of an English learner. We recommend that you first use a Russian-English online dictionary, such as multitran.ru or lingvolive.ru. When you reach an intermediate level of knowledge, start using an English-English dictionary, such as macmillandictionary.com or dictionary.cambridge.org.

    Would you like to use teaching aids? We recommend reading our article "", in which we talked about the benefits of using aids, and also indicated who can learn English without them.

    Additional Resources

    The listed textbooks will be enough for you to improve your English skills, but sometimes you want to take a break from books and diversify your learning with some interesting materials. We made for you large selection the best resources to help you learn English on your own.

    1. We speak English
    2. To learn to communicate in English, you need to try to speak it as often as possible. Where to find a partner for communication? On one of the language exchange sites, such as italki.com or es.coeffee.com. You will find even more ideas and resources for finding an interlocutor in the article "".

    3. Learning new words

      New vocabulary can be taught not only by the manual, but also by more modern and exciting methods:

      • Install word learning apps: Anki for Android and iOS, Easy Ten for and iOS or Fun Easy Learn English for Android and iOS. Learning 10 words will take no more than 5-7 minutes, we think that even a busy person will have time to study with applications.
      • Learn words with visual dictionaries like online-languages.info or oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com. An association with a picture is remembered better and faster than a single word.
      • Run tests on englishteststore.net and esl.fis.edu. You can check how well you remember the new vocabulary and see how it is used in speech.
      • Solve crosswords: .
    4. Improving listening comprehension in English

      It is quite easy to improve your listening comprehension of English on your own. We recommend the following methods:

      • Listen to audio materials: .
      • To watch news: . You can first watch the video with subtitles, and then without them.
      • Watch exciting educational videos and video lectures:.
      • Listen to interesting audiobooks: .
      • Listen to music: .
    5. Improving grammar knowledge
    6. Remember: without knowing grammar, it is impossible to speak English normally. Therefore, let's see what methods, in addition to the exercises from the textbook, can be used to deal with grammar once and for all.

    • Learn grammar from understandable articles in Russian: engblog.ru.
    • Run tests: . Doing at least one debriefing test every day will help you gradually eradicate your mistakes.
    • Watch instructional videos: . Also visit the wonderful resource engvid.com. Pay attention to the videos with the teacher Ronnie: even those who hate grammar will like her incendiary sense of humor and exciting lessons.
    • Use grammar learning apps: Johnny Grammar for and iOS or Learn English grammar for Android and LearnEnglish Grammar for iOS. These simple programs for a gadget diversify the way to work or a trip to the country.
  • Reading in English
  • Reading is the easiest skill to work on your own. How to do it:

    • Read adapted literature: . Such books can be read by people with Beginner level and higher.
    • Read books in the original: .
    • Read fascinating articles: . A small interesting article - the optimal "dose" for those who want to learn English at home on their own.
    • Read the news: install the Yahoo News Digest or BBC News app on your smartphone or tablet, then you will be in the know and will be able to improve your English daily.
    • Read magazines: .
  • Improving pronunciation
  • Improving pronunciation with self-study is not very easy: in order to analyze your speech and find errors in it, you need to have experience in learning English and know perfectly HOW all sounds should sound. But this difficulty can be overcome by using the following tricks:

    • Learn to pronounce sounds correctly: .
    • Practice speaking tongue twisters: download-esl.com has tongue twisters voiced by native speakers. Say at least a couple of them every day, and your pronunciation will improve in a couple of months, and it will become much easier to pronounce difficult sounds of English.
  • We write in English
  • You can learn to write in English without the help of a teacher. The catch is that if you decide to learn English on your own, there will be no one to check your written work. There are services for communicating with foreigners, these sites offer something like a language exchange: you check the text in Russian, and a native English speaker checks your written work in English. However, keep in mind that illiterate people can also sit on such sites, so no one can guarantee the reliability of the check. In addition, your reviewer best case will simply correct your mistakes, but will not explain them. Therefore, if it is important for you to learn how to write well in English, you should think about lessons with a teacher. In addition, the following will help you:

    • Learn to spell correctly...
    • Work on pronunciation - .
    • Online dictations - dictationsonline.com.
    • We have provided you with a detailed practical guide on how to learn English on your own and for free, and pointed out the best resources to help you succeed in this field. Now it's up to you. At first, this path can be difficult, because learning something new is never easy. Remember, when you first got on a bike, you probably fell more than once before learning how to ride. Driving English will also be difficult, but gradually you will be able to pick up speed and masterfully handle it. We wish you success in your studies!

      © 2019 site, copying of materials is possible only if you specify a direct active link to the source.

    There is no secret method to learn a language in a month. If someone promises you a miracle, don't believe it. But the process can be accelerated in order to overcome the barrier in six months and finally speak English. Lifehacker and Skyeng online English school experts share simple tips.

    1. Study online

    Online classes help you learn quickly. It is too lazy to go to the other end of the city in bad weather, and the Internet is always at hand. Adapting your schedule to the course schedule, agreements with teachers, wasting time on the road - all this bothers and slows down the process. Choose online courses. What makes life easier, increases motivation.

    Many, choosing between a cozy evening at home and a long trip to the courses, decide that they can live without English.

    Get rid of the reasons to miss classes - make a convenient personal schedule. At Skyeng, teachers work in all time zones, so you can study anytime, even in the middle of the night.

    Online classes are also good because all the materials, texts, videos, dictionaries are collected in one place: in the application or on the website. Homework assignments are checked automatically as they are completed.

    2. Learn at your leisure

    Don't limit yourself to class time. Learning a language is not only about doing exercises. You can upgrade your skill by listening to songs and podcasts or by reading English-speaking bloggers.

    Everyone knows how important it is to watch movies and series with English subtitles, but not everyone is aware that there are special educational applications for this. Skyeng online translators are linked to an app of the same name on your phone, so new words can be repeated at any time.

    For example, if you set in the browser Google Chrome special extension, you can read any texts in English, and when you hover over a word or phrase, you can immediately see their translation. The same goes for subtitles for online cinemas. Each word individually can be translated directly in the course of viewing. These words are added to a personal dictionary and sent to mobile app where you can repeat and memorize them in your free time.