4 Tips to Improve 4 English Skills
Improve your reading, writing, speaking and listening skills faster
Figuring out how to improve English skills can sometimes seem like an impossible task. This is made even more daunting by the fact that it is often really hard to know where to start.
The 4 English skills
So, how do we go about climbing this enormous mountain? Well, let’s start by breaking it down into the four main skills – reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Although we need to be proficient in all of these categories, to use the English language effectively, it is useful to see it in this way so we can start to improve in small steps.
4 tips to improve 4 English skills daily
Here are some tips to improve each skill daily and enjoy it!
Reading
This may seem rather obvious, but the best way to improve your reading is to make reading part of your daily routine. Whether it is, before you go to bed, as you ride the tube to and from work, or in your free time. Make sure you read for at least 20 minutes a day. Moreover, make sure you are interested in what you are reading!
A great idea is to read a novel that you have read in your own language. That way you already know the story! Let’s take Harry Potter as an example. It has been translated into 68 languages, it’s probably been translated into your language. Buy it in English and read it!
Listening
Buy the audiobook for your chosen novel. In our example of Harry Potter, there are some brilliant audiobooks narrated by Stephen Fry. He speaks very clearly. As you read the book, listen to the audiobook. That way you are connecting what the words sound like, with how they are spelt!
Speaking
If you are tired of listening to the audiobook and want to try a different exercise. As you are reading Harry Potter (or whatever your chosen novel is), say the words you are reading. Always read out loud if you can because it connects the way the words look to the physical practice of speaking in grammatically perfect sentences.
Writing
Keep a little notebook near you as you are reading so that you can write down interesting words or phrases that you haven’t heard before. Research how best to use them and after every chapter of your book, write a summary of what has happened.
Final note
These are the 4 ways you can improve your English skills daily. Remember, that small steps taken daily can make a huge difference over time if you stick to this practice. I hope these exercises are useful! They will really make a big difference!