home » Summer clothes » English language tutorial from scratch. Self-study of English

English language tutorial from scratch. Self-study of English

If you firmly decide to learn English on your own, you will definitely face the problem of choosing effective methodology, of which there are a great many. Only you decide which method to choose.

What to focus on when choosing?

Firstly, your level of language proficiency
Secondly, on personal financial and time capabilities
Thirdly, based on your own intuitive desire

Dragunkin method

Dragunkin's method Alexander Dragunkin clearly and intelligibly explains the basics of English. Dragunkin's method for learning English is perfect for quick learning and memorization. The grammar is simplified as much as possible, the rules are simplified. There are courses for both beginners and advanced.

Dragunkin has a completely different approach to teaching, his own terminology, his own laws, his own vocabulary. He even remade grammatical rules, systematized exceptions, resolved the problems of using articles and irregular verbs. Dragunkin identified new classes and groups of words, uniting them according to common characteristics; revealed the relationship between them. The presentation of the material follows a chain, from simple to complex, one follows from the other in a strict logical sequence.

Teaching English is based on the native language. Due to all these factors, training time is reduced several times, and perception educational material noticeably relieved. The technique is aimed at quickly achieving results. The purpose of the program is not to teach, but to teach.

Pimsleur technique

The Pimsleur Method American Conversational English will help you master the audio course “Pimsleur English for Russian Speakers”. See the article Learning English using Dr. Pimsleur's method. The Pimsleur technique also helps you learn to read correctly. Our website has all the audio lessons of spoken American, as well as reading lessons.

The Pimsleur Method is the only form of foreign language learning that includes a unique, patented method of memory training. The course consists of thematic dialogues with detailed explanations and translations. Phrases are voiced by a native speaker.

Students listen to the recording and repeat phrases after the speaker. Then the next speech pattern is announced and its meaning is explained. The student repeats it again many times, then he needs to repeat the previous phrases, at the same time inserting words from the new expression into it. New words are introduced, and old expressions are asked to be repeated after a certain, constantly increasing, interval of time.

A very interesting, and most importantly working, system of 30 audio lessons, half an hour each. The course was created specifically for Russian speakers who want to know the speech of US residents. No textbooks, just listen and repeat. And soon you will be able to carry on a conversation like a real American without any problems.

Schechter method

This is a completely new emotional and semantic approach, which asserts that mastering foreign language should be similar to learning your native speech. This method refers to direct game-based interactive methods of active learning. Politicians, astronauts, and famous people studied using this method. Even Western private linguistic schools paid attention to Schechter's method.

His methodology is built on a person-oriented approach, where it is important to pay attention not to what to do with English, but what to do with the person in order to make the learning process easier for him. A positive atmosphere, goodwill, learning without fatigue and stress - these are the main and mandatory components of each lesson.

The goal of each individual lesson and of teaching as a whole is to encourage the student to express opinions in his own words, rather than repeat memorized patterns and phrases from textbooks. Therefore, lectures are organized in the form of active human participation in the changing events of business and city life.

Also great importance has speech correction and grammar, which students study in the higher cycles of the course. This technology is also used to memorize new material without memorization and rote repetition.

BERLITZ English learning method Another popular method is the BERLITZ method, which polyglots have been using for 200 years. It is based on studying a foreign language abroad. There are more than 400 BERLITZ language schools around the world. You can choose both group classes and individual training. Read the article How to study English abroad.

This method requires strict adherence to the basic principles:

First you need to learn to speak, and then master reading and writing skills
Grammar and vocabulary should be learned through natural, entertaining conversation, in a conversational context
Only native speakers should teach the language
The student must take an active part in the learning process
Native speech is not used at all and is excluded from training
Such a concept as translation is also excluded

Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone's English learning method The Rosetta Stone method is also recognized as one of the best - a convenient program for those who are planning to emigrate. Language learning from scratch. The user follows the same path as when learning their native language: words and images, pronunciation, grammar and syntax. The difficulty level increases gradually.

The Flash method allows you to learn English the same way you learned your native language from infancy - without rules. Mastering English occurs through repeated repetition, immersion in the language environment, and the formation of associations. This program teaches you to automatically perceive and reproduce the most common conversational structures.

The course completely lacks translation, instead there is an associative series. Vocabulary, syntax and grammar are learned through modeling of various life situations. The main emphasis is on visual memory. As a supplement, I advise you to read a lot on your own

The non-translation method means:

No rules or translation
Words are given immediately in context
Memorization is achieved through numerous repetitions

An excellent program for those who want to learn the basics of the language on their own without going too deep into the details. Pictures make the technique interesting, and learning occurs without stress.

Lex!

Lex program! — known method enrichment of vocabulary. Sitting at the computer, the user memorizes words, phrases, speech patterns that periodically appear on the screen. It supports the ability to delete and add vocabulary, edit it, change training intensity levels and time parameters. The characteristics of human memory, attention and perception are taken into account.

The user can install and separately configure various translation modes: direct, reverse, written translation, and their random alternation. The student independently determines the quantity correct translations, which is an indicator that the word has been learned. Lex! — is accompanied by a detailed reference book that will allow you to quickly find answers to all your questions.

Muller method

Stanislav Müller's technique consists in the harmonious interaction of conscious and subconscious thinking. Used to improve learning and memory latest developments Russian and Western science - superlearning and holographic memory:

Super learning ability - helps you master any skill several times faster. At the same time, you get tired much less and support high level performance
Holographic memory - helps to systematize life experiences, increases memory capabilities, and allows you to restore the ability to master language

During the course, exercises are performed to improve imagination, which helps memorize lexical material. The course solves problems of understanding colloquial speech, free reading, writing and speaking.

Frank method

I recommend Ilya Frank’s method, which is based on learning English through reading special texts. With constant reading in this way over the course of a year, you can learn to speak fluently, thanks to the special arrangement of the original text and the translation. At the same time, memorizing words and phrases does not occur through cramming, but through their constant repetition in the text.

Still the same non-translation method. In Ilya Frank's books, the text is broken down into more than a few passages - an adapted passage with a literal translation and lexical and grammatical commentary, then the same text, but without hints. You just read a book and learn a language at the same time.

The manager wrote up the sales slip (the manager filled out the form with the price). The crook looked at the slip and said, “This is a little more than I intended to spend.” Can you show me something less expensive? (could you show me something less expensive).”
The manager agreed and wrote up the sales slip. The crook looked at the slip and said, “This is a little more than I intended to spend. Can you show me something less expensive?”

The meaning of the unadapted text is that the reader, even for a short time, “swims without a board.” After reading an unadapted paragraph, you can move on to the next adapted one. There is no need to go back and repeat. You just have to read the following text.

Gunnemark's technique

You can try Eric Gunnemark's method. The Swedish polyglot recommends starting to learn the language by mastering an active minimum of words and grammatical rules. Why did he create a list of “speech cliches” that, in his opinion, you need to learn by heart yourself. Gunnemark called these collections “Minilex”, “Minifraz” and “Minigram”. All material is illustrated and voiced by native speakers. The course is recommended for beginners. Gunnemark's Method These “mini-collections” should not be neglected, because they provide guidance on what to focus on from the very beginning. Mastering a “mini-repertoire” will give a beginner self-confidence. The lists included in this collection are structured in such a way that the student masters the essentials on his own. After all, when you have well-mastered material and basic knowledge behind you, you inevitably begin to feel much more confident in any environment.

For Gunnemark, all teaching is subject to the following principles:

Particular attention is paid to the “central words”, that is, to those words that most often “roll off the tongue”
You need to learn not individual words, but entire expressions. You don't need to learn everything. For each typical situation, memorize 1-2 expressions, but “by heart”
It is better to learn one word perfectly than to learn several words poorly. No synonyms needed. Learn the main word
Try to use the learned expressions as often as possible
It is necessary to learn the basics of good correct pronunciation as quickly as possible.
Master the required minimum grammar
The most useful thing is reading

TO external factors successful study the linguist includes labor, time, teachers and material. That is, how quickly you will progress in learning depends directly on your ability to organize your work and time, on the chosen methodology and teacher.

As you can see, there are many ways and they are all different. Which one is better is up to you to decide. But having studied their basic principles, we can come to the conclusion that the main thing is communication and reading. To which I also join.

Do you know any other interesting techniques? Tell us about them in the comments. I wish you success and sustainable results!

Today, English is a universal means of communication. With its help, excellent career prospects. And we shouldn’t forget about access to a wealth of information material. Thanks to your knowledge of English, you can watch your favorite TV series at the moment they are shown, and not wait until they are translated and adapted to the Russian language.

There are many advantages of knowing a second language, which is usually English, and they can be listed for a very long time. It is difficult to learn Shakespeare's language even in England itself. But everyone can master the basics of simple spoken language.

This does not require teachers and stuffy classrooms. Thanks to modern methods, self-learning English is a fun and interesting activity. And it’s not as complicated as it seems at first glance.

IMPORTANT: There are no people incapable of “languages”. Yes, learning a foreign language may be easier for some, but more difficult for others. The main thing is to learn how to properly motivate yourself and find a training course that is suitable for this.

Of course, if you need English not for watching TV series and reading your favorite blog, but for more serious tasks, then self-study is unlikely to help. You will have to attend special, highly focused courses. But you can get to them, starting with self-study.

Of course, learning any language from scratch, including English, is much easier by attending special courses and communicating with a “live” teacher

But such communication has a number of disadvantages:

these types of activities cost money
need to adapt to schedule
If you miss one lesson you can fall far behind

Of course, many of the disadvantages of such training can be minimized by training with the help of Skype. But, if it is not possible to carve out several tens of thousands of rubles from the budget for such an activity, then the only way to learn English is to study it independently.

How to learn English from scratch?

In order to learn JK Rowling's language from scratch, it is best to use a computer program or audio course for beginners. With their help, you can understand the pronunciation of individual letters and words. By the way, an audio course has a lot of advantages in this.
With its help, training can be carried out without interrupting other activities. You can turn it on in the car while driving to work. If you prefer to travel by metro, then download this course to your smartphone and listen to it on the way
Of course, an audio course cannot replace visual perception in English. But there are special online trainings for this. Choose the course you need and start studying

IMPORTANT: From the first day of learning English, you should try to speak it. If this is not done, then you will not be able to speak it even when your vocabulary and knowledge of grammar improves.

In order to learn English from scratch, first learn the alphabet, then move on to simple words - house, ball, girl, etc.

Choose a training where learning new words is presented in the form of cards. A word in English should be written on it and what it means should be drawn. Scientists have long established the power of visual memory of information.

There is no need to try to remember too many words at once. At first new information will come easy. Then, new words will be remembered easily, but old ones may be forgotten. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to pay more attention to consolidating new material. It is better to learn one new word a day, but reinforce all the old ones, than to learn 10 new words a day, but forget what you have already learned.

Where to start learning English?

Usually people start learning English from the alphabet. There is a reason for this; you can understand how this or that letter sounds. But you don't have to remember it at all. correct order. You can remember the pronunciation of letters without the alphabet. Moreover, they do not always sound like in this list of letters from “Hey to Zeta”
When you begin to understand letters, try to read as many English texts as possible. There is no need to understand what is written there. Certainly, interesting pictures the text will make you want to understand what it says
Then you can use online translators. But don't put all the text in them. Translate one word at a time. This will allow you to learn the language even better and remember a few words.

Once you have mastered the English language, get a dictionary

Write down in it (write it down with a pen) all the unfamiliar words and phrases you encounter, and their translation
In parallel with maintaining your dictionary, you need to start paying attention to grammar. English has a very complex tense system. There are irregular verbs and other difficulties in learning this language. All of them require a lot of time. But it will pay off in spades
Don't forget about pronunciation. Even a person who understands well what is written in English text will not always be able to understand what native speakers of this language are talking about. As a rule, they speak faster than teachers and teachers of language schools.
To make it easier to understand English, watch films, TV series and documentaries without translation. This great way learning this interesting language

IMPORTANT: Try to devote at least 30 minutes to English every day. To do this, it is advisable to choose certain hours. So by this time our brain will be able to “tune in” and the learning process will take place after a few days will go easier.

How to easily learn English: methods of teaching English?

There are quite a few methods for learning this foreign language. The most popular are:

Dmitry Petrov's method. A well-known polyglot in our country invented his own methodology and way of presenting information that fits into 16 lessons. Probably, many who were interested in learning English have seen a series of television programs in which Dmitry taught famous people. Thanks to this technique, you can quickly immerse yourself in the language environment and understand grammar
Method "16". Another technique that allows you to learn the basics of English in just 16 hours. It is based on educational dialogues, after mastering which you will be able to understand the English language
Schechter's method. This system of learning English was developed by the famous Soviet linguist Igor Yurievich Shekhter. Unfortunately, this technique cannot be used for independent learning of a foreign language. Moreover, a linguist teacher who will be allowed to teach using this method must himself undergo special training and pass an exam
Dragunkin method. A popular method of teaching English in our country, developed by the famous philologist Alexander Dragunkin. He built his system on the so-called Russified transcription. In addition, he developed "51 rules" English grammar. By learning which you can master this language

The list of methods for learning English can be continued for a long time. The above systems are well suited for independent mastery of this language.

But the best method for learning English is Frank method

Students learning English using this method are given two texts. First comes the adapted excerpt. This is usually a literal translation, often accompanied by lexical and grammatical comments. After reading such a passage, the text in English is presented.

The technique is very good, interesting, but has one significant drawback - it is more suitable for learning to read in English, rather than speaking in it.

How to quickly learn words in English?

There are many methods for memorizing words in a foreign language. The simplest of them is the traditional method. In a notebook you need to write down a few words in English (on the left side of the sheet) and their translation into Russian
It is advisable to always keep the notebook open and in a visible place. Read the words and repeat from. Try to remember and go about your business. Refer to your notebook several times a day. After some time, you can write down a few more words. It is advisable to do this on another sheet. So that you leave it in a visible place and at any moment cast your gaze on the sheet with the words
If you don't want a notebook, you can use the flashcard method. To do this, you need to cut sheets of cardboard into small cards. On the one hand, you need to write the word in English
And on the second, its translation into Russian. Turn the cards over with the English or Russian side facing you and try to translate the words written there. Unfold the card and check the correct answer

The card method is very popular

You can find it on the Internet online services, where such cards are presented in in electronic format. Thanks to the popularity of this method, today it is not difficult to buy ready-made cards. But it’s still better to make them yourself. After all, when we write something down on paper, we write it into our subconscious.

Don't try to remember a lot of words at once. This is not very effective in the long run. Words learned quickly are usually quickly forgotten.

How to learn English verbs?

In principle, the above methods for memorizing English words are suitable for both nouns and verbs. But among this category of English words there are also so-called “irregular verbs”. Like the correct ones, they mean:

Action – to speak (speak), to come (come)
Process – to sleep (sleep)
State – to be (to be), to know (to know), etc.

At school such verbs are taught as follows. Students are given their list, and the teacher asks them to learn as much as possible from it by the next lesson. This list does not have any structure to facilitate the study of such verbs. Therefore, few of us were able to master the English language at school.

Modern methods are very different from those by which foreign languages are taught at school

How to quickly learn irregular verbs in English?

As mentioned above, to learn such verbs you can use the “card method”. But, unlike “simple” words, irregular verbs have three forms. What actually makes them wrong
To make cards with irregular verbs, you need to write down the first form on one side, and the other two on the second side. Moreover, the first form does not need to be provided with a translation. And on back side you not only need to write two forms of the verb with translation, but also provide a hint. For example, “alternating irregular verbs with a vowel in the root from [e]”
The advantage of this method is that it is easy to use. You can go through the cards with your hands, first remembering the main shape, and then turn them over and do the same with other shapes. Such training can be done both at home and at work. Students can take these cards with them to college and repeat the verbs during breaks.

Example card:

To make it easier to memorize irregular verbs, they can be grouped into:

the method of formation of the second and third forms
repeatability or non-repeatability of forms
alternation of root vowels
sound similarity
spelling features

All other verbs should be structured not alphabetically, as in school, but according to the above principles:

How to learn tenses in English

Another pitfall for anyone who wants to learn English is tenses. Having understood their use, you can take a big step forward in learning this language.

In general, there are three tenses in English:

But the difficulty lies in the fact that each time has types. The first type of such tenses is called Simple. That is, there is:

Continuous (continued, long) is the second type of tense.

The third type is called Perfect. Thus there are:

There is also another type of tense that combines all the previous Perfect Continuous tenses. Accordingly, the times can be:

IMPORTANT: In specialized literature on English Simple language can be called Indefinite, and Continuous - Progressive. Don't be scared, it's the same thing.

In order to use English tenses in sentences, you need to understand what action is happening? It is regular, it happened yesterday, it happens in this moment and so on. Simple Times denote an action that occurs regularly, but its exact moment is not known. on Sundays – on Sundays (specific time is not known)
If the sentence indicates a specific time (at the moment, from 4 to 6 o’clock, etc.), then Continuous is used - long time. That is, time that denotes a specific moment or a specific period of time.
If the action is completed, Perfect is used. This time is used when the result of an action is already known or you can know exactly when it will end (but may still be going on)
The Perfect Continuous construction is used least often in English. It is used to denote a process whose action is not completed, but needs to be said about it at the moment. For example, “In May it will be 6 months that I have been studying English.”
To study the tenses of the English language, you can also create tables, as for irregular verbs. Just enter linguistic formulas instead. You can use special literature. Better than several authors at once

Dmitry Petrov’s method “Polyglot 16” talks very well about tenses

How to learn text in English?

If you need to learn a text in English in a short period of time, you can use several techniques for this purpose.
Before learning a text in a foreign language, you need to prepare. Namely, translate it. On the one hand, it is impossible to learn a text in English without knowing what is written there. On the other hand, while we are translating, something will already be recorded in the “subcortex”
When translating a text, you need to re-read it several times. If you do this during the day, then repeat this procedure before going to bed. We will sleep and our brains will work
In the morning, the text needs to be printed and hung in visible places. When preparing food, the text should be in a visible place in the kitchen. We vacuum in the living room, it should also be visible

Text in English is remembered very well if recorded on a voice recorder

Let's go to the store, put headphones in your ears and listen, repeating every word to yourself. IN gym, instead of hard rock, you need to listen to this text again.

If the text is large, then it is better to break it into several small passages and memorize each of them in turn. Don't be afraid, learning text in English is not as difficult as it seems.

How to learn English in your sleep?

On the Sunset Soviet era, many “unique” self-education methods have poured into our country. One of them was to study foreign languages while sleeping. Before going to bed, a cassette with lessons was put into the player, headphones were put on, and the person fell asleep. They say this method has helped some.

I know everything that sleep is very useful. According to researchers involved in this problem, sleep can improve mental abilities.

And in general, a well-rested person “absorbs” information better

But for some reason he absorbs it after sleep. English words from the player can only ruin your sleep. This means worsening the perception of information the next day.
But, sleep can really help. But, only if you set aside time immediately before studying English
After such a lesson, you can get some sleep, and during this time your brain will “process” the information and put it into “shelves.” This method of learning foreign languages has proven effective and is used by many people.
This technique can be improved if, immediately after sleep, you consolidate what was learned before bedtime.

Learning English: reviews

Kate. To learn a foreign language you need to devote at least 30 minutes a day to it. Every day for half an hour. Even one missed day will have a very negative impact. I definitely devote 30 minutes to English a day. Plus, if you still have time, be sure to take it as a bonus.

Kirill. Now there are a lot of sites on the Internet where material is presented in a playful form. I'm learning English through TV series. I watch TV series in this language with Russian subtitles. I used to read subtitles all the time. And now I’m trying to understand myself.

Video: Polyglot in 16 hours. Lesson 1 from scratch with Petrov for beginners

Self-study English is a rather labor-intensive, but inexpensive way to master the language, which has its pros and cons. In this case, you choose the main source of information - it can be the Internet, educational games, an English language tutorial, a phrasebook, books (adapted or in the original), songs. There are many online services for beginners and intermediates.

Perhaps, but this type of training has its own characteristics that must be taken into account. Language acquisition includes 4 components: reading, writing, speaking (speaking) and listening (listening).

Reading

Reading- one of the types speech activity, a complex process of symbol decoding aimed at understanding text. One of the forms of linguistic communication between people using printed and handwritten texts. Reading can also be considered as a wonderful tool for mastering a language, because in texts there are many unfamiliar words and words already familiar to us. Some words are ambiguous and their meaning is easier to remember in context. All this allows you not only to increase your vocabulary, but also to repeat previously learned grammatical structures. In order to ensure that working on the text does not turn into an impossible task, it is very important to select the text in accordance with your language level.

Letter

Letter- this is one of the types of speech activity, symbolic fixation of speech using special symbols (letters, hieroglyphs, drawings). Mastery of written language occurs gradually. For practice in writing you can use the following forms of work:

Rewriting text;
Training dictations;
Writing letters, essays.

Reading and writing are interconnected types of speech activity. Writing is a kind of encoding of information using symbols, and reading is the decoding of these symbols.

Oral speech

To master oral speech, you must have skills in voicing expressions, skills in using lexical units, and grammatical skills to correctly formulate sentences. In other words, in order to say something, you need to know the words required by a given situation, be able to pronounce them correctly and construct a sentence in accordance with the rules of the language. In addition to words, there are speech patterns, stable expressions that are often used in oral speech. Therefore, to master oral speech, you need not only to remember a certain number of individual words and expressions, but also to bring their use to automatism.

Listening to speech (listening)

Listening is the process of listening and understanding spoken expressions. The mechanism of this process includes:

Perception of streams of sounds and recognition of words, sentences, paragraphs, etc. in them.
Understanding the meaning of words, sentences, paragraphs. If you already have a certain speech experience, then this process is enhanced by predicting the content of what was said.

For understanding English speech you need to listen by ear as often as possible! You can communicate with other people in English (preferably with foreigners), talk on the phone, listen to music, watch videos, TV series.

Learning a foreign language not only develops memory and thinking, but also increases IQ level.

Where to start learning a language on your own?

When learning a foreign language on your own, your success will directly depend on the correctness of the chosen approach to learning.
It is necessary to adhere to the correct sequence of studying the material - from simple to complex. It is recommended to study topics in the following order:

English alphabet (sounds and letters of the alphabet).
Transcription.
Reading rules.
Vocabulary by topic (accumulation of vocabulary).
Grammar.

Each of these components is important, so you cannot miss anything, because all these points are closely interrelated. Remember that without correct pronunciation it will be difficult to understand you. Even after learning the entire dictionary, you will not speak, because sentences are built according to certain rules, and to construct them correctly, you need at least basic knowledge of grammar, because speech is not just a set of words.

When studying on your own, it is very important to check the correctness of your pronunciation. This can be done using online dictionaries. Click on the "horn" to hear how the word is pronounced. For example, you can use the sites Lingvo.ru or Howjsay.com. If you are working on a text, then use Google translator to listen to the entire text.

In learning vocabulary (replenishing your vocabulary), you should also adhere to a certain order. Start learning vocabulary with simple and more commonly used words and expressions on a specific topic. To do this, you can use the Englishspeak.com service (100 lessons with vocabulary by topic and the ability to listen to it), the Studyfun.ru service (vocabulary by topic and the ability to listen to it), a phrasebook (be careful - transliteration ( English words in Russian letters) does not reveal the features English pronunciation!), self-teachers (their advantage is that in one lesson there are exercises on pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary for the lesson, texts for reading, conversational phrases by topic). News lovers can use the news portal Newsinlevels.com, where the presentation of information depends on your level of English. It is important that each news is accompanied by an audio recording.

Knowledge of grammar is no less important than vocabulary. If you really want to, you can learn any rule, but in order for working on the rule not to seem overwhelmingly difficult, your task is not to learn (memorize) the rule, but to understand it. If this rule is related to the use of tenses, passive voice, conditional sentences etc., understand the rule in your “native” language. For example, change the same sentence so that it matches temporary forms English, but make a sentence in Russian (you can make changes). Then in English:

In the summer we love to sunbathe on the beach (in general we love it - the present simple tense).
Now we are sunbathing on the beach - (present continuous tense).
- You look like boiled crayfish! - Of course, I was on the beach all day! (looks like a crayfish now because I was on the beach – simple perfect tense).
We have been sunbathing on the beach since three o'clock (we have been sunbathing for 3 hours and are still going on - present perfect continuous tense).
When we were little, we loved sunbathing on the beach (past simple tense).
Yesterday we sunbathed all day (past continuous tense).
When he came to us, we were already on the beach (two actions in the past, one of which happened earlier - past perfect tense).
We sunbathed on the beach all day until he came! (the action lasted until a certain point in the past).
Tomorrow we'll go to the beach! (future simple tense).
And tomorrow at the same time we will already be sunbathing! (action in the future that will take some time - future continuous tense).
In a week I will definitely finish writing my essay about summer! (the essay will be written at a certain moment in the future - future perfect tense).
I will play volleyball on the beach until my parents follow me! (an action that will last in the future until a certain moment - future perfect continuous tense).

A good start doesn't always guarantee happy end, therefore, you need to approach the organization of independent classes responsibly. Remember that you need this first of all, and all control over the progress of the enterprise and its results rests with you!

Exercise regularly.
Depending on the results you want to achieve and the time frame for achieving them, set for yourself a mandatory duration of classes (for example, at least an hour and at least 3 times a week).
Everyone’s work speed is different, so you set the ideal learning rhythm for yourself (for example, 30 minutes a day).
Choose tasks of your level to avoid disappointment in yourself and your abilities. If you already have some knowledge, you can rewrite short texts, translate texts or articles, find someone to talk to (on the Internet or real life) to practice speaking (or writing, e.g. pen pal) skills.
All acquired knowledge should be immediately applied in practice, while trying to use all words and grammatical structures in oral and written speech.
Learning a foreign language is mostly cramming, which is hated by many, but you can’t do without it (for example, learning vocabulary)! But even in cramming you can find logic - for example, some words are international, so memorizing them based on the similarity of their sounds in your native language will facilitate the process of memorizing them.
Repetitio est mater studiorum (Repetition is the mother of learning). Be sure to take the time to review the material you’ve covered until it’s stuck in your head... forever. You will not be able to achieve the desired result by saving time on repetition. After all, repetition is one of the main conditions for memorizing and mastering material. Repetition specifically affects long-term memory, helping to assimilate information. long term. Correct repetition of learned material improves its retention and facilitates its subsequent reproduction.

What can interfere with independent language learning?

« False" motivation, or lack of proper motivation. Ask yourself the question “Why am I learning a language?” If the answer is for yourself, it’s fashionable, to get a job, then you are unlikely to achieve significant results. Why? Because you may (and most likely) won’t need it for yourself, and learning a language is a labor-intensive process; it’s fashionable – fashion changes, and so do languages. To get a job, the employer needs a qualified worker now, and not necessarily in you, when you learn the language.

Formulate a specific goal, preferably of a practical nature, even if a trip abroad is not in the cards in the near future. For example: learning a language develops my intellectual abilities, by learning a language I develop my personal and communication skills, I can expand access to the information I need, because there is more of it in English; I want to watch movies and TV series in English, I want to communicate with foreigners, etc.

Typical beginner mistakes are:

Kato Lomb (8 February 1909 – 9 June 2003)- a famous Hungarian translator and writer who has worked as a simultaneous interpreter since the 1950s.

She spoke, read and wrote fluently in Hungarian, Russian, English, French, and German. She could express herself and understand Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, and Polish. With a dictionary I read in Bulgarian, Danish, Romanian, Slovak, Ukrainian, Latin, Polish languages. She is a physicist and chemist by education, but already in her youth she was interested in languages, which she studied on her own.

Kato Lomb outlined her method of learning foreign languages in the book "How I learn languages".

Kato Lomb summarized her approach to learning languages in the 10 Commandments:

1. Practice your language daily. At least 10 minutes, even if there is no time at all. It is especially good to exercise in the morning.
2. If the desire to study weakens too quickly, do not “force” it, but do not give up studying either. Come up with some other form: put down the book and listen to the radio, leave the textbook exercises and look through the dictionary, etc.
3. Never cram, never memorize anything in isolation from context.
4. Write out of turn and memorize all the “ready-made phrases” that can be used in maximum quantity cases.
5. Try to mentally translate everything that is possible: a flashing advertising sign, an inscription on a poster, snatches of accidentally overheard conversations. This good exercise, allowing you to keep linguistic thinking in constant tone.
6. It is worth learning firmly only what is absolutely correct. Do not re-read your own uncorrected exercises: when reading repeatedly, the text is involuntarily remembered with all possible errors. If you study alone, then learn only the ones you know are correct.
7. Write down and remember ready-made phrases and idiomatic expressions in the first person, singular. For example: “I am only pulling your leg” (I’m just teasing you).
8. A foreign language is a fortress that needs to be stormed from all sides at the same time: by reading newspapers, listening to the radio, watching undubbed films, attending lectures in a foreign language, working through a textbook, correspondence, meetings and conversations with friends who are native speakers.
9. Don’t be afraid to speak, don’t be afraid of possible mistakes, but ask them to be corrected. And most importantly, don’t be upset or offended if they really start correcting you.
10. Be firmly confident that you will achieve your goal no matter what, that you have an unbending will and extraordinary abilities to languages. And if you have already lost faith in the existence of such things - (and rightly so!) - then think that you are simply enough clever man to master such a small thing as a foreign language. And if the material still resists and your mood drops, then scold the textbooks - and rightly so, because there are no perfect textbooks! - dictionaries - and this is true, because comprehensive dictionaries do not exist - at worst, the language itself, because all languages are difficult, and the most difficult of all is your native one. And things will work out.

There is so much information about English that it is easy to get confused!

Dear readers! I know from my own experience how difficult English is for beginners. And the point is not a lack of textbooks or information, but rather an excess of them, information noise that is impossible to understand.

In this article, I have collected and systematized materials from the site that will be useful for beginners, those who are learning English from scratch. In these articles, I share my opinion on where to start learning a language, what online resources and books are best to use, where to find good video lessons, how to choose courses and where to find an online tutor.

Where to start learning English?

If you decide to learn English “from scratch,” then you need to go from simple to complex, from the most necessary to the rarer. First of all, try to lay the foundation for future knowledge and skills and learn the basics of the language. The most basic knowledge includes:

Having laid the foundation, you need to practice a lot and in a variety of ways in all types of speech activities: reading, listening, writing and speaking in English.

Actually, that's all. You've just taken a short course in language learning! The rest is details and particulars.

You can find the necessary materials both on this site (links above) and in textbooks and online training courses for beginners. I recommend on initial stage study using a textbook for self-study (self-instruction manual). In my opinion, the most convenient way to learn the basics of a language is from a textbook, using interactive materials, such as vocabulary cards, as auxiliary materials.

What websites are there for English language beginners?

The main advantage of the textbook is that the material is presented in a methodically correct order, in convenient portions. You don’t have the feeling that you are wandering in the dark; the textbook literally leads you by the hand, giving extremely specific instructions. But in addition to textbooks, you can also study using educational programs - they contain a lot of audiovisual materials, and the learning process is built in a game form. The following sites are suitable for beginners:

“Teacher Method” – a step-by-step course for children and adults

“Teacher Method” is an interactive course for different levels, starting from almost zero. It includes courses of three difficulty levels for adults and children, as well as a separate children's course for the little ones.

In the course for beginners, learning begins with the alphabet, all explanations are made in the form of short videos in Russian with explanations from teachers, and tasks are given in the form of interactive exercises. The material is chewed down to the smallest detail. The service is paid, but is available free of charge in a limited form.

Lingvaleo is a service for self-learning English using:

The lesson plan is created automatically and looks like a list of “Today's tasks”, but it is not necessary to follow it. The site has a lot of audio, video and text materials of different levels of complexity - from simple to original materials of foreign TV, so it is suitable not only for lesson-based language learning, but also for practice in reading and listening. Most of the features are free, but for an additional fee you can purchase interactive courses (for example, grammar or English for children) and unlock some word learning modes.

Duolingo

A free interactive course, in which, like in the “Teacher Method”, you need to go from lesson to lesson. But there are almost no explanations here; training is built on a different principle. You need to complete tasks, studying the practical side of grammar and applying the vocabulary learned at the beginning of the lesson in practice: constructing and translating phrases. It is not advisable to take this course as a basis for learning English, but it is suitable as an auxiliary educational game.

English for beginners: free video lessons

Useful Internet resources are not limited to just educational sites. Fortunately, there are now a lot of useful, interesting and free video lessons. Lessons are available in both Russian and English.

For beginners, it is better to start with lessons in Russian. For example:

I believe that it is better for beginners to study with Russian-speaking teachers, and here’s why:

He better understands the peculiarities of teaching Russian-speaking students.
At the initial stage, it is better to explain tasks and rules in Russian.
It will be too difficult for you to understand a teacher who does not speak Russian.

The principles of language learning are very simple and have been known for a long time.

1. Set specific and achievable goals

It is much more convenient to move towards a goal when it is marked than when it is an unclear fog over the horizon. Why did you decide to learn the language in the first place? To get a job as a chief engineer at New Development Engineering? To move in with your aunt in Sydney? Your goals will largely determine how you go about achieving them. For example, if you want to study at a foreign university, you will need to be able to write correctly, which is not so important for a trip to the USA under the Work and Travel program.

It is advisable to set short-term goals in addition to long-term ones. For example, complete lessons 1 – 6 in two weeks, learn 100 words in a week, read the first chapter of Harry Potter in a month, etc. No need to set unrealistic goals. It's better to take small steps, but without stopping.

2. Try to exercise regularly, preferably every day!

Ideally, you need to practice every day for 1-2 hours. In practice, not everyone will be able to do this, but if you really want to, you can set aside at least half an hour a day. The main thing is not to deceive yourself by coming up with excuses about lack of time and crazy busyness. It's okay if you watch half an hour less TV or get things done half an hour earlier.

Even if you are a businessman/supermodel/pizza delivery guy, finding at least 15 minutes a day in your crazy schedule is exactly 15 minutes better than 0 minutes. And don’t forget that you can listen to audio lessons in the player while you are dying of boredom in a traffic jam.

There is no need to organize crazy marathons once a month either. It is better to exercise for 30 minutes 7 times a week than 210 minutes once a week. What's the point of running a 3-4 hour marathon a day if everything is forgotten within a week?

3. Practice makes perfect

You don't need any great intelligence or talent to learn a language. You just need to practice regularly - that’s all. Pay attention to all aspects of the language: vocabulary, grammar, practice in reading, listening, speaking and writing - and everything will be ok. Don't get hung up on theory and try to practice more.

Language is a means of communication, transmission and perception of information, knowledge, and expression of emotions. They need to be used. Learning a language but not using it is like learning swimming from books without diving into the water. Read and listen more, don’t hesitate to communicate!

Friends, many of you probably had a desire to start learn English for free without outside help and any paid educational courses.

And that's great! After all, learning a foreign language expands human consciousness, opens up opportunities for travel and communication with people from other parts of the world. Believe me Having mastered another language, you will begin to think and perceive the world around you differently!

However, judging by the experience of most students, some people give up trying to learn English due to a lack of self-discipline and simple laziness! And indeed, an abundance of all kinds of rules and bad memories from school curriculum training discourages all desire to learn!

We decided to help everyone learn English on your own and prepared 7 the best ways to master it. These methods significantly save time and simplify understanding of grammar, and most importantly, they are free!

Using these methods and devoting at least 1 hour a day to studying, in a few months you will master the basic principles, expand your vocabulary and be able to speak freely on general/simple topics with native speakers.

1. Dmitry Petrov's method

Dmitry Petrov is a famous linguist, translator and public figure, who speaks more than 15 languages. He developed a course of 16 video lessons that can be found on the Internet in the public domain (episodes of the “Polyglot” program on the Russia TV channel). You can watch video tutorials.

In addition to the course of video lessons, there is a free mobile app for learning English using the method of Dmitry Petrov.

The effectiveness of Dmitry Petrov's method: the material is presented in a very simple and understandable form, thanks to which the fear of tenses, verb forms, etc. is quickly dispelled. In a short time you will gain communication skills, plus you will practice basic language algorithms until they become automatic.

2. Duolingo.com platform

A free international language learning platform without premium packages, advertising or webinars, which was launched in 2011. The training system is built in the form of interesting lessons based on gamification, during which students help translate websites, articles, etc.

The basis of training is Dualingo skill tree, through which users advance by completing tasks and earning experience points. The platform has many functions, such as completing tasks against time, etc. In addition to the web project, Duolingo has a mobile application. On Dualingo you can learn not only English, but also German and French, and soon Spanish and Swedish will also be available.

Duolingo efficiency: According to research, 34 hours of Duolingo training provides the same reading and writing skills as a semester of study (130 hours) in higher education. educational institutions. Currently, many teachers in schools use the Dualingo program. The project provides excellent skills for speech recognition and translations.

3. Movie mania with subtitles

The method is based on watching your favorite films and TV series with double subtitles, but in English dubbing. It turns out that you simultaneously hear English speech and see the writing and translation.

The main point is making the right choice series and films. Beginners need to watch films that have simple dialogues and do not use specific words. Many people call the famous series “Friends” ideal for watching with double subtitles.

Efficiency of the method: quickly remember new words and phrases, master pronunciation. However, to feel the effect, you need to watch quite a lot of episodes or films.

4. Ilya Frank method

This method involves learning a language by reading books in English without a dictionary. You read and remember due to the repetition of words in the text of books.

In addition to this, for interesting reading offers explanations with translations of each sentence. Just download Ilya Frank’s books and read them at any time convenient for you. You can see what the text in the book looks like in the picture below.

The effectiveness of Ilya Frank's method: Frank's learning is ideal for memorizing words. You read a book and as you learn, you begin to skip the explanatory inserts. According to reviews it is said that if you read 1-2 hours a day, then in a year you will be able to read without problems English books in original.

5. Alexander Dragunkin method

Alexander Dragunkin developed his own method of teaching English, in which he abandoned the traditional classical study of the rules of reading words, replacing it with Russified transcription.

In his method he also developed 53 “golden” grammar formulas, which differ from the classic ones. Dragunkin offers his vision of language learning and an understanding of grammar that will be simple and understandable for beginners.

To get started, we recommend watching the 3-hour video tutorial, under which you will find a link to many teaching materials and Dragunkin tables that help with learning.

The effectiveness of the Dragunkin Method: the main advantage of Dragunkin’s method is that the material is presented in a very accessible form for “dummies.” All the material (tables, rules) by Dragunkin is systematized, making it easy to remember.

6. Dr. Pimsleur Method

Dr. Pimsleur's method is based on listening, when the student listens to dialogues, constructs phrases and reproduces them from memory. Course of Study consists of 3 parts, each of which contains 30 lessons(audio material + text).

The important point is that learning using the Pimsleur method requires great concentration. In particular, it is impossible, for example, to combine training with being in in public places, because Often, as part of training, it is necessary to repeat after the speaker.

The effectiveness of Dr. Pimsleur's method: training on this method Perfect for those who have poor pronunciation. The course using Dr. Pimsleur's method perfectly develops memory and promotes good recognition of English speech (especially dialects).

7. YouTube training

In addition to the above methods, we will leave for you several excellent YouTube channels for learning English. Each of them has its own training program that will help you master English.

Puzzle English- an excellent channel with a wide variety of grammar lessons, language learning tips, correct pronunciation etc.

English like clockwork is an entertaining channel where language learning is carried out through jokes, games, music, films, etc.

OXANA DOLINKA— a channel of the user of the same name, where a girl teaches English and focuses on live modern language, as well as the nuances of spoken English when traveling.

English at Steve Jobs School- a channel where short lessons touch on certain topics of the English language, as well as dialogues in films, talk about metaphors in English, etc.

Albert Kakhnovskiy- a channel where English is taught by the famous Raymond Murphy.

Efficiency of the method: learn English in youtube channels simple and fun. Studying does not oblige you to anything and you can devote as much time to studying as you wish.