1. Learn the basic reading and listening abilities of English.

2. Spend at least one hour everyday listening to news or discussion programs such as NPR (National Public Radio) news or BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation; the World Service or Radio Four are best) news.

It's hard to understand what they are saying when you first begin to listen to them, but gradually you'll get used to the speed and tone. Then you can get a brief idea of what they are talking about, although you can't get the detail. You don't need to listen to the radio for an whole hour at once. It's best to spend twenty or thirty minutes on listening separately.


3. Spend more than three hours every day on reading English news or articles. Reading builds up your vocabulary, idioms, phrases, and the concepts of English structures. If you do enough reading, it will save you a lot of time since you will not need to spend more time on building your vocabulary or grammar. Read out loud when you do your reading so that you can improve your pronunciation at the same time.

4. Learn the phonetic alphabet (pronunciation symbols). This can help you pronounce correctly, and it's necessary to speak with the correct tone if you want to make some friends with native English speakers. This is a big deal for non-native English speakers.

5. Make some pen pals and write them at least once everyday. The best way to improve your writing is to practice writing as much as you can. The more you write the more you know how to use what you've learned from reading and listening.

6. Make friends with native-English speakers. This is the most difficult task because of the difference in culture, but you can't really master English unless you can communicate with a native English speaker fluently. You have to know enough things and have good listening skills if you want to have good conversations with an American or Briton. Remember to ask a lot of questions to keep the conversation going. When someone asks you a question, give more than just the basic information. For example, if someone asks you "Do you like living here?" don't just answer "Yes" or "No," but tell them why, too.

7. Watch some English TV. TV is the best and most inexpensive teacher to learn real English. Not only you can learn formal English from news or debate TV programs, but you can also learn everyday English from soap operas and sitcoms. Be careful because too much jargon or too many idioms make your speech ambiguous.

8. Try listening to the Radio. Radio is also one of the best and inexpensive English teachers. Because there is no picture, you cannot lip read. You must train your ear to listen.

9. Use an English-English dictionary and bring your dictionary wherever you go. If you find some words that you don't know, look them up in your dictionary immediately.

10. Use 'Espoir Smart English' programs. You get absorbed in the learning English. You will learn English automatically. This program is specially designed for the adolescent mind to learn English for their success in career, social, love & personal lives & influence people.

11. Use your newly-learned idioms or vocabulary. Once you use the words which you memorized, you will never forget them again.

12. Think in English. Getting used to using English all the time will make it easier to listen and react with it.

13. Join web groups or clubs where you can post questions freely and discuss the use of grammar.

14. Take an ESL (English as a Second Language) class at your local community college (if you live in the USA.) Classes are free! Your tax dollar at work!

Tips

• Learn about the cultures of English-speaking countries.

• If you have your sights set on the US, look for literacy programs in your area -- they are often free, learn a trade and do your best to acquire English-speaking friends. Americans like people with an "I can do it!" attitude. In Britain, a useful skill and some modesty are more the key.

• Find a native individual who not only speaks English, but can teach it. Learn grammar and vocabulary using visual, auditory and spoken methods. Spiral the cycle and keep it interesting.

• Children might enjoy learning in a kitchen while drinking milk after school.

• As a teenager, live for a year in an English speaking country. This is much less expensive if you do a barter - accept someone in your house in trade for living in theirs.

• Learn English by reading, listening, studying, and asking questions; practice what you learn by speaking and writing.

• Dictation is an excellent way to improve your listening and spelling skills. Have a friend read a few paragraphs from a book or a newspaper. Write down what you think you hear. Compare what you have written with the actual text.

• If you can dream in English, this means that you have succeeded in becoming a fluent English speaker, but not that your English is perfect.