6 things NOT to do when learning English

There are many articles on how to start learning English, improve it and expand your active vocabulary. Specialists give useful recommendations, advise techniques and textbooks. Today you will learn about 6 harmful tips — do not follow them. Just remember, avoid them.

Bad advice # 1. «Learn English when you want!»

Do not start learning a foreign language, if you do not have time for this. Any knowledge needs constant improvement and practice. Try to study less, but more often. Spend 10–15 minutes a day learning English. Use special programs, textbooks and techniques and you will surely succeed!

Bad advice # 2. «Always think of grammar rules while talking to someone in English!»

Do not forget that grammar is important, but the main purpose of your conversational classes is to learn how to communicate in English fluently. If you take much time to choose a proper grammatical construction or remain silent, being afraid of making mistakes, you will not be able to learn how to talk fluently.

Bad advice # 3. «Do not learn the language by yourself. Teacher is the one who must teach you English!»

Do not rely on the teacher for everything. Take the initiative to improve your English. The tutor will not be able to teach you forcibly. So, you should get rid of laziness, motivate yourself and show activity at every lesson. Such practices are especially important for those who prefer to learn the language on their own.

Bad advice # 4. «Try to understand and translate every word spoken by your interlocutor!»

Do not listen to all the words of the interlocutor and do not focus on separate phrases, especially unfamiliar ones. Better concentrate on those that you know, try to catch the general sense of what was said. Do not hesitate to ask your interlocutor to reiterate his words if you could not hear something or did not understand it. They will repeat or explain it in other words.

Bad advice # 5. «Learn the words on the cards and always write down unfamiliar words!»

Do not write down separate words. Learn them in the context, memorizing phrases and their translation. Write down such phrases only when you come across an unfamiliar word a second time and still are unable to remember its meaning. Create a separate notebook or document in your smartphone / laptop and write down these phrases only there.

Bad advice # 6. «Use books with simultaneous translation into your native language!»

There are books, in which English text alternates with its translation into your native language: one paragraph of English, then one paragraph of another language. There is very little chance that this will help you learn new words. If something is not clear, just find out the meaning of the unfamiliar word. You should try to read unadapted texts, using a dictionary.