How to learn English from video

Improve your vocabulary and learn to perceive foreign speech by ear, be the first to watch the premiere, hear the voice of your favorite actor, feel the atmosphere of the film, which cannot be perfectly conveyed when the movie is dubbed — these are not all the advantages of learning English through video.

Watching English video lessons is an integral part of the learning process. Therefore, we will tell you how to choose useful videos and make it easy and fun.

1. Choose a video for your English level

Otherwise, you will not understand anything (there will be many unfamiliar words, you will be unable to understand sentences because of fluent pronunciation) or, conversely, everything will be too easy and understandable, so that you will not learn anything new.

If your level is Elementary, start with special educational videos. They are short, simple for perception and subtitled. For example, English Club TV Channel offers special programs for beginners: Basic Lexis, Simple News, Grammar Wise, etc.

If you are a Pre-Intermediate or Intermediate student, you will be able to watch cartoons / animated series or movies in English, which you have watched many times in your language.

If your level is Upper-Intermediate or Advanced, you can watch almost all movies and series, but do not forget to write down and learn unfamiliar words, practicing your pronunciation.

2. Watch videos with subtitles

Some sound studios publish a new original series on their website, but already with English subtitles, immediately after the premiere of the film / series. If perceiving someone’s speech is hard for you, turn on subtitles in your native language, but try to switch to English as quickly as possible: this will be more effective.

3. Subscribe to the YouTube channels of famous English speaking bloggers

In their video blogs they tell about travels, different things bought in online shops, food, cosmetics, etc. Choose the channel you prefer and subscribe to it. Thus, you will get familiar with English speech and slang, hear different accents.

4. Emulate the manner of conversation of your favorite movie characters.

Thus, you will get rid of your accent and incorrect pronunciation. Write down the favorite phrases said by the movie hero and pronounce them. In addition, you will expand your vocabulary.

5. Use the video player

YouTube has a slow-motion function, which you can use to make the video less fast. You will also find a similar function in the built-in video and audio players, such as Samsung, iPhone, etc. In Windows, slow playback is in the standard player, but you can also install the Winamp player.

6. Improve your writing skills

In English there are many words that are identical in sound, but different in spelling and meaning. It is not necessary to go to the tutor to learn how to write and distinguish these words depending on the context. You can just watch special video lessons developed for both writing the dictation and checking it. Similar lessons contain a grammatical part (spelling, punctuation, etc.), a test part and the keys to it.

7. Practice continuously

Do not forget that everything learned must be practiced. Try to talk and think in English as often as you can, use learned words, sentences and quotes from films in your speech.
Discuss the new film with friends or English speaking interlocutors, use special online services or just chat with a friend on Facebook. Some interlocutors ask for a language exchange, so be ready to talk to them about films in your native language.