Getting good at English requires a lot of effort. It may be discouraging and tedious if you don’t feel like you’re making any headway. But it would help if you utilized English every day to achieve fluency. The most excellent method to shake up the monotony of studying English is to include some exciting new activities. And don’t allow the fact that you’re away on vacation or a business trip put you off! Learn English outside of the classroom with these engaging activities.
Ways to Have Fun Studying the English Language
IELTS preparation and travel are compatible if you plan and use engaging resources, but it’s not simple to keep up with your fun and adventures while Beginning to study English.
1. Get your Scrabble on
Scrabble’s time-honored board game aims to form crossword-style sentences from a collection of randomly assigned letter tiles. It’s an excellent method for expanding one’s lexical toolkit in the English language. When playing Scrabble, you’ll need to use all your English skills to develop new words to play with the letters you’ve been dealt.
Those enrolled in an English course would be well-advised to purchase the game and organize a group game night. You may also play a version of Scrabble on social networking sites like Facebook, where it is known as Words With Friends.
2. The Benefits of Studying Abroad
It’s easy to become bored with studying in the same room or at the same desk day after day. Get out of the house and research somewhere new if you usually do it at home. The new environment will invigorate you, and moving around will help you remember more.
Your mind automatically parallels your learning material and current physical location whenever you study somewhere new. Moving your place of study around can help you learn more effectively by stimulating the formation of novel neural connections between your studies and the outside world. Making new neural pathways increases your chances of retaining information.
3. True-to-Life Video Lessons in English Language Learning
Videos created by and for native speakers are more likely to be trusted as being genuine. They are complex. Thus, it is best to take baby steps when learning them. In my view, the best way to study a topic is to watch a short video on YouTube, and I suggest searching for ones that are precisely 5 minutes long. Food Network, for instance, is an excellent resource for foodies who enjoy trying new recipes (they have Alton Brown’s popcorn and Ina Garten’s chocolate cake, among many others).
Video lessons on FluentU typically run around five minutes; the site offers a wide variety of themes to appeal to learners of any language. Each video is accompanied by interactive subtitles, flashcards, and quizzes to reinforce what is being learned.
4. Obtain an English Joke Book
Joke books, which may be found at any library, are also surprisingly helpful study aids. You need more than just a command of English grammar and vocabulary to hold meaningful discussions with native English speakers; you also need an appreciation for the peculiarities of the British way of life.
Puns and idioms are difficult to master, but you can get some experience with them by reading a joke book. Something hilarious in one nation may make no sense at all in another. You may learn how to have fun like a native speaker of English by reading the jokes in this book.
5. Perform Karaoke
Try singing along with these popular English-language tunes. Learning the words to some of your favorite English songs might be an intriguing cultural experience. When learning the words to your favorite English songs, you can’t go wrong with either FluentU or Lyrics Training.
You may sing in the shower while doing dishes or in a karaoke club with pals. To improve your English pronunciation and intonation while having fun with music, you already know and love, try singing these English songs.
6. Launch Your English-Language Blog
Why not start your blog in English after getting a feel for the concept? Put some effort into your English writing every day. You don’t have to come up with anything exciting; perhaps you could describe your day or update me on your progress in English class.
Whether you want to make your blog public for the world to see or keep it private is up to you; alternatively, you might keep a diary. This is an excellent chance to practice stating yourself in English by writing about something you enjoy doing.
7. Create a Mnemonic to Help You Remember
A mnemonic device is a method of memorizing data by linking it to something already known to the user, such as a phrase, image, or sound. As an illustration of how “because” may be spelled by remembering the words “Big Elephants Can Continuously Understand Small Elephants,” which is often used as a memory aid.
Plenty of pre-made mnemonic devices are available online, but the best results come from coming up with your own. Since the mnemonic device may be linked to the speaker’s original tongue, the information takes on greater significance, making it easier to recall.
8. Enjoy Some of Your Favorite Reading
Learn English pleasantly and engagingly by perusing our valuable IELTS reading materials. Don’t try to read the sections from the IELTS practice exams while driving; you won’t be able to focus. To do well on the reading portion, read as much as possible, whether that’s your favorite periodicals, books, or newspapers. It’s recommended to highlight key ideas, terms, and viewpoints. Look through your notes after you get home from your vacation.
9. Watch TV, a Movie, or a Podcast
Try listening to a brief academic podcast daily to hone your listening skills. It would help if you listened to it as often as it takes to get it. It won’t take long and will help you become a better listener. Listen to the podcasts at Scientific American 60 Seconds!
You may also use the time to watch movies and TV shows that can aid you in the making up for the IELTS. To pass the time while traveling, in the vehicle, or before bed, download a few movies or episodes of your favorite TV show.
10. Hold Conversations
If you’re interested in practicing your English conversation skills, visiting an English-speaking nation is a fantastic way to meet locals and individuals worldwide. Confidence, exposure to other accents, and new vocabulary (including local slang) are all benefits of making small chats with strangers. Please don’t think twice. Attempt things without worrying about failing. Let loose with as much chatter as you can!
A group of English as a Second Language (ESL) tourists whom I assisted with idiomatic words on a five-hour bus journey through Kenya thanked me for my assistance. They informed me afterward that they had more pleasure learning during that session than in any other classroom setting they had experienced.
11. Make a Journal of Your Trip
Understandably, you wouldn’t want to spend time in transit writing an essay. So, if you’re going to hone your writing skills in a lighthearted way, I suggest keeping a vacation journal. Tell a buddy or yourself about the highlights of your vacation first, and then put them down on paper. Try using a range of vocabulary and several different sentence patterns. Adding maps, routes, and images to your journal is another option for expanding its appeal. It’ll make a great keepsake for the future.
Fun Methods to Study English Anywhere
Take full use of your mobile device by installing practical IELTS preparation applications. You may use apps to study for the IELTS and improve your English skills at home or abroad. Magoosh IELTS Vocabulary Flashcards are great for looking on the go, whether in a hotel room or on the road, because you can learn a set of new words, listen to a brief grammar course, or view a 5-minute video.
I’m not trying to promote my company here, but using Magoosh’s free vocabulary builder software is an excellent method to increase your vocab regularly. The program tests your knowledge of 1,200 of the most frequently used terms in the language by providing you with audio pronunciation, explanations, and examples for each word. I enjoy how it’s structured like a game, with more manageable levels containing fewer words and more sophisticated vocabulary unlocked as you get through the easier ones.
One of the most efficient and enjoyable methods for learning English (or any other language) is to treat it like a game you can perform on your phone while waiting for a buddy or commuting. Although I am a natural English speaker, I use this app daily to expand my vocabulary.
Don’t give up! Increasing your exposure to contexts in which English is spoken can help you pick up the language more quickly. Keep in mind that the pursuit of linguistic fluency should be a rewarding experience.