Improve your English while having a good time

You’re thinking of carrying out your internship abroad but your English isn’t on point yet? Don’t panic! We are here to give you some advice before your departure.

Learning a different language is a long and difficult process: new grammar rules, conjugation, list of vocabulary ... But this doesn’t mean that you can’t improve your English, while doing something you like.

This article intends to provide you with a few leads to work on your English without doing something too boring or tedious so you are ready for your internship abroad!

Read in English

Reading in English is probably the best way to learn the language. Indeed, authors and journalists usually have an outstanding syntax and very good writing abilities. The important thing is to read what you like.

If you are not into novels then don’t force yourself, it would be better to read about your personal interests or hobbies. If you read magazines, go to your local newspaper store and try to buy them in their English version once in a while. If you read articles online, try to find the original version which is usually written in English. The important point is that you must develop a habit of reading in a foreign language: it’s better to read a short article every week than to start a 1,500 pages novel that you will never finish.

Watch TV show or movies in their original version

We all have our favorite TV shows, most of them come from the U.S. or England but also other countries sometimes (Have you noticed how Korean series are taking over the world lately?!).

Series and movies are an excellent way to improve your language skills because they captivate our attention, something that is paramount as far as learning is concerned: the more focused you are, the better your memory will retain what you see or hear. Don’t forget to use the English subtitles as they provide you with some very important grammar information. By doing this you will quickly broaden your vocabulary and understanding of the English language as movies and TV shows cover an endless number of situations and characters who use different language registers.

Listen to music and pay attention to the lyrics

We have been hearing American or English music ever since we were kids, but who among us actually pays attention to the lyrics?

In the same fashion as movies and TV shows, music is a great tool to learn English, especially because we listen to it often and repeatedly. It’s a perfect way to pick up new vocabulary and to discover the culture behind the language. Nowadays you can find lyrics for almost any song online but that doesn’t stop here. Indeed, the website Genius.com offers you to discover the lyrics of your favorite songs in depth: the meaning of each song can be found in notes often written by fans but also sometimes by the artists themselves! So no more excuse for not understanding what your favorite artist sings about!

So these are the basics that you can practice safely at home, but don’t forget that the best way to improve your language skills is to put yourself out there. Travel to foreign countries every time you have the chance to and never shy away from an opportunity to speak English. Remember: “Practice makes perfect” ;)