English Language Newspapers

These are a great way to keep up on topics to discuss with English speakers you know as well as to increase your vocabulary. The vocabulary used in newspapers and news magazines is among the most difficult and is quite different to everyday spoken English. These words are important to know and can be learned with repetitive exposure. Another good point is that you can read the papers on the way to work and you don't need to take time out of your everyday schedule to do this. You could select an English language newspaper produced in your country and based on local news and simply replace your regular newspaper with an English language one. However because of the difficulty level it is only recommended for those who are already confident with English. The sports section is also useful as sports writing includes many idiomatic expressions.

Learning with friends

Make some time to study together with a friend and help each other out with your language studies. You will get advice from another person doing the same thing as you and you can support each other. As well as that, one of the best ways you can learn is when you are teaching someone else. So it can make you consolidate what you know and make sure you fully understand what you learned. It can also be less intimidating to be taught a lot of difficult concepts at once by a peer than a teacher. You can even practice speaking together in a foreign language!

Using music to learn

Take time out to relax from your studies and listen to some of your favourite English songs. If you like to, you can even sing along! This is a great way to improve your pronounciation and sound more fluent, as you will be highly attuned to sound when you are singing to music. You will also pick up some more colloquial expressions and language to convey emotion, which is especially important for those people learning out of textbooks outside of a local English-speaking environment. As well, it is a great way to connect with people who share the same taste in music as you. And if your English level is beginner, what better way to learn without a lot of strain than from an international language like music which conveys much of what it is saying even before you fully understand the English?

Learning English

Free sites

A great site, free lessons covering a huge range of topics, a forum, chat room, epals http://www.learnenglish.de/

Hundreds of free English exercises http://www.agendaweb.org/

English forums, quizzes, games http://www.englishclub.com/

Free very easy course also suitable for kids http://www.learn-english-online.org/

With a focus on listening, many audio files http://www.esl-lab.com/

Many resources http://www.1-language.com/

Prounciation course, reading practice, language games http://www.english-online.org.uk/backindex.html

So many free resources! http://www.world-english.org/

Lots of stuff on the basics of grammer and vocab http://www.english-at-home.com/

Grammer-based style of free lessons http://www.englishpage.com/

Aimed at both teachers and students, a great collection http://www.churchillhouse.com/english/

American English, free, seven levels http://www.learnamericanenglishonline.com/

Specifically for grammer http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/index.cfm

Tests, articles, topic based lessons http://www.learnenglish4freeonline.com/

Fee-paying

Learning online with an instructor http://www.virtualenglishonline.com/veo/

Practice spoken

Practice online free service http://www.bellenglish.com/