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Secret Tip for Improving in English
I have already given some tips for learning English. Now I will give another tip that many people overlook. Whether you have studied English for many years or for only a few years, I think this tip will help you.
Are you ready? Here it is:
Keep a diary in English.
Write in it every day. You don’t have to show it to anyone (unless you want to).
Why is keeping a diary in English a good idea?
Here is how keeping a diary in English will help you:
- You will get (daily) practice in using English.
If you want to improve at something, you need to practice it. Same thing with English – if you want to get better at English, you have to practice it. Every day is best.
- You will get used to expressing yourself in English.
Writing in a diary in English will help you get used to thinking in English.
Sometimes people think in their own language, and then translate into English. Writing in a diary in English will help you get used to thinking in English. Eventually you will be able to skip the mental translating. You will feel more comfortable in using English. You will enjoy English more.
- You can take your time.
It’s easy to get nervous in a conversation. Maybe you’re worried that the other person may be waiting for you to speak. But a diary is always patient. You don’t have to rush.
- You don’t have to worry about pronunciation.
You can focus on vocabulary. You can take your time learning new words and phrases for your diary topic for the day.
- You will have a record of how your English has improved over time.
You can look back and see that your English really has improved.
Learning a language takes time and effort. Sometimes it seems like you haven’t made much progress. When you keep a diary, you can look back at earlier pages and see how you used to write English, and how you write now. You can look back and see that you really have gotten better!
- You can show what you’ve written to your English teacher, if you want.
Or, you can show it to some other native speaker. This feedback will help you improve. Your teacher can give you suggestions for making your English sound more natural (instead of sounding like “Konglish” or “Japlish,” for example). Maybe your teacher will suggest a better word or phrase to use.
You don’t have to write a lot. Just write as much as you want. But be sure to write every day!
How do you know what to write about?
Write about whatever you want. Here are some suggestions:
- Write about what you did that day.
- Write about the weather.
- Write about your school or work.
- Write about your family.
- Write about your friends.
- Write about what makes you happy or sad.
- Write about your dreams for the future.
- Write about a favorite sport or hobby.
- Write about a favorite pet.
- Write about what you think would be a “dream vacation.”
Can you think of other ideas for writing? I’m sure you can!
If you keep a diary in English and write in it every day, I know you will see your English get better. Try it for three months (or longer 
) and watch your English improve!
This article is protected under Copyright © 2011 - 2024 Janet Lee