[Caveat: You are just about to discover the pedantic side of me]
Steps I find useful to improve our command of English language:
Steps I find useful to improve our command of English language:
- Create bookmark tabs of these websites on your web browser, and always log on to them (at least the top one) whenever you use the internet.
- thefreedictionary.com
- This website is very good as you can double click on any word on the web page that you don't know their meaning even if they are not highlighted. Try it!
- Check the pronunciation paying attention to which syllable that is emphasised. I normally click on both US and UK flags to compare them but will use the UK version. Only if they had Irish's! I learned that this is very important that when I get it correctly pronounced, my native English friends won't ask for a repeat (Repeats greatly affect my confidence).
- Have a quick search right away when you come across a word you don't know while you surf the net*.
- thesaurus.com
- Learn about a selection of words with the same meaning. Particularly useful when writing.
- A good way of expanding your vocabulary, particularly when you know you don't read non-medical English books that much (that's me!).
- Read news which are written in English. If you come across unfamiliar words, do the above*.
- While in a lecture or talking to people
- Quickly jot down words you don't know or you're not too sure of their meaning on a page and look up for them when you get a chance (find the chance!)
- Observe the speaker's way of using English- the grammar, the tense, the everything. Phrasal verbs are handy that they make you sound less bookish.
- Thestar.com.my has an excellent section on learning the English language commonly used in the community setting. I can spend hours browsing them, but haven't been doing so for quite some time now. I sent my questions to the teacher once and I was overjoyed that he responded!
- Thestaronline > More > Mind Our English
- When you want to write in English, try your best not to mix the language with you mother tongue. This is of special attention to those who write blogs and want to improve their English [if you write just for the fun really then up to you what to write so ;)]. If we use two (or more) languages in the same sentence, I find it like we're just trying to get away from the problem of not knowing how to deliver our message, not solving it. Squeeze your brain to find the right word or look up for the word you want if you got stuck. Read the sentence again see if you get you message across accurately. English is about accuracy, for example timewise when exactly the action is done is indicated by the type of tense that we use.
- Try to think in English. (The hardest part).
- Practice! Practice! Practice! With native English speakers would be the best if you get the chance ;).
InsyaAllah will try to share some more if I can recall any other tips- which I am using as well.
Cheers!
*P/s: At our internship briefing the other day the we were all told that everyone who are non-Irish by nationality would have to undergo the English language proficiency test. The class burst into laughter as the representative said, "This includes those from the UK!"
