Improving your English
While there is no quick fix for English language issues, consistent practice in quick activities every day can make a big difference in the long run.
Ways to improve your English
Here are 10 tips from Unimelb students:
- Incorporate your interests into your language learning
- Rewatch your favourite shows to learn new phrases
- Surround yourself in English language in your daily life
- Read widely beyond your studies
- Record yourself speaking
- Retell your understanding
- Record useful vocabulary
- Seek out feedback
- Revisit what you’ve learned
- Have fun
Hear Unimelb students explain further:
Finding the time
Prioritising language development in your busy life can be challenging. Finding easy, enjoyable ways to integrate language learning into your existing routines can help.
You could:
- Use short bursts of time while commuting to university eg listening to a podcast.
- Incorporate your language learning into your morning or evening routine eg reading a few pages of your favourite book before you go to sleep.
- Change your laptop and mobile phone settings to English.
- Seek out opportunities to interact in English in social settings eg joining a University club or society.
- Mentally practise conversations in your head while waiting in line for a coffee.
Setting goals
Setting a language learning goal will help you stay focussed and measure your progress. The more specific and realistic your goal is, the more likely you are to achieve it.
Here are some examples of goals:
- Learn three new words and use them
- Learn and practise a grammar point (e.g. the use of ‘a/an’ or ‘the’, the use of an English tense or subject-verb agreement in a sentence)
- Understand the main idea in your reading or listening, and summarise it verbally or in writing
- Learn and practise ways to give your opinion on another’s idea, verbally or in writing
- ‘Free-write’ about the information (without stopping to edit your writing as you go)
- Talk about the information focusing on fluency (just keep talking with minimal pause)
- Practise pronunciation of an English sound, e.g. the 'th' sounds
- Practise putting sentence stress on important information
- Notice and practise ways to start a conversation
- Practise using idioms that you hear or read
Final tip
As your language improves, your language learning goals will change. Be flexible and adapt your goals as you go. Celebrate your achievements along the way to stay motivated.
Looking for one-on-one advice?
Get tailored advice from an Academic Skills Adviser by booking an Individual appointment, or get quick feedback from one of our Academic Writing Mentors via email through our Writing advice service.