Having decided to study English and coming to the bookstore, you will see a lot of incomprehensibly different textbooks from each other. Often the difference is really small, but three main types of benefits can be distinguished:

– Traditional tutorials- an ordinary book with lessons, assignments, exercises. Something like school textbook. For example, . Well suited for self-study.

– Glossy textbooks-courses- Sets of brightly illustrated, magazine-like textbooks with a CD supplement and a hefty price tag. For example, the Headway series. Books are divided into levels, so you won't get off with one book. Often used in courses.

Is a textbook really necessary?

Now there are excellent interactive step-by-step courses, like “speaking” dictionaries, video tutorials and a lot of amazing things, but I think that textbooks have not become less relevant because of this.

Imagine that somewhere there are people who have devoted their entire lives to studying in English, teaching, studying methods. One day they got together and decided to pass on their knowledge to those who need it. They chose the most important, built it from simple to complex, provided explanations and exercises, built the course so that the student did not dangle from side to side, did not go in circles, but went to the goal in the shortest possible way. Figuratively speaking, the authors have drawn a map for you, along which you will go the way in the most optimal way.

It would be strange to refuse such a useful map and go on a trip at random, at random.

What is a textbook for?

Language learning is not so much the acquisition of knowledge as the formation of skills. You can't just learn a textbook and begin to communicate easily in English. Knowledge (words and grammar) needs to be multiplied by practice (reading, listening, writing, speaking), only then you will not just be know grammar schemes and words, but also gain skills: you can really enjoy English language.

So, the textbook is good for acquiring knowledge and consolidating it through exercises. This is very important at the beginning. The practice of reading and writing is given the most basic, designed to consolidate grammar and vocabulary, and in listening and oral speech textbook, of course, best helper. Even books with audio supplements provide only basic listening skills. All these textbook audio lessons are child's play compared to what you hear in real life.

The best textbook deals with grammar. Grammar is generally the fastest part of a language to learn. After passing the textbook, you will study it in such a volume that is enough for a good command of the language.

"The best English language tutorial" by A. Petrova, I. Orlova

Let's take for example one of these books - "The best English language tutorial" by A. Petrova, I. Orlova. This is one of
the most authoritative tutorials, a book with rich history, its first edition was published back in the 1970s, since then it has been frequently reprinted, the content has been modernized taking into account the requirements of the time and changes in the language (there are no dialogues about the pioneer Vasya and the grammar of Shakespeare's time).

What will you learn from the textbook

First of all, any textbook is a grammar course. It's like the axis of the earth. It cannot be seen or felt, but the whole world revolves around it. Spins, whether he knows of her existence or not.

The English language self-instruction manual is undeniably wonderful in that, after passing it, you will learn English grammar in almost the full required volume. Grammar, of course, does not have a "full scope" like a language - it is constantly changing and cannot be learned until the last paragraph, such a paragraph does not exist. But in the textbook there is the last paragraph. After going through the grammar in the textbook, you will learn it to the extent that is enough for life, unless you are preparing for a Doctor of English Philology.

How is the textbook structured?

The book is divided into three parts.

  1. Express English course- the main part, in which grammatical and word-formation material is given in 25 lessons. The material is presented from simple to complex. The first three lessons are mainly devoted to phonetics and reading rules, then in each lesson some grammar, some vocabulary and word formation are given. At the end of the section English-Russian dictionary to the lessons.
  2. Exercises and text materials- in textbooks, exercises are usually given after the lesson, but here they are placed in a separate block, texts are also given containing the grammar and vocabulary covered in the lesson. This section includes:
  • Reading exercises- as a rule, read aloud a few words.
  • Text- it is matched to the topic of the lesson, including the passed grammatical difficulties.
  • New words- a list of words from the text.
  • Word analysis- some words are analyzed in detail, it helps to remember them better.
  • Exercises- exercises to consolidate the material.
  • Test- check of knowledge. At the end of the tutorial there is a section with the correct answers (keys).
  1. Section “Spoken English”- it includes on various everyday topics and exercises. The phrasebook deals with topics such as “Greetings”, “How to get there”, “Family”, etc.

Also at the end there is an appendix with keys to control work, tables, quotes, jokes, proverbs.

How to do self-study?

In the introduction, the authors recommend practicing daily, at least for 15-20 minutes: “Remember, however, that you cannot make up for these fifteen-minute sessions seven times a week with classes of 2-3 hours once a week, on a day off. This will be much less effective, since from lesson to lesson you will forget some of the material covered and spend much more time in total. ”

Express course - pros and cons

The book has a feature that for some will be an advantage, for others a disadvantage: book is short. The 25 lessons themselves take up only 230 pages in large print.

Whether this is good or not is up to you. If you want a clear, concise and short training course- this textbook will help to comprehend the basics of the language, and not superficially. Further success will be in your hands. Without practice in reading, listening, speaking and writing no theory will blossom or turn green.

If you want to go through the basics more thoroughly, other books will suit you, they are not fundamentally different, the difference is that the material is presented in more detail, and there are more exercises. For example:

  • Bonk's classic English step by step textbook (with audio attachment). Book in two volumes. There is simply nowhere to go in more detail, but it will also take more time.
  • The one-volume, but also quite detailed "Complete Course of the English Language" by M. G. Rubtsova. It doesn’t differ much from Petrova’s tutorial, except that the material is given in more detail, the exercises go right after the lesson, and the language is a little more academic, in my opinion.

  • “English Tutorial. From elementary level to passing tests. + MP3” by N. B. Karavanova (with audio application) – this book contains the grammatical part, the exercises are given in no more detail than in “The Self the best tutorial”, however, phonetics is much more detailed in it - as many as 20 lessons are allotted to it.

My opinion is this. The faster you master basic grammar and vocabulary, the faster you can read, listen, speak, use the English language, so I am a supporter of understanding the basics (basic vocabulary, grammar, initial speech skills) as quickly and intensively as possible. Stretching the study for six months, you risk killing interest in the language.

Conclusion

Self-study textbooks provide a good knowledge of grammar, fixed with the help of exercises, basic vocabulary on various everyday topics, reading and writing skills. They will not teach you to speak, to understand by ear too.

However, there would be basic knowledge, and skills to develop are a matter of technology. The self-instruction book is well suited as a guide for a thorough, not superficial study of the language, which can be supplemented with listening, writing and speaking practice - the benefit of the resources is sufficient for this.

1. Learn with interest

Any teacher will confirm: abstract language learning is harder than mastering a language for a specific purpose. Therefore, at first, learn things that will be useful to you in your work. Another option is to read foreign language resources related to yours.

2. Remember only the right words

There are more than a million words in the English language, but in everyday speech, at best, several thousand are used. Therefore, even a modest vocabulary is enough for you to talk with a foreigner, read online publications, watch news and TV shows.

3. Post stickers at home

This effective way replenish your lexicon. Look around the room and see which items you don't know the names of. Translate the name of each subject into English, French, German - whatever language you want to learn. And paste these stickers around the room. New words will gradually be deposited in memory, and this will not require any additional effort.

4. Repeat

The technique of spaced repetitions allows you to better memorize new words and concepts. To do this, run the studied material at certain intervals: first, repeat the learned words often, then return to them after a few days, and fix the material again after a month.

5. Use new technologies

6. Set realistic goals

Be careful with the load and do not overwork. Especially at the beginning, so as not to lose interest. Teachers advise starting small: first learn 50 new words, try to apply them in life, and only then take up grammar rules.

It is believed that teaching english at home independently, it’s not difficult at all, it’s enough to arm yourself with a couple of interesting films and videos, download special applications and devote at least half an hour to training every day. However, everything is not so simple. Let's review everything possible ways how to effectively learn English on your own at home and analyze each of them separately.

English is a world of possibilities

While world economy is developing, there is a general integration of people: they change their country of residence, leaving for work, enter prestigious foreign universities, communicate with friends and loved ones living on another continent, or simply travel. That is why it is so important to know the generally accepted world language - English.

For those people who know English, there are many options for its use:

  • You can watch original versions of various films and just-released series;
  • You will be able to access and understand various computer programs and literature in a foreign language;
  • Knowing the language, you will be able to capture the meaning of the lyrics of your favorite songs;
  • Free Speaking will contribute to your integration into the global cultural community (a lot of new friends, music festivals and travel).

Of course, you can attend expensive courses or hire a tutor, but there is a more profitable solution: learn English yourself without leaving your home, for free, besides, as a bonus. It is absolutely not difficult and very effective. Therefore, after our advice, the question of how to learn English on your own at home from scratch will not bother you.

Setting the goal of learning a language

There are no incapable people, there are either bad teachers or weak stimulation. Some avid "students" attend courses, hire tutors, and things are still there.

Seeing their disinclination to learning, they begin to blame, they say, there are no inclinations to learn the language from nature. Nonsense and nonsense, we tell them. They are just lazy "higher" category.

That is why important point Before starting to learn a language, goal setting comes into play. It is on her that your final result will depend, and the strength of the desire to achieve what was conceived can soon bear fruit. Let's give laziness a fight and set goals.

Goal setting must be realistic. Answer yourself the question: "Why am I learning English?" - if the answer is no, quit this activity, or come up with a reason. As a rule, among the goals of beginners who want to learn English, there are:

Is it possible to learn English quickly?

Nowadays, there are many new and relevant technologies that will help you learn a language without leaving your home. And you have a completely logical question: how long can you learn English on your own from scratch?

We will answer this way: the terms are individual, but it is at least several years. These days, there are many tutorial videos and courses that promise to teach you the language in a couple of weeks or a few months. Don't believe it - too short a time frame. After all, imagine Small child, living in the States and constantly growing in a society where everyone speaks English, more or less knows the language by the age of 7-10. But what distinguishes you from him is that you are an adult and conscious person who is able to approach the task in an organized manner.

For good knowledge English language you have to spend 2-3 years. At the same time, you need to do it regularly, forcing you to devote your precious time to training almost every day.

Scientists have proven that English words are better remembered in the first half of the day, and the psychological mood when you rejoice at the next lesson will make your classes easy and relaxed.

Ideal age to learn a language: It has been found that children perceive language while still in the womb. Therefore, the sooner you start teaching your baby English, the better he will learn a foreign language.


In this section, we will try to give detailed instructions how to learn English on your own from scratch. Why did we focus on homeschooling? Time and technology dictate their terms, so if 10 years ago the most serious way to learn English from scratch was face-to-face courses, now you really do not need to leave your home. Appeared great amount teaching mobile applications, the ability to communicate via Skype and search for interlocutors who are native speakers via the Internet and social networks. That is why learning English at home has become much easier.

1. Learn the alphabet and pronunciation of letters

This is where you should start your learning. For example, not knowing the alphabet will prevent you from writing your name in a foreign language, passing on a company abbreviation, or using a dictionary correctly. So give this a few lessons in learning the alphabet and take a good look at the sound and transcription of English sounds.

2. We remember words that consist of learned letters

Here it is best to give yourself a setting, let's say that in two months you will learn 600 words. This means that at least you need to learn and remember 10 words per day. Where do you get words from?

  • dictionary (the easiest, but banal way);
  • articles on the Internet (you can read only those who already have a minimum vocabulary);
  • books;
  • audio repetition;
  • videos.

How to learn English words fast and easy: unclassified technology

We all easily and for a long time remember only what we are really interested in. In this case, not only the text is meant, but also the situation. For example: the sound of the word "sheep" (sheep) and "ship" (ship) is the same. Therefore, you need to learn these words with epithets. For example, "fast ship" - a fast ship or "curly sheep" - a curly sheep and represent their images. So you will not only learn the main word, but also remember typical phrases.

Try to match:

  • noun and adjective;
  • noun and verb.

Studying the material in blocks is not the most interesting, because unpredictable quatrains or phrases are best remembered.

Catch phrases that are easy to remember:

  • Nobody's perfect, but me - Nobody is as imperfect as I am;
  • Every bullet has its billet - Each bullet has its own purpose;
  • The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams - The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams;
  • Give me my heart back! Give me back my heart.

3. Get a dictionary notebook

Everything that you liked from the mastered words, phrases or sentences, write down in your notebook. This will allow not only to read your favorite quotes in the future, but also in the best way remember them. You should know when you write down words, develop motor memory.

Advice on how to use a homemade English dictionary

To begin with, you read the information from the page. Then close the Russian words from the right column and make a translation. Then you do exactly the opposite: you try to pronounce or write down a phrase from Russian words into English.

In our time, a “good”, but less effective replacement for dictionaries are word cards. They consist of two words: English and Russian, they can have a visualized picture. But, as practice shows, these printed materials can be lost.

4. Pay attention to transcription

This absolutely does not mean that it must be written down without exception for each newly learned word. Write down only those words or phrases in the pronunciation of which you are not sure. And don't forget, American English and British English are slightly different from each other.

5. We pay special attention to grammar

It is not enough to know only words, you need to be able to combine them correctly and put them into sentences. It is the understanding of grammar that will help you with this. Here you need not only to memorize the rules, but also to read and listen as much as possible. Yes, we know that reading a book in English is very difficult. Play this game: set yourself up, without reading 3 pages, you will not be able to eat sweets for tea.

6. We think and communicate as much as possible in English

To thoroughly learn English on your own at home will help the simplest technique. You memorize the phrases that you most often use in everyday speech, such as: "I'm very tired" or "stop working, it's time to go home." Now translate them into English: "I am very tired" and "stop working, it's time to go home".

A little advice for beginners: to translate the phrase into English, use the usual online translators Google or Yandex.

After studying these phrases, try to mentally or even verbally pronounce them when appropriate. Then they will remain in your memory for years.

Ideally, find a partner-interlocutor who also wants to learn English, and communicate with him, the blessing in the world of Internet communications and social networks it's not difficult at all. Try to communicate with the person via Skype, sometimes chat in ICQ (this will help your grammar).

7. Watch movies on a computer or DVD player

Before viewing, arm yourself with a pen and a piece of paper. As soon as a word from the context is not familiar to you, immediately write it down in letters. Now press pause and look up the word in the dictionary.

Programs to help: to quickly and easily understand which word or phrase you have problems with, use the program to reproduce text from voice. It can be downloaded on the Internet or configured on a modern phone (this function is present in many gadgets). Repeat the phrase, the device reads it from the voice and gives the result.

It is also important to perceive the sounds of English speech by ear. Turn off subtitles, pay attention to the speaker's lips and translate yourself. For these purposes, it is best to watch BBC, NBC, CNN news or YouTube videos.

What is the best movie to start with? Look at the sensational movie House of Cards (House of Cards), in which the speech of the main characters is simple and understandable, and the plot is perceived with a bang.

8. Use an mp3 player

It will help you listen to your favorite foreign songs or audiobook. As practice shows, pop music gradually gets bored, but books in audio performance are interesting for students. Little secret: Find the text for the audiobook and skim through it. Choose not only interesting books, but also those that have a translation into Russian.

9. Online learning services

Don't neglect modern technologies. They will best allow you to overcome laziness and tune in to learning English in game form. Download a learning application to your smartphone, word-lists specially created in the form of a dictionary, the Lingvo Tutor program, which itself will remind you when you need to learn English.

Be sure to pay attention to our own development - . This is an online tutorial that will allow you to learn English from scratch on your own at home. Unique exercises and texts different levels difficulties will allow not only to learn to read and write in English, but also to significantly expand your vocabulary, master the use of grammatical rules in practice and learn to perceive English speech aurally.

Below, you can watch a video with a presentation of the Lim English online service.

The main difficulties of training and ways to overcome them


English, like any language, has its challenges. Let's look at three key difficulties and try to find solutions for each of the points.

1. Times. Probably, the reason for such an attitude to the variety of verb forms lies in the education system - in most schools in the classroom English teacher does not aim to use the acquired knowledge. Therefore, students only learn about all new types of times for themselves and do not practice them. As a result, they develop fear during the conversation. As for solving the problem: we propose not to take on all forms at once, but to learn a group of simple tenses - past, present, future. After learning the rules, start writing simple sentences with them, also practice posing individual words in various forms. Find a companion and practice new knowledge!

2. Irregular verbs. The topic is really difficult. However, it can also become clear. The key point is that even irregular verbs have a system. Take a couple of dozen of them to study and group them according to the method of change, so "beat-beat-beaten" and "eat-eat-eaten" will be in one, and "begin-began-begun" and "drink-drank- drunk" - in another. Did you see a lot of matches? And another one good news: most irregular verbs have all forms the same.

3. Differences in pronunciation and spelling. Even native speakers will agree with you on this point. In some lexemes, both in writing and in speech, it is easy to make a mistake. There is only one way out - pronounce difficult words for yourself after the speaker, if we are talking about writing - make sentences with this word, intentionally write it several times.

As you can see, any difficulty is solvable, you just need to apply a little patience and effort - so the difficulties will turn into tasks, and the latter will eventually be completed!

Conclusion

People who learn English in addition to their "native" language live much longer. In addition, they are less prone to senile dementia. The explanation is very simple: for its constant activity, the brain requires regular training, which it receives from classes.

These are perhaps the main recommendations for beginners on how to quickly learn English from scratch. Is it possible to do it yourself, and even without leaving home? Of course yes. Only your desire, constant training and communication will help you in this. And try not to stop there. Spanish and French are also worth exploring. Go ahead, novice polyglots!

There are many ways to learn a foreign language from scratch on your own. The first thing to do is to answer the question - why. Knowing the answer to this question is super important. Speech as a communication tool involves regular use - if knowledge and skills are not used, they are forgotten. The human memory is arranged in such a way that it hides unnecessary knowledge as far as possible. Everything that I managed to learn well will quickly be forgotten - then I will have to start everything from scratch.

Before you start cramming the alphabet, it is important to realize the goal:

  • communicate with airport employees, store managers, service personnel during tourist trips and understand the interlocutor well (colloquial variety);
  • conduct business negotiations with partners (business variety);
  • be able to read scientific (or fiction) literature (technical and literary versions);
  • communicate freely with residents of another country (read, write, speak).

Important advice! Motivation is essential to success. With the right goal setting, it is easy to master necessary knowledge from scratch independently and for free.

2 main ways in learning

There are two ways to quickly master someone else's way of linguistic communication.

The first is practiced at school: first they learn words, then put them into sentences, from phrases they construct a text. Phrases are built according to the laws of Russian grammar - this is a mistake. For this reason, secondary school graduates know a set of individual nouns and verbs, but it is difficult for them to quickly combine word forms into sentences, they have little experience in free communication.

The second approach teaches that it is better to study a foreign dialect in phrases, and to learn to speak - immediately with full-fledged constructions. The fact is that the word in the context acquires a new meaning - it is impossible to describe all the nuances with a set of strict rules. Any speech is phraseological: the meaning of a single sentence is not equal to the sum of the meanings of individual word forms.

IN Lately to improve your career development or to continue studying abroad became popular study English on your own. Of course, for many, the question arises - where to find a good English tutorial, audio lessons and other materials that will effectively help you learn a foreign language in a certain period of time. It is worth saying that self-study of English is a long process, but everything is in your hands and you can make this process exciting and enjoyable.
So, you have decided not to hire a tutor, not to pay money for courses or self-help books, but to choose to learn English on your own for free with the help of online lessons. It is worth saying that at first, most people fail to achieve any positive result and, naturally, they simply give up.

Stereotypes - that's what hinders the study of English

These are the components that most people face when they decide to go through self-study English course at home and at least a little advance in their knowledge:

  • the majority are confident that learning a foreign language on their own is a very difficult task;
  • many people learn the language, but do not achieve the expected results;
  • most people reach certain level knowledge, say, advanced, but they take years to learn;
  • many people think that they are simply unable to learn a second language;

All of the above can be converted into one single whole and conclude that learning English from scratch is a long and thorny path. However, there are also quick courses, that is, English, you can master in just two months. Just give up the traditional learning methods that are based on textbooks, dictionaries, grammar basics, as well as boring and monotonous dialogues.
This approach to learning foreign language we are all familiar from school - if you are not going to read Shakespeare in the original, why "gnaw" the grammar stone. User reviews indicate that the methodology of paid services has remained school, only the learning process takes place in an accelerated mode, that is, you study English not two hours a week, but seven hours a day.

The right methods are the key to success

Do you want to start learning English online? Books, lessons leave for later. To begin with, you need to decide on important aspects your teaching methodology. That is, you yourself must become a teacher. The main thing is to move grammar to Kamchatka, you won’t need it if you just want to communicate with native speakers, listen to radio and TV shows, of course, if you are not going to take an international exam to get a certificate. But this is not the main thing - no matter what method you use when mastering a language learning course at home, your positive mood during classes is important, and then a positive result will not be long in coming.
So, 3 main principles self-learning English from scratch:

  • motivation - you yourself must strongly want to learn a foreign language;
  • the right methodology - try several teaching methods and choose the best one for yourself;
  • learning process - decide why you need knowledge of English - for everyday communication or for subsequent education at prestigious foreign universities.

And most importantly - do not "stand" in one place - constantly develop and improve your knowledge. Use the lessons posted on our website for this, because they are offered to you completely free of charge!