Trying to improve my english

Forums: English, Grammar, Esl, Internet, Computers
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Could someone recommend some online resources you know that can help me improve my english.

I learnt english as a child but 10 years of scarse prectice had made me very rusty. Reading is not an asset, i had been reading english med books a lot so i have no problem there. Currently i had more problems with pronunciation, and of course with grammar.

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Type: Question • Score: 15 • Views: 6,061 • Replies: 24

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@luismtzzz,

Your grammar seems really good, Luis.

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@JTT,

Thanks a lot. But tat is because i check and recheck and recheck my posts.

And once they are posted i still make a few changes while i still can.

I lost a lot of time doing this. I know that practice and time will help. But sometimes i still have an uneasy feeling about some sentences i wrote.

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@luismtzzz,

Try just posting what you first write, Luis. That way, it's more likely that any real issues will show up.

Then if you don't mind, we can help you out.

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@luismtzzz,

Luis - first of all, I think it is great that you are here.

Don't worry about your sentences, it's your brain that matters and a lot of us already like you. We can all talk about it.
Meantime, my spanish is awful.

I'll tell you about farmerman, since he knows about himself already - he is a geologist who posts badly, spelling word wise, much of the time. Well, hey, he has a smashed hand and quite a life.

I hope you relax, we'll help.

JTT doesn't represent most of us.

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@ossobuco,

Tell us, Osso, who is your leader?

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One obvious (and often, tho not always, enjoyable) thing you can do is watch English (or American) TV programs, most of which now seem to be available online for free, I'd recommend "Big Bang Theory", which is funny too, and uses big words a lot. I've seen it online, I think at www.cbs.com "Elementary" is pretty good too, a modern version of Sherlock Holmes, with English and American lead characters, so you get exposure to several accents and pronunciations.

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@MontereyJack,

I am already on it. That is how i had manage to improve my listening skills. I love "Big Bang Theory", i can almost get like 90 to 95 per cent of the dialogues.

I had been doing the same with movies and other series. Southpark, Walking dead, Dr Who, IT crowd. As much variety as i can found. Do you know any good Australian series?

1 Reply

@ossobuco,

Thanks a lot. I realy appreciate your comments. Very Happy

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@JTT,

Thanks a lot too. Any help i can gather is very welcome.

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@luismtzzz,

Now that is advanced following of the language (and slanguage, too) if you get that high of a percentage.

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@Ragman,

But it is just listening. And by the way once i get used to the accent causes little problem for me to understand someone. I am quite familirized with the southern US accent. What drives me nuts is the pronunciation problem.

It is really anoying to understand everything a person says, but sounding like a stammerer robot while trying to talk.

I write much better than the way i speak.

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@luismtzzz,

I am interested in Italy, both academically and emotionally, and I took several quarters, ah, seven, to learn the language. What a putz (I speak as a woman).. I was old to start with, and still am interested, simply will never be great with it.

Don't get agita about this, you are doing well. I don't regret a minute of my classes.

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@luismtzzz,

There is a technique that helps people get comfortable speaking a language fluently and quickly. It's called immersion. In essence you need to speak the language all day and be understand either in a classroom and/or in your daily work activity. In order to eat or do anything, you have to ask or speak in that language, in this case English.

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@Ragman,

My recommendation then is to find a practical way to do this: whether it's being part of a classroom or sitting and yacking away at an English-speaking pub,...immerse yourself. After all that is how you learned your first language fluently. You sat with you parents and siblings as well as classmates, friends and spoke your language. It takes awhile.

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@MontereyJack,

MontereyJack wrote:

One obvious (and often, tho not always, enjoyable) thing you can do is watch English (or American) TV programs, most of which now seem to be available online for free, I'd recommend "Big Bang Theory", which is funny too, and uses big words a lot. I've seen it online, I think at www.cbs.com "Elementary" is pretty good too, a modern version of Sherlock Holmes, with English and American lead characters, so you get exposure to several accents and pronunciations.

In addition to this suggestion, turn on captioning when you watch TV. That way you'll hear and read the words to see both spelling and hear how they are pronounced.

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Some of our most erudite posters make occasional gaffes.

Why, even I made a mistake once. . . (ahem)

Anyway, you make very readable points. Proficiency will come.

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@luismtzzz,

BTW, you're doing very well as far as I've read.

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@luismtzzz,

Very well Luis, good to read your request, also it seems good grammer, how ever you may try on google for your needs.

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@ossobuco,

ossobuco wrote:

I'll tell you about farmerman, since he knows about himself already - he is a geologist who posts badly, spelling word wise, much of the time. Well, hey, he has a smashed hand and quite a life.

What does "spelling word wise" mean? Care to explain?
The opposit to spell word bad (or badly)?

1 Reply

Trying to improve my english

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