The Ultimate Guide To Studying English

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved.
Page 1 of 42
Copyright © 2016 by RamirezEnglish.com. All rights reserved.
You are welcome to print a copy of this document for your personal
use. Other than that, no part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except
as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States
Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the author.
Requests to the author and publisher for permission should be
addressed to the following email: kristina@ramirezenglish.com.
Limitation of liability/disclaimer of warranty: While the author has

used her best efforts in preparing this guidebook, she makes no
representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or
completeness of the contents of this document and specifically
disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for
particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales
representatives, promoters, or written sales materials.
Please consult with a professional when appropriate.
© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 2 of 42

!
Do you ever have the feeling that there is too

much information collecting in your brain? It's similar
to the feeling you get when you see a desk with
papers piled up to the sky. It's a disaster. It's
overwhelming.
Personally, I get this feeling far more often than I
would like. (And personally, I HATE this feeling.)
I've always liked to keep my brain organized. I can't
stand forgetting material that I've spent my valuable
time learning, or letting an idea slip my mind
because I didn't have a pen and paper to write it
down before it miraculously disappeared into thin
air. In fact, I'll tell you a secret. I used to LOVE

writing notes in class. Perhaps that's why I love
writing. It's my "insurance policy" for any thoughts or
important information that comes into my mind.
So it won't surprise you that my first piece of advice
to you is this:
1. Invest in a good notebook/

binder.
This is incredibly important, even if you're studying
English on your own. You are going to learn so
much, and you NEED to have a place to write it all
down. If, for whatever reason, you cannot get a good
notebook or binder, throw a bunch of papers
together in one spot and keep it organized.
2. Keep a list of your sources

Where will you learn English? Online? Which
websites will you visit on a regular basis? Will you
use books? Podcasts? Online courses? Audio
programs? Keep a running list of resources either in
on a piece of paper or document in your computer to
help you remember everything that is available to
you.
Student Break MY LIST OF RESOURCES
Websites Books

MY LIST OF RESOURCES (continued)
Online courses People (in real life)

MY LIST OF RESOURCES (continued)
Audio/video Social Media

3. Develop a reading strategy
Start with reading and vocabulary:
9 Easy Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary in English
1. Read, read, read! When I was learning Spanish, I
stopped reading books that were too far ahead of my
level, but I never stopped reading. If you're a beginner,
read children's books. If you're an intermediate learner,
you can start reading blogs and newspaper articles. Read
just a little bit above your level. THAT is how you are going
to improve WITHOUT getting too overwhelmed the way I
did. But, yes, read, read, read (and then read some more)!
2. Context. This one is important. I just wrote a blog

post about context here, and if you really want to
memorize new vocabulary words well, then this is how you
do it. Writing down new vocabulary words and their
translations or definitions certainly helps. HOWEVER, if
you want to really improve your memory when you learn
them, don't just jump for the dictionary! Look at the other
words surrounding this new word/expression you are
trying to learn. Can you figure out what it means through
the sentence's context? Sometimes, we simply need a
dictionary or Google Translate. But try to do it without one.
I dare you ;)
3. Change the language settings on all your
electronic devices. Scary, isn't it? I was scared, too. I

thought for sure I was going to mess something up on my
phone. As it turns out, I survived. Not only did I survive,
but I also learned at least 3 new vocabulary words in the
first 5 minutes. Not bad…
4. Watch movies with subtitles. Yes, you've heard

this advice a million times before (hint: that's because it
works!). Here's what you do. If you're trying to increase
your vocabulary vs. improve your listening skills, then put
the movie in your native language with only the subtitles in
English. Watch the subtitles as you listen to the actors
speak in your native language. You'd be surprised how
much vocabulary you can learn this way.
5. Songs with lyrics. Of course, if you want to

improve your listening skills AND increase your vocabulary
at the same time, then get on YouTube right now to listen
to almost any song you want with the lyrics. Just type in
the title of the song "with lyrics" and you can listen and
read the lyrics at the same time. Bonus: I improved my
listening skills in Spanish far more than I had ever
expected to by doing this. Try it!
6. Watch videos for different types of content.

Don't just watch English lessons on YouTube (although if
you're looking for some new lessons, you can watch my
videos here). Think about what interests you. Science?
Education? Technology? Your career? Traveling? Type
those words into YouTube's search engine, choose

several different videos, and pay attention to the words
you don't know. You will probably remember when you
hear them again (and you can use context to figure out
what they mean). Now, go look for videos in a different
category and repeat.
7. Use a thesaurus! Do you know what "synonyms"

and "antonyms" are? Thesaurus.com is excellent for this!
Use a thesaurus or go to Thesaurus.com, type in a word
you know in English, and Thesaurus.com will give you so
many new words that mean something similar (or
completely opposite, if it's an antonym). IMPORTANT:
Make sure you look up the words in Google Translate
BEFORE you use them! You see, synonyms generally
have the same connotation, but not the exact same
definition. Double check before you use it.
8. Online word
games. Wordgames
has all kinds of games
you can play to help
you increase your
vocabulary. Try word
searches, crossword
puzzles, hangman,
and so much more!
9. Websites specifically to help you increase your

vocabulary. You were probably waiting for this one, right?

I put this option last because it's still best to learn
vocabulary through context (I know, that word is getting
annoying, but it's true!). Still, if you are studying
vocabulary for a language exam, or just need some fresh
words to use in your conversations, then these websites
are excellent resources.
Feel free to print off as many pages of these

vocabulary pages to help you learn vocabulary through
context here.

My Vocabulary Pages
New vocabulary Meaning How I know this New sentence with

word vocabulary word

My Vocabulary Pages


My Vocabulary Pages


4. Develop
a writing
strategy
One of the
best ways to
remember new
vocabulary is
by writing it
down. You can
certainly write
down your new
vocabulary and keep some vocabulary sheets with
you, but don't forget to use your new words and
expressions. Here are a few valuable tips to help
you improve your writing.
Keep a journal. Write about anything you want as
long as it's in English!
Make sure you choose the right words. Let me show
you what I mean.
Have you ever been worried about offending someone by
choosing the wrong words?

If you had to describe
the woman in this
picture, which words
would you use? Would
you call her: skinny,
slender, thin, or gaunt?
You see, the words we

choose when we're
describing someone or
something tell a lot not
only about our cultural
beliefs, but also about our
personal beliefs. For some
cultures, this woman is
beautiful, so they would use the words "slender" or "slim" to
describe her. Others many think she is too skinny, and would
perhaps use the words "thin" or "gaunt" to describe her.
Others may have a more neutral stance, and just call her
"skinny".
Just as cultures differ on their opinions about what is
socially "acceptable", so do individuals. Two different people
in the same culture may perceive this woman as completely
different. One may say that she is beautiful and slender, while
the other may say that she is too thin and gaunt.
Even though many of the words we use on a daily basis have
a very similar denotation (dictionary definition of a word), the
connotation (a word's emotional or imaginative association)
may be very different. If you want to communicate more
effectively, describe things appropriately, and/or improve your
writing, then learning about connotation vs. denotation is

essential as you continue your education of the English
language.
Also, when
you learn
about the
connotations
of various
words in
English, think
about what it
implies for
the culture of
native
English
speakers. Do
they see this
in a positive
or negative
light? You can also use this trick to better understand a native
speaker's mind. If you do this on a regular basis, it will
gradually become automatic, and you will slowly notice
yourself knowing which words are appropriate to use in
different situations.
If you have an intermediate/advanced level of English

and are interested in improving your writing, check out these
courses here!
https://www.class-central.com/report/writing-free-online-
courses/
I can't wait to hear how your stories improve!

5. Start listening!
You know how important it is to listen to English in
order to learn it. I'm not going to insult your
intelligence by pointing out the obvious here.
I will tell you, however, that it is extremely important
to listen to different types of people talking about
different subjects.
You see, when you listen to different types of people,
your ears will begin to adjust to different accents,
tones, and speaking styles. When you listen to
people talking about different subjects, you will
inevitably learn new vocabulary and remain
interested in the material for a longer period of time.
If you're like most people, you are probably having a
hard time understanding native English speakers. It
might be because of this:
Why can't I understand native English speakers
when they speak?
First of all, whether you are learning American or British
English, there are distinct accents and speaking styles in each
part of the country. For example, in the Northeastern US,
most people tend to speak a lot faster than people in the
south. The accent is different, and so is the sense of humor.

Secondly, I want to introduce you to a term called
"linking". I'm sure some of you know of this term already. But
for those of you who don't know what it is:
Linking in English is joining or connecting

two words together.
Think of a chain:
The links of the chain are connected. Just like what we do

when we speak English fluently. We blend the words together.
Take a look at the examples below. (Note: This is informal,
colloquial English. Do not write this unless you are sending a
message to a young person!):
1. I want to go home. = I wanna go home.

2. I'm going to tell you something. = I'm gonna tell you
something.

Remember that when you understand and are able to
use linking yourself, you will feel so much more confident
speaking to native English speakers. In turn, they will also find
it easier and more natural to listen to you. The conversation
will flow better, and you will have opened up so many doors
for different opportunities in the world. With hard work,
practice, and dedication, you can reach this point, too. Just
believe in yourself and never give up.
6. Start speaking!
Just as you obviously already know that listening is
an important part of learning a new language, you
also know that practicing your speaking is critical in
order to to speak a new language.
My students ask me this all the time. How can I
practice speaking? I can't find native English
speakers.
In order to answer that, I'm going to give you a few
tips to help you practice speaking when there is no
one around AND to find native English speakers.
How can I improve my speaking skills?
Last night someone asked me what so many ESL
students have asked me:

How can I improve my speaking in English? I
feel so helpless and I don't know what to do.
As I write this, I'm remember my own experiences of

living in another country and learning a new language. I can't
even count how many times I felt helpless and frustrated. I
can't even count the number of times that I couldn't
understand what people were telling me, so I just nodded my
head, hoping that would be an appropriate answer.
I can't even begin to describe how nervous and insecure I felt
speaking to people from Spain when I first moved there. I
could tell whenever someone was getting impatient with me
by the way they would start looking bored or even interrupt
me. At times, it was so frustrating that I just wanted to quit.
You see, a lot of people in the south of Spain just aren't
used to talking to immigrants. This is actually true for most
people in many countries. Between "culture shock" and the
difficulty of learning another language, many expat
communities are formed in countries all over the world. This
actually can sometimes create a wall between the natives of a
country and the immigrants living in that country. Many of
them do not even see each other, let alone understand each
other.
So I told myself in Spain that I would not fear conquer
me. So I continued. It was difficult, but I persevered.
You will never improve your speaking in English if you don't

practice it. We all get nervous, that's normal.
The only true failure is if you don't try.

Think about it this way - What is the worst that could
happen when you speak English? That people will laugh at
your mistakes? That they will get upset because they don't
understand you? Most people will not do this. However, if
someone does this, then that person is not worth your time.
Feel sorry for them, and find a better person to talk to -
someone who is patient and will listen to you (Language
exchange websites like Gospeaky.com and Howdoyou.do are
excellent for this, by the way).
If you feel too nervous, then practice with yourself first.
Talk to yourself! This will help you get used to speaking and
help you realize which vocabulary words you need to learn.
But then, look for native speakers!
Here are a few places you can find

native English speakers:
1. Yahoo groups/Yahoo games: Play games or join a
group with native English speakers.
2. Meetup: Check to see if there is a meetup in your city

based on your interests.
3. Twitter: Join a conversation with a native English speaker

in real life!
4. YouTube: People will usually reveal a lot about

themselves in the videos they make. Leaving comments
might just lead to a new friendship.

5. Video Games: I am not a huge fan of these, but you will
often find many native speakers here. I met someone who
spoke VERY good English without ever leaving his
country or knowing many native English speakers in
person. He just played video games with them.
6. Google+ Communities: Guys, this is perfect! Google+

communities are based on interests, so don't just go to
language or English groups. If you're a computer
engineer, go to a technology group. If you are a marketer,
go to a marketing group. Start a relevant conversation
with a native English speaker and offer your help, advice,
etc. The key here is to provide information that is
extremely valuable to them (how they can improve what
they're doing), then you will have their attention. If you
have a lot of information, you might be able to turn this
into a Skype call. You can really build these relationships
into something beautiful, practice your English, and even
potentially find new clients. How wonderful is that??
7. Language Exchange websites: Places like

Gospeaky.com, howdoyou.do, verbling.com, and
italki.com are excellent, but they are the last places I'm
listing here. You should be able to find native English
speakers here, but from from what many of my students
tell me, there aren't enough of them and some do not
respond at all. It's better to catch native English speakers
while they are doing something in their daily life and
striking up a conversation with them in that moment.
Here are some tips as to How you can interact

with native speakers on social media:
6 ways to interact with native English speakers on
social media
1. LinkedIn. If you are a professional, LinkedIn is a

wonderful resource to connect with native English
speakers! You can join professionals in interest
groups. Let's say you are a website developer. You
can find a group on LinkedIn about website
development, and respond to people's questions with
very valuable information (your goal is to make them
want more information from you). Don't try to sound
like you are selling them something; instead, give them
some valuable information, let them respond, then you
give them MORE information about a related issue and
tell them that you're more than happy to help. If you're
willing to give help for free to help people advance
their careers or businesses, then there will be many
native English speakers who would LOVE to get free
professional advice (Bonus: You don't even have to tell
them they are helping you learn English. Offer your
assistance without charging for it, and you may even
get a new client or reference!)
2. Google+. I love Google+! I have a free community on

Google+ to help people learn English and it's
incredible. We discuss a different topic every week,
and then have a group discussion on Google
Hangouts every weekend about the same topic. But
enough about me. You can do the same thing with

Google+ communities. Again, join the communities of
your interests, such as your career and hobbies. Look
for people who want to learn your language by typing
"Learn [your native language here]" into the Google+
search engine. (You'll find more native speakers this
way. If you help them in your language, they will
probably help you in theirs.) Offer free marketing
advice to people in the marketing communities if you
know something about marketing or SEO. The key
here is to connect with people based on interest.
3. Twitter. Look for hashtags (#) in English that interest

you (are you seeing a pattern here?). Reply casually to
someone's comment. Is someone going to visit your
country soon? Tell them the places they should visit to
get an "insider's" perspective, not just what all the
other tourists see (This is one example of many.)
Obviously be nice, but don't feel as though you have to
be overly nice (in cases like this, it helps to understand
the culture a little bit first). Over time, you might be
able to develop a friendship with someone based on
your shared interests.
4. YouTube. Comment on videos! Again, not just

language videos, but videos about other things that
interest you. Or better yet, let's say you are from
China. Type "Learn Chinese" into YouTube (in
English). You will most likely find native English
speakers that have commented on the language

videos. If they are asking a question, respond to them.
Offer to help them with their conversational skills in
your language, and you can correct them. As you
correct them, you can also practice your English and
ask them questions in their native language. But it
doesn't just have to be languages. You can find videos
from people who are living in your country and
documenting it, people who are looking for
professional advice, etc. It's all about generosity. What
can you offer them? Advice? Consultations? Teach
them your own language? You have a lot to offer - use
it.
5. Instagram. Comment on people's photos and videos.

You can use the same techniques that we just
discussed for Twitter and YouTube.
6. Facebook. I can't write a post about social media

without mentioning Facebook! Obviously, Facebook
has interest groups and fan pages that you can join
and comment on. As I've been mentioning throughout
this entire post, base it on your interests. If you like
video games, strike up a conversation with someone
on that page or in that group. If you have a good
connection, maybe you can eventually play a game
together and speak to each other online as you play.
People do this all the time.

Remember, native English speakers are fortunate in
the fact that they do not have to learn the most commonly
spoken language in the world. Therefore, try to catch them
while they are living their daily life and comment on their
specific interests. If you can give them genuine help or
advice, then you are bound to make some strong
connections with native English speakers.
Continue to the next page for your

Action Plan to Find Native English Speakers

MY GOALS (What do you want from a native
English speaker? To teach you advanced English in exchange
My Action for your language? A simple friendship? To prepare yourself
for an interview? Be very clear on this!)
Plan to Find
Native
English
Speakers
WHERE WILL I FIND THESE PEOPLE? (Think about the type of person you are
looking for? Where will you find him/her? Look at pages 22-26 if you need ideas)
WHAT I HAVE TO OFFER: (What skills/knowledge/talents do you have to

give someone in return? Remember, it’s all about generosity!)

LINKEDIN (Should I be active on LinkedIn? Do I want to learn professional/
industry-related English? Who should I contact on LinkedIn? What can I offer them?)
GOOGLE+ (Should I be active on Google+? What communities should I join?

Who should I talk to on Google+? What can I offer them?)
TWITTER (Should I be active on Twitter? Do I want to learn slang and

informal English? Who should I contact on Twitter? What are some good hashtags to use?
How can I respond to people in an interesting way?)

YOUTUBE (Should I write comments on YouTube videos? What kind of videos?
Can I offer them something to continue the conversation on Facebook/Skype?)
INSTAGRAM (Should I be active on Instagram? Do I want to learn slang/

informal English? How can I comment on videos/photos in an interesting way?)
FACEBOOK (How can I find people to talk to on Facebook? Should I join

Facebook groups? Which ones?)

GAMES (What online games or video games can I play to connect with native
English speakers?)
LANGUAGE EXCHANGE WEBSITES (Which language exchange websites

should I use? Are they trying to learn my native language? What can we talk about?)
OTHER WEBSITES (Ask other non-native English speakers about different

websites that can connect you with native English speakers. Are there other good
websites they they use? Which ones?)

As you're speaking to these native English speakers, keep
in mind that your culture is probably pretty different from
theirs. It's more important than you think!
3 Reasons why culture matters when you're learning

English
Have you ever had a

conversation with a native
English speaker and felt as
though they were losing
interest in what you were
saying?
If you haven't, then this

means either one of two
things:
1. You have never spoken to a native English speaker, or

2. You have only met wonderful, patient native English
speakers.
If your answer is #2, then I congratulate you! (Will you

tell me where you are finding these people so I can talk to
them, too?) If your answer is #1, then you need to start
talking to some native English speakers, fast (I have
another post about that here).

However, if you are like many non-native speakers
out there, you have spoken to at least some native English
speakers. Obviously, I don't know what your experiences
have been like (hopefully, most of them have been positive
ones), but there are a few things you should know about
the culture of native English speakers (Note: this applies
to all English speaking countries).
3 Reasons Why Culture Matters
1. Native English speakers come from a task-oriented

culture. Did you know this? (Most people don't.) In a
task-oriented culture, skillfully managing tasks and
time to achieve your goals is of utmost importance.
Other cultures in Latin America, Asia, the Middle East,
and parts of Europe are considered to be relationship-
oriented cultures. In relationship-oriented cultures, the
priority is placed on the social relationships and the
group that one belongs to in each situation. If you
come from a relationship-oriented culture, remember
that it is normal for native English speakers to be
"pressed for time". Since the priority is placed on
time management, quite often native speakers prefer
to "get to the point" when they are having a
conversation with someone. This is not considered
rude in an English-speaking culture, so don't be
offended.

2. You can see parts of a culture through its idioms
and expressions. Let's take a look at some common
idioms in English:
• Time is money
• Better late than never
• Against the clock
As you can see, all of these idioms are about time. This
should give you an idea that the concept of time is
important in English-speaking countries. Think about
the expressions in your native language. How do they
reflect the culture of your country?
3. Think about how you want a native English

speaker to see you. What do you want them to think
about you? Is it even important? (It probably is if you
are trying to get a job or working with a client.) Do you
want them to see you as an educated person, as a
friend, a competent business partner? In order to make
sure native English speakers see you the way you
want them to see you, you have to first see the world
through their eyes. This doesn't mean you have to
agree with it - it simply means that you must be
able to see it. (This is called empathy, by the way.)
What is his/her perception of the world and why? How
does he/she view different social relationships? While
I'm certainly not asking you to change your beliefs or
views on the world, I think that we can all use the
appropriate language for each type of situation that

arises (I'm assuming you don't speak to your doctor
the same way you speak to your friends).
So there you have it. Three reasons why culture is

extremely important as you study English. Remember, we
learn new languages in order to communicate with people
from all over the world. In order to communicate in the
most effective way possible, we must be able to speak in
a way that our audience understands.
7. Relax!
You will stress out as you learn English. All language
learners get confused, frustrated, and feel like they
want to pull out their hair at some point. It's normal.
But you cannot let your frustration control you.
Relax! Why stress is literally stopping you from
learning English
Is this you when

you're trying to learn
English?
I get it ("I
understand"). That's

because this is how I used to feel when I was
learning Spanish. Of course, I'm still learning. I don't
think we ever really stop learning. But at least I've
gotten past feeling like this.
English can be a really tough language to learn.
Personally, I admire all of you who are learning it
each and every day, because it can (at times) be
very challenging. Just when you think you've
mastered one rule, you learn about the
79823409832094838472983409283408 exceptions
to the rule. Just when you start beginning to
understand the way one person talks, you can't
understand one word of what another person says.
It's what we call an "emotional roller coaster".
I need you to do something here. Stop stressing
out! I know, I know, "it's easier said than done", but
please try. Here's why: Your stress is actually
causing you to remember less! I'm not kidding.
Do you know what cortisol is? Cortisol is a
hormone that is released by our adrenal glands
during stressful situations. If we are constantly
stressed out, this can damage our hippocampus
(the part of the brain that turns our short-term
memories into long-term memories).
When we have too much cortisol in our brains,
the energy that normally goes to our hippocampus
goes instead to our muscles in order to assist us in
our "flight or fight" response (you know, when your
brain unconsciously decides if you should fight or
run away from a stressful situation). Cortisol also
interferes with the activities in our brains and inhibits
our normal memory function. If you have constant,
long-term stress, it can actually damage your brain
so much that people can lose the ability to create
new memories.
So, basically, stress makes us (temporarily)
stupid.
Yikes! Scared yet?
Here are 3 ways to help you enjoy the

journey and not stress out so much:
1. Don't try to
memorize
everything. Think
of the social norms
in your country or
culture. Try to
explain them all out
loud right now...
Difficult, isn't it?
Unless you are a
social scientist, it shouldn't be easy for you to

articulate every
single norm and the
reasons why
people do or
believe it, because
it's something you
have
subconsciously
learned your whole
life through interaction with others. If you create a
"life" for yourself in English, where you are listening
to and reading the news in English, listening to
music in English, making friends in English,
discussing thought-provoking topics in English,
reading and watching TV in English, then over time
your brain will subconsciously become used to many
different pronunciations and word patterns. AND
you'll be entertaining yourself at the same time.
Sounds better than beating your head against the
wall as you try to memorize vocabulary lists, doesn't
it?
2. Think of learning English as a journey, not a

destination. Some of you obviously have specific
goals if you're learning English in order to take an
exam such as IELTS or the TOEFL. But even if you
need to learn English at an accelerated pace, you
should still think of learning English as a lifelong
journey rather than a destination. There is a quote in
English that says, "Happiness is a journey, not a
destination." So is language learning. :)
3. Take a break when you need one! I remember

when I lived in Spain, I once got such an enormous
headache I felt as though there was a brick wall in
my head that was rejecting everything Spanish.
Honestly. If something tried to enter my brain in
Spanish, it
just
bounced
against the
brick wall
and never
even
penetrated
my brain. I
was so
sick of Spanish that I told my fiancé (who is now my
husband) that I needed a break from Spanish for a
few days, and could we please only speak in
English? This break lasted about two days, where all
of my communication was in English, even though I
was living in Spain. (It's similar to when athletes are
feeling overworked and need to rest their bodies to
let their muscles recover.) And guess what? It
worked! That brick wall that was responsible for my
throbbing headaches no longer existed, and my
brain seemed to absorb information in Spanish
almost instantaneously. I love when that happens,
don't you?
Finally, when you need to remember the best

techniques that will help you learn English, they're
right here:
3 Tips to improve your
English fluency
Wouldn't life be easier if I just
LIVED in the country whose
language I wanted to learn?
Here are the top 3 tips to help

you increase your fluency in
English:
1. CONTEXT. One of the most

important things (even if you
have a teacher and take classes) is to be able to learn
through context. Instead of memorizing vocabulary or
constantly using a dictionary or Google Translate, try to figure

out the meaning of a word or expression by understanding
the other words around it. Have you heard that word or
expression before? If so, when? Can you connect the dots
from all the different times you hear the new word or
expression in order to figure out what it means by yourself?
You will remember it much better if you do and this process
will eventually become automatic for
learning all aspects of English
(vocabulary, grammar, linking and fast
speech, etc.).
2. SHADOWING. Another excellent

technique is to repeat what native
English speakers say in the videos you
watch. Repeat it out loud. Think about
how you can use it in a conversation,
and pretend you are having that
conversation.
Say everything out loud and talk
to yourself (even if you're living in a
native English speaking country, this
really works). (You can wait until no
one is around if you feel
embarrassed)
3. IMMERSION. Create a world of

English all around you. Another way

to say this is to immerse yourself or create a language
bubble, where you only listen to and read native English
material (and speak to native English speakers as much as
possible, but that is a whole different post). It doesn't matter if
you don't understand it all - do it anyway. Many schools in
Europe teach Content and Language Integrated Learning
(CLIL) where they teach both English AND content of different
subjects in English. It takes time, but it works. You can do the
same thing independently. Learn the grammar, but make sure
you're learning new things in English (from native English
material) as well.
If you're interested in finding a teacher to help you

along this journey, you can either email me, look at
some of your local language academies, or find an
online teacher on websites such as Verbling and
Italki. Happy learning! :)

The Ultimate Guide To Studying English

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Titolo originale

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

The Ultimate Guide To Studying English

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved.

Limitation of liability/disclaimer of warranty: While the author has

Please consult with a professional when appropriate.

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 2 of 42

Do you ever have the feeling that there is too

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 3 of 42

1. Invest in a good notebook/

2. Keep a list of your sources

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 5 of 42

Online courses People (in real life)

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 6 of 42

Audio/video Social Media

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 7 of 42

2. Context. This one is important. I just wrote a blog

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 8 of 42

4. Watch movies with subtitles. Yes, you've heard

5. Songs with lyrics. Of course, if you want to

6. Watch videos for different types of content.

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 9 of 42

7. Use a thesaurus! Do you know what "synonyms"

9. Websites specifically to help you increase your

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 10 of 42

Feel free to print off as many pages of these

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 11 of 42

New vocabulary Meaning How I know this New sentence with

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 12 of 42

New vocabulary Meaning How I know this New sentence with

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 13 of 42

New vocabulary Meaning How I know this New sentence with

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 14 of 42

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 15 of 42

You see, the words we

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 16 of 42

If you have an intermediate/advanced level of English

I can't wait to hear how your stories improve!

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 17 of 42

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 18 of 42

Linking in English is joining or connecting

The links of the chain are connected. Just like what we do

1. I want to go home. = I wanna go home.

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 19 of 42

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 20 of 42

As I write this, I'm remember my own experiences of

You will never improve your speaking in English if you don't

The only true failure is if you don't try.

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 21 of 42

Here are a few places you can find

2. Meetup: Check to see if there is a meetup in your city

3. Twitter: Join a conversation with a native English speaker

4. YouTube: People will usually reveal a lot about

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 22 of 42

6. Google+ Communities: Guys, this is perfect! Google+

7. Language Exchange websites: Places like

Here are some tips as to How you can interact

1. LinkedIn. If you are a professional, LinkedIn is a

2. Google+. I love Google+! I have a free community on

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 24 of 42

3. Twitter. Look for hashtags (#) in English that interest

4. YouTube. Comment on videos! Again, not just

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 25 of 42

5. Instagram. Comment on people's photos and videos.

6. Facebook. I can't write a post about social media

© Ramirez English. All rights reserved. Page 26 of 42