The first basics of the English language. English for beginners or where to start learning English. Choosing a teaching method

In the modern world, the importance of knowledge of English is undeniable, therefore, an increasing number of people are striving to master this language. At the same time, many beginners who have never studied English before are lost from the variety of methods and textbooks. In this article, we will tell you which English textbook to choose, how to maintain motivation and organize the learning process, what to pay special attention to so that knowledge is confident and skills are brought to automatism.

Zero does not exist!

Talking about zero knowledge of English is not entirely legitimate, because in the Russian language there are countless borrowings and related words that everyone understands. For example, the words "information", "radio", "music", "sister", "bank" and others will be intuitively familiar to you. This means that a certain amount of foreign vocabulary will be given to you without the slightest effort. Not so scary anymore, right?

How to keep motivated?

Mastering a foreign language from scratch is not an easy task. After a couple of sessions, you may feel like you will never succumb to this iceberg of rules and exceptions. Think of those who started out like you and reached advanced levels. You can do that too, believe in yourself! A passion for the subject is your key to success. One needs English for work, another - for travel, the third - for self-improvement. Everyone has their own incentives, but it is best if there are several of them at once.

Who to study with?

These days, learning English from scratch is possible in many ways:

• individual lessons with a teacher;
• group lessons;
• skype training;
• independent study.

The most effective will be classes with a teacher. Individually or with a group (5-7 people), you will go through the necessary material at an optimal pace. It is important to find a qualified teacher with whom you will be interested. Believe me, the teacher's enthusiasm and love for English will certainly inspire you to conquer the top called "English".

If you choose group training, make sure that the group is not too large. Otherwise, the teacher simply will not be able to pay enough attention to each "student". English classes in groups have one important plus - a person is, as they say, among his own, the same newcomers as himself. Making progress in a friendly atmosphere is much easier, especially since an experienced teacher will support the slightly playful direction of the lessons.

Self-study English from scratch

Those who, for one reason or another, have chosen the path of self-study will have a harder time. You constantly need to whip up interest, not give up and not be lazy. And the hardest thing is to start ...

Where to start preparing?

1. Choice of technique:

Nowadays there are many methods of learning English from scratch. Choose for yourself the one that is right for you, and with which you will be pleased to work.

2. Selection of teaching aids:

The zero level will not allow you to tackle foreign textbooks right away, so get editions of proven domestic authors. For example, Golitsinsky or Bonk will do. Later, you should refer to well-known British publications: Headway, Hotline, True to Life, Language in Use, Blueprint.

A good handbook boasts ample theory and practice, while developing reading, writing and speaking skills in equal measure. When buying a textbook, make sure that its structure meets your requirements: vocabulary, grammar, topics. The rules should be stated clearly and informatively, and colorful illustrations, additional tables, etc. provide an important advantage over boring black and white editions.

3. Choice of time for classes and their duration:

It is best to study English at the same time: if you are an early riser, devote your morning hours to classes; owls absorb material better in the evening.

To learn a foreign language effectively, you must practice every day - you can afford no more than one day off a week! The optimal duration of one "lesson" is 60-90 minutes, while you can rest 5-10 minutes in the middle of the lesson.

4. Comfortable conditions for training:

Provide yourself with the maximum convenience during classes: a cozy atmosphere, a pleasant background, and the absence of external stimuli. All this will help you abstract from reality and completely immerse yourself in the world of language.

5. Don't overdo it!

Once you have found the optimal pace for mastering new topics, stick to it and do not try to cover several difficult sections at one time. Over time, you will achieve more intensive study, but it is not advisable to rush at the initial stage.

6. Constantly review the material you have covered:

Regular repetition is the key to consolidating knowledge and improving skills. Even if you have studied very little so far, practice your knowledge every free minute - in transport, during morning exercises, at lunchtime, before bedtime, etc. Try to talk to yourself, saying words, constructions, sentences aloud or to yourself. If possible, feel free to chat with someone who knows English. Once you've mastered the base, find a pen-pal who is a native speaker.

How to learn English yourself?

The English language has a well-coordinated structure, and you should start learning this system from scratch. The first thing you need to learn is the alphabet and pronunciation. Without knowledge of the alphabet, it will be impossible to write or read, and a distorted pronunciation can completely change the meaning of a statement. Do not neglect the practice of speaking, because in order to become fluent in conversational English, you need to practice as often as possible.

Reading

Undoubtedly, you will have to read a lot at first: rules, examples and simple texts. Reading grammatically correct sentences gives an excellent result - memorization of vocabulary and grammatical structures is in progress. Visual perception is the main source of new information, and regular reading of English-language texts is necessary at any stage of language learning.

Listening

When learning English from scratch, listening comprehension can seem impossible. This is actually a great reading aid. Soundtracks for assignments will help you learn how to pronounce a particular sound or word. By following the text with your eyes and listening to it at the same time, you can kill two birds with one stone. Gradually expanding the boundaries of your knowledge, try to close the textbook and listen to the text again. First, you will only understand some words, and then the sentences. This is the only way to learn listening, which will still play a significant role in learning.

Listening to English songs and watching films, including those with subtitles, keep the newcomer in good shape and increase motivation, unobtrusively dipping a person into an authentic atmosphere. It will be very useful to watch your favorite film in the original, which you know almost by heart in Russian. A familiar plot will make it easier for you to understand the lines of the characters in English, moreover, you will be able to see a lively and modern, and not purely bookish language.

Letter

Any new material must be worked out in writing! With all the convenience of modern computer programs that offer to insert a suitable word instead of a gap, they are not suitable for those who have just started learning English from scratch. The method of writing down in a regular notebook is more effective: performing written exercises allows you to hone knowledge, bringing it to automatism. First, you will learn how to correctly express thoughts on paper, and only then can you confidently use them in speech.

Speaking

Oral practice is an integral part of learning a foreign language. Being able to read and translate doesn't mean being fluent in English. Beautiful and fluent speech is the dream of any beginner, but in order to fulfill it, you need to constantly study. If you do not have an "experimental" interlocutor, practice on yourself! For example, talk to yourself in front of the mirror, try to tell as much as possible about your day. As you go through a new topic, invent a new name, profession and past for yourself - create a fictional character. This playful moment will provide you with the variety you need for oral topics.

You can achieve even greater success by combining reading or listening with speaking. After you read the text or listen to the audio recording, try to retell the content out loud (alternatively, in writing). Such a presentation will help train memory and thinking, teach you to retell in your own words, which means fluently speak English.

Vocabulary

The study of foreign vocabulary begins with the simplest and most frequently used words:

• nouns (e.g. a house, a man, an apple)
• adjectives (e.g. big, great, good);
• verbs (e.g. to do, to be, to get);
• pronouns (e.g. I, he, her);
• numerals (e.g. one, ten, the fifth).

Thoughtless cramming is not suitable for those who really want to know English. Undoubtedly, international words are remembered the fastest, and the rest are best combined with already familiar lexical units. For example, "a big dog", "an interesting film". It is better to memorize persistent expressions in their entirety, for example, "to make a mistake", "to do one" s best ".

When memorizing lexical units, you need to pay special attention not only to their meaning, but also to pronunciation. That is why it is at the initial stage of learning English that it is important to learn how to correctly interpret the transcription of a word and to firmly master the pronunciation rules for certain letter combinations, for example, "th", "ng". Also set aside a separate lesson to study the features of open and closed syllables, and you will save a lot of time constantly looking at the dictionary transcription.

Grammar

Knowledge of the English grammar book is perhaps even slightly more essential than a wealth of vocabulary. If you can easily get away with ignorance of a certain word, then the inability to use the times and constructions will instantly give you a layman.

You need to start learning English grammar with the word order in the sentence, because the correctness and meaning of the statement depends on it. Then you can move on to mastering the times of the Simple / Indefinite group (Present, Past, Future). The next sections will be the Contineous / Progressive and Perfect times. The constructions "to be going to" and numerous modal verbs (for example, "must", "have to", "can") will become important elements of your knowledge.

English from scratch some are given faster and easier, others a little slower and with more effort. However, with motivation and quality textbooks, anyone can learn English. At the initial stage, it is especially important to pay attention to all aspects of the language as a whole. An integrated approach is the key to successfully learning and acquiring solid knowledge and skills.

Those who believe in their own strength and are distinguished by enviable tenacity may well learn English on their own. For this today, both real and virtual textbooks are enough. How is learning a language with a teacher different from independent?

With a teacher, it may be easier to control the beginner's understanding of a new topic and it is easier to consolidate it in practice. At the same time, going through the English tutorial, you can sort out difficult passages as long and scrupulously as you like.

The teacher disciplines and obliges, but the prospect of learning English at a convenient time for you at home and with music is always pleasing.

Conclusion: Each method has its pros and cons, but one thing is certain:

Learning English yourself is quite within the power of a beginner

All that is needed is inner responsibility, patience and self-discipline. How to learn English on your own?

No less, and maybe more, today are Internet on-line English tutorials for beginners.

What an online tutorial can be

on-line English self-study guide Here the learning scheme may be slightly different.

1. There are no long tiresome lessons in it (but there are more of them), one lesson can be completed in a day, so that's all - to teach "a little bit"
2. Teaching English is based on the method of parallel texts, which look like dialogues: we read and translate immediately.
3. Reading is accompanied by sound, which avoids phonetics lessons
4. Then there are very accessible explanations, in the lessons - a minimum of grammar
5. The following exercises are also simple and mainly on the topic of dialogues.
6. Every 7 lessons there is a systematization with a repetition of the passed

Thus, 145, for example, small lessons can be learned without straining in 5-6 months

Sample English lesson from online tutorial

This is what one English lesson looks like:

Thus, in this lesson, several new words and one turn are learned, and the final exercise, in addition to consolidating the material, sets the stage for a new lesson, the topic of which will obviously be related to indefinite pronouns and numbers.

Are you now convinced that learning English from a self-study guide is not difficult at all?

Imagine: Today, over 335 million people use English as the main language! Over one and a half billion of the world's population speaks it fluently!

Do you know why learning English online is so crazy popular?

Perhaps, in the fact that such exciting opportunities open up before us, like hospitable doors:

• ✔ travel free in different countries, significantly saving money on translation services;
• ✔ qualify for getting a high-paying job or career growth;
• ✔ make new acquaintances and connections in foreign countries;
• ✔ read books and watch movies in the original voice acting And so on.
• Surely you also have something to add to this list!

We all want to be fluent in English.

We all dream of communicating on it and feeling confident and comfortable.

We all know that English is a symbol of success.

But not everyone is able to constantly go to courses or hire a private tutor.

I got to the States without planning to live there ... but when I got there, I had to learn English from scratch! It's not easy, especially when you are over 40! But the desire has won everything and the result is already there!

- Victor, student of BistroEnglish

The real way out is to teach English for beginners online using the author's method.

What are the real benefits of learning English online?

First of all, you can learn this language online both for a fee and for free, for adults and children. Both video and audio lessons. There are no restrictions on age or location.

This teaching approach has several advantages over other methods:

- Studying at home using video lessons, you yourself create a convenient schedule of lessons;

- You can browse online in your free time, without interrupting your household chores or work.

- You can study in a cafe, office, driving a car, airport, etc .;

- You can learn English online both with a Russian-speaking teacher and with a native speaker - all this with the help of video lessons and audio lessons;

- The frequency of classes can also be selected individually, depending on your schedule.

- You quickly memorize new words, expressions due to vivid pictures and video inserts;

- Bright and vivid images in the video course provide faster memorization of previously unfamiliar concepts;

- And, of course, you can always go back and watch a lesson again!

Learning English for beginners online by yourself at BistroEnglish - what's interesting?

1. Online English courses for beginners have a clear structure.

Each next lesson reinforces the knowledge and skills already acquired.

2. The maximum duration of a lesson is 25 –30 minutes.

During this time, you have time to effectively learn the language and at the same time not get tired.

3. The presence of constant repetition of the passed material, which allows you to remember for a long time all the necessary information of the lesson.

4. In addition to video lessons, there is a mini-course of audio lessons, voiced by both a Russian-speaking teacher and native speakers. In this way, you develop both your speaking ability and your understanding of speech.

I visualize knowledge, it is much more convenient for me to see the teacher / person, for better assimilation of the material. Therefore, I prefer to study using video lessons and, when I have time, via Skype. I use audio as additional material. Everything works together perfectly - every week I'm getting closer to my goal.

- Andrey, student of the program "English in 4 Weeks 2in1"

Like other techniques, learning English fast online involves 4 ways of perception:

→ Vision. Many people have a developed visual memory, so images contribute to better perception of information.
→ Hearing. Speaking of a real native English speaker ensures effective memorization of correct pronunciation.
→ Letter. During the execution of written assignments, the body perceives information at the visual and tactile levels.
→ Speech. Repeated pronunciation of a phrase or word contributes to the development of muscle memory of the speech organs.

All of the above can turn learning English from monotonous uninteresting activities into a pleasant pastime.

At the same time, the cost of this training is several times less compared to conventional courses, and the assimilation of knowledge is much faster due to the individual nature of the lessons.

The teacher is not distracted by extraneous things and other students, accordingly, precious time is not wasted.

Today there are several ways to learn English: in courses, in a group, with the help of self-taught English, individually with a tutor, or directly in the language environment. Let's take a closer look at some of them.

Learning English: Online vs. offline

Language classes

By choosing this option, you will definitely improve your communication skills, communicating in a group will be able to improve teamwork skills, applying the material studied in dialogues with participants. It will suit people who are shameless, open to new acquaintances. However, when preparing for an interview or working in an IT company, this option is not suitable.

Individually with a teacher

For people with more specific goals. The student is given all the time in the lesson, and a good teacher finds an approach to anyone, even the most shy quiet. Of course, finding a suitable teacher quickly may take some time. Also, the latter may use outdated teaching methods or Soviet-era textbooks. As a result, you run the risk of ending up cramming the material without actually putting it into practice. Plus, this type of training is not cheap at all and takes a lot of time - you need to get to the tutor (or the tutor to you). Not everyone will agree to this, getting stuck and nervous in traffic jams.

Learning English on Skype

Today more and more people are choosing this option. First of all, I would like to emphasize the quality of training. Indeed, in the online English language school, all teachers have specialized education and extensive work experience, constantly improve their skills and use only new teaching aids. These teachers will find the right pace of language learning, a convenient time and place for you. You can do it on vacation, abroad, on the street, at the entrance, etc. You can definitely set aside an hour for class and learn productively. More information about learning English by Skype at EnglishDom.

Self-study English

This method is suitable for those who have good self-discipline, willpower and great motivation, as sooner or later everyone starts to be lazy. But when you belong to yourself, then you yourself can both accelerate and slow down, depending on the circumstances. You yourself choose what to do the main bias and what type of English tutorial to choose. Nowadays there is a huge variety of them: video channels, books, specialized sites, adapted art books, audio lessons, etc. In addition, this method does not require investment of money, you can save and acquire new knowledge absolutely free of charge via the Internet, however, you will have to put a considerable amount of effort into selecting the appropriate textbook and drawing up a plan for your lessons. Also, mastering English from self-study guides, you understand that no one will check your mistakes and help you correct them. For example, it happens that by making an insignificant blot, the student gets used to using it in speech, and it becomes much more difficult to retrain to use a phrase or word correctly.

Self-study guides in English

One of the most successful options - Basic English course. K.E. Eckersley... The focus of this tutorial is on speaking and writing. Thanks to this book, you will be able to gain systematized knowledge, since each new topic is given along with the repetition of the previous material. The book also includes a CD where you can listen to live speech and learn how to pronounce words correctly. The tutorial contains many interesting and funny stories, examples + everything is described in great detail. Unfortunately, the entire tutorial is black and white, so the illustrations can be a little boring. If you are a visual or just a lover of bright pictures and this is critical for you, then do not rush. The textbook is definitely suitable for those who do not like grammar, since there is not much of it here, and for those who are studying English for everyday communication.

"English. Intensive course "from Chernenko D.V. - relevant if you love grammar (or feel the need to tighten it up) and want to understand all the intricacies of using tenses. Here, all the grammar is disassembled in detail and understandable, the book also contains many useful exercises, and at the end there are answers, and you can check yourself, or, as a last resort, if the task suddenly turned out to be too difficult, peep the answer. But nevertheless, it is better to take such a self-instruction manual of the English language for beginners with one more addition, because studying grammar alone clearly cannot help you to speak fluently.

For beginners to comprehend the nuances of the language and who want to use English words in speech, suitable "Self-instructional book of the English language: modern methods of intensive education" by V. G. Kulish Here the transcription is rendered in Russian letters, so even beginners will feel comfortable. There are only three parts in the tutorial. In the first, you will get acquainted with English words and their pronunciation, in the second - with grammar, and in the third, you will find dialogues and situations on various topics. There are plenty of exercises in the textbook, to which there are also answers, and all the words that must be memorized are marked with a special sign. A small drawback of the textbook is the construction itself, because each type of tasks is presented separately, and not in a complex, which, in turn, is aggravated by the lack of sound.

Educational video channels for self-study English

As you know, spending time on the Internet can and should be usefully. The resource of various Youtube video materials in this matter is simply irreplaceable. It is interesting to listen to a person who really understands what he is talking about. This will help you in learning and will certainly expand your knowledge of English. It is recommended to immediately acquire a notebook and write down important information for yourself. Below is a list of useful channels to explore:

Anglo-Link The main feature of the channel is that it is completely systematized by levels of knowledge and is perfect as a self-study guide for the English language for both beginners and advanced. Short videos can help you improve your vocabulary and listen to speech more easily.

Air Force Learning English On this channel, you can watch a video where ordinary passers-by in London are asked various questions and they are happy to answer them. Excellent listening practice in pleasant British speech. The site is filled with various entertaining videos + there is a special series for English learners on the channel.

EnglishDom Our channel is constantly updated with content, there are lessons and webinars from both Russian-speaking teachers and native speakers, and situational videos will help you comprehend the intricacies of the English language.

EngVid . Learn English with Ronnie Ronnie's channel contains many videos about the intricacies of grammar. All information is presented with humor, easy and accessible.

JenniferESL An excellent channel for organizing your English lessons and developing your language skills. The teacher Jennifer reveals the secrets of correct pronunciation, improving the quality of spoken language, and working out grammar.

Private English Portal Teacher Steve has extensive experience in education. Watching his video, it is believed that English lessons can be really simple and straightforward for everyone. This, in fact, is the main advantage of the channel, which is suitable for users of any age and level of English proficiency.

PodEnglish The authors of this channel use five-minute thematic videos, which include three stages: watch (look), learn (teach), try (try), which is why any phrase, word or idiom is remembered. It contains a variety of topics, from simple topics like the weather or greeting people to more complex topics like discussing financial health or politics.

Real English Videos on this channel provide an opportunity to find out how speech sounds in everyday life and what phrases native speakers use most often. You can also check how you learned the material - on the page with the video there is a link to the site where you can, after doing a couple of exercises, practice and consolidate what you have learned.

Speak English with Misterduncan One of the very first channels that can be used as a self-taught English. Briton Misterduncan pleases its subscribers with a video about colloquial speech and British slang, about daily phrases and everyday life of an Englishman.

Online English self-study courses

After watching a variety of videos, you will probably want to diversify your activities a little. This is where interactive courses come in.

- just by registering, a funny robot assistant Robie will be waiting for you in your personal account, who will tell you where to start, and will also motivate you and help you monitor your progress. In the vocabulary section, you can play a word memorization game, listen to audio recordings and practice spelling. The section "Phrasebook" will offer you to get acquainted with the most common, sounded phrases.

In addition to all the described tutorials of the English language, you can also visit conversation clubs in your city or, comfortably sitting at home, visit a conversation club from EnglishDom, where you will choose a teacher (native speaker or Russian) and a topic (general English, basic mistakes, idioms and phrasal verbs etc.). All classes of the conversation club are held in an entertaining atmosphere with immersion in the language environment.

Learn English on your own by video

Ted - a site with short videos, where experts, native speakers, talk about science, technology, psychology, economics and other topics. Small lectures are available for viewing with subtitles in several languages, including Russian or English.

Screen Rant - an excellent YouTube channel, where the creators post unique videos: movie bloopers of popular TV shows and films, jokes and facts about different films. Every video comes with good subtitles, so you can easily understand what the video is talking about.

EnglishDom. Practicum - here you can watch a fascinating video on various topics, everyone can choose a video to their liking and according to their level of knowledge, and there is also the opportunity to perform several exercises after watching, look through a selection of interesting expressions from the video with translation into Russian.

Learn on your own or turn to the pros?

Of course, it is almost impossible to choose only one self-study guide for the English language. It is wise to diversify your activities by choosing several options and combining them effectively. Almost all self-study guides in English are available at any time of the day and anywhere, so improve your English in a way convenient for you and have knowledge. We hope that this collection of tutorials will help you improve your English skills on your own. We also invite you to one-to-one English lessons via Skype - learning begins with a free introductory lesson. Learn and be happy with yourself

Big and friendly family EnglishDom

“Each new language expands the consciousness of a person and his world. It’s like one more eye and one more ear, ”says Daniel Stein, the hero of the book by Lyudmila Ulitskaya. Would you like to expand your picture of the world and find a common language with more than a billion people? For those who answered in the affirmative, we will tell you how to start learning English. We hope our guide will help beginners take their first steps and show the right path for those who continue to learn the language.

To get started, we suggest you watch a recording of a two-hour webinar with Victoria Kodak (teacher and methodologist of our online school), in which she answers the question of how to start learning English in the most detailed way:

1. Introduction: When and how best to start learning English

Some adults believe that only children can start learning English from scratch. Someone thinks that an adult is ashamed to start from scratch and learn elementary rules and words, someone believes that only children can successfully learn foreign languages, because they have excellent memory and learning abilities. Both the first and second opinions are wrong. There is no shame in the fact that you begin to learn a language as an adult, on the contrary: the craving for knowledge always commands respect. According to the statistics of our school, people start learning the language from the first stage at 20, 50 and even 80 (!) Years. Moreover, they do not just start, but successfully study and reach high levels of knowledge of English. So no matter how old you are, what matters is your willingness to learn and your willingness to improve your knowledge.

Many people ask the question: "What is the best way to start learning English?" First, you should choose a method of training convenient for you: in a group, individually with a teacher or by yourself... You can read about the pros and cons of each of them in the article "".

The best option for those who are going to learn the language "from scratch" is lessons with a teacher... You need a mentor who will explain how the language “works” and help you build a solid foundation of your knowledge. A teacher is your interlocutor who:

• helps you start speaking English;
• explain grammar in simple words;
• teach you to read texts in English;
• and will also help you develop your listening comprehension skills.

For some reason, you have no desire or opportunity to study with a teacher? Then explore our step by step guide self-study of English for beginners.

To begin with, we want to give you some tips on how to better organize your classes so that your efforts don't go to waste. We recommend:

• Exercise at least 2-3 times a week for 1 hour... Ideally, you need to practice English every day for at least 20-30 minutes. However, if you want to arrange a weekend for yourself, practice every other day, but in double the volume - 40-60 minutes.
• Work on speech skills... Write short texts, read simple articles and news, listen to podcasts for beginners, and try to find a conversation partner to practice your speaking skills.
• Immediately apply the knowledge gained in practice... Use learned words and grammar constructions in speaking and writing. Simple cramming will not give the desired effect: knowledge will fly out of my head if not used. Have learned a dozen words - write a short story using all these words, say it out loud. Studied the time Past Simple - write a short text in which all the sentences will be in this time.
• Do not "spray"... The main mistake beginners make is trying to take as many materials as possible and work with them all at the same time. As a result, the study turns out to be haphazard, you get confused in the abundance of information and do not see progress.
• Repeat past... Do not forget to repeat the material covered. Even if it seems to you that you know the words on the topic "Weather" by heart, come back to them in a month and check yourself: do you all remember if you have any difficulties. Repetition is never superfluous. In our blog, we have already written about. Become familiar with the techniques and try them out in practice.

You will learn some more useful tips in the following video.

3. Guide: How to start learning English from scratch on your own

Since English is still terra incognita for you, we have tried to select only the most necessary materials for you. The result is a rather voluminous list, from which you will learn where to start learning English and how to do it correctly. Let's say right away that the work is not easy, but interesting. Let's get started.

1. Learn the rules of reading English

Theater begins with a coat rack, and English begins with reading rules. This is a basic part of knowledge, thanks to which you can learn to read in English and pronounce sounds and words correctly. We recommend using a simple table from the Internet and learn the rules by heart, as well as get acquainted with the transcription of the English language. This can be done, for example, on the Translate.ru website.

2. Clarify how words are pronounced

Even if you know the rules of reading by heart, when learning new words, check how they are pronounced correctly. Sly English words don't want to be read as they are written. And some of them even refuse to obey any reading rules. Therefore, we advise you to check the pronunciation of each new word in an online dictionary, for example, Lingvo.ru or on a special site Howjsay.com. Listen to how the word sounds a few times and try to pronounce it the same way. At the same time, you will practice correct pronunciation.

3. Start building vocabulary

Take on board visual dictionaries, for example, use the Studyfun.ru website. Vivid pictures, voiced by native speakers and translation into Russian will facilitate the process of learning and memorizing new vocabulary.

What words to start learning English with? We recommend that beginners navigate the Englishspeak.com word list. Start with simple words of a general topic, remember which words you use most often in your speech in Russian. In addition, we advise you to devote more time to learning English verbs. It is the verb that makes speech dynamic and natural.

4. Learn grammar

If you imagine speech in the form of a beautiful necklace, then grammar is the thread on which you place word beads in order to end up with a beautiful piece of jewelry. Violation of the "rules of the game" of English grammar is punishable by a lack of understanding of the interlocutor. And to learn these rules is not so difficult, it is enough to study with a good textbook. We recommend that you take the first book in the Grammarway series of textbooks translated into Russian. We wrote about this book in detail in our review. In addition, we recommend that you read our article "", from which you will find out what books you will need at the initial stage of learning English.

Do you find textbooks boring? It doesn't matter, take a look at our series of articles "". In it, we set out the rules in simple words, give many examples and tests to test knowledge. In addition, our teachers have put together a simple and high-quality online English grammar tutorial for you. And we also advise you to read the article "", in it you will find 8 good reasons to take up the manuals, as well as find out when you can do without textbooks in learning a language.

5. Listen to podcasts at your level

As soon as you started taking the first steps, you immediately need to accustom yourself to the sound of a foreign speech. Start with simple podcasts ranging from 30 seconds to 2 minutes in length. You can find simple audio recordings with translation into Russian on the Teachpro.ru website. And to get the most out of your listening experience, check out our "" article.

After you build your initial English vocabulary, it's time to start watching the news. We recommend the Newsinlevels.com resource. News texts for the first level are simple. There is an audio recording for each news, so be sure to listen to how new words sound for you, try to repeat them after the announcer.

7. Read simple texts

While reading, you activate visual memory: new words and phrases will be easy to remember. And if you want not only to read, but also to learn new words, improve pronunciation, listen to the texts voiced by native speakers, and then read them. You can find simple short texts in textbooks at your level, such as New English File Elementary, or on the Internet at this site.

8. Install useful applications

How to start learning English from scratch on your own if you have a smartphone or tablet at hand? English learning apps are mini tutorials that you will always have in your pocket. The famous Lingualeo app is ideal for learning new words: thanks to the spaced repetition technique, new vocabulary will not fade from your memory in a month. And to study the structure, the principle of "work" of the language, we recommend installing Duolingo. In addition to learning new words, this application will allow you to practice grammar and build sentences in English, and will also help you develop good pronunciation. And also check out ours and choose from there the programs you are most interested in.

9. Study online

If you ask Google where to start learning English on your own, a caring search engine will immediately send you a couple of hundred sites with various lessons, online exercises, and articles on language learning. An inexperienced student is immediately tempted to make 83 bookmarks for himself "well, very necessary sites on which I will study every day." We want to warn you against this: in the abundance of bookmarks, you will quickly get confused, but you need to study systematically, without jumping from one topic to another. Bookmark 2-3 really good resources that you will study on. This is more than enough. We recommend doing the online exercises at Correctenglish.ru. Also check out our article "" for even more useful resources. And after you have mastered the basics of English, check out the article "", where you can download a file with a list of useful materials and sites for learning the language.

4. Let's summarize

The list turned out to be rather large, and we tried to collect for you only the most necessary components of a successful English language learning. However, we failed to use the most important skill - speaking... It is almost impossible to train it on your own. The most you can do is try to find a friend who is learning English. However, a friend with a higher level of knowledge is unlikely to want to study with a beginner, and a beginner like you cannot be an assistant. Moreover, when you study with a layperson, there is a risk of "picking up" his mistakes.

Self-study of the language has another bold disadvantage - lack of control: you will not notice your mistakes and correct them. Therefore, we recommend that you think about classes with a teacher at least at the beginning of your journey. The teacher will give you the push you need, help you choose the right direction of movement - exactly what a beginner needs.

Now you know how to learn English on your own from scratch. We admit that the path is not easy, but if you have already set a goal for yourself and are ready to work, positive results will not be long in coming. We wish you patience and perseverance on the way to your goal!

And for those who want to reach their goals faster, we offer with a teacher at our school.