Dear Friends!

Not long ago a person who mastered a foreign language considered to be an aesthete, an exponent of a certain midst or just a queer. But times change... Now foreign language knowledge is an indispensable presupposition not only for travelling abroad but to study, work, do some researches, read directions and instructions.

Frequently a question arises, how to learn a foreign language to adequately express ideas, comprehend read or heard texts.

It is known, that the basis of all language training are: reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Reading is your reliable assistant in language learning. It helps to produce good results because you come through familiar words and expressions in the texts and, consequently, enrich your vocabulary. Take a folded sheet of paper as a bookmark and write down unfamiliar words that obstruct text comprehension. Find out their meaning, consulting a dictionary. Such a bookmark will help with further reading. And texts, as a rule, have to be chosen in correspondence with the language level. Some think that it is better to start reading texts in original but can you imagine the thickets you’ll get in. The majority of unfamiliar words, grammar structures, idioms and phrasal verbs. Only very strong can overcome the ordeal.

Writing is challenge because of complexity of English spelling (where ‘it’s written London and read Liverpool'), but from the point of view of sentence structure, tenses choice and other grammar phenomena. But still write! Write memos, keep diaries — your biography. And try to find a pen-friend, preferably a native speaker. Don’t be afraid to communicate with native speakers only because you can make a mistake, furthermore, e-mailing, chats, ICQ are more accessible interaction channels than face-to-face communication.

In chain reading — listening — speaking' communication is the most difficult. Do not worry that you have nobody to communicate with in English — the best interlocutor is you. Talk to yourself about your day plans, sum up the day events, retell read books and watched movies. Coming through unfamiliar words, consul a dictionary. If your are persistent enough soon you start to be fluent in English and think in English.

To understand the language you need to listen to it, fortunately, there are audiobooks and films you can watch and listen to at home. But here you should be consistent. Before starting listening, you should acquaint with texts, translate all unfamiliar words and try to cope with new grammar structures, and then move to listening, you can do it simultaneously with some other activity, for example, apartment cleaning, food preparation and washing club.

Films in English will also help you in language mastering: gestures, facial expressions, plot line will simplify film comprehension. And if you didn’t grasp the idea you can look through the shots once again. furthermore, there are Russian and Ukrainian subtitles, which give an opportunity to see the actors’ cues on the screen. This simplifies text comprehension and dictionary search

The last is self-study. Often people ask if it is possible to learn English on their own. We are certain, it’s possible. There is only stipulation — your desire and regular classes. Remember, it’s better to study for half an hour daily, than three hours once a week. English mastering requires constant practice. Therefore, read, listen, speak, keeping in mind that grammar is important. Try to make a plan of you studies, one part should be devoted to grammar learning, another to vocabulary extension (reading and listening),  and the last – to expressing your ideas aloud (speaking and writing). Use additional recourses — interesting manuals, audio books, movies, learning programs to make your learning process enjoyable.

Keep in mind, everything depends on you. Strive for set goals will produce the desirable results. Follow the English proverb 'Where there's a will, there's a way' (Де хотіння, там уміння), and for sure you’ll master this beautiful and world-famous language.

 Be patient! Good luck!