Did you know that movies can teach you to speak real English naturally? However, to learn with movies you must use the correct technique. Many students try to learn by simply watching movies and TV shows.
Just watching movies is ineffective because you won’t understand most of what you hear and you will not learn deeply. This article is all about how you can actually learn English by watching films. Read on to find out!
Why Learn English through Films?
Watching English films is seriously the most underrated way to learn English. Following are the reasons why:
They Give You a Taste of Real English
Textbooks are great for learning vocabulary or grammar, but nothing is better than listening to real native English. By watching British and American films, you can listen to native actors speaking the language in a natural way. This will help you learn modern English and sound more like a native speaker in terms of vocabulary and style.
You Can Learn Better Pronunciation
Sometimes it can be hard to know how an English word is pronounced. Hearing native speakers in movies will teach you the correct way to say things. Dialogues in films also provide good examples of how sounds in words change in connected speech.
Live Context
When you learn a word, it can be difficult to remember what it means or how to use it. In films, words are used as part of a story and this context helps you to learn and remember them more effectively.
You will Understand Native Accents
Across Britain and America, there are many different accents used to speak English. When watching films, you will hear many regional accents being used and this will help you to understand them better. Textbooks seldom provide information about English accents.
You hear how things are said. In English, people often say that only 7% of our communication is expressed through our words. The rest 93% is all about how you say it. Things like your body language, your expressions (like a smile, a frown) and your tone of voice (like when you sound angry, or when you sound sad) determine how something is spoken effectively.
Also Read : Daily Use of English Sentences in Conversations: Spoken English Sentences for Everyday
You Can Explore Culture
You can learn about the culture behind the language when you watch movies in English. Language and culture are closely connected. Why not study both at the same time by watching original films?
5 Tips to Learn English Through Movies
Only Choose Interesting Films!
This sounds obvious, but the most important thing when using films to study English is to watch movies you will enjoy. If you choose a boring film, then you may lose interest and pay less attention to the language it uses! To find interesting films by genre, title, actor/actress or date of release, you can visit IMDB.
Avoid Movies That are Too Difficult
When you are watching a film in English, it is important that you understand enough to follow the storyline. Try to choose a movie that suits your current level of English. If you are a beginner, you may want to start with simple cartoons or children’s films, like Toy Story. On the other hand, if you understand 99% of the dialogue between characters in a movie, it may be too easy for you.
Aim to Understand 70% or More
When learning English with films, you should aim to understand the general meaning and not every single word. Do not worry if you miss some words or phrases or do not understand the accent of a character in a movie. You can pause or rewind the film sometimes and write down new vocabulary, but avoid doing this too often. Remember that watching movies should be fun!
Repeat Your Favourite Lines!
If you hear a line that you really like, write it down and repeat it! If you say it aloud, you are more likely to remember it. Sometimes, you will hear phrases that sound cool and are used in everyday in the UK or America. Textbooks do not usually teach these informal expressions, but movies do!
Use Subtitles in the Right Way
When you are watching a film in English, it is a good idea to turn the subtitles on. If you really like a movie, perhaps try watching it once with subtitles and then again without. Avoid subtitles in your own language.
Also Read : What Are Homophones and Homographs And Why You Should Know Them
Ways to Learn English
It can be difficult to learn English as a second language. However, once you’ve gotten the hang of it, all of your effort and time spent studying the language will be well worth it.
Travelling will be more enjoyable if you are fluent. You also don’t have to queue for the newest best-selling book or Hollywood film to be translated into your original tongue before you can enjoy it. Here is some practical advice on how to study English efficiently to assist you in this effort.
Study Phrases Not Words
You shouldn’t remember individual words when studying English, or any language for that regard, because remembering them makes little sense without meaning. Instead, concentrate on studying entire phrases. It’s a lot easier to remember the meaning of words when you know what they signify and how they’re employed in a phrase.
Listening is an Excellent Way to Learn
While books can help you learn English, they can not be used as your primary source of data. Textbooks are fantastic for training vocabulary and grammar, but they aren’t always helpful when it comes to engaging in a discussion.
Listening rather than reading is the best way to learn how to speak. You’ll be capable of learning useful vocabulary and grammar without even noticing it if you listen more.
Take a Placement Exam
Before you begin any learning plan, you must first determine your present levels of proficiency, as this will decide the type of programme you should follow.
For instance, if you’re looking for a unique way to express yourself, try If your English level is somewhere around Intermediate or lower, you’ll receive a comprehensive English curriculum, and if your ability is Upper-Intermediate or higher, you’ll receive a personalised study plan.
Quality Over Quantity
It’s really about value over volume when it comes to learning the target language. Rather than learning lots of new words in a short period of time, concentrate on learning one word and reciting it dozens of times.
This keeps you from becoming overwhelmed by information. Furthermore, using this method assists you to store the meaning of the words in your brain for longer. As a result, you’ll have a hard time forgetting them.
With “Point of View” Stories, You Can Learn Grammar
Listening to short stories told in numerous tenses is among the best ways to understand grammar. This will assist you in improving your English grammar in a more natural and effortless manner. If one narrative begins, “I don’t like avocados but want to eat one,” the second storey should begin, “I didn’t like avocados but needed to eat one.”
Also Read : The Formula of Present Perfect Continuous Tense: Facts and Rules to Know
Instead of Listening and Repeating, Listen and Respond
If you want to enhance your English, don’t use the “repeat after the presenter” technique recommended in English textbooks. Rather than mechanically repeating the speaker’s words or phrases, you should respond to inquiries.
If you’re listening to a podcast or watching a video, for instance, pause it every 20-30 seconds and write down a quick summary of what’s been stated.
Consider Taking an Online Course
There are a plethora of online classes available. A fast Google search will yield a list of training institutions. However, if you rely only on 1:1 Skype lessons to advance, it may become prohibitively expensive.
Make a List of Questions
Curiosity may have died a long time ago, but it also accelerated the language learner’s progress! You’ll amass a mountain of concerns as you learn. Don’t let your doubts fester, be curious about them and find a way to settle them! If you’re registered in a class, ask your teacher (after all, that’s what they’re for).
If you’re training on your own, don’t worry: you can discover solutions in blogs or language sites, ask other students, or browse forums. You’ll be glad you did it!
Follow in the Footsteps of the Stars
Pick a local English-speaking actor or vocalist to provide variety to your studies. Now go online and look for a number of interviews they’ve done and watch them! Watch for the essence once, then watch again, taking notes on any intriguing expressions or phrases you hear. These interviews will provide you with lots of lingo, stories, humour, and experiences to work with!
Travel to Another Country
If there’s a better way of learning English than learning activities at home in an English-speaking country, we’d sure like to know about it! It’s no surprise that English is the most commonly spoken language on the planet, and with so many nations to pick from, you can find the perfect learning environment for you based on geography, weather, or your favourite city.
Consider Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and South Africa, just to mention a few!
Make Use of Your Friends
Do you have pals who post in English on the internet? Don’t let them slip through your fingers in your newsfeed: examine the items they share and make a commitment to exploring one or two of them each day. It may be news or magazine articles, movies, talks, blog entries, music, or anything else: as long as it’s in English and the subject interests you, it’ll be useful!
Make a Conscious Effort to Remember New Vocabulary
This is a tried-and-true tip for a reason: it helps! We often appreciate a new term or phrase so much when we’re learning it that remembering it seems impossible. But believe us when we say that not everything stays the first time.
To combat this, make it a habit to carry a quirky notepad with you or use a tool like Evernote. When you read or hear a new term or expression, take notes in context: in a phrase with its meaning recorded.
English Words with Friends
Scrabble is a traditional board game in which players make crossword puzzles out of random inscribed tiles. It’s a great method to improve your vocabulary, and there’s even a Scrabble Junior version for younger players. As you attempt to come up with new terms utilising your set of letters while playing Scrabble, you are forced to think in English.
Purchase the board game and encourage your classmates to participate with you if you’re in an English course. Scrabble can also be played online through websites such as Fb’s Words With Friends.
Conclusion
When you learn English with movies or TV, you can learn the real one used by native speakers. In movies, you’ll get the chance to hear the natural pronunciation, everyday vocabulary, spoken grammar, common idioms, and slang.
Even better, you will learn these from interesting and emotional stories! Therefore, movies (and TV) are a powerful way to improve your English, in an enjoyable way.
Learn different methods to improve in English with the help of courses from The Fluent Life. Get your course now!
Also Read: Telephone Conversation in English: Formal Phone Conversation Examples for Better Understanding
