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This post was last edited by megatron747 on 2016-3-26 at 21:24. I wonder how many friends share my desire to one day speak English so fluently that it would scare foreigners to death and drive Chinese people crazy. So I spent thousands of dollars and worked day and night, watching American TV shows non-stop, not missing a single episode. I truly believe that being able to understand TV shows isn’t really impressive; what’s truly amazing is being able to watch those American reality shows and understand all those different dialects of English without relying on subtitles! That’s really something incredible! But I think many friends are probably just like me – having watched American TV shows for years, their English is still at a complete zero! Is it because the enemy is too powerful, or are our capabilities limited? ! There’s no need for me to say it; it’s obvious that it’s due to our own reasons. When learning a foreign language, no matter which one it is, the principles are generally similar. It’s basically because they don’t put in enough effort themselves. I, the editor, have always been known for being lazy. Although I am lazy, I always maintain a persevering attitude! I’m the kind of person who won’t give up until I achieve my goal. Although my English isn’t yet good enough to have lively conversations with foreigners, communication is definitely no problem. I do have a few tips for learning English. I’ll summarize a few key points for everyone here, in the hope of helping those who are still struggling with their English skills! 1. English is shit! Many people have said that they lack talent for learning English, have a poor memory, and are simply not cut out to work with the language. I just want to say two things about moles: fart! Those who say such things are just making excuses for themselves. The most important point here is that you can’t find the motivation to learn English, because you think you’re not good at it – your foundation is weak, your pronunciation is poor, and everything about you is inadequate; so it’s only natural that you can’t learn it well! Well then, just treat English as nothing at all. It’s not that difficult; it’s just a dialect, one that’s rather hard to understand. If you listen carefully, look for patterns, and learn slowly, you will be able to understand it. So put aside all your prejudices and fears regarding English, and approach this dialect in a proper way! Only with a positive mindset can one study well*. II. Everything is difficult at the beginning. As the saying goes, to build a tall house, its foundation must be laid deep and properly. The same is true when it comes to learning English. If you want to learn it well and make rapid progress within one or two months, going from being unable to speak to being able to talk non-stop, I can only say this: Your dream is so beautiful! (Chinese literal translation: Dream on! ) To learn English, it is essential to build a solid foundation. Actually, for those with no prior experience, I do not recommend self-study. It would be best to find a teacher or an English training institution to learn from*. Since I had no prior knowledge, when learning English on my own, I couldn’t tell where my pronunciation was wrong or where there were grammar mistakes; it’s essential to have a teacher around to correct me promptly! There are many other courses available as well, including TOEFL, IELTS, courses for children, business English, and more. The teaching is conducted via the internet, with teachers who are native speakers of the respective languages. All courses are taught in a one-on-one format with foreign teachers, and the cost per lesson is just over 10 dollars. Those who are interested can try out a trial class. III. Perseverance is the most important thing. It applies to whatever you learn; what matters is perseverance. It’s the same principle as losing weight! Only those who persevere will succeed. No matter what you do, there are always particularly difficult times. Learning English won’t be smooth sailing; there will always be bottlenecks. I’ve said it before: it’s just like losing weight; once you reach a certain weight, it’s impossible to lose any more weight. This phase in weight loss is known as a plateau. There are also methods in English, so when you start learning in a certain way and find it effective, you continue using that method, only to discover that its effectiveness fades over time; perhaps it’s time to try a different approach, as that could lead to different results. But remember, persevere! Drops wear away stone – that’s exactly the principle.