7 ways to master English effectively

Effectively learning a new language can be a daunting prospect. One of the biggest obstacles we face, however, is nothing more than our own fear. The fear is simply that we just don't know enough to begin speaking or writing. This fear can be overcome through familiarity - the more we hear, speak and read a language, the more familiar it becomes. And a friendly face is nothing to fear.

Here are seven ways that you can effectively become familiar with, and master, English:

1. Listen to English

Try to listen to as much English as you can. News reports are useful because the newsreaders speak slowly and clearly - but you may prefer to listen to audiobooks or radio programmes such as those broadcast by the BBC on Radio 4 or World Service.

2. Get an English-speaking conversation buddy

Practising your English with an English speaker will help you improve in leaps and bounds. You will feel comfortable with them and find yourself willing to stretch yourself by expressing more complex ideas. In conversation, you will be able to hear the rhythm of a native English speaker's language, and this will help you improve your own phrasing and pronunciation. You will quickly pick up new vocab too.

3. Watch English language films and television

A great way to immerse yourself in English is to watch a film or television programme - keep a pen and pencil handy and make a note of any new words you learn.

4. Test yourself

There are many fantastic sites online where you can test your vocabulary or grammar - and practice really does make perfect. Try the exercises on Talking-About.net or English-Test.net for starters.

5. Read English

It really does not matter what you read, but try to do it regularly. You may prefer to read a newspaper (and many are available online), or you may wish to download the lyrics to your favourite songs. Why not simply read passages from your course book if you have one, or browse the internet for articles that interest you. Keep a note of anything you can't understand and ask your teacher or a friend to help you.

6. Take a class

There is so much you can do to improve your mastery of English simply by incorporating the above activities into your everyday life. But a summer school in London offers the chance to study English intensively while benefiting from an expert language teacher and being surrounded by English speakers in the vibrant and historical English capital. Summer school UK courses are tailored for many different learning abilities and needs, so you should be able to find one that perfectly matches your language needs.

7. Make mistakes

If fear is the biggest obstacle you have to face when learning a language, the willingness to make mistakes can be your best friend. If you make a mistake, people tend to correct you gently - and eventually they have to correct you less and less. Mistakes are how we learn, so write things down as you learn from your mistakes - the simple act of writing helps things to stick in our memories. and, of course, you should write in English!