the best way to master a foreign language

Hi horton!nice to read your topic. English here in the Philippines is included in our curriculum wherever there is a school Pilipinoes have a great chance to learn the language. We do not need english environment or study abroad to be able to speak, understand, write english, as our second language. Its pays time and effort to learned it but to some point it is easily taught since from childhood our parents trained us or speak us using simpiest english or basic. So, after graduating from College we're able to identify the correct usage of the language itself.

I suggest constant practice. To do it, First you need to have a speech lesson to improve your verbal skills. Then, use it in your daily life. Sooner, you'll be better off from what you've been before.

Hi ,I am a chinese too ,and I find most of us learned English hardly ,but I think if we can learn it not just for all kinds of exam but for our interest,maybe ,we will more easy .and if we not use it frequently it will be forget day by day.so I come here just want to pick what I've forgoten.

I'm not sure what you call these people but I remember reading in a book how a lady learned italian, she'd meet with a native speaker and they'd discuss everything in italian, and she did the same with him. Maybe you could do this online through Skype..but you'd have to find someone who speaks both languages fluently so you can practice english...The absolute best way to learn would be to go to an english speaking country if you could. Good Luck to you.

the best way is to go to a country where that is the native language. Second watch movies i that language. That's a good way to learn!

the more you speaker ,the nicer you become.

Dear friend, Here in India English is mostly used in official languages and also Hindi. In some places their local language is also used. But whenever a foreigner comes mostly the first language one use is English. We do have schools which teach in only in Enlish and all schools here teach English both government and private. Other than this there are also other coaching center and institutions.

Constant practice with the English language will definitely help you master it. English is not our native langauge but in school, we were taught in English. To polish my english, I participate in the discussions here and my English has improved a lot.

Hi Horton, first off let me mentioned that English was the third language i learned. and Ive notice that when learning languages, the only way to truly master the speaking is to use it in your everyday life. since your from china, I'll assume your first language is Chinese. So instead of greeting zao san to people, why not say good morning? when in conversation try to add in English words and not so much of your first language. SO what I'm trying to say is the only way to master it, is to practice, practice and practice. only then will you learn truly and you will notice your fluency will gradually increase. good luck!

The language environment is the thing which is most important in getting to learn a foreign language my friend. When I was in New Delhi and was workign in an MNC, then my English was very good because there we needed to talk in only English and my co-workers were excellent in this language. Sadly, I had to leave that job and now I have no one with who can talk in this language with me and hence I am loosing my fluency in this language.

i have the same problem with you ,and i feel that you have done very good ,you will succeed if you have perseverance, believe you can do it

hello...i think for me the best way to master any foreign language aside from actually formally studying it is to be in that country and learn it from the poeple!especially on the streets...i've experienced this..but of course..there are those lucky ones who are born linguistic...i am among them.....and learn a language so fast...butas i have said..the best way is to learn from the locals themselves....

for me the best way to master a foreign language is to search the best tutor for learning foreign language, and also keep on talking in foreign language and that will master oneself to speak in it. as we know that we have mastered in english by speaking every now and then to our friends and relatives, even foreign language can be mastered by settling into a foreign country.

Language enviroment is important,but you cannot contribute all the lauguage spoken problems to lack of it.I think you should make clear this question at first.what do you learn English for? for the sake of learning or aim at using it later.I believe that you are an excellent English learner,but not a good user.Because you are lack of practice in real life.Why not catch some opportunies to find some foreign friends in your country,as I know,there are more and more foreigners flood into China.If you really have not this chance,the second choice is to practise with your Chinese partners every day.You should get used to the thinking of English-speaking countries.You may talk with your partner as talk with a foreigner,forget he is a chinese guy.

Coming from a country where English is not often spoken, I am quite lucky to be able to master this language well. During my school days, English was the medium of instruction but due to political interference English has been demoted to second language in preference to our national language. I have always been interested in this foreign language and used to communicate in English with my children and friends. Though I do not have the slang of the native speakers but I can very well understand and be understood well in this language. I improve my English by reading lots of books in English and speaking it daily makes English language flow naturally and now it has become more like a language born with me then a foreign language. Through my regular interaction here in mylot it has made me more confident in the usage of this language and am often mistaken for someone from the native speakers.

I live in HK, and HK was a colonial region before. English was a formal language for our government of the time. Hong Kong people begin to learn English in kindergarten, normally learn English at 3, I have learnt English for almost 29 years, some HK people master English very well and of course some are not. HK is a place we can speak English often, no matter you speak it well or not, but we have many chances to practise it, I think it is very important that you need to use English very often to master it. I think it is not necessary to go abroad learning English. My aunt can speak very good English, my grandfather was poor but my aunt was always diligent in her studies and she is really a smart woman. She had been mastered English very well before she went to one of the top universtities in HK in the early eighties of last century. She was hired by a multinational company BEFORE she was graduated from college, she then worked in Australia for 7 years, and she was a talent who was recruited by other corporations, she then worked in Germany for another 10 years. She was a normal person raised by a poor family in HK, so I don't think one must need to learn English well overseas.

The best way to learn "English" is using it as often as you can. Read books, magazines, newspaper which are english illustrated. There is no need for you to go abroad for you to learn english well, i think in your country there are many good english speakers you just need to find and mingle with them. ^_^

Hi Horton!!! English is the language of business today....so you need to learn it.... First make clear whether its the British English or American English you want to learn.You told your listening,writing and reading skills are excellent....then it will be much easier for you to catch up the verbal skill... I would strongly recommend you to go for the book Word Power, a superb book for learning vocabulary rather I would say the best book...Its not only abook to read, its a book you write with...Purchase it and do all the exercises thoroughly.... I am sure at the end you will surely learn 1500-2000 new words in average.... Why vocabulary, wondering? See while speaking the words you speak are representing you,so if you use it in an advanced way then you have got an edge over others... e.g. In this modern era of Science and Technology the human race has advanced a lot....... sounds quite better than.... Mankind has developed in the period of Science and Technology.... Both the sentences have the same meaning, but the first one is more appealing... Because whatever action you have, words will always retain their power.... And also go for e-media (listening to speeches and topics helps a lot)... And for GDs (Group Discussions)...this clears your fear of talking in masses... Take this seriously and I am sure you will be way above what you are now..... (Note:Please do not skip any topics or exercises in the book Word Power) Happy learning!!! ~Cheerio~