English American language for beginners. Which one should you learn, British English or American English? Expert opinion

Classes with an individual teacher are very useful, but not everyone can afford them. In this case, special language video channels come to the rescue. They will help you practice your pronunciation, begin to better understand speech by ear, and learn important nuances of the real use of the English language. This collection contains resources that will be useful for both beginners and those who have been studying a foreign language for a long time.

1. English with Jennifer

More than 400 educational videos from a real English teacher. Grammar, pronunciation, listening, tests, examples, assignments. Some level of English proficiency is required to get started, but don't let that put you off. Lessons are built from simple to complex and are conducted at a calm pace.

2. Puzzle English

The Puzzle English channel demonstrates additional educational materials for the training course of the same name, but they can also be used as independent material. In the videos, teachers discuss the use of various idioms, behavior in real life situations, interesting examples and unusual exceptions to the rules. Many users are attracted by the analysis of interesting expressions from fashionable songs, programs and TV series.

3. EngVid

This is one of the largest channels in terms of the number of videos available here. EngVid currently contains over 900 videos narrated by eleven different teachers. Each of them lasts 5–10 minutes and is dedicated to one topic related to current news, life situations, and interesting facts. There are also grammar lessons.

4. BBC Learning English

Lessons from the world famous BBC channel. They are intended for an advanced level and offer a wide variety of content: grammar, news, teaching correct pronunciation, music videos, interviews. New videos appear daily, so it’s worth subscribing to updates so as not to miss anything interesting.

5. Albert Kakhnovskiy

This channel contains video lessons for beginners, a Russian-English video phrasebook, and explanations of grammar rules based on the textbook by Raymond Murphy. During the learning process, visual cards are used that demonstrate the rules for using various words and expressions, as well as explaining complex grammatical points.

6. Speak English With Misterduncan

This is one of the oldest and most popular language YouTube channels. For ten years, new videos have been posted here several times a week, filmed by the cheerful and unpredictable Mr. Duncan. Although the video is accompanied by subtitles, we recommend viewing them only to people who have already achieved certain success in.

7. VOA Learning English

The Voice of America studio is famous not only for its contribution to the death of the Soviet Union, but also for its excellent language courses. The YouTube channel contains specially adapted news, a series of Let’s Learn English video clips, as well as an analysis of various grammatical rules. The channel is updated daily.

8. English like clockwork

The author of this channel decided to combine business with pleasure. In each video, the text of one of them is analyzed and, using its example, various nuances of using the English language are explained. It turns out very clear and entertaining.

9. English Show

“English Show” is a project with original English lessons, the creators of which approach their work with great creativity and humor. This attitude allows you to make even such a serious matter as learning a foreign language easy and enjoyable. The channel’s videos are beautifully designed and voiced, so watching them evokes only positive emotions.

10. British Council | LearnEnglish

Legendary courses from the British Council. The videos posted on the channel are additional materials to the main course, but can also be used for independent study. Most videos are no more than one minute long and are dedicated to one specific issue.

I have had this article in store for a long time, but I held it back until the first of September. Because I am sure that English, German, French and any other language can be learned at school.

After a school course in German, I spoke quite fluently with Germans from the GDR, and later from a united Germany, and even with the Dutch, who speak German quite well.

The whole point is that it is not enough to get an A in a language, you also need to love these lessons, and in addition, it is very good to additionally read literature in the language. However, read the article, everything is there!

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Some people think that there is a special gene that allows you to learn several foreign languages in your life. In fact, knowing five to eight foreign languages is not a special gift or even years of hard work. Believe that anyone can do this, and follow the 12 rules from polyglots.

1. Learn the right words the right way

Learning a new language means learning new words, a lot of new words. Some people think they have a bad memory for words, give up and quit teaching. But here's the thing: you don't have to learn all the words of a language to speak it.

Basically, you don't know ALL the words in your native language, but you can speak it pretty well. Just 20% of the effort to memorize new foreign words will provide you with 80% of your language understanding. For example, in English, 65% of written material consists of only 300 words.

These words are used very often, and this pattern works for all other languages. You can find these frequently used words or a specific topic and frequently used words specifically for that topic.

2. Learn related words

You already know many of the words of the language that you are going to learn, so starting to learn “from scratch” is essentially impossible. Cognates are "true friends" of words from your native language that mean the same thing.

For example, in Romance languages - French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and others - there are many related words to English. The English language originally borrowed them from the Normans during the conquest, which lasted several hundred years.

Action, nation, precipitation, solution, frustration, tradition, communication, extinction and thousands of other words ending in “-tion” sound exactly the same in French, and you can use them right away once you get used to the pronunciation.

Just change "-tion" to "-ción" and you get the same words in Spanish. Changing the ending to “-zione” - Italian, “-ção“ - Portuguese. Many languages have words with a common root that sound slightly different. Even in the most “distant” language you can find enough familiar words. This works especially well if you know English and want to learn another language. Many languages have borrowed words from English and adapted them to suit their pronunciation.

3. You don't have to travel

Another reason for not learning a foreign language is that people cannot visit another country where that language is spoken. There is no money, time, etc. Believe me, there is nothing in the air of another country that would make you suddenly speak a foreign language. There are cases when people live in another country for several years and do not learn the language.

If you need immersion in a foreign language, you don't have to buy a plane ticket - you can do it online. If you want to listen to conversations in a foreign language, here's Tunein.com, an online resource with over 100,000 real radio stations from around the world.

If you prefer to watch videos in your target language, find the most popular videos in your country on YouTube Trends Dashboard. You can use online news services from different countries, such as France24, Deutsche Welle, CNN Español and many others.

4. We train via Skype and more

So, you already have what to listen to, what to watch and even what to read, and all this in the warmth and comfort, in other words, at home. Now it’s time for the next step - talking with native speakers. You won't need many words for your first conversation, and if you start a conversation immediately after learning them, vocabulary gaps will be revealed that same day and you can add the missing expressions to your vocabulary.

In four to five hours you will have time to learn a few words in another language, and it is advisable to include words and phrases such as “hello”, “thank you”, “Can you repeat?” and “I don’t understand.” All words for the first dialogue can be found in phrase books.

Now about how to find a native speaker and impose your society on him. And it's not as difficult as it seems. For example, on Italki.com you will find professional teachers, informal training and even just people to talk to.

5. Don't waste money. The best resources are free

It’s worth paying for the constant attention of native speakers, but, as you can see, the courses generally cost pennies. If you already know English and want to learn another language, FSI and Omniglot provide a number of free courses. You can learn basic phrases from more than 40 languages on BBC languages, and About.com's Languages section has information on specific aspects of different languages.

Using the Interpals service you can find a pen pal from another country, and on My Language Excharge you can find someone who also wants to learn a language and correspond with him in the language you are learning. And here are some more resources to help you learn languages:

A huge database of words with voiceovers for correct pronunciation awaits you on Forvo;
In the Rhinospike community, you can suggest phrases and words that you want to listen to in a foreign language, and they will be voiced by native speakers;
If you cannot find the voice-over of the desired phrase, as a last resort there is Google Translate;
On the Lang 8 resource you will find proofreaders - native speakers who will correct your texts, and you, in turn, will correct the texts of people studying Russian.

As you can see, there are enough opportunities for free training, and what is better - buying lessons with a tutor or learning on your own - decide for yourself. Probably for some people.

6. Adults are no worse at foreign languages than children

Now that you know so many resources to start learning a language, you need to deal with the biggest problem. It's not grammar, vocabulary, or lack of personal resources. This is doubt in one’s own abilities and an incorrect assessment of one’s potential.

The most common misconception followed by the phrase “I give up” is: “I’m too old to learn a foreign language and become proficient in it.” There is good news.

One study from the University of Haifa showed that adults are no worse at learning a foreign language than children. Unlike children, adults intuitively understand grammatical rules that have not yet been explained in foreign language lessons. Moreover, there has not been a single study that has proven otherwise.

7. Improve your vocabulary with mnemonics

Mechanical repetition is not enough. Even though repeated repetitions can literally burn a word into your memory, you may still forget it. In addition, there are words that just don’t want to be remembered, despite constant repetition.

For such “stubborn” words, you can use mnemonics - the art of memorization. You come up with some short funny story for yourself about the right word and, with the help of associations, remember it firmly.

You can come up with it yourself or use special resources, for example memrise.com. On this resource, users come up with different stories to make learning languages and sciences easier. You can freely use ready-made stories and create your own.

8. Love your mistakes

Languages are not acquired in order to keep them for oneself - languages need to be used. And when you are just starting to learn a language, it is important to immediately start communicating, while clumsily, with an accent, using the limited vocabulary that you have managed to acquire.

Of course, you can put off talking to foreigners until the time when you can say in a foreign language the phrase “Excuse me, please, could you kindly tell me where the nearest restroom is?”, but “Can you tell me where the toilet is?” carries the same information, only without unnecessary bells and whistles. You will be forgiven for being direct, but you are just learning a foreign language, and everyone is understanding.

The best thing you can do is not try to speak perfectly. Instead, love your mistakes. When you learn something, you constantly make mistakes. You practice, improve your knowledge and move forward.

9. Create reasonable goals

Another mistake of most approaches to learning foreign languages is the lack of a specific and reasonable goal. For example, if you decided to learn English starting in the new year, when will you know that you have achieved your goal and “learned” it?

Nowadays, many schools for the study of European languages have introduced such a classification, so perhaps many of you are familiar with it. A - beginner, B - intermediate and C - advanced. Although Asian languages do not have this classification, you can still take similar tests for Chinese and Japanese.

To make your goal achievable, lower your queries. For example, if you work in English, aim for level C2, and learn German, French and Spanish only to level B2, which is quite enough for conversations, reading, watching films and programs in these languages.

If you focus on speaking (and maybe also reading) when learning a language, you can become fluent in the language in a few months. Finally, to make your goal time-bound, it's best to set yourself a time limit of a few months. Three to four months to get to a new level is the ideal time. Tie the end of the goal to some event that will happen relatively soon, such as a summer vacation, your birthday, the arrival of guests, etc.

10. From conversational (B1) to perfect proficiency (C2)

To constantly improve your level of spoken language and learn to speak fluently in just three months, you need to train constantly. You should speak a foreign language for at least an hour a day, and it is advisable to choose different topics in order to learn more and more new words that are used in conversation.

Once you reach level B2, the real fun begins. You will already be able to get a full-fledged buzz from communicating with native speakers. But to jump to the next levels, talking alone is not enough. You'll have to read newspapers, professional blog posts, and other articles that aren't "light reading."

Achieving perfect language proficiency (C2) is even more difficult. If you take the exam at this level and fail, pay attention to your mistakes. For example, if you passed Conversation and Grammar but messed up Listening, it's clear what to pay attention to in the future.

11. Learn to speak without an accent

At C2 level you know the language as well as a native speaker, but you may still have an accent and may make some mistakes. This depends less on your level and more on two factors.

Factor 1. Your accent and intonation

The emphasis is obvious. If you can't pronounce "r" correctly in English, any native speaker will recognize you as a foreigner. You are not used to making such sounds, and the muscles of the tongue are not developed as needed. But this can be changed: a good YouTube video with a detailed description of pronunciation will help you get rid of your accent. Intonation is much more important, although it is often overlooked. Step, rise, fall and accents in words. To make your speech resemble the speech of native speakers, from the very beginning you can monitor the musicality and rhythm of speech and try to copy them.

Factor 2. Social and cultural integration

No matter how well you know a foreign language, people of another nationality will not recognize you as one of their own. Perhaps they won’t even speak to you in their native language, and you will have to use either Russian or English. And the point here is not even that you don’t look like a resident of this country in appearance - to a greater extent, you don’t look alike in behavior. You dress differently, behave differently, walk, gesture, hold your hands - everything is different from how foreigners do it. What to do? As with intonation, you can simply copy the behavior. Observe people, pay attention to all the features of behavior, and you will very soon notice the differences.

12. Become a polyglot

If your goal is to learn several languages, you can start learning them all at once, but it is better to stop at one until you reach at least an intermediate level and can speak it confidently. Only then move on to the next language. To speak a learned language for the rest of your life, you need to constantly practice and improve your skills. But there is good news: if you learn to speak a foreign language fluently, it will stay with you for a long time.

Almost everyone who started learning a foreign language was faced with the question - British English or American English, which language to learn? Some believe that it is necessary to know the classic British version, while others argue that the American version is not only modern, but also easy to learn. This question is especially relevant for beginners. In this article we will try to understand which option is more preferable and is suitable for you in a particular situation. Since there are certain differences in pronunciation and grammar.

Before you make your choice and start learning, you need to find out what advantages both languages have.

Before talking about the American language as an independent unit, we should remember how the division of languages occurred. After the discovery of America by Columbus, Europeans began to explore this continent. Representatives of different languages needed a single language that everyone could understand. The choice was made in favor of the language of Foggy Albion. Neither the Queen nor members of the intelligentsia visited the open mainland. Traders, the bourgeoisie, as well as all those who needed to hide from persecution, sought to get here. Naturally, in such a diverse society there could be no talk of prim British vocabulary with its complex grammar. In addition, Spaniards and French began to move to America, bringing something of their own to the refined vocabulary of the British. Thus, one of the most changing and simplified languages arose. Here is the answer to the question of what is the difference between these dialects.

Advantages of American English

Which one should you learn – British English or American English? Naturally, each of us is attracted by the lightness, modernity and accessibility of the American model. Just as Europeans many centuries ago, when moving to a new continent, sought to simplify their lives, so we are following their example. Bright idioms, slang - these are all the ways in which the American language differs from its progenitor - the prim English language. The genes of their ancestors are so strong among the inhabitants of America that they are still too lazy to understand the rules and nuances of speech. Abbreviated words and phrases, distortion of established expressions - everything that terrifies the natives of England.

So, the main advantages of the American model:

simplified grammar. In the American version there are only three simple tenses - Past, Present, Future. For Americans, it costs nothing to use Past Simple instead of Past Perfect. Moreover, the latter can be replaced by Present Perfect. In England such liberties are unacceptable. These are very significant differences between dialects.
slang. Helps make speech more lively and convey your thoughts to your interlocutor faster.
idioms. Despite the fact that there are plenty of these parts of speech in the British language, American ones are distinguished by their brevity and conciseness. For example, start comparing some expressions - hit the books - learn a lot (American version).
trends of other languages. If you carefully monitor the speech of an American, you will notice that suffixes and words from Spanish and French are used quite often. For example, tutor - tutor or adios - goodbye. And you must agree that the resulting mixture of several languages has its own charm, which we are happy to learn.

The advantages of classical English

First of all, British English is the foundation, the foundation. Knowing this option, you will easily learn any interpretation of it in the future, be it American or Singaporean.

Despite the fact that the American version is quite common in the world, classical English is more valuable in narrow circles. Believe me, at international conferences or business negotiations, British English is not only more preferable, but also more appropriate, which cannot be said about American pronunciation.

If you can master the difficult grammar of classical English, the American version will seem like heaven to you in the future. After all, everyone knows that constructions in the British language are quite difficult to learn.

It would seem that the British are more restrained in their emotions than the Americans, however, the British language has much more intonation than it seems at first glance. Their speech is more variable in tone, ranging from outdated expressions to up-to-date vocabulary.

The British version is being studied in Russian educational institutions. Therefore, if you know at least some basics, it will be easier for you to learn English for beginners and advanced in the future.

Comparing the pronunciation of the English and American versions, you will notice that the latter is harsher. The British language is viscous, soft, melodious and sounds more pleasant. Even US residents recognize the superior tonality of this version. And the British celebrate their victory.

As for literature, if you know the British language, you can read American authors without any problems. The exception is contemporary works, for example, by Chuck Palahniuk. In this case, readers need to know the slang. Therefore, you will have to start learning modern American expressions.

All dialects of English are very similar to each other. This applies to both vocabulary and grammar. That’s why, when you go on a trip to an English-speaking country, you don’t have to worry that the locals won’t understand you.

Varieties of British English

To date, three variations have emerged within the British model:

The first option is aristocratic. It is spoken by representatives of the royal family and Parliament. Its use is appropriate at meetings and important receptions. This variety is called conservative.
The second option is the language of society. It meets all accepted standards and is called received pronunciation (RP). You can also find something else - the BBC language. It is intended primarily for the press.
The third variety is advanced. This is an advanced version spoken by young people. Advanced is mobile and constantly in dynamics. You can find a lot of slang, newfangled words and colorful idioms in it. In some ways, this variety is similar to the American model, since it has simplified grammar and an American sound.

English with a native speaker via Skype

In the age of computer technology, learning English with a native speaker using Skype is becoming increasingly popular. This is a good option that will help you quickly master all the intricacies of the language and “speak.” A native speaker, be it a resident of England or America, will teach you the current language and indicate how to pronounce this or that construction. With its help, you can master words and phrases from real life. This way, you can avoid memorizing outdated phrases that no one needs. Current vocabulary is the basis for learning not only English, but also any other language.

The British will help you master the grammar course without much difficulty. It will teach you how to construct sentences correctly, which will allow you to quickly understand the spoken dialect.

A tutor will help you get rid of your accent, teach you clear pronunciation, and tell you how to pronounce words correctly. With its help you can eradicate the admixture of Spanish or American language.

A native speaker will help you fully immerse yourself in the language environment and understand what English sounds like. Once you learn to understand the speech of a tutor, you will understand the speech of other native speakers without any obstacles.

American English lessons

The Voice of America radio program has developed a course with which you can gradually learn American English in a fairly short period of time. Its name is English USA - That's what they say in America. It is designed for two years of study and includes 104 lessons. There is no transcription here, but there is everyday vocabulary. The main goal of the training is practical mastery of the American version of English.

Each lesson offers dialogue. In it, students follow radio journalist Martin Lerner as he travels across America. He meets many Americans who come from different backgrounds and different professions. The journalist conducts a dialogue using everyday expressions.

Also present in the lessons is presenter Anna Filippova, who invites her students to take part in the conversation and also helps them practice using idiomatic constructions. The main focus of the lessons is the repetition of structures from colloquial speech, which will help to better master and understand the language.

Having looked at the merits of one and the other option, most likely, you have already decided which English you want to learn more. Here are some interesting facts:

The similarity between American and classical English reaches up to 98%. In fact, it doesn't really matter which option you choose. Knowing one of the varieties, you will be able to communicate without barriers, both with residents of England and with residents of America or Australia.
Native speakers note that a mixture of American and British languages is gaining great popularity all over the world. It has already been given a name - “international English”. It is an emotionally neutral language that contains a minimum number of idioms and slang. However, it is mainly used by residents of non-English speaking countries.

Teachers and philologists say that it is better to start learning English from classical British, gradually adding idioms and slang to it.

As can be seen from the above, no matter what option you choose, in any case it will be useful to you in the future. But first of all, focus on the goals you are pursuing. If you want to go to rainy England, learn British, and if you want to go to America, learn American. It would be a good idea to listen to audio recordings in both languages. Decide which speech you like best. One of the keys to successful learning is a love of language. If you studied the classical dialect at school or university, it would be more advisable to continue studying it.

American is English, the modern spoken language of the United States.

Many tourists who want to visit the USA are interested in such a topic as learning American English. It's no secret that the American language is slightly different from standard English precisely because of its practicality in everyday life. Also, the American language in different states has its own specific accent.

American English is divided into several types. Since different nationalities live in the United States, there are different types of American language. For example, Spanglish, Black English, etc. In general, Spanish is very popular in the USA, one might even say that it is the second language after English.

The main difference between the American language and other varieties of English is pronunciation, accent, and the introduction of new words. In general, if you know ordinary English, Americans will be able to understand you when talking to you. The only thing is that it will be very difficult for you to perceive American speech without prior preparation.

Today, there are many language programs that offer to combine holidays abroad and learning a foreign language. So-called language schools. The advantage of such schools or courses is that a person immediately finds himself in the atmosphere of a foreign language. And in this state, it is much easier to master words and phrases, since all the human senses are involved in the learning process. But not everyone can afford such pleasure. Therefore, many are left with the option of either taking specialized courses or trying to learn the American language on their own.

How to learn American on your own?

First of all, you need to learn the basics of the English language, basic things that are not much different from American. For this purpose, various courses are suitable that cover the basics of the English language.

If you don’t know English at all or very poorly, then I recommend watching the “Polyglot” program, hosted by professional linguist Dmitry Petrov. This is a reality show in which Russian stars who do not speak English take part. The essence of the transfer is this. Teach a person English in 16 hours without cramming and other things. The programs can be downloaded on the Internet.

Various training videos from YouTube can especially help. For example, this one, where the American language is studied.

The well-known “Rosetta Stone” course, which contains an element of immersion in the language environment, can also help you master the basics of the American language. This is a special computer program, which consists of the voice of a native speaker, colorful pictures, and other parts, using the dynamic immersion of a person in mastering the language. The program is paid, but if you try, you can download it for free.

Rosetta Stone tutorial

There are also sites where you can learn the American language for free. For example, russian.goenglish.me is a project from the Voice of America. The BBC has something similar (bbc.co.uk/russian/learning_english).

It is also recommended to use modern dictionaries tailored for American words. For example, Oxford Basic American Dictionary for Learners of English is a good dictionary, or rather a program that can be useful in learning the American language. The peculiarity of this program is that it not only translates words, but also voices them and shows illustrations. It is also useful to use online dictionaries like macmillandictionary.com, which explain many American phrases.

Oxford Basic American Dictionary for Learners of English

All these courses and programs can help you master the initial level of the American language. For more complete independent language learning, you need to read English as often as possible , watch videos and talk if possible. Moreover, reading is considered the most important element in learning any foreign language. Since when reading a text, a person mentally tries to pronounce the words, which leads to the effective development of foreign speech. Therefore, if you want to learn the American language, start reading texts and watching materials in this language.

The school curriculum includes the study of traditional However, this is not always enough for travel and professional activities, since there is also American English with its own characteristic features. Our article will be dedicated to them.

History of the formation of American English

This patented technique is a kind of memory training. You are offered text and audio materials, which contain dialogues on the topics most necessary for everyday and business communication. You don't have to memorize boring rules. You just need to listen carefully and repeat. You will quickly master speech structures, pronunciation, and intonation of the American language. In total, the project consists of 90 lessons with a total duration of 15 hours, but, having already mastered the first 30, you will be able to freely communicate with Americans at an elementary level.

Conclusions

Classical British English is most often included in the school and university curriculum. Nevertheless, there is also its American version, which is no less widespread throughout the world. It differs both in terms of pronunciation and some lexical and grammatical features.

Of course, if you do not plan to move to permanent residence in the USA, then it is better to start with the British option. If you want to master American English, then it is best to resort to Dr. Pimsleur’s method.