Does my native ( = first) language make any difference?
Unfortunately, yes, it does. If your first language is European then (apart from Hungarian and Finnish and a few other minor ones) it will have a similar basic grammatical structure to English, but if it is Eastern or African the structure may be very different. Even in Europe there can be quite big differences: most European languages have Articles (“the” and “a/an”) but Slavic languages like Russian and Czech generally don’t. Pronunciation system is another big difference: English has a North European system, but the pronunciation system of Spanish, for example, is very different – almost nearer to Japanese than to English!
Just remember that however strange and different and even stupid the English language seems to you to be, a lot of people from your country have learned it, and some of those have learned it well. So don’t worry too much if your progress seems slower than that of other people in your class – it may just be easier for them than it is for you, and that is not your fault.
Click on a question to go straight to the answer:
1. Why learn English?
2. What is the best way to learn English?
3. So how do I find the best way of learning English for me?
4. How can I describe my level of English now?
5. Does my native ( = first) language make any difference?
6. How long will it take me to learn English?
7. Is it necessary to go to an English-speaking country?
8. Which English-speaking country is the best to learn in?
9. What kind of place is it best to study in – city or countryside?
10. What kind of accommodation is best?
11. Which is better – a big school or a small one?
12. Do small classes matter?
13. How can I compare one English language school with another?
14. Do I need to study grammar?
15. How do I learn enough words?
16. Which is the best dictionary to get?
17. How important is pronunciation?
18. What about exams?
19. If I need to use English for my work, should I study Business English?
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