English-speaking countries of the world

If you listen to and understand one programme in each of the following accents, your general English comprehension will almost certainly be greatly improved (unless it is fantastic already!). The greatest benefit will come if you figure out for yourself what people are saying, by just listening. This will be a real challenge for you. Don't worry if you cannot understand them. The point is to experience the different flavours of English.

My shoes? Yes, they dance...: Photo: *ZaraEnglish podcasts are available at all levels, from beginner to advanced. They can be long or short, and there are many different kinds, with different content to suit all tastes. You can learn English through stories and plays, or listen to the news read especially slowly, or listen to podcasts about non-fiction topics that interest you. If you look around, you should certainly be able to find something you like. The more advanced your English becomes, naturally, the more choice you have of podcasts that suit your level.

Montmartre s'éveille: Photo: gadlOne challenge in learning any language is the variety of accents that speakers have. Even when you can understand the "standard" version of the language quite well, you can have trouble understanding any non-standard accent. For this reason, it is advisable to "shop around"—deliberately expose yourself to a variety of accents, so you can gradually learn to understand the full range of pronunciations you will encounter in the real world.

Accents vary in strength, of course. Among both native and non-native speakers, you will always find some people with extremely mild accents. It's best, if you can, to look for accents that are slightly stronger, so you can see the typical features of that accent more clearly. (For this reason, it is sometimes best to avoid the news programmes of national broadcasters, which are often in an almost artificially accent-free, neutral English.)

MindmapIt is nearly impossible to learn a new word like this:

legislation

alone. With no definition, context or relationships it is meaningless. You can make word maps to help you remember and understand new words better. This technique is to develop a thinking habit. If you do it enough, soon you will think in this way and your understanding and command of English will improve.

There are several ways you can arrange your word maps: