How to be excellent in English ?

vlerian said:

Since this is an IM forum, I should ask you this.
What do you want to do with 'excellent english'?
Do you have a plan to be an english teacher?

English is likely my 3rd language, and there are still many to learn (if I really need to).
I feel my english is better now (then last year for example), I gain(ed?) it by reading lots of english materials, ebook, blogs, and most importantly (in my case), forums.
Just read and read, and you will feel it.
I still have problems with tenses, for example, but who cares?
I don't have a plan to write a book (I can outsource or proof read it easily, anyway).

I can write articles in (quite) good english, at least people won't totally confuse what I'm talking about, and more importantly, the SE bot can understand it.
Actually, I've just wrote a proposal for a client in 3000+ words, and it seems he can understand it clearly.
I can make spun article in 3rd level (phragraph-sentence-word) if I want/have to.
But all of those jobs can be outsourced, right?

So, having an excellent english won't do much for me, the time i spent to learn it can be spent on other more important things. As long as I can understand any written english (I don't speak english but I read and write english, lol) and can express my idea in a degree that people can understand it, I'm good. (I hope you guys can understand this post so I won't feel totally f**ed up!)

Then again, I'm thinking in an "IM point of view", cause we're in an IM forum.

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hatena said:

English is my third language too! I read english novels to improve my english. Believe me, after reading one whole book, you're good to go

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orangeblossoms said:

THIS! Read, read, READ a lot of novels. Know why? Because after a while when you sit down to write a proper sentence, it'll either sound "right" or "off."

This skill is only refined when you've read so many materials that it's drilled into your subconscious mind the "right" way to write and construct a sentence.

Spelling and grammar are the foundation of a language, but don't spend too much time on it trying to be 100% perfect especially with grammar.

You just want to make writing an unconscious skill that just FLOWS and sounds good. After all, what's the point of writing? To communicate. If it flows and the reader knows what you're saying, you've already achieved what you want.

English is not my first language either.

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consciousnesscreates said:

[SIZE=+2]Please do not be offended with this post it is only for learning

T[/SIZE]he English language contains a rich array of slang words and phrases. This can be particularly seen when examining the day to day language of the average Londoner. A great many London slang terms derive from the Cockney tradition and fall into the bracket of 'Rhyming Slang'. Other terms have been introduced by the influx of other cultures into the capital. The resulting mishmash has created what academics sometimes call 'Estuary English' (after the area of the Thames Estuary), although this term is used more to describe the accent used in the area.

[SIZE=+1]baby giraffe[/SIZE] - Rhyming Slang for 'half' of a pint of beer.
[SIZE=+1]backhander[/SIZE] - a payment given, normally in a secretive fashion.
[SIZE=+1]ballistic[/SIZE] - to go mad with rage. eg "He went totally ballistic".
[SIZE=+1]banged up[/SIZE] - to be put in prison. eg "Did you hear John got banged up for that blag".
[SIZE=+1]bangers[/SIZE] - another name for sausages. Originates from the fact that they explode when cooking if they are not pierced first. A traditional English meal is 'bangers and mash' (sausages + mashed potatoes).
[SIZE=+1]banging[/SIZE] - a 'rave culture' term meaning exciting, powerful etc. Has replaced terms such as 'kicking' and 'slammin'. A typical example of the term being used would be when a clubber says a DJ was playing 'banging choons' (a lively full-on set).
[SIZE=+1]banjaxed[/SIZE] - meaning drunk or stoned. eg "I feel really banjaxed". From the word 'banjax' - meaning to smash or destroy.

[SIZE=+1]naff off[/SIZE] - a milder version off **** off. Popularised by the UK comedy serial 'Porridge'.
[SIZE=+1]nancy boy[/SIZE] - a now seldom used term for a gay man.
[SIZE=+1](the) nick[/SIZE] - police station, or prison. e.g.. "He got banged-up in the nick for 6 months".
[SIZE=+1]naff[/SIZE] - a popular word meaning cheap, tacky or of poor quality.
[SIZE=+1]naff off[/SIZE] - "go away" - e.g.. "Why don't you naff off". Can be used as a mild form of "**** off".
[SIZE=+1]nifty[/SIZE] - slang for a 'fifty' (pound note).


[SIZE=+1](a) night (out) on the tiles[/SIZE] - a late night out, usually drunk.
[SIZE=+1]nipper[/SIZE] - a small child.
[SIZE=+1]safe[/SIZE] - good, all is fine. General term used to indicate that everything is o.k.
[SIZE=+1]salmon and trout[/SIZE] - Rhyming Slang for 'snout', meaning tobacco.
[SIZE=+1]salt / sort[/SIZE] - the word salt means woman (esp. a 'loose' woman or sexual partner) and has been used since the 19th century. Usually pron. 'sort'. It is used in a slightly derogatory way and is nearly always prefixed by 'some old'. e.g. "Dave wasn't dahn the boozer last night, must av been out with some old sort he met the other night".
[SIZE=+1]sausage jockey[/SIZE] - a gay man (a man who 'rides' 'sausages').
[SIZE=+1]scarpa / scarper[/SIZE] - Rhyming Slang for Scapa Flow - to run off / leave quickly.
[SIZE=+1]Scooby-Do[/SIZE] - Modern Rhyming Slang for 'clue'. e.g. "I 'avn't a Scooby mate".
[SIZE=+1]scrounge[/SIZE] - to beg or sponge off of others.
[SIZE=+1]seeing-to[/SIZE] - to perform sexual intercourse. e.g. "I'd give her a good seeing-to".
[SIZE=+1]see you next Tuesday[/SIZE] - an very rude acronym (C U Next Tuesday). There are many more here on Riley's see you next Tuesday site.
[SIZE=+1]Sexton Blake[/SIZE] - Rhyming Slang for 'fake'.
[SIZE=+1]shafted[/SIZE] - to be treated badly, to be in trouble. e.g. "I'm totally shafted if I don't get that job".
[SIZE=+1]shafting[/SIZE] - sexual intercourse. e.g. "I gave her a good shafting".
[SIZE=+1]shag[/SIZE] - very common mildly rude term for sexual intercourse.
[SIZE=+1]shagged-out[/SIZE] - to feel tired.
[SIZE=+1]shitfaced[/SIZE] - very drunk. Can be abbreviated to 'faced'.
[SIZE=+1]shit for brains[/SIZE] - term of abuse for someone of low wit or intelligence.
[SIZE=+1]shitter[/SIZE] - common term for the anus. Can also be used as a term of frustration - i.e. "That's a real shitter". Also see "Garry Glitter".
[SIZE=+1]shed-load[/SIZE] - a huge amount. e.g. "I've got a shed-load of dodgy stuff for sale".
[SIZE=+1]shell-like[/SIZE] - the ear. e.g. The old phrase "Can I have a word in your shell-like ?".
[SIZE=+1]shell-out[/SIZE] - to have to pay for, usually unexpectedly.
[SIZE=+1]sherbert dab[/SIZE] - Modern Rhyming Slang for 'cab' (taxi).
[SIZE=+1]sherbet / sherbert[/SIZE] - an alcoholic drink (usually a beer). Derives from the Turkish word 'sherbet' which was a cooling drink made from fruit juice. e.g. "Fancy a stroll down the pub for a few sherbets ?".
[SIZE=+1]sherman (tank)[/SIZE] - Rhyming Slang for 'wank' (to masturbate). Normally used in it's short form. e.g. "John's been ages in the toilet. Probably gone for a sherman !".
[SIZE=+1]sheriffs badge[/SIZE] - one of many slang terms for the anus. Thus known because of the star shaped badge of a wild west sheriff.
[SIZE=+1]shirtlifter[/SIZE] - a gay man. Comes from the fact that ones shirt would have to be lifted before anal intercourse.
[SIZE=+1]shoeing[/SIZE] - to give something a good 'shoeing' is to give it all you've got or to go for it. May come from a football term ? Comments ?
[SIZE=+1]Sir Anthony Blunt[/SIZE] - Rhyming Slang for 'cunt'. Also see 'berk'.
[SIZE=+1]skin diver[/SIZE] - Modern Rhyming Slang for 'fiver' (five pound note). Also "deep sea diver".
[SIZE=+1]skint[/SIZE] - to have no money, penniless. Also see 'boracic' and 'potless'.
[SIZE=+1]skirt[/SIZE] - young attractive woman. Often preceded with "a bit of". A common 'lads' term. e.g. "I never realized this was such a good place to eye skirt" or "What you need is a nice bit of skirt to cheer you up".
[SIZE=+1]skunk[/SIZE] - a particularly strong variety of marijuana. Named so because of it's strong smell.
[SIZE=+1]sky rocket[/SIZE] - Rhyming Slang for pocket. e.g. "He're a monkey son, stick that in your sky rocket !".
[SIZE=+1]slag[/SIZE] - a very common word for a loose woman or generally a rough looking bird. e.g. "She is a right old slag". Used by men and women. It can also be used amongst men as an insult and can be heard in 70's and 80's police drama's ("Shut it you slaaag !").
[SIZE=+1]slaphead[/SIZE] - a bald per son.
[SIZE=+1]slapper[/SIZE] - a common term for a loose woman.
[SIZE=+1]slash[/SIZE] - a very common slang term for urination. e.g. "I'm dying for a slash".
[SIZE=+1]smeg ![/SIZE] - derived from the word smegma. Can be used as an exclamation or a euphemism for ****. e.g. "Oh smeg I forgot to post that letter !". This saying was very much popularized by the UK TV series 'Red Dwarf'.
[SIZE=+1]smeghead[/SIZE] - an idiot, dickhead. Popularized (if not actually invented) by the UK TV series 'Red Dwarf'.
[SIZE=+1]snog[/SIZE] - to kiss, usually with tongues. A childish word, mainly used by teenagers ("Cor, Sally got a snog off John after the disco !") or humorously by others ("Fancy a snog luv ?").
[SIZE=+1]snout[/SIZE] - tobacco. A prison term. Derives from the fact that the smoking of banned tobacco in prison was often masked by pretending to rub the nose.
[SIZE=+1]solid[/SIZE] - reliable, dependable (a solid geezer). e.g. "You don't have to worry about Dave, he's a solid bloke". Also another name for cannabis resin.

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English is the 2nd hardest language in the world to learn next to Chinese.

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English is the 2nd hardest language in the world to learn next to Chinese.

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neverblue said:

thanks for sharing but i can't understand this
i will back to it at the morning

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i want to understand any English word without dictionary
i want to write any word without mistakes

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neverblue said:

BHW have amazing members and i glad for this information
now
i want to be more clear
i need to pass TOEFL IBT exam and get at least 5.5 in 4 sections
i tried to enter online test to know my level and the result was
( Intermediate )
so can i pass TOEFL after 6 months of studying ? with 2hour/day study ?

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cyrsss said:

Simply Stand In front of mirror think yourself another person in mirror

JUST SPEAK SPEAK SPEAK EVEN SOME TIME U speak WRONG BUT TRY THIS FOR HALF HOUR DAily and after 1 month u are able to speak english with any body

but they key is consistency

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┼blackrat┼;2231601 said:

Play video games.

Seriously, I learned 70% from the resident evil series and the first metal gear solid for PS1.

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