Immersing Yourself in English: How to Learn English Through Everyday Life
Learning English does not only happen in the classroom. Sure, lessons are essential for grasping the foundations of a language: grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and sentence structure.
But knowing a language is about more than just understanding the theory behind it. You can think of it like learning to drive: knowing the rules of the road is essential, but actually getting behind the wheel is a whole different ball game.
Language works in much the same way. You can understand a grammar rule perfectly in a textbook, but still struggle to recognise it in conversation.
After all, the main objective of learning a language is to be able to communicate in real-life situations. To become confident, you need to encounter the language in real contexts and eventually start using it naturally yourself.
Frequency and repetition are key. If you only attend lessons once a week, you may struggle to learn English quickly. In order to truly get to grips with a language, it needs to become part of your everyday life, which can be achieved through immersion.
This may seem impossible, if you are living in a country where English is not widely spoken. But in today’s globalized world, there are numerous ways to bring the English language right to your doorstep.
The internet has made it easier than ever to surround yourself with English, with access to online speaking classes, and online language communities. From music and podcasts, to films and social media, you can bring English into your life wherever you are in the world.
In this guide, we will go through some of the best ways to immerse yourself in the English language and make English part of your routine. Alongside recommendations for English speaking training online, we will give you tips and tricks to help you practice English every day!
Table of Contents:
- Learn through Music
- Listen to Podcasts
- Watch TV and Film Series
- Keep a Journal in English
- Speak to other People Online
- Research Something you Love in English
Change Your Phone and Social Media Environment
Useful Tip: Here at English Language & Literature, we offer English speaking lessons online, to help you put your theoretical knowledge into practice Add link to speaking lessons online here.
1. Learn Through Music
Music is one of the most accessible ways to encounter English. Whether you’re listening to it on your commute, cooking dinner or hanging out with friends, music can easily become a part of your daily English exposure.
Through music, language will become connected to ideas, emotions and situations, rather than simply word-for-word translations. That way, it will become truly meaningful.
The global music industry is dominated by English-language artists; you probably already know countless English songs! There is an enormous variety of music to explore and something out there for everyone.
Music can help both active and passive learning. Maybe when you’re sitting on the bus at 7am on your way to work, you might not feel like fully tuning in. Don’t worry, this type of listening will still engage your English brain. But when you have some spare time, why not try taking a more active approach:
- Look up the lyrics to a song that you love and follow along as you listen.
- Ask yourself:
- Do I understand what the song is about?
- Are there any words or phrases I don’t know?
- Is the artist using metaphors or symbolism?
- What emotion is the song trying to communicate?
- Is it a love song, a breakup song, or something else?
Following this process will turn a three-minute song into a rich opportunity for learning. This way you will really understand the meaning of the song – not just the lyrics, but what these lyrics are trying to communicate.
Exploring English music will also expose you to various types of English. For example, British and American English might use different slang or themes in their songs. For more information about the variations between British English and American English read: Insert link to Christina’s article from this week.
Below are just some artists to listen to if you are at the very beginning of your English music journey:
Beginner / lower intermediate
- Taylor Swift — often clear storytelling and accessible vocabulary.
- Ed Sheeran — conversational language and clear pronunciation.
- The Beatles — relatively straightforward lyrics and useful cultural references.
Intermediate / advanced
- Kendrick Lamar — complex vocabulary, cultural references and wordplay.
- Arctic Monkeys — British slang and regional pronunciation.
- Eminem — fast delivery and wordplay.
Important Note: Lyrics are not always grammatically correct or representative of how people speak in everyday life. Tread with caution when listening to rap artists. Although it can expose you to a huge amount of vocabulary, wordplay, and cultural references in a short amount of time, the themes can often be quite rude!
In your English speaking lessons online, challenge yourself to tell your teacher about a song or music artist you’ve been listening to and put your newfound music knowledge into practice!
2. Listen to Podcasts
The goal is that we eventually stop translating everything from our native tongue into English and vice versa.
Think of it like a check point, where our native language is mediating between English and our understanding. We want to get rid of that checkpoint, as it will inevitably slow us down.
Podcasts are an incredibly accessible way to train this skill through comprehensible input.
We do not need to understand every word in order to get the gist of what is being said. We can follow along to English conversations even if there are words and phrases we miss.
Unlike a scripted language-learning exercise, by listening to Podcasts you will hear:
- natural conversation
- different accents
- interruptions
- humour
- hesitation
- filler words
- common expressions
Even if you don’t understand everything, listening regularly can help your brain become familiar with the rhythm and sound of English.
The best podcasts for learning English are not necessarily those designed for learners. For example, if you’re interested in true crime, politics, pop culture, history, or football, there will be a podcast out there for you!
Choose a topic you’re genuinely passionate about: when you’re interested in what people are saying, you’re more likely to keep listening.
Podcast Recommendations:
- English Learning for Curious Minds (beginner) – An English learning podcast that covers many topics such as history, psychology, and culture. Presented in a clear, understandable way.
- The Rest is History (beginner/intermediate) – A history podcast that covers historical topics where the presenters speak clearly and fairly slowly.
- Crime Junkie (intermediate) – A true crime podcast where the hosts speak clearly and the stories are straightforward.
- Sentimental Garbage (intermediate/advanced) – A pop culture podcast that covers books, movies, and celebrity icons.
- The Rest is Football (intermediate/advanced) – A football podcast with natural, humorous conversations about the sport.
- Normal Gossip (intermediate/advanced) – A gossip podcast with informal conversations discussing anonymous gossip. Fun but can use a lot of slang.
Try this exercise the next time you listen to a podcast:
- listen once without stopping
- listen again and write down words you didn’t understand
- replay difficult sections
- look up unfamiliar vocabulary afterwards
Important Note: You don’t need to understand 100% of everything you hear. In fact, constantly stopping and translating every word can make listening frustrating. Try to focus first on understanding the overall conversation.
In order to test what you have learned from your podcast, why not tell your teacher about it in your next English online lesson. That way, listening to podcasts will become an exercise of active recall!
3. Watch Films and TV Series
Films and television are another enjoyable way to immerse yourself in English. There are now thousands of English-language films and series available through online streaming services. Even when you’re tired at the end of the day, watching something you enjoy can still give you your daily English exposure.
If you’re new to English television, start by watching in English with subtitles in your native language. Once you feel more confident, try moving to English subtitles even if you don’t understand everything!
English subtitles can be particularly useful because you will start to connect the sounds you hear with the words on the screen. This way you are practicing listening, spelling, and vocabulary all at the same time.
Now you are removing the checkpoint we discussed earlier, as you are accessing the film only through English and are not translating it through your native language first!
To begin with, why not choose something you already know, maybe something you have watched before in your native language. Because you already know the story, you can focus more of your attention on the English.
Here are some of the best English films and series to start with:
- Friends – Comedy sitcom about six friends living in New York.
- The Office – Workplace comedy about employees at a paper company.
- Modern Family – Family sitcom following three interconnected modern families.
- Harry Potter – Fantasy film series about magic and adventure.
- The Great British Bake Off – British reality competition about amateur bakers.
4. Keep a Journal in English
Journaling is one of the more active ways to practise English, as it requires you to actually produce the language yourself. Learning through writing or online speaking courses, challenges you to actively reproduce English.
Listening to English is valuable but it is part of what we call passive learning. Actively using and recalling English helps move knowledge into long-term memory.
To begin with, try writing about:
- what you did that day
- how you felt
- what you’re looking forward to
- something funny that happened
- your plans for the weekend
This helps connect English to your actual life and brings it into your daily experience.
By journaling, you still start to notice gaps in your vocabulary when you want to describe something but don’t know the word for it. For example: What is the English word for something I do every day? How would I describe this emotion in English?
These are often the most useful words to learn because they relate directly to your own life.
You don’t need to write a full page every day, even five minutes can be useful. If writing in full sentences seems too daunting, why not start by writing in bullet points!
Don’t worry about making mistakes, or occasionally writing a word in your native language if you can’t remember the English one. The key here is consistency, not perfection.
In fact, try not to look up every word before you start writing. Think of another way you can explain what you want to say without the missing word. This way, you are engaging your English brain, rather than just copying vocabulary. You can always look up missing words or phrases after you’ve finished journaling.
5. Speak to Other People
Speaking to other people is probably the best way to improve your English. But, it can also be the scariest, especially if access to English in your daily life is limited.
This is where English speaking online courses and communities become useful. You know that everyone you speak to is either also learning, or trying to help you learn!
Here at English Language & Literature, we offer English speaking training online, with tutors for every level.
Whether you are still a beginner and want to practice basic introductions, or you are advanced and ready to delve into the current political climate of today, we can cater to your needs.
Follow this link to sign up to our English speaking courses: insert link to English speaking courses.
For those of you who want to practice English on a daily basis, we also offer subscriptions to online communities with other English learners. Through these communities you can practice reading and writing in English with real people everyday, and have 24/7 access! Insert link to online communities.
In these groups you will learn things such as:
- how people actually start conversations
- how people respond naturally
- humour and informal language
- common expressions
- how conversations move from one topic to another
Practicing conversations will help you communicate in real time, and will force you to think on the spot. This is different from a traditional English lesson because it gives learners experience with real life conversations.
Useful Tip: Feeling confident in your English writing, but still shaky while speaking? Why not try sending voice notes to your fellow English learners! This is a great way to ease yourself into speaking. This way, you have to think on the spot and also get the chance to listen to yourself back.
Do you like gaming? If so, another great way to practice English while doing something you love, is making connections via gaming platforms.
Not only will this teach you important vocabulary about something you love, but it is also an informal, relaxed environment where you can practice your reading, writing, and speaking. Maybe you’ll even make some new friends!
6. Research Something You Love in English
What is something you genuinely care about or would love to know more about?
- It could be:
- a cultural movement
- fashion
- football
- space
- how gravity works
- an historical event
- the evolution of memes
Whatever it is, try researching it in English! Learning is easier when you can connect new information to something you already know or care about. Instead of learning random vocabulary lists, you will begin building a body of knowledge around a subject that genuinely interests you.
For example if you’re really into music try:
- Researching your favourite English-speaking music artist.
- Read or watch interviews and learn about their lives, music and influences.
Try not to translate every unfamiliar word immediately, and instead rely on the context. This will help you to build that body of knowledge which exists directly in English. Cutting out that checkpoint!
In order to collect your knowledge, try making a powerpoint as if you were going to give a presentation. Or create a mindmap, make notes, or write a short article.
If you really want to challenge yourself, why not try explaining your research to your new Whatsapp groupchat, or even in your next English speaking lessons online! Explaining something is useful, because it forces you to organise what you know and put it into your own words.
7. Change Your Phone and Social Media Environment
In a world where most of us are addicted to social media, this online space is a perfect place to enhance your English language learning!
Make an active effort to follow English speaking creators whether on TikTok, Instagram or YouTube. Then, even when you’re feeling lazy and in the mood to doomscroll, you won’t be able to escape the English language.
Useful Tip: Changing your phone settings to be in English will teach you a whole new set of vocabulary without you even needing to try!
Conclusion
In order for you to master English, learning shouldn’t only happen when you sit down for a lesson. Grammar lessons, vocabulary exercises, and structured teaching are incredibly important, but they are only one part of the process.
The more you bring English into your everyday life, the quicker the process of learning will become and, dare we say, the more enjoyable it will be.
By listening to music and podcasts you genuinely love, and watching your favourite series in English, language learning will become a fun hobby rather than a boring assignment.
Sign up to our online English speaking courses to put your new skills into practice! And remember to chat with your online communities as frequently as you can. There are lots of new friendships just waiting to be made.
In order to take control of this process, research something you genuinely care about or try writing about your own life! That way, you get to decide what it is that you’re learning. And you are doing so without needing to pass through your native language!
In this article, we have given you some ways to introduce English into your daily life. The most important thing however, is to find ways of learning that you actually enjoy. So if there are any other ways you can think of, let your creativity flow!
If English becomes connected to your interests, friendships, and everyday routines, you are far more likely to keep coming back to it.
Ultimately, the goal is to create your own English-speaking world. One where the language doesn’t only exist as an abstract theoretical idea, but as real life experience that allows you to explore the world through English. If you keep practising these methods, soon enough English will become another place that feels like home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How often should I be immersing myself in English and for how much time?
Ans: There is no set time as it totally depends on your schedule. The most important thing is consistency and repetition, so if you only have time for ten minutes a day, stick to that. It is far more effective to do ten minutes a day rather than one hour once a week.
Q. If I only have time to do one thing each day, which is the most effective method?
Ans: Active learning is definitely more effective than passive learning. So, activities that challenge your active recall, whether journaling or online speaking lessons, are particularly beneficial. But honestly, the most important thing is that you choose a way of learning that you genuinely enjoy, so that you keep coming back to it!
Contact English Language & Literature for more information
Q. Should I always translate things I don’t understand whilst listening to a podcast, song, or watching a film?
Ans: No. Constantly translating will make any of these activities feel boring and tedious as you’ll lose the flow. Try to focus on the general idea of what is being talked about – this will also help you in real-life situations, as you won’t be able to translate during in-person conversations!
Where can I find online communities to join?
Here at English Language & Literature, we offer various different subscriptions to communities on WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Microsoft Teams, and Discord. Choose which one best suits you and sign up today! Insert link for online communities
Q. Can I avoid English lessons if I just focus on immersing myself in English through other ways?
Ans: This is not advisable. Whilst cultural knowledge is crucial to master English, structured lessons are still important, especially when it comes to more boring (but necessary) aspects of language learning. The fastest and easiest way to learn English is to combine both approaches. Combine both lessons and cultural knowledge through spoken english practice online.
Writer : Lisa Richardson
Designer: Gesiah Leyva
