The ultimate guide to improving your English before studying abroad - Study International News

Learning English is a gateway to new opportunities. English is the first language of the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and it is also a key employability skill and is increasingly in demand around the world. From Samsung to Microsoft, Airbus to Coca-Cola, multinational companies use English to communicate across offices worldwide. Being able to read, write, speak and understand English has never been more important.

The good news is that in 2021 is there are many creative — and fun — ways to improve one's English. Forget the painful grammar lessons by your strict teacher in primary school, the following are some great alternatives:

Binge some screens

If you've got Netflix, Disney Plus or any other streaming services, start binge-watching your favourite TV shows. Whether it's superheroes or wildlife documentaries that interest you, it doesn't matter as long as you're listening to English along with English subtitles.

Celebrities such as Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp and Kim Nam-joon, the leader of the South Korean pop group BTS, have learnt English from watching the hit television show "Friends."

No TV? Download TikTok and Instagram onto your phone and watch as many of those mini clips as you can.

Read everything you can

If you're into stories, start with books or comics. If you love knowing about the world, try newspapers and magazines. The more you read, the more you'll be able to see how the masters apply grammar, vocabulary, syntax and reasoning in the English language.

Listen carefully

Some of the most beautiful lines in the English language were sung, not said. Listening to music, podcasts and audiobooks is a great way to hear how words are linked and how they're pronounced. The most effective approach is to choose a song you want to repeat over and over. Genres like hip-hop and R&B make good choices as they use rich rhymes, and you can learn to mouth the words as you sing along.

With the right preparation, you'll sound polished and ready. Source: PTE Academic

Talk, talk, talk

Now that you've completed all the above, it's time to hear how you sound. At home, you can speak to the mirror. If you have a study buddy — preferably one who is a great English speaker — that's even better, as they can help you pick up what needs improvement.

Study with approved online learning resources

We've saved the best for last. The proven way to grasp the English language is through studying and using official online learning resources.

PTE, is a world-leading provider of secure and fast English language tests. The computer-based PTE Academic exam tests your speaking, writing, reading, and listening in a single, two-hour session. It is accepted around the world by governments, universities and professional bodies, opening doors to over 3,000 universities, colleges, and professional bodies globally, including Oxford University, Harvard Business School, and Macquarie University.

Take the test with confidence. Source: PTE Academic

What sets PTE apart is its suite of preparation resources that help you get ready so that you can go into your test feeling confident that you will perform at your best.

Getting hands on has never been so easy! As a first step, take a free one-hour interactive course that will introduce you to PTE Academic. Then create your study plan on the free PTE Academic Official Practice mobile app (available on Apple or Google Play) which also has heaps of practice questions and test day tips.

"I studied for around a month. There's a lot of material out there," says Samuel Ihura from Kenya. "With PTE, you have the scored practice tests that are very helpful. I read some English materials, you know, to prepare myself, to learn about basic English. I think that helped a lot."

The best way to try the test format is to take a Scored Practice Test. Tu Do from Vietnam found this helpful. "I like the PTE because it is simple and fast. We have a chance to complete the mock test prior to the real exam which helps us to become familiar with the testing system."

But most importantly PTE helps people realise their dreams. "I took the PTE exam because I have the long term goal to be a skilled migrant in Australia, I believe I can have a better life down there," says Kent Cantos from the Philippines. "Despite the negative things that are happening around the world, somehow PTE has helped me feel hopeful that this goal can be real, or this goal can be attainable in the future."

Are you ready to improve your English? Visit pearsonpte.com/preparation and use the code PTEprep_SI to get a 15% discount on PTE preparation resources!

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