Living in the UK: Easy Peasy!: How to Improve Your English Effortlessly

No matter how good your English is, communicating in the UK can still be a daunting prospect. After all, no amount of grammar exercises and oral practices can prepare us for variations in the regional accents and the English colloquial. But, even though it was not covered at school, we can still prepare ourselves in other fun and free ways.

1. Switch on your telly! 

From children’s shows like Peppa Pig (suitable for children and beginners), Horrible Histories (for children and teens) to documentaries and dramas, you can easily find shows that match your English ability and your interests. Some online streaming services, like BBC iPlayer and Youtube, even provide subtitles. So you can more easily follow the stories even if you may not feel like you have a very good grasp on English yet.

2. For regional variety, keep your radio on

If you are interested in familiarising yourself with regional accents and colloquialisms, you can listen to national stations, like BBC Northern Ireland, BBC Cymru Wales, BBC Scotland, or to local radio stations. Just one word of caution though: don’t pick anything too distracting, if you prefer to listen to the radio while driving! 

3. Take up a new hobby in English

Gardening, sports, cooking, you name it, there are English websites, videos, and online groups dedicated to it. So, maybe now is a good time to look into some English resources and learn a new hobby? You can even join local groups, so you can practise your English while sharing your experiences and projects with your fellow hobbyists! 

4. When in doubt, write a script / a list 

We were all there before: you knew all the words, but you just could not recall the word you needed on the spot! If this is also you, you can prepare yourself by writing a short script or listing the keywords beforehand. So you can take a peek at your “cheat sheet” if you really cannot recall the words in the middle of a phone call or a meeting. You can even plan ahead for job interviews by finding the popular “must-ask questions” from potential employers and thinking about your best replies before the interviews! 

5. Keep calm and carry on talking

Do learn to be forgiving to ourselves: since English is really not our native language, it is entirely normal if we slip up. Similarly, forget about perfect pronunciations and accents! Language’s first function is to communicate: as long as you get your meanings across, who cares if hand gestures, wrong grammar, or “Hong Kong English” are involved? Your willingness to speak means so much more to your new local friends than your English ability!