How long does it take to learn English

Acquiring any new skill is always a laborious process that requires attention and time. You can't just snap your fingers and learn something without putting in any effort. 

In fact, you can say this about everything, whether it's cooking classes or learning a new foreign language. 

Have you ever wondered if advertising about 3-week courses will really help you start speaking English like a pro? The Internet is now full of such ads, promising to make you a purebred Briton in a few weeks or a month. But in reality it is quite difficult. When it comes to how long it takes to learn a language, there are several factors to consider. 

Goal 

First, think about the level at which you want to know the language. Will it be enough for you to just keep up an everyday conversation about hobbies and cooking, or do you want to talk about high art and boldly talk about the situation on the stock exchange. 

The goal is the most important, because it is it that sets the path forward. 

Let's say you decide to learn English in order to travel outside the country a couple of times a year. This means that a basic level and a set of words of about 1000-1500 will be enough for you. 

If the conversations are supposed to be one level higher, and the topics are a little more complicated than ordering food in a restaurant and paying for a hotel, then the required level is higher. You will have to study more and longer, memorizing complex grammatical patterns and a considerable number of new words. 

The same rule will apply to higher and higher targets. Also, for example, as well as the choice between everyday English and business. The most important thing on which the term of learning a language will depend is your goal. 

Speed 

Determined with purpose. Now let's talk about speed. In fact, each student has a different speed of memorization and assimilation of information. Don't just believe the advertisements for lightning courses, it won't actually work. 

Learning rate can be determined based on how much new information you can remember with minimal loss. This suggests that it is not enough just to learn new words, you need to remember them in a week and a month, when building a sentence. 

Class frequency 

With a purpose, everything is clear. With the speed of learning too. Now you need to choose courses, a private teacher or books for self-study, if you dare to start learning the language yourself. It is important to determine the time you are willing to devote to learning the language. 

Beginners with great enthusiasm start with a few hours a day, and quickly run out of steam. That is why it is important to properly distribute the load throughout the week. 

We recommend two hours per week as the minimum amount of time spent. These are two simple lessons with a tutor, or attending a language course. For beginners, the ideal amount is three hours. 

It is also worth considering about ten minutes a day every day to review the material covered. And we will leave three classes in order to receive new information. 

So how long does it take 

So, the main question is, for how long can you still learn English? If you have already decided on the goal, have known your speed, then it is quite easy to guess how many months it takes to get this or that level of knowledge. 

It takes six months to achieve the minimum effect. For one month of classes twice a week, you can learn to fully read and remember about a hundred words. It takes six months to be able to talk about yourself, learn basic grammar and about 500 words that can be used in practice. For harder goals you need to try harder exponentially. This means that the more effort you put in, the sooner you will achieve the desired effect. 

Plateau effect 

In psychology and other related sciences, there is the concept of the plateau effect. This effect is a transition to a certain standby mode. If we compare progress with the chart, then all improvements are upward movement. Over time, progress slows down, and the graph turns into a straight line. 

If suddenly you feel this, do not panic and drive yourself with daily lessons. On the contrary, you need to relax a little. Everything will return to normal with time, the main thing is not to be afraid and not to succumb to emotions.