How did YOU master English?

Reading articles then summarize them myself, by speaking out and writing down.

There are many useful constructions and new words in a article, but if I just read it I will nearly forget them all. But when trying to summarize it, I have to revise it again and again.

To me, this way is really useful.

 

I find the title ironic as so very, very few folks here have even a basic grasp of the English language, let alone mastery of it.

 

Andy: Your are correct, as the words "master English" could be taken many ways. Most of the responders did however get the intended meaning in this post. That meaning being when and how the become comfortable enough with using English in speaking or writing.

Candy: Thanks for you little gem. Many others have expressed how repeated watching and listened to English helped them. Others replied back very commonly with consistent reading. You gave a very helpful hint to help others. That is how to take what you see or read and make it stick.

Actually you did three sticky methods. (1) you read out loud, (2) you wrote down words, and (3) the real memory sticker was analyzing what you read, and then in your own English words summarizing the value.

Thanks both for sharing. There are a great number of people reading this post that have not yet reached this confidence level. If your posting helps just one, then you have made a valuable contribution

---------------------have a great day--------------------

 

By writing and reading valuable reading materials and have passion in it.

 

like wise friend! its ok its just a matter of time for you to master english.

 

Well I agree with others in this thread who have said that you will never "master" English...unlike French for example, which has an official body that rules on whether certain words can be French or creates official 'new' French words. There is no such body to monitor the progression of the language, although the OED annually releases new words, this is nothing short of a PR exercise.
The English language continually evolves both on a national basis (in England/Britain) and internationally.
As an ESOL tutor, I have to adapt my teaching depending on where i'm working to accommodate particular colloquialisms and regional differences...a particular favourite of mine is currently the transformation of the East London "Cockney" English dialect towards a dialect that shows increasing lexical borrowing from the Bangladeshi Language.
This alteration in language can be found across Britain and has profound implications for the future direction of English.
One final point...it's worth remembering that over two thirds of conversations in English take place between individuals for whom English is a second language...

So for those who claim to have "mastered" English - think again!

 

Well i learned a bit in schooled then i watched cartoons without any subtitles and then i watched discovery channel without subtitles . I perfected my spoken English by being a internal security director in a on-line community . We used VoIP programs like TeamSpeak . Relaying orders to 1000 people at once and receiving dozens of reports every minute helped me achieve native levels in spoken English .

 

Ya i too started learning at school. But novels and television helped me a lot in improving my English. Articles are a good source of improving writing skills.

 

Apart from dialect (the `u' in `cut' pronounced like the `u' in `put' or the `u' in `but'), I've heard many people mention `Can I have?' instead of `May I have?'

 

Anuragwebworld: Please never watch any of the numerous Court U.S. daily television programs. The language spoken by the plaintiff and the defendant, is often a dialect of improper English. This environmental street language illustrates the problem and lack of concern of many Americans to learn their own native language.


Brunelcourt: You are taking the term “master” out of context for my OP. It was not in reference to having a College Master's degree in English. The average reader of articles, according to a Kincaid evaluation, scores a grade level of 8.2. If you write your article in Word, it can give you the grade scoring level of your writing. Therefore, “master” should be the parallel equivalent to the reading level audience of your article. Of course, the personal goal set should be much higher than average.

 

Quite clearly you do not know enough. "but should not" - never heard anybody say that before.

I am English. England is a country, I am an Englishman. I am also British, as England is part of Great Britain. I can say either.

Well if I was born in England and raised in England that is self explanatory of how I can speak English, is it not?

The way I wrote it is fine.

 

Basically English is very common lingo,which mixes well with other local languages also. Training the child from childhood for any language to master is the best.

 

It first started out in school. But later on I was hired as a content writer in an SEO firm and I realized that my writing was not as great as I thought it was. That was when I really started paying attention to what I was typing.

 

I got connected with many English friends that polished much of my grip on English .. I keep on reading things that helps me to know new words like everyday ..

 

I find it amusing that being British by birth, living in Australia (point being English is my native language), fairly fluent at writing yet I still get asked on occasion to write my articles in "American" english LOL. On questioning that, was told that americanized spelling is required for words such as colour and flavour and that if I didn't do so they would be rejected for "poor grammar".

 

English is not my official day to day language but I have known and studied the language for more than a decade.

 

i learn english until in college years but im poor in english.

 

How about phone conversations?

It is very hard for me to talk to someone via the phone (I can't hear what they say clearly as when we talk in person)...