What are the most important factors when learning English as a second language?

Answer 1

1)You will have tendency to translate sentences formed, in your First language, word by word, to English. This seems a perfect translation in your language but may/may not make sense in English.
2)While constructing a sentence, you will have tendency to apply grammar rules of your first language to English language. Be sure of all grammar rules of English language, specially those which are different from your language rules.
For example:- I oil my hair regularly (Oil is used as both, noun and verb)
Translation: I put oil to my hair regularly( translation using native language grammar rules)
(I used to do that)
3)You will often feel as though you were short of equivalent words in English for a particular word/phrase in your language. Some thing like, "Umm, how do I know what is the exact word for ------ in English". Films/videos with English-to-your language subtitles(or vice versa) will be helpful. Not only will it help you increase your vocabulary but also help you be comfortable with the word through frequent use.
4)Initially you will hesitate speaking in English(irrespective of whether or not you have learnt the language well) thinking you are still not upto the mark. You would do well to be in company of English speaking people to build your confidence.

Answer 2

Above is correct...read, read, read...all sorts of genres, fiction and non fiction...not just text books. And have the discipline to actually stop when you come to a word you're not sure of the meaning of and look it up in the dictionary. I am a native English speaker and I use my wordweb dictionary (free download online) all the time.

Remember, there are over 2,250,000 words in the English language and the record for the person who understood the most English words (without accessing reference materials...just out of his head) was 240,000 words.

Answer 3

1. spelling is "crazy", which makes pronunciation difficult; for example, all these words [between brackets] are pronounced with the same vowel sound /i/:
b[ee]t, bel[ie]ve, to r[ea]d, pol[i]ce;

2. modifiers (words and even whole sentences) are placed before the noun:

newly [adverb] qualified [adjective] nurses

a do-it-yourself [verb + object pronoun+ reflexive pronoun] kit

he is going through that "I wanna go home" [sentence: subject + auxiliary verb + adverb of place] syndrome

3. verb forms, if compared to other languages (such as French, Spanish and Portuguese), are more regular:

I, you, we, they like; he, she, it likes;

4. over 50% of English words are of latin origin (which helps speakers of French, Spanish and Portuguese);

5. English rhythm differs from all latin languages; in speech, the sentence is broken up into meaningful parts (= thought groups):

I don't quite understand/ what you mean [the speaker could pause between "understand" and "what";

if (s)he pauses elsewhere, the sentence will sound "non-English", such as the following: I don´t/ quite understand / what/ you/ mean]

Answer 4

Is to be able to use the dictionary correctly and quickly...also reading more and more...!