How can learners improve their English?

Avec la globalisation, l’anglais est devenu la langue de travail internationale par excellence et sa maîtrise constitue même un préalable pour accéder à de nombreux emplois. En dehors de la solution « classique » consistant à suivre des cours de langue, voici quelques conseils pour vous perfectionner en anglais et passer rapidement d’un niveau intermédiaire à un très bon niveau.

Learning English: a prerequisite to access many jobs

It’s no secret that fluency in English is now essential for most business school graduates looking to hold a position with responsibilities. As you will probably have noticed, requirements such as ‘business English’, ’advanced level’ and ‘English essential’ are often specified in the job offers you are interested in. While it is impossible to become bilingual in English in just a few weeks, you can make rapid progress and open up many doors for yourself.

How to improve your written English?

Read texts in English to expand your vocabulary

In order to improve your reading ability and familiarise yourself with English vocab, begin by reading newspaper articles (such as the Daily Telegraph, New York Times and BBC News Online) on topics that interest you: politics, science, sport, culture, fashion, etc. Next, you can try some English-language contemporary literature or essays and gradually increase the amount you are reading. You can also jot down keywords and expressions used by English speakers to help you memorise them more effectively.

Write regularly in English to practise

If you want to write English correctly, there is no secret: you must practise. While reading will obviously help you learn English grammar and absorb new words, you must write in English every day, for yourself or with an English-speaking correspondent, for example.

How to work on your accent and improve your spoken English?

Watch English-language films and series

Forget dubbing, go for the original language version! Watching films and series in English is a good way to learn while enjoying yourself. Leave the subtitles on – in English – at first, to get used to the pronunciation and accents. Then, gradually, stop relying on the subtitles, and try to repeat dialogues and memorise common expressions.

Listen to music, videos and podcasts in English

Similarly, you can listen to English-language music, podcasts and radio, such as the BBC, whenever you get a chance: while walking, doing sport, on public transport, and so on. Try to memorise lyrics and useful expressions for having conversations in English.

Hang out with English speakers to improve your accent

Learning must involve speaking English in everyday conversations. You must take every opportunity to chat with native speakers in order to pick up their accent and build confidence. For example, you can speak English with international students in your year group, go to Erasmus parties, share an apartment with a student who speaks English as their mother tongue, and so on. In short, any opportunity to speak English is a chance to improve.

Go abroad to improve your English

There can be nothing better than going abroad to hone your oral skills and improve your English in general. As everybody will tell you, getting out of your comfort zone is the best way to learn; a three to six-month period of total immersion in the UK, US, Canada, or Australia will help you speak English fluently. Bear in mind that the courses run by leading business schools generally offer various opportunities to achieve one or more language-learning stays in English-speaking countries.

Follow a course in English

As we have seen, to improve your English, the secret is to read, write and speak in English every day. If you want to work overseas or in a multicultural environment, taking a course where the classes are given in English is a very effective approach. To meet this demand from students and recruiters, educational establishments like IPAG Business School offer 100% English versions of their courses, from undergraduate (Bachelor’s, BBA) to postgraduate level (the American Track version of the Grande École Programme), including targeted overseas study periods and double degrees.