Improve your English Listening Online

After many years of studying English, many of you can still not have a conversation in English.

Your first problem is usually that you can't speak clearly and fluently, so you should try to improve your speaking. Your second problem is usually a listening problem.
You either (a) know the vocabulary but you can't recognise it or (b) you don't know the vocabulary.

(a) To practice recognising the words, you should

• Select an English audio or video clip with script or subtitles.
• Listen to the clip and write down what you hear. Listen a few times, and if it's too fast, slow it down (most media players can).
• Check your writing with the script or subtitles.
• Listen again and learn the pronunciation of the words that you couldn't hear at first.

(b) For the new vocabulary you should then

• Try to guess the meaning from the story ("context clue") first. It helps if you know what the story is about.
• Use a dictionary.
• Write down or mark the new words with an example sentence for later review.

Start with easy listening at for example ESL Cyber Listening Lab. When you're better, you can practice your listening with e.g. songs, films and news.

Select an English Dictionary

So many dictionaries, so much choice. Which one's the best for you? 

First you should decide what kind of dictionary you need. At the beginning you'll need a dictionary in your own language, but you should try using English - English as soon as possible. A good quality dictionary gives you:

• Good information. This includes a translation of the word or expression, but also an example sentence and an explanation on its use (like for example what kind of word it is (noun, verb etc.), whether it is slang, formal or informal, UK or US English).
• The pronunciation. This can be through the phonetic system and/or with an audio sample (which is of course a lot easier).

Good English to English dictionaries are for example the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, Merriam-Webster and Cambridge. 

For the slang used in films and songs you'll probably have to use a special dictionary like the Urban Dictionary. If you can't find it there, you can try Online Slang Dictionaries and Language Links. 

When your English gets better you can start using a collocations dictionary (word combinations like "bright idea", "talk freely") and a thesaurus (groups of words with a similar meaning like "dictionary", "lexicon, "wordbook" and "glossary"). Oxford has a good collocations dictionary online, and Merriam-Webster provides a thesaurus with their dictionary and in their free app.

If you can usually access the internet and/or carry a smart phone, online dictionaries and apps are your easiest choice. For use at a fixed location at home, in school or the office a paper dictionary will do fine, and although talking dictionaries are becoming less popular, they can be carried around easily by those without internet access and smart phone.