Connections


October 22, 2018
Dear Marco,

 As you know, I have started my second year of English philology, and so far so good. However, the level has definitely increased and the classes are much more demanding than the first year. Thus, I have to be actively involved in the lectures and I spend quite a bit of my time after class to be up to date. Thoughout these months I have discovered methods to do so. Since you're interested in boosting your level a bit, I can come up with a couple of different ways you can improve you English too!

 To start off, you should to establish a timetable to be more productive and organise your goals accordingly. Leave some time to study the theoretical parts such as vocabulary and grammar, but most importantly find dynamic ways to practice what you learn. What I recommend the most is watching films in the original score, listening to tons of music and specially getting out there and practicing with native speakers. There is a really interesting exchange called 'tandem' which involve having a conversation with natives of the language that each of you want to perfect. These conversations can take place at a bar, café or in the comfort of you own home. It's a fun way to get rid of shyness and fix mistakes you didn't know you had. Lastly, practicing your writing is essential to reinforce your skills. You could sign up for a blog account and publish a couple of entries a month. Writing on the computer is much quicker than on paper and it will make you less lazy towards writing. I thoroughly enjoy it.

 Remember that gaining a good level of English takes time and effort. I wish you the best! Good luck!

 Your friend,
Loida


 Here are some useful links to excel in letter writing which I discovered while scouring the web (last accessed 22/10/2018):

 The stellar thing I have done to improve my English level this week is quite suprising! I have actually taken up teaching after university because it is a good way of earning a bit of money. Moreover, believe it or not, when you explain something to another person you consolidate that information yourself. Therefore, working on my skills as an English 'teacher' has enabled me to be more comfortable with my knowledge and improve it in aspects that I could have never imagined.

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