Are you always searching for new ways to improve your English? Many of us are. A great way to improve your English is to make English learning a habit that begins the first thing in the morning. How many of these suggested morning habits do you have?
Morning habits to improve your English
1. Make sure your phone is set to English, so it is the first thing you see when you turn off your alarm.
Even vocabulary like “alarm” and “snooze” (which are words you see on your phone when your alarm goes off) are helping you to improve your English! Your brain will instantly begin thinking in English, and will hopefully stay in “English mode” all day.
Speaking of time . . . click here for our article on “Prepositions with Time.”
2. Learn a new word before you leave the house.
What is the name for the thing that water comes out of in the bathroom? (A faucet.) What’s the verb for when you are making coffee? (The coffee is brewing.) What’s the name of the thing on which you use to cut your morning fruit? (The cutting board.) Each day, make it a point to learn a new vocabulary word regarding your home, your clothes, or your actions as you get ready. After that, learn a new phrasal verb each day. After that . . . well, you get the idea! The possibilities are endless!
Click here for some of CISL’s lessons on idioms, phrasal verbs, and English vocabulary.
3. Listen to English music while getting ready in the morning.
As with Tip #1, listening to English in the morning will put your brain in “English mode.” Do you have a favorite band? We suggest classics like Tom Petty, some pop hits from Beyonce and Bruno Mars, some rock like U2, or something fun, like Gotye.
Click here for CISL’s lessons based on song lyrics.
4. Go out for coffee.
Getting out and socializing is the perfect way to practice your English. You will hear people speaking your new language as you walk around San Francisco or San Diego, and you will practice it yourself as you order coffee. Which reminds us . . . what IS your favorite coffee? Do you know how to order it? 🙂
Click here for our suggestions for coffee shops in SF.
5. Try to express what you did yesterday using the Simple Past.
What did you do yesterday? Do you know the verbs to express all of the things that you did? And do you know the Simple Past versions of these verbs? Doing this “lesson” with yourself will show you what vocabulary and grammar skills you are lacking. It’s a great way to practice the Simple Past, especially with those tricky irregular verbs!
Click here for our lesson on the Simple Past in English.
6. Establish an “English only” rule with your roommate
If you are staying at one of CISL’s residence halls, then you probably have a roommate. Hopefully you are practicing English together! If you speak the same native language, establish an “English only” rule. Students with host families don’t have to worry about this: you have a house full of native speakers with whom you can practice!
Click here for our tips on how to be the perfect Homestay student.
7. Find a workout buddy
English + exercise? Kill two birds with one stone (do you know this idiom?) when you work out with an English-speaking friend. Or, check out a class in English: San Diegans and San Franciscans are crazy about fitness, and there are countless sports teams, yoga studios, or activities that you can check out!
Click here for our article on how to stay fit while you are studying English in California.
What are some tips that you have for improving your English skills through establishing habits? Let us know on our CISL Facebook page: we would love to hear from you!