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Maste English FAST

Let’s talk about grammar.

Is it important?

Yes.

Should you learn grammar?

Yes.

Well… kind of, anyway.

Learning grammar is useful. But only when it’s done in a certain way.

Ultimately the way people use language just doesn’t match the grammar rules. Not the prescriptive grammar rules, anyway. And it’s not surprising, because language didn’t come from grammar – grammar came from language. That is, linguists looked at the language they saw and tried to work out the rules. And yes, there are rules… but really those rules are extremely complex statical patterns that simply cannot be described properly by rules simple enough for us to understand.

So what are you to do?

Two things, actually.

First, watch this video:

They key to grammar is that it is about awareness building.

NOT learning rules.

For speaking, far more effective is to focus on CHUNKS of language. Native speakers don’t speak using individual words or “grammar rules” – instead, they store most of what they say most of the time in long-term memory as ready-made “chunks” of language.

So logically to speak like native speakers…

… it makes sense to learn in the way they speak (which is exactly what we do in the Extraordinary English Speakers weekly lessons).

Best,
Julian

P.S. If you’re struggling to speak excellent English, join us.

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Master English FAST

Good question:

How useful is watching films for improving your English?

Now, right off the bat…

I don’t think just passively watching TV and films is a very good way to improve your English abilities. It helps with listening comprehension a little… but honestly?

After the intermediate stage, it’s not going to do much.

BUT — that’s not the point.

The point is people who speak well have interesting stuff to talk about.

CONTENT.

Let me use my work—Doing English—as an example:

One of the most important things I do is watch films and read books. For a long time, I didn’t watch films during “working” time, because years of corporate conditioning have made me feel guilty about taking “time off”. But really that thinking is stupid. Because films are a great source of inspiration.

When I watch films I learn about video work and get ideas for emails, lessons, videos and podcasts. I also learn about storytelling, get ideas for courses and learn about culture in places I’ve never been.

But it also gives me stuff to talk about.

Stories.

Ideas and metaphors that people can relate to.

Take this month’s EES Gazette, for instance. I use a story from the film, “The Martian” to illustrate an emotionally very difficult idea. In my book, Master English FAST, I use a science from Captin America: Civil War to explain the best way to learn and improve grammar. In Fearless Fluency I use a scene from “The Intern” to explain the concept of internal-confidence. I wrote a whole series of emails using the film, “Karate Kid” as a metaphor for English learning… and I’ve written about scenes from Lost in Translation, Sliding Doors, Jurassic World and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

You get the idea.

Clearly, then, watching films is very productive time use for me.

And watching films and reading books can be very productive for you, too.

Not as a language-learning material…

… but as a source of interesting stuff to talk about.

And honestly?

That’s half the battle.

A lot of people are worried that they sound boring when they speak English…

And yes, the words and phrases you use are important to sound interesting, but that won’t help if YOU are boring.

Best,
Julian

P.S. Films are great for content, but Extraordinary English Speakers is much better for learning the language you need – check it here.

Got this in my inbox today:

Hi julian

I wanna to help me how to speak english
and i wanna to practice how about you

thanks you

Nothing personal to this person, though I would advise them to work on their approach a bit…. but there’s a HUGE problem here:

I already speak English: why on earth would I want to practise it?

Loo, watch this video:

The real problem though is that this proposition isn’t “win-win”.

He gets everything; I get nothing. It’s no different than walking up to a girl you’ve never met and saying: “My bedroom technique isn’t very good… I want to practise sex with you — how about it?”

Think that will work?

No, neither do I.

Sure, a direct approach can work — but only if you’ve built a solid relationship first (and even then I wouldn’t tell a girl you want to “practise” unless you want to get laughed at).

I blame conversation schools and their bad advertising…

… but if you really want to get good at English and be successful with the language?

Stop this “will you practise with me” rubbish.

Best,
Julian

P.S. Not sure how to improve or practise your English? Grab a copy of my book here.

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