Classes are an excellent way to begin learning English because you have an experienced teacher who can help you learn the important basics, especially pronunciation, and can correct your mistakes immediately. Though general English courses are the easiest to find, more specific courses also exist, such as business or medical English courses, as well as those that teach for the major tests, such as IELTS, TOEFL and TOEIC.
Whichever you choose, the class environment allows you to review and hone your skills through classroom activities with the other students. Class tests show you which areas you must improve upon and also push you to study harder than you might if studying alone. Taking classes will also introduce you to other students, with whom you can practice your English outside the classroom.
Living in an English-speaking country is the best way to learn English. Free resources are available to you 24 hours per day in the community. Everything you do in the city will have to be done in English, whether ordering food in a restaurant or asking for directions. This allows you to practice the English you know and pushes you to learn more.
Most English-speaking countries offer work and study programs that allow you not only to make some money, but to meet locals and see the culture from a different angle. Volunteering allows you to help the community while practicing your English and meeting new people. Online communities, such as chat rooms and forums, are also useful practice tools.
English is the international language, so an almost endless supply of resources are available for independent study. Websites offer complete English courses or cover specific areas, from writing and pronunciation exercises to interactive and printable lessons on vocabulary and grammar. Books, CDs and computer software are also easily available online and in stores.
It is most likely possible to find English study books that are explained in your native language, which is especially helpful for understanding grammar. Rosetta Stone is a popular interactive software package that teaches slowly, with the use of visualization and dialogue, not long lists of words to memorize. Carrying a small notebook with you that you can write new words in and study at any time is a useful review tool.
Movies and TV are excellent ways to learn English the way it's really spoken. They may be difficult to understand at first, but after a while you can piece together more of what's being said. This will help with conversations and give you a glimpse into the culture, giving you something to talk about with local English speakers. You can find English subtitles online for English movies and TV shows, as well as those in your own language. Reading books, magazines and newspapers allows you to see the sentence structure and commonly used words and phrases.