Exactly. The price is affordable for the investment you've made. Improve your english by reading such book.

I don't think u need a perfect grammar usage on most subjects unless you are majoring in English language itself. I recommend a Chinese/Malay/Tamil -> English dictionary, dictionary on your phone, dictionary on your computer, etc. I think most of the problem facing is less understanding. Want to improve more just read more books, especially books which u interest in will be better

One way to improve your vocabulary is to read often. And by reading, I mean slow down and take out the words you do not understand. Look them up with a dictionary and write the meaning down, also read the example sentences that may be in the dictionary.

For grammar, I suggest you get a good book with exercises and simple lessons to practice. I recommend The Good Grammar Book by Oxford. It has good explanations and activities to help you. It is also used by a lot of language centers and is reliable.

Hope this helps

http://www.oup.com/elt/global/products/goodgrammarbook/

read more English news and mix with English speaking people

Just keep in mind RD is not exactly neutral in their article. IMO, they are pro-business, conservative and right winged. For example, I remember an old article disputing tobacco being able to cause cancer. And hardly anything bad about Israel.

Go to Kopitiam. Fast and furious messaging there.

Try your best to keep EVERYTHING in English.

You will learn very fast.

i always have a good command of english however after my stay in the states, i became more fluent and i pick up their accent too... not that it is a good thingie

my chinese speaking friends also showed some improvement...

since you are a college student, i would recommend you to try the work and travel USA program.. i am not promoting it, but hopefully it will help u in 1 way or another... www.speedwing.org

More BBC and proper English-speaking friends for you.

Right, now go along and read The Economist like a good liberal. Everyone has a viewpoint you genius.

This post has been edited by lycaphim: Dec 25 2008, 06:38 PM

What has genius got to do with knowing what is Left and Right?

In fact, I think everyone should read both the L and R. Just be aware of it, that's all.

Reader Digest can make u feel hungry to learn english..XD

Gosh, the english in Kopitiam is totally NOT recommended if you want to improve!! Speak more to people, read more, and think in english!

Watch more English series that you like. Try to practice listening skills & we can learn the way they speak in proper English. Look up the meaning that we don't understand is better than guessing the words. Most of the time i find myself misinterpret the meaning & only realize the real meanings after look up the Powerword.

yeah definitely just go on reading book.

i didn't even bother to check on dictionary while I'm reading because sooner or later you're going to grasp its meaning as you read on. and don't you think it's a hassle to open up dictionary while reading?

the grammar will come naturally because some structure just does not seem nice or correct enough

watch movies, litsen and understand, it improves ur litsening skill, as well as speech.

grammar wise, read alot of book, i mean education books..


combine both of it, u shud c noticable change im ur english skills.

its quite heartening to see people willing to improve thier english proficiency.

So my take on this, whatever it's worth.

1) speak more (no way around this - practice makes perfect...so they say)
Find friends that share your interests. It's easier if you enjoy talking about something you like. Insist on speaking english, explain that you want to learn. (most) People will respect you for that.

2) read more and read aloud!. It will help if you can hear yourself. This will also help your reading comprehension and pick up proper grammar and vocabulary.
Someone mentioned Reader's Digest. Excellent way to start for general literature.

3) Think in english. The reason why some people's english grammar is off is because they think in thier native language, then translate.
Unfortunately this will take time.

4)you could be a copycat and follow other people's way of speaking, slang, accents, but unless you have been actually living many years where you are planning to "emulate", you'd probably come out sounding all funny.
It's better to be speaking good english with a malaysian "accent" than trying to pretend to sound good but with poor grammar. This is a mistake many people make....especially when they are in the presence of a gwailo....its hilarious like hell.

5) restrain yourself with using "bombastic" words. Doesn't help you when you use those words before you can string a proper sentence together. Take your time with that, it will come to you in due time.


I'm having the same problems...just that I am learning French, I have to basically live, eat, sleep French to learn it properly.

At least most people do speak English here.....I have to subject my horrible french at my foreign co-workers.....




I myself speak with a hybridized Canadian/British accent. It does quite become usefull to be able to do that, since the Gwailo's are usually more confortable with you, and the local (telephone/service) people tend to treat you better when you sound like a gwailo. When you request an escalation to speak with "someone that speaks english" (-admittedly some people that man the support telephones can be quite bad at it), they usually refer you to the manager and you get things done more quickly.

This post has been edited by jaycee1: Feb 27 2009, 09:32 AM

read more.. watch more eng drama and movie and you know sometimes you can learn through playing games. Speak more english(to your friends, lecturer, etc..)

(hope my info helps)

true! eat learn and sleep with the language.

I remember start keeping my diary in mandarin so I could improve it. it start with simple word and of course i can't actually express my feeling. i could only describe basic action like how's the weather...but it get better as years goes on.

but good practice it gav me, because you have to think in it and write it...

To improve your grammar in writing, those grammar books do help.

I wholly agree with the point that self-confidence is vital in this sense.
I am not able to speak Cantonese fluently, my friend would certainly laugh at me for my poor Cantonese.

Yet, there was once I met some new friends in a camp,
most of them spoke in Cantonese, no one knew me there,
so I brought up my courage to speak in Cantonese with them.
Surprisingly, I could speak very fluently.
After a few days I told them that I was not a Cantonese and
cant speak fluently either, all of them looked at me surprisingly, feeling that's impossible as I was able to converse fluent Cantonese with them.

That's the thing, self-confidence.
Do not have the mindset that you are lousy in certain language
and lose your courage.
No one knows whether you can speak it fluently except yourself.
Just pull up your socks and speak it out !

Btw, I still do not have the courage to speak Cantonese with my close friends. ><
Sorry to be so contradicting but it's a personal experience. lolz

Chat with me on MSN everyday..........I'll gurantee your english improves....RAWR!!!