Similar to listening, reading is an important way to absorb the English language. The beauty of listening and reading is that you do not need to produce any language on your own. Instead, you are consuming the language and storing knowledge for later use as building blocks for writing and speaking.

They are also the skills that can most easily be practiced by yourself. Try reading a newspaper, online article, or novel in English; or watching an English film or TV show.

Speaking is an interactive process of constructing meaning that involves both producing and receving information. It is easy to practice your speaking skills – just have a chat with a friend, order something in a shop or restaurant, or ask someone for directions in the street.

Listening refers to the understanding of the implications, as well as the explicit meanings, of words and sentences of spoken language. Just like reading, you can practice this easily by yourself – trying listening to the radio in English, watching a film or show on Netflix (with or without subtitles), or watching videos of listening comprehension exercises on YouTube – there are thousands available.

Writing is a form of communication that allows students to put their feelings, thoughts, and ideas on paper. It can be seen as the most challenging aspect of language learning – but it just takes practice. The most important thing is not to be afraid of making mistakes – this is how all the best learners improve.