Why is learning English so hard?

Answer 1

Hi Scholar!

Thank you for asking such a brave yet important question! I am sorry that learning English has felt challenging or frustrating for you. I 100% relate to your struggle and have a few reasons I can offer you on why English is all-in-all a hard langauge.

The main thing about English is not only is it a language that breaks a lot of its own rules, but the rules differ based on who you ask or what situation you are in. In general, what I think would help you to understand is that you are not alone in this feeling about English. It is a language that comes from many languages, including Latin, French, Sanskrit, Spanish, (amongst many others!), which makes it fairly new.

Not only is it a language that is newer amongst other languages, but it is a language that is spoken in many different regions of the world, all of which follow their own rules about the language. If you think about that for a second, you may realize that English may not have an exactly correct way of learning or understanding it and that is because it doesn't!

English is often used in the phrase 'English Language Arts' because it evolves and changes based on factors such as location, time period, influences from diversity and cultural diffusions, as well as other factors.

My main pieces of advice to improve would be:

1. Listen to and watch videos and content in English so that you familiarize yourself more with the language
2. Read texts in English out loud to the best of your ability for speech practice
3. Work on building your confidence and being gentle with yourself! A lot of the issue is the feeling that you are not improving when in reality you definitely are!
4. Take necessary breaks while studying!

I wish you the best of luck with your English learning journey! Remember, you definitely got this!

Answer 2

Unlike with many other languages, the rules of English grammar, spelling, and sentence structure are inconsistent.

Many words and phrases are "exceptions" to the rules of what might follow from the logical order of simple sentences you may first learn as part of an ESL/ESOL course.

A lot of English is stylistic, which can make learning difficult. While there are general rules, a sentence might not be considered altogether incorrect--however, there may be ways to more clearly express the thought you are intending. For instance, you used the word "hard" in your query, but "difficult" is another way of saying the same thing. "Hard" is confusing sometimes because it can mean either 'difficult' or it can refer to the substance or chemical composition of a thing such as a rock.

This is why even native speakers of English all need editors for their writing. A new set of eyes helps pick up ways to improve what is already written down on the page. (English is also full of strange sayings like "new set of eyes.")

Wishing you the best of luck on your language acquisition journey. Hope I was able to give you another perspective with which to consider your question!

Answer 3

I am very sorry that this has been the case for you. But it is completely understandable. The English language is full of twists and turns, and contradictions in (literary vocabulary) terms when it comes to spelling rules, singular versus plural forms of nouns in grammatical contexts, and even along the lines of knowing where, when, and why to use certain means of punctuation in your basic sentence structure within your writing on the whole.

My recommendation to you and everybody else out there who is learning English for the very first time and continually encounters ongoing difficulty therewith is to read books regularly, listen to music frequently, and watch television and YouTube with English captions/subtitles turned on all the way through to help better your grasp of the English language overall. Repeatedly listening to words spoken in conversation, delivered dramatically onscreen, organized thoughtfully on paper, and recited rhythmically in song can all help you improve your general understanding of English especially when it comes to recognizing letter sounds and word spellings of different vocabulary terms throughout the learning process. Practicing English in everyday conversations and writing of your own adds the icing to the cake of your newfound knowledge of the English language to boot.

And of course, if you would like further assistance via tutoring therein, feel free to reach out to expert tutors here at WyzAnt and we will be more than happy to help you as you see fit! Good luck with expanding your bilingualism all the while!

Answer 4

English is a very irregular language, from grammar to pronunciation. (Too bad the dominant world language isn't Italian! Or Finnish! So phonetically consistent!)

Immersion is the only way to make learning English easier - live in a suite with American/Canadian roommates; try not to hang out too much with your native-language group if you are, for example, at a university.

Most FUN answer: Watch movies - lots and lots of movies. Put on the subtitles in English, no matter what the origin language of the movie. Even if the movies is in English, use English subtitles.

Movies give you som many pictorial/photographic clues. Also, the conversations or narration tend to be spoken in the manner that everyday people talk to friends, bosses, families.

Don't pick a movie with a lot of "slang"--localized dialects, atypical accents--otherwise you will just become frustrated and confused. Stick to the movies of any age where the language is clear - and if you don't understand something, rewind as many times as you need in order to try to comprehend the words.

I'd recommend that anything you just cannot get, write it down and ask an English-speaking friend if he or she can try to explain.

Enjoy the show!