How TV Can Improve Your English

I bet you’re thinking, “How can watching TV improve my English?” When you’re first learning a language, it’s important to remember to practice as much as possible. The more you speak and listen to English, the faster you will be able to develop your skills.

We love to binge watch TV shows before we go to bed or on the weekends when it’s too cold to leave the house. But how can you use this to your advantage? Take a look at how you can use English TV shows to improve your language skills.

TV improve your English
When watching TV in English, your skills improve without you even realizing it

 

You’ll strengthen your conversational skills

Not only will you be able to listen to the natural way that characters speak to one another on TV, but you’ll also have something to talk to your friends about in English! Try to examine the way events are described on the show, and use that same type of language to describe the episode to your friends. You can even have a conversation about what you think might happen next!

 

 

Our suggestions: Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and Gilmore Girls

 

You’ll learn more cultural references

Watching a TV show is a great way to get an idea for what life is like in a particular city or country. An episode of Friends shows you what a day might consist of in New York City, while an episode of Breaking Bad gives you a taste of life in New Mexico. TV shows are also a great way to learn more about popular culture in that country, like movies, books, and plays.

 

 

Our suggestions: Peep Show, The Simpsons, and Downton Abbey

 

You’ll understand more accents

It’s obvious that there are significant differences between an American accent and a British accent, but what about the different British accents in the UK? And how many different accents can you recognize as American? Can you tell the difference between a Kiwi accent and an Aussie one? By watching popular programs from these countries, you’ll get a better look at all the accents and regions that they come from.

 

 

Our suggestions: Game of Thrones (UK), Love/Hate (Ireland), and Fargo (Midwest USA)

 

You’ll encounter a repetition of words

Some shows have catch phrases that they repeat, while others play around with repetition to highlight the common words that people use in every day conversation. The more you hear a word or phrase, the faster you will learn it and be able to apply it to your own English-language conversations.

 

 

Our suggestions: The Simpsons, Seinfeld, and Gilmore Girls

 

You’ll get absorbed in the story and forget you’re even learning English

The best thing about watching TV to improve your English is that it won’t even feel like studying. It hits you at a subconscious level, and before you know it, you’ll be using common English phrases and improving your pronunciation!

 

What sort of TV shows do you watch to improve your English? Let us know in the comment section below. If you’re interested in developing your English language skills, take a look at our General and Vacation English courses.

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