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Learning a new language takes time, patience, and consistent practice. One of the most effective and enjoyable ways to improve your English skills is by writing a diary. It’s a simple habit that anyone can start, and the benefits are much greater than you might expect. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced learner, keeping a diary can help you build your vocabulary, improve your grammar, and become more confident in expressing your thoughts in English.

Why Write a Diary in English?

1. Practice Writing Every Day

Writing regularly is essential when learning a new language. A diary gives you the chance to practice English every day in a relaxed, pressure-free way. You don't need to worry about being judged. It's just you and your thoughts. Even 5-10 minutes of writing each day can make a big difference over time.

2. Learn from Your Mistakes

When you write in a diary, you may make mistakes — and that’s a good thing! Mistakes are part of the learning process. After writing, you can review your entries and look for errors. Use tools like grammar checkers, or ask a teacher or a friend to read a few entries and give you feedback. Over time, you’ll notice your grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary getting better.

3. Build Your Vocabulary

Writing about your daily life will encourage you to learn new words. For example, if you want to describe what you ate for dinner, you might need to look up food-related vocabulary. Over time, you’ll naturally expand your vocabulary by writing about different topics like your hobbies, feelings, travel experiences, or goals.

4. Thinking in English

When you write your diary in English, you start to “think” in English. This is a big step toward fluency. At first, you might translate from your native language. But with practice, you’ll begin forming sentences directly in English. This helps improve your speaking and listening skills too, because you’re training your brain to use the language naturally.

5. Track Your Progress

A diary is also a record of your English journey. When you read old entries, you’ll be surprised at how much your writing has improved. You’ll also see how your thoughts and expressions have become more complex and natural.

Tips to Get Started

Set a routine: Write at the same time each day — before bed, during lunch, or in the morning.

Start simple: Don’t worry about writing perfectly. Focus on expressing yourself.

Use prompts: If you’re not sure what to write, use prompts like “Today I felt…”, “One thing I learned was…”, or “Something funny that happened was…”

Be honest and personal: The more personal your writing, the more meaningful the practice will be.

Writing a diary may seem like a small step, but it can lead to big improvements in your English. So grab a notebook or a computer, and start writing. Your future self will thank you!

Comprehension Questions

1. Why is writing a diary in English helpful for language learners?

2. What can learners do if they make mistakes in their diary writing?

3. How does writing a diary help improve vocabulary?

Scroll down for the answers.

1. Writing a diary in English is helpful because it allows learners to practice regularly, improve grammar, build confidence, and track their progress without pressure.

2. Learners can review their writing, use grammar checkers, or ask someone for feedback to learn from their mistakes.

3. Writing about daily life encourages learners to look up and use new words related to different topics, which helps expand their vocabulary.

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Let’s be honest—most of us spend a lot of time looking at screens. Phones, tablets, computers, and TVs. They’re everywhere and are central to our lives. We use them to chat with friends, play games, watch videos, and, of course, do work. While technology is really useful (and fun), too much of it can make us feel tired, stressed, or even a little bit down.

That’s why taking a break from screens every now and then is essential. No, you don’t need to throw your phone in the sea! Just taking a short break each day can help your mind and body feel better.

Why Should I Take a Break?

Have you ever looked up from your phone and realized an hour has passed? Or noticed your eyes hurt or your neck aches? That’s what happens when we use screens too much. Taking breaks from these devices helps your brain relax. It can also help you sleep better, focus more, and feel calmer.

How Can I Take a Break from Technology?

Here are some easy ways to take a little time away from screens:

*No Screens in the Morning or Before Bed: Try starting your day or ending it without looking at your phone. You could read a book, eat breakfast slowly, draw something, or just relax. It might feel strange at first, but it can help you feel more relaxed and ready for the day (or ready for sleep).

*Take a 1-Hour Tech Break Each Day: Pick one hour in your day to stay off all screens. Go outside, talk with your family, play with a pet, or listen to music without looking at a screen. You might be surprised how fast the time goes.

*Suggest to Your Friends that you ALL Try a Phone-Break: Try spending time with friends without looking at your phones all the time. When you’re with other people, you could suggest that you all put your phones away for 30 minutes or so. Make a game of it. Who can survive the longest without checking their phone!

*Try a “No-Tech Afternoon” Once a Week: Pick one day (or just a few hours) each week where you don’t use social media or video games. Think of it like a mini-vacation for your brain.

Remember…

Technology is great—but your brain needs a break sometimes. Taking time away from screens can help you feel more focused, more creative, and more connected to the real world. Give it a try! You don’t have to give up your phone forever—just for a little while. You will feel the benefit.

Comprehension Questions

1. Why is it a good idea to take breaks from screens?

A. So you can save your phone battery

B. So you can spend more money on books

C. Because breaks help your brain relax and help you feel better

D. Because screens are no longer useful

2. What is one suggestion given for reducing screen time?

A. Watch videos with your eyes closed

B. Take a 1-hour tech break each day

C. Check your phone every 5 minutes

D. Use your computer and your phone at the same time

3. What is the main message of this blog post?

A. Technology should be avoided completely

B. Using more screens will make you smarter

C. Taking short breaks from technology can help you feel more calm and focused

D. You should throw your phone in the sea

Scroll down for the answers.

1. C. Because breaks help your brain relax and help you feel better

2. B. Take a 1-hour tech break each day

3. C. Taking short breaks from technology can help you feel more calm and focused

Photo Credit: Oladimeji Ajegbile @Pexels.com

Adopting good study habits can be very helpful for students to become effective learners.

First, choose a suitable environment in which to study. Some people, like me, prefer to study in a place where there is background noise. One of my favorite places to study is in a café with low music and people chatting in the background. These sounds help me to stay awake while allowing me to focus on my work. Of course, some students prefer a very quiet place, such as a library or their own room. It is essential for students to try working in different environments to determine which one is best for them.

Second, have a regular study schedule. This schedule could be decided each day or each week, depending on factors such as class times, club activities, and part-time jobs. It is ideal to follow the study plan as closely as possible, although, of course, it may be necessary to stray from the schedule at times. Once a schedule becomes a habit, sticking to it is much easier.

Third, do not procrastinate. Rushing through assignments at the last minute will likely result in poor-quality work. Schedule your work and break your larger assignments into smaller parts. Do the assignments ahead of time and review them. It is essential for all students.

Lastly, try to be experimental. By this, I mean that students should take risks working on challenging assignments beyond their language or intellectual ability without fear of making mistakes. This may seem daunting at first; however, in the long run, it must be helpful for developing academic skills.

For students to enjoy university life and do well in their various classes, creating appropriate and personalized study habits should be a priority.

Glossary:

stray from: not follow a plan

stick to: follow a plan

procrastinate: put off doing something 

daunting: a bit scary

in the long run: in the end

Blog Quiz

Q1. Will all students benefit from each of the study habits mentioned in the reading?

A.  Yes. It is easy to do.

B.   No. Each student is unique, especially with regards to study location.

C.   Yes. If you believe it, you can do it.

Q2. Why should students avoid procrastination?

A.  It will decrease motivation.

B.   It will make other students laugh at you.

C.   It will result in rushed and poor-quality work.

Q3. Should students avoid taking risks and making mistakes when doing assignments?

A.  No. It will help them develop skills, learn content, and enjoy studying.

B.   Yes. Safety is best.

C.   Yes. Do what you did in high school.

Scroll ↓ down for answers.

Quiz Answers

Q1. C

Q2. C

Q3. A

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Almost everyone has dreams of someday doing something remarkable, memorable, or exciting. You dream of climbing Mount Everest, you would like to meet a famous celebrity, or you want to someday live in Paris, France. At first, these dreams seem unattainable. However, when people can make a plan for action, it can help them to realize their personal goals.

Long-term goals may take time to achieve. It may seem overwhelming to think how to reach them. A key to reaching the long- term goals is to make short-term goals that are easier to outline and achieve. Many short-term goals can be reached in a relatively small amount of time. This gives the person a sense of moving forward and of satisfaction with their efforts.

For any personal goal it is helpful to think carefully and write down some specific aspects that will clarify the purpose and actions needed. The four important points for outlining a short-term or long-term goal can be:

1. What specifically is the goal?

2. Why is it important to you?

3. What actions will you take to achieve it?

4. By when do you want to complete or achieve the goal? (a deadline)

When you write these things down, you are clarifying the goal in your mind and in reality. This is giving you a plan of action with real efforts and a timeline to push yourself to finish any steps towards your goals. The actions you describe must be realistic (possible) and fit the deadlines you set for yourself. Let’s look at an example.

You want to travel to France someday. This is perhaps a long-term goal. There are several considerations which could be short-term goals, for example; having the money or means to get there, preparing yourself to live in French culture, or finding a travel partner.

We can outline the goal as follows.

Long-term goal:

What: Traveling for one month in France

Why: Because I am interested in speaking to French people and I want to try many types of French cuisine

How: (Here you can create some smaller goals)

By When: Traveling to France before I am 25 years old.

Short-term goal:

What: Learning to speak French at a daily conversational level

How: By finding a good website or YouTube channel for daily practice

By when: Becoming fluent at French before the end of next year

When you start to clarify your goals and describe some specific actions and deadlines, it will be much easier for you to realize your dreams. It really is possible!

Blog Quiz

Q1. What is the meaning of 'a long-term goal'?

Q2. Why is it important to make a goal realistic?

Q3. In the example, what is the deadline for becoming fluent at conversational French?

Scroll↓down for answers

Quiz Answers

Q1. A goal that may take a longer time to achieve.

Q2. You have more chances of success.

Q3. Before the end of next year.

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Let's try thinking about "memory." First, please try playing the game at the following link. The rules are simple: memorize the numbers that appear momentarily, then click to answer. Free Working Memory Tests [https://www.memorylosstest.com/free-working-memory-tests-online/]

How did you do?

The human brain has two types of memory: "short-term memory" and "long-term memory." This game is a test of short-term memory. Short-term memory is also known as "working memory," and refers to memories that are stored temporarily in the brain.

According to research conducted by Princeton University psychologist George Miller, short-term memory is retained for only about 20 seconds. After that period of time, it is considered unnecessary and forgotten. Try to answer the questions in the previous game 20 seconds after you see the numbers. It should be much more difficult for you to do so.

We can expect to achieve increased efficiency in language learning if we understand and utilize this characteristic of memory.

In fact, George Miller made another important discovery: the fact that “humans can only commit 7±2 pieces of information to memory at a time." In other words, we are able to memorize 5–9 pieces of information. This is known as the “magical number”.

Up until now, many people have been tested to see how many digits they can remember, and there are almost none who can remember more than 9 digits. This seems to be the limit of human beings.

So, how can we remember an 11-digit phone number? We can do this because we use a method known as chunking. For example, we can divide the phone number 08012345678 into 3 groups, "080," "1234," and "5678," and memorize them as 3 pieces of information. By doing so, we can get around the short-term memory limit of 7±2 pieces of information at a time.

Put another way, a person can only memorize 7±2 "chunks of information" at a time. By applying this knowledge, we can make it easier to memorize longer English sentences for English presentations, and so on. For example, the sentence "I object to the idea that classical music and popular music should be dealt with as totally different categories." can be divided into the following groups:

"I object to the idea"

"that classical music and popular music"

"should be dealt with"

"as totally different categories."

It is easier to memorize sentences by dividing them into groups in the manner shown.

Questions:

Q1. For how long is short-term memory retained in the brain?

Q2. How many pieces of information can a person memorize at a time?

Q3. How can we make information easier to memorize?

Scroll down↓for answers

A1. Approximately 20 seconds

A2. 7±2 pieces

A3. By dividing it into chunks

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How do you study English? Do you take regular lessons as part of your university courses? Do you join free communication sessions like those offered by the BBP Communication Rooms on campus? Do you have a pen friend or a private tutor? There are many conventional ways to learn a language, but have you ever considered these ‘alternative’ ways to get better at a language?

Is talking to yourself a sign of genius or an indication of craziness? By ‘talking to yourself’, it means speaking softly (or louder) when it’s only you present. You might talk to yourself in the shower or taking a walk or washing the dishes. It’s a sign of an active mind and a happy disposition. How about if you started talking to yourself in another language? Start with simple words like describing the things around you or exchanging imaginary pleasantries. As you get better at it, start commentating on live TV news or sports you’re watching. Keep it light and fun and spontaneous. It will help you grow in confidence as a speaker in your target language.

That’s the speaking way - now how about the writing way? Start a micro blog on Threads or Bluesky or other such social media platform. Micro blogs are short, topical comments which help start interaction with other users on the same site. Create a page with your name in English and a few words about yourself and the kind of topics you’re interested in blogging about. Search for similar topic blogs and comment on them regularly. You will soon build up a small community of followers and be able to practice your writing in the target language in a fun and spontaneous way.

These are two simple, fun ways to use your target language on a daily basis and inject a little spontaneity into your language learning.

Questions:

Q1. Is a ‘pen friend’ someone you speak with or write to?

Q2. What word best matches ‘disposition’ from the text?

a: Hope

b: Manner

c: Intention

d: Place

Q3. Does being “spontaneous” mean acting slowly or acting quickly?

Scroll ↓ down for answers

A1. A friend you write to

A2. B. (Manner)

A3. Acting quickly

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As with learning anything - the guitar, calligraphy, yoga, cooking - a new language takes time to acquire. If you’re going to be a good guitarist, writer, yogi, cook or foreign language speaker, you need many hours of practice over a long period of time. Many people feel motivated to start learning a language in the beginning, but that motivation often falls away as time goes on. What are some simple ways to keep motivation up?

At the beginning, habitualise your language learning. Embed it in your day. Set your alarm in the morning to play a new English song every day. Prepare an alert on your smartphone every morning to read that day’s news or weather in English. Listen to regular English podcasts on your commute into school. These are three technology-based ways to bring language learning into your daily routine in a simple, regular, automatic way.

Further to this, reward yourself if you do these three things in any one day. Keep a record of it in your smartphone calendar or ‘notes’ app. At the end of the month, if you have done these listening / reading tasks every day of that month, buy yourself a prize like an English magazine or book. Rewarding yourself on a regular basis for your language learning efforts is a smart way to keep up your motivation.

Lastly, set a tangible goal. Download the next year’s calendar for the EIKEN or TOEIC tests in your area. Pencil in a few target test dates over the course of the year - for example, EIKEN in January; TOEIC in June; TOEFL iBt in November. Many of the most popular language proficiency tests are spread at different dates throughout the year. Having a few concrete test dates and a sensible target level will give you sufficient motivation to keep up your language learning all through the year. Measure your progress by taking practice tests along the way too.

Questions:

Q1. An action that you ‘habitualise’ is something you do…

a: At your own pace

b: On a regular basis

c: Only in your free time

d: Sometimes

Q2. True or False? Rewards enhance motivation.

Q3. A goal is ‘tangible’ when it is…

a: Sensible, achievable, measurable

b: Ambitious, difficult, expensive

c: Clever, motivating, impossible.

Scroll↓down for answers

A1. On a regular basis (B)

B2. True

C3. Sensible, achievable, measurable (A)

Photo Credit: Anna Shucks @pexels.com 

Incorporating music into your language learning journey can be an enjoyable and effective way to improve your English skills. Whether you're a fan of pop, rock, hip-hop, or jazz, there's a wealth of musical resources waiting to help you on your path to fluency. Here are some tips on how to harness the power of music to enhance your English learning experience.

1. Choose Songs You Enjoy: Start by selecting songs in English that you genuinely enjoy listening to. Whether it's your favorite band or a catchy tune you heard on a streaming app, choosing songs that resonate with you will make the learning process more enjoyable and motivating.

2. Focus on Lyrics: Once you've chosen a song, take the time to listen to the lyrics carefully. Read along with the lyrics while you listen, and pay attention to the pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar used in the song. You can find lyrics online on websites like Genius or AZLyrics. Many streaming apps will also provide lyrics.

3. Break it Down: Break down the lyrics into smaller chunks and focus on understanding the meaning of individual words and phrases. Look up any unfamiliar words in a dictionary and try to learn their meanings in context.

4. Sing Along: Don't be afraid to sing along with the music! Singing along can help improve your pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm in English. Even if you're not a confident singer, singing along with your favorite songs can boost your confidence and pronunciation over time.

5. Study Grammar and Syntax: Pay attention to the grammatical structures and syntax used in the lyrics. Analyze how sentences are formed, and identify different tenses, prepositions, and conjunctions used in the song. This will help reinforce your understanding of English grammar in a fun and engaging way.

6. Use Music for Listening Practice: Make listening to English music a regular part of your daily routine. Create playlists of your favorite English songs and listen to them while you're commuting, exercising, or relaxing at home. The more exposure you have to English music, the more you'll improve your listening skills.

7. Explore Cultural References: English songs often contain cultural references and idiomatic expressions that can provide valuable insights into English-speaking cultures. Take the time to research the cultural context behind the songs you're listening to, and you'll gain a deeper understanding of the language and its cultural nuances.

By incorporating music into your English learning routine, you can make language learning more engaging, enjoyable, and effective. So plug in your headphones, turn up the volume, and let the music guide you.

Questions:

Q1. Which stage should you look up unknown vocabulary?

Q2. What are two benefits of singing along?

Q3. What are the outcomes of stage 7

Scroll down ↓ for answers:

ANSWERS:

A1. In the third stage

A2. It boosts confidence and improves pronunciation.

A3. You gain cultural understanding.