How to Improve Your Listening Skills in English

Here is a summary of the 5 steps to take in order to improve your listening skills in English, as mentioned in the video (above).

✔ STEP 1) Learn Connected Speech

Connected speech refers to techniques that native English speakers use to help them speak more fluently and to help one word link easily into the next. One example of this is the linking R and intrusive R sound (I did a video about this sound, which you can watch here). If you learn these linking sounds, you will recognise them when native English speakers talk to you and it will naturally help you understand them more easily. In the video (above) I mention a perfect example of students misunderstanding simple sentences I use, simply because they are unfamiliar with the linking sounds we use in connected speech.

✔ STEP 2) Listen to English Music

Many students feel like they should watch full movies to improve their listening skills. However, I honestly believe this is the wrong approach. Instead of watching 90 minutes of film, focus on songs, which are only about 3 or 4 minutes in length, and take the time to analyse the way the singer links the words and phrases together. Listen to your favourite songs time and again. Learn the lyrics and sing the songs while listening to the music. By doing this, you will not only improve your pronunciation, but you will be familiar with how words link into each other, which will help you greatly improve your English listening skills. 

✔ STEP 3) Don't Learn Words! Learn Phrases!

Learning individual words is a rather ineffective way of learning a language. We don't talk in words. We talk in chunks, which are groups of words that always go together. 

Let me show you what I mean. Just take a moment to do these 2 things now:
 

1) Say the names of 10 types of fruit (in your native language).

2) Say what you are going to do later this evening (in your native language).
 

When you said 10 words, I'm sure you sounded a lot less fluent than when you said what you are going to do later today. This is because, when we speak in natural language, we use chunks.

Learning groups of words that always go together is an effective way for you to sound more fluent when you speak English, and also a highly effective way for you to improve your listening skills and understand native English speakers more easily.

✔ STEP 4) Listen to Podcasts / YouTube videos in English

Yes, native English speaker speak quickly, which is why it's a great idea to expose yourself to some real life, full-speed English. My suggestion for this is to listen to podcasts that are on a topic you are interested in, and which use the type of vocabulary that you are likely to need to use.

The example I use in the above video is that of an I.T worker. If you work for a computer software company and need English in your job to talk about software, apps, databases etc., then it's a good idea to listen to podcasts on technological topics. Firstly, it's interesting for you, which will put the focus on understanding the content, rather than making it an educational exercise. Secondly, it uses the type of vocabulary you probably need on a daily basis. Thirdly, they're usually 10-20 minutes in length, and you can listen to them while you're driving your car, brushing your teeth, cleaning the house... wherever!

✔ STEP 5) Learn more slang!

Learning the real, informal, slang expressions that native English speakers use is so important if you don't want to get lose in conversation. I remember when I went to work in Spain, and my colleagues used the word "curro" instead of "trabajo". I had no idea what they were talking about, and this was a really simple word, which everybody used all the time!! 

If your goal is to understand textbook English, then this is not so important. But if you want to understand native English speakers more easily, then it is so important to learn some common slang impressions in English.

AND FINALLY... Take Action NOW!

The steps I've mentioned above are all actionable, and all fun for you to do! By starting today you will not magically understand English perfectly tomorrow. However, if you take action now, you will soon feel the benefit, and will slowly start to improve your English listening skills and understand native speakers better.