Harry Potter - the best way to learn english??

[Zauberengel23]

Hi everybody,

i like to improve my english aswell many people in this forum.

Long time passed since I´ve learned english in school - but I try my very best to remember my vocabulary

I´m still reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I started reading in August - so you can see it takes a bit of time for me to understand all the magic words

Maybe you write your opinion about my english

Greetings from
Zauberengel23

[Winston]

Hi,
I also want to improve my english because of my current work. I think my english is not that bad but for business use it is not sufficient. Your english sounds good, how long are you out of school?
My way to learn more english is to read books, but not Harry Potter, I think it´s to fare from the real world. In May and June I plan to visit a Language school in Vancouver, where I have to speak english!
What do you think about that?

Cheers

Winston

[confused]

I see... you've got the same problems I have to deal with. I learned english for about 7 years now and I'm still not able to talk fluently. It's a shame... what you learn at school is just not enough to communicate - but I'm really trying to get better. So what do I do?

Actually I'm reading books - not stuff like Harry Potter (too big, too cheesy - liked the first one, but it got worse afterwards)... to be honest, mostly thrillers and besides, I'm watching english movies. It helps me getting a feeling for the language.

Attending a language school is a really nice idea - how much is it? And how long does it take?

confused

[Suzanna]

Hey guys!
I'm new to this as well...Have been learning English for 11 years now..

I just wanted to say, that the best way to learn it is talking and chatting to English speaking people, also watching films helped me a lot.

Just a suggestion..

Suzanna

[kleine]

Hi confused

Ich will dir a bissl mit der Grammatik helfen:

I have learned english for about 7 years! Das ERGEBNIS wird betont!
Du kannst aber auch sagen, I have been learning english for about 7 years, dann wird aber die HANDLUNG betont!!!

[anna_bub12]

Hi, ihr zusammen

anfangs hatte ich auch solche schwierigkeiten... aber wenn ihr schon zum teil 11 Jahre englisch lernt, dann versteh ich euch echt nicht... ich mein , sind eure Lehrer etwa soviel schlechter als unsere, oder..? Ich lern grad das 3. Jahr Englisch und hab mir den 6. Harry Potter-Band bereits vor dem Erscheinen der dt. Ausgabe gekauft, und ihn noch in den letzten Sommerferien zuende gelesen. Natürlich habe ich nicht jedes Wort verstanden, aber einige konne ich mir aus dem Zusammenhang erschliesen, andere hab ich einfach nachgeschlagen...

So etwas ähnliches müssen wir auch in der Schule machen, aber da haben wir den Text nicht vor Augen, sondern hören ihn bloß. Das nennt sich listening comprehension . Naja, mittlerweile habe ich mir auch die anderen 5 HP-Bände gekauft und sie alle verschlungen.... Teilweise vergesse ich sogar , dass der Text in englisch ist... Es geht bei solchen riesigen Romanen ja auch nicht darum, sie KOMPLETT zu verstehen, sondern auf den Inhalt kommt es an... und man prägt sich die Sprache genauer ein. also, das wars(schon)
liebe Grüße
anna

[confused]

thx kleine... correct me any time it's necessary!

@ anna_bub: I have no problems with english texts or movies... And listening comprehensions? Come on, that's so easy!

No, it's the talking... when you eyeball so., it's hard to have a conversation him/ her. You are running out of words so quickly and then you just stand there, being unable to express what you're feeling inside. It's kinda ridiculous...

[kleine]

Hi confused,

Yeah I know what you are talking about. My first time here was very hard, because I ran out of words so quickly. And I thought my English was very good, hahaha no way, it's so different when you talk to somebody in person or like you said "to eyball somebody". And there is absolutly no comparison!

To anna_bub12 why do you write In German and not in English when your English is so good ?
Then you'll see how quickly you'll run out of words. I'm just trying to proof you wrong

[Laurel Burch]

Hi,
I'm new at this side and I'm not so good at englisch. I'm in my third englisch year like anna_bub12, and i don't know, .... On the one hand I agree with her (I also read hp, but I often had to use my dictionary), on the other hand I have the same opinion like you two. Basically, it's good, to read englisch books, but they should be as difficult as good you are at english.
Well, that was my opinion and I hope you...feel good

laurel

[confused]

@ kleine: So, you went on an exchange? That's interesting... tell me more about it. I also thought of doing this but then I - yeah, I have to say it - was afraid, that it would be way to hard. Besides all my friends decided not to go for it either so I stopped wondering of what could be and just concentrated on school...

looking back I have to admit, that it was a mistake... but I'll maybe attend an extra english course - right now nothing is definite, but I'm seriously considering it.

@ laurel: You're already reading books like Harry Potter in your third year? That's quite impressive *thumbs up*

[Laurel Burch]

Who do you mean?

[kleine]

Hi confused,

actually I'm still here in New York. I haven't finished my Au Pair time yet. As I already told you, I'm an Au Pair, and I would do it over and over again. It's just such a great opportunity to learn English. And it is a pity that you didn't do the exchange program just because of your friends. If I would have listened to my friends, frankly I wouldn't be here. And sure I had reservations sometimes, but then I told myself if you don't like it you can always come back, and so I decided to do it. And I even stay longer. Recently I told my hostfamily that I would like to stay 6 months longer and yeah they are very pleased to see me extending. I've been here for almost 10 months and my time is up in November. First I wanted to put a sad smile, but then I remembered that actually I'm not sad that it ends, because honestly I miss my family and friends
You probably ask yourself why I'm extending: So here are my reasons: Of course I want to improve my English more, because no day passes by where I do not learn a new word and I also like my hostparents and the kids a lot and I can't see myself leave
Either way it's gonna be hard. On the one hand I really wanna see my family and friends back home, and on the other hand It's gonna be very hard to leave "my family" and my friends here. So it's gonna be a very rough time. Keep your fingers crossed for me that I don't regret to be back in Germany soon

[confused]

To be honest... that's so admirable (such a strong word, but it really fits) and I think that you're doing the right thing. When you've got the will (and at least the possibility) to stay, then you should do it.

And talking about your return to Germany... I don't think you'll regret anything of what you've done. Of course it's hard to leave (but it also was, when you went over to USA, wasn't it?), but you'll always remember the blast you had and your hostfamily will, too. That's for sure... so don't be sad

But now tell me more about NY itself. What's the city like? Quite impressive, I'd guess... did you face prejudices because of your origin? (WW II) How much money do you make? Or is it just like "food for work"

confused

[kleine]

Yeah I'm extending defenetly. You are right, it was really hard to leave Germany, all my friends and family. Since I'm very close to my family it was the hardest thing I've ever done. I actually went home in December, because I couldn't see my family celebrating christmas without me. And they were so surprised when I came out of the box. Because I was one of the christmas presents, they didn't know I was coming. The time was so awesome, even though I had 10 days only, but still, I would do it again. First I thought I might not come back, when I just go for a visit. The first day was hard I was like I don't wanna go back anymore. But I stayed strong, and I came back and I know it was the right decision. The weird thing was that I really missed to speak English. When I went to a restaurant I ordered my food in English and the waitress looked at me like I was stupid, because she heard me talking to my friends in German. It was quite funny. Now you wanna know something about New York. Actually I don't like the city, because it is very dirty and loud. I like to live in the suburbs.The one and only thing I like about the city are the clubs they are very kewl. Yeah I faced some prejudices, but not really about the world war. Once my hostkid asked me if I would vote Hitler or if I saw him on the street. You know they don't know stuff about him, they are not really informed. Sometimes it's really funny what people think about Germany. I was asked if we had dish washers and TV's at home. I couldn't believe this question, afterwards I laughed hysterically. Of course not in the womans face, that would be rude. You wanna know how much money I earn. It's 140 Dollar a week. It's not a lot, but it's ok, since I don't have to pay for anything. I get food and everything payed, besides gas money. What I totally understand, why should they pay for my gas? They just pay for the gas which I need to drive the kids around. And I love to go shopping, because the clothes are so cheap. It's just unbelievable. Yeah what are you doing? And how old are you? Are you from Germany?

Kleine

[franzi]

hi kleine and the others

I followed very interested your conversation. your english is really very excellent kleine. it's almost to be envious.
you are living in NY rigt now. I was in NY in 1989 to run the NYC-Marathon without to be able speaking english. I always marched in the steps of my sportmates. .even in the reaurants they had to order my food . but it was very funny and when I finishd the Marathon in 3.35 houers I was very proud.

regards franzi