Improve your English with this study PLAN: Intermediate to Advanced (Marina Mogilko)

Summary

In this Lingua Marina video, the host outlines a study plan to advance from intermediate to advanced English proficiency. They discuss the challenges of nuanced language improvement and the need for consistent motivation. The video covers strategies for enhancing vocabulary, grammar, reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. It also emphasizes the importance of understanding academic vocabulary, idioms, and the cultural context behind language use. The host shares personal experiences and provides resources, such as magazines and podcasts, to aid in language learning.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video aims to provide a study plan for English language learners to advance from intermediate to advanced levels.
• 📈 Progress at higher levels is nuanced and detailed, requiring more effort and time to show improvement.
• 📚 To advance, one must work on various language aspects including reading, vocabulary, grammar, and listening.
• 📊 The number of learning hours needed increases significantly as one approaches higher language proficiency levels.
• 📖 For reading, engaging with advanced texts from sources like Time, National Geographic, and The Economist is recommended.
• 👂 In listening, understanding sarcasm, idioms, accents, and dialects is crucial for advanced learners.
• ✍️ Writing at an advanced level involves producing clear, well-organized texts with advanced vocabulary and linking words.
• 🗣️ Speaking practice can be enhanced through AI interactions, using platforms like Duolingo, and incorporating new words into daily speech.
• 📈 The Common European Framework of Reference suggests that an advanced English level requires 5,000 to 6,000 words.
• 🏫 Advanced grammar includes understanding nuances like inversion, mixed conditionals, and spoken grammar structures.

Q & A

What is the main challenge for language learners moving from intermediate to advanced levels?

The main challenge is that improvements become more nuanced and detailed, requiring more effort to see noticeable progress, which can lead to a decrease in motivation as the dopamine rush from easily achievable milestones diminishes.

What is the significance of vocabulary expansion at an advanced level?

At an advanced level, vocabulary expansion is crucial as it involves learning academic vocabulary, idioms, and advanced words that are not commonly used in everyday conversations.

How many more hours does it take to move from B1 to B2 compared to moving from C1 to C2 according to the transcript?

It takes at least 180 hours to move from B1 to B2, while moving from C1 to C2 requires at least 300 hours.

What are some recommended resources for advanced reading practice?

Some recommended resources for advanced reading practice include magazines like Time, National Geographic, The Economist, Vogue, Men's Health, The New Yorker, and The Guardian.

What are the key aspects of listening comprehension at an advanced level?

At an advanced level, listening comprehension involves understanding sarcastic sentences, idioms, discerning important from secondary information, and recognizing various accents, dialects, and idioms.

How does the TOEFL test assess advanced writing skills?

The TOEFL test assesses advanced writing skills by evaluating the ability to produce clear, well-developed, and well-organized texts with proper paragraph structure, use of linking words, and advanced vocabulary and phrases.

What are some strategies to practice advanced speaking skills?

Strategies to practice advanced speaking skills include using AI tools for conversation, practicing with native speakers, incorporating new words into daily speech, and participating in language courses that focus on advanced speaking.

What is the recommended vocabulary size for an advanced English learner according to the Common European Framework of Reference?

For an advanced English learner, the Common European Framework of Reference recommends a vocabulary size of 5,000 to 6,000 words.

How can one test their vocabulary level according to the transcript?

One can test their vocabulary level by taking tests on websites like Lexor.com, which offer tests for different vocabulary levels, including 2,000, 3,000, 5,000, and even 10,000 word levels.

What are some advanced grammar structures that an advanced English learner should be familiar with?

Advanced English learners should be familiar with structures like inversion, conditionals (including mixed conditionals), and cleft sentences, which are used to emphasize certain parts of a sentence.

Why is it important for advanced learners to understand spoken grammar?

Understanding spoken grammar is important because it involves recognizing and using phrases that may omit grammatical structures typical to written language, which helps in sounding more like a native speaker.