10 New Year’s Resolutions to improve your English in 2020

How would you feel if you were given 365 new days to achieve anything you wanted? It’s definitely an exciting thought. 2020 is just around the corner and with it comes the opportunity to take on new challenges, meet new people, and improve your English!

There are lots of reasons to want to become a successful language learner. Perhaps you need to pass an exam at school or university, maybe you want to travel around the world, or you might want to get a new job or promotion at work. 

Whatever is motivating you, here are 10 new year’s resolutions you can take so that you can become an English expert in the new year. 

1. Read a book in English every month

Reading is one of the fastest ways to build your writing and grammar skills. The more you read and study vocabulary, the more you’ll understand. But we know that reading can be difficult, especially if you pick a book that is above your level. 

Our graded readers have stories for every age and level, which means you’re sure to find something you’ll enjoy. Aim to read and study at least one book a month, learn lots of new vocabulary, and you’ll soon see that your English is improving.

Visit the Oxford Bookworms Library to choose some new books to get you started! Before you begin, we recommend that you find your reading level with our online tool. It will help you pick the perfect graded reader for you. 

You can test your reading level here.

2. Immerse yourself in English everyday

It sounds tough, but practising English every day is possible. Set the language of your social media accounts and devices to English and start using them! It will take some time to get used to, but you’ll soon learn new words, expressions and your understanding will improve little by little. 

If you’re not confident, start slowly and only change one social media account. Then as you learn more, you can start using your phone, computer and other items in English.

3. Learn 3000 important English words in 2020

Can you imagine learning 3000 new words in English? That means learning 250 words a month. It sounds like a lot, but our list of the most important words to know in English – the Oxford 3000 – will help you prioritise! 

You can also start to build and record your own vocabulary with our own helpful wordlist software. When you’re reading, you can also use our Oxford 3000 Text Checker to see which words text are part of the list.

The Oxford Test of English is built using word lists like the Oxford 3000, so if you’re thinking of taking the exam, it will be even more helpful. 

4. Make the most of free resources

In 2020, make it your resolution to use more online resources to learn English. We have a library of digital learning resources right here on our website. The materials are suitable for young learners, teens and adults alike. Whether your objective is to improve your general English, boost your communication skills at work, or pass an exam, you’ll be sure to find the tools you need to help you learn.  

So why not make the most of your time in the new year? With our digital resource library, you’ll be able to study English whenever you have a spare moment at home, school, work, or even when travelling on the train. 

5. Take the Oxford Test of English

Whenever you’re learning it’s important to have an objective. And what better objective than passing an exam? It gives you a focus for your learning and makes sure you balance your reading, writing, speaking and grammar skills. 

Make it your resolution to sign up for the Oxford Test of English in 2020 and take your English to the next level! 

6. Start communicating in English online

It can be hard to practise talking to English speakers, especially when you don’t live in an English-speaking country. But there are lots of ways to do this online.

Make it your resolution to join an English language group on Facebook, comment on videos in English on YouTube, or even set up a Twitter account and following topics in English. Tweets are good for language learners because they are short, easy to write and translate if you find them hard to understand.

7. Watch more videos and films in English

If you enjoy learning about new topics while practising English then TED.com is for you. Make it a resolution to watch one TED video a week. The website has many interesting videos on topics like art, science, politics, design, personal development – and more. The videos range in length from five minutes to about 20 minutes, so you can decide how much time to dedicate to this.

Also, make sure to read the transcript of the video afterwards and add new vocabulary to your wordlist. 

8. Listen to English language songs

It’s easy to use Spotify or YouTube to listen to all your favourite English-language songs. You can also go on Google to find the lyrics (the words of the song), so you can sing along. Or you could even challenge your friends to a game of Lyrics Training. By listening to songs in English and focusing on the words – you’ll improve your pronunciation and build some new vocabulary at the same time. Perhaps you’ll even start a new singing career!

9. Try these English learning apps 

Many of us spend a lot of time on our phones, so why not use that time more productively and download some apps to learn English?

Read our article 5 apps to help you learn English! You’ll discover some excellent language resources, so why not make it your resolution to find a new favourite app?

10. Subscribe to our blog

It’s time for your last resolution! Subscribe to our blog below and find new English language resources, language tips and new ways to learn independently.

Scroll down, and enter your email address to the subscription box to receive alerts every time we release a new post! 

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We hope you’ve found a new resolution or two for 2020. If you enjoyed this article, visit our Facebook page – Learning English with Oxford. Make sure to leave us a comment in English and like our page so you can find more resources just like this one!