Watching films are an entertaining way to improve your English. In this blog, Ms Sonu Goel, Founder and Director of Café Converse, Delhi’s top institute for learning spoken English say you will come to know about some of the best movies for studying English and is sharing tips and resources to help you learn English through films. Are you ready for entertainment and learning?
Reasons to learn English with Movies
Watching movies are a lot more fun comparing studying with a textbook? It can also be simply as useful. Here is why sitting down with a movie in English is going to improve your fluency:
Actual English: Textbooks are good for learning vocabulary or grammar, but nothing is better than listening to actual native English. By watching British and American movies, you can listen to native English actors speaking English in a natural way. This will assist you to learn modern English and sound more like a native speaker in terms of vocabulary and style.
Better Pronunciation: Sometimes it can be difficult to know how the English word is pronounced. Hearing native speakers in movies will show you the correct way to say things. Dialogues in films also give good examples of how sounds in words can change in connected speech.
Live Situation: When one learns a word, it can be hard to remember what it means or how to say or use it. In films, words are used as part of a story and in which context. It helps you to learn and remember more effectively.
Local Accent: Across UK and the US there are various accents used to speak English. When watching moves, you will hear several regional accents being used and this will assist you to understand them better. Textbooks never provide any information about English accents.
Tips to learn English by watching Movies
Choose only interesting movies: This sounds quite obvious, but the most important thing when using films to learn English is to watch movies that, you will enjoy. If you opt for a boring film, then you may lose interest and will not pay attention to the language it uses. To know about interesting films by genre, title, actor, director, or date of release, you can visit several websites.
Do not go for movies that are difficult to understand: When you are watching a movie in English, it is key that you understand enough to follow the storyline. Try to opt for a movie that suits your current level of English. If you beginner, you may look to start with simple animation or children’s films, such as Toy Story. On the other hand, if you understand around 99% of the dialogue between characters in a movie, it may be too simple for you.
Repeat the favorite dialogues: If you hear a dialogue that you really like, note it down and repeat it. If you say it aloud, you have more chance to remember it. Sometimes, you will hear phrases that sound cool and are used in daily life in English in the UK or the US. Textbooks do not generally, teach these informal expressions, but movies do.
Take the help of the subtitles: When you are watching a movie in English, it is a good thing to turn the subtitles on. With most video players you can do this using the settings tab. On YouTube, you can press the ‘CC’ button in the bottom right corner and then select ‘English subtitles. If you truly like a movie, perhaps try watching it once using subtitles and then again without. Do not use subtitles in your own language.
Some of the best movies to learn English
There are several and it is not easy to select a few. But take a look at some of the best ones that you should watch.
Toy Story (1995)
Animated films such as Toy Story are a good way to improve your English. They are normally aimed at children, which means the vocabulary is easy. However, Toy Story has been written so that it is enjoyed by adults too. It even includes some subtle adult humor that kids may not understand.
Toy Story is one of the most successful all-time movies, starring Tom Hanks as the voice of the main character Woody. There are 3 Toy Story movies, all of them are action-packed, colorful masterpieces about the secret life of toys that come alive when there is no one around. In this film, Woody meets a new toy, Buzz. All of the movies are oriented on friends Woody and Buzz as they go through several adventures together.
If you are looking to learn English through movies, this is a good choice as it uses simple English.
The King’s Speech (2010)
What else than learning English with the King of England?
The film shows King George as he tried to overcome his stutter. A stutter is a speech problem when an individual speaks using repeated sounds and words.
This a top movie to improve your British English as the whole movie pays attention to how to speak English properly.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
For many it is one of the best movies ever made. This is a movie that has used several American slang. For example, the word “sonny” it is an informal word for son. Thus, you can get to know quite a few American ways of speaking English through this movie.
Forrest Gump (1994)
Forrest Gump’s complete life is shown in this film. Acted by Tom Hanks, Forrest is a kind but slow man. ‘Slow’ in the context means that he is not quite intelligent. Without realizing it, Forrest takes part in some crucial moments in history, like the Vietnam War, and teaching Elvis Presley how to dance.
It is a charming and funny movie. One of the reasons it is a good movie for learning English is because Forrest Gump talks quite slowly, meaning he is simple to understand.
There are several other movies to watch for. But the above said are one of the finest not just from entertainment’s point of view but also from your English learning’s point of view.
Ms Sonu Goel is a professionally acclaimed certified ESL trainer from the British Council having 15 years of strong background for teaching the English language in both online and physical classes. She is dedicated to teaching of English in an interactive and practical way, whereby learners feel enriched with knowledge and experience the language hands-on. She uses creative ideas and aids to let the learning happen as organically and efficiently as possible. Ms Goel has travelled to various European countries and experienced an array of cultures and linguistic skills for the English language.
To learn more about Sonu Goel please visit : https://cafeconverse.com/best-english-tutor-coach-teacher-sonu-goel.html
