Let’s face it; learning a new language can be exhausting. Sometimes even downright grueling!
On your language-learning journey, you've surely already cracked open textbooks, made your way through workbooks, and flipped countless cue cards. While these methods have their merits, you've earned a break! Wouldn't you agree?
When you learn English with movies, you combine the best of both worlds: the relaxation and enjoyment of watching a good film, all while improving your understanding of English vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar. It's a win-win!
Films provide a unique window into the dynamics of the English language, from the heartfelt dialogues and exchanges to the rise and fall in intonations . They also offer insights into American culture that textbooks simply can’t match.
Let's explore 10 ways you can incorporate English movies into your language journey so you can enhance your English skills and have a bit of fun, too.
1. Expose Yourself to Real-Life Conversations Okay, yes, technically the conversations are scripted. But they're built to feel real and spontaneous, and in good films, they capture the essence of how people actually speak. The practical dialogues are often relatable and applicable to real-life situations.
Unlike textbook exercises and memorization, movie conversations offer diverse examples that you can study, learn from, and apply in everyday life. All of these qualities are some of the beauties of film.
Movies provide a window into different communication styles, ranging from casual banter to intense negotiations. This exposure makes it easier to adapt your communication style to different contexts and personalities.
2. Experience Cultural Immersion You can liken watching movies set in America to taking a crash course in American culture. They allow you to see through the lenses of American characters and experience the unique perspectives of American scriptwriters, actors, and directors.
Of course, some movies take more liberties than others, but many American movies and TV shows really do paint an accurate picture of life in America. From chatting among friends in a New York coffee shop to the intense verbal battles that take place in cut-throat American boardrooms, English movies can transport you to a whole new world of cultural immersion.
3. Hone Your Listening Skills Strong listening skills are important if you’d like to effectively engage in conversations. When you learn English with movies, you develop these skills that also expose you to the ideal accent and speech rhythms.
Depending on where you are in your English journey, you might opt to display subtitles in your native language, English subtitles, or no subtitles at all. Be sure to challenge yourself—if you can understand subtitled dialogue with minimal effort, it's time to take a crack at it without the visual aids!
As you watch, you'll become accustomed to the pace of everyday English, making it easier to speak naturally and more comfortably. This is immensely helpful if you find it hard to understand the fast-paced conversations of native English speakers.
4. Learn Gestures and Non-Verbal Communication Just like spoken language, body language is not universal across cultures.
Americans have multiple unique gestures that serve various purposes, from showing malcontent to signaling confusion. The longer you watch these cues on screen, the more you build up muscle memory.
In a tense boardroom scene, who leans in or avoids eye contact? In a rom-com, how do characters fidget or exchange glances before confessing their feelings?
Body language can sometimes even speak louder than words. For example, a raised eyebrow or a glance can mean curiosity, surprise, or even an expression of shock. Non-verbal communication is extremely important in everyday American conversations, and English movies are an excellent gateway to help you learn the intricacies of what isn't said.
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5. Expand Your Vocabulary Watching movies with intention helps you pick up new English words and phrases that ultimately bulk up your vocabulary bank. For example, in a film set in a bustling city, you might hear phrases like "grab a bite" or "hit the town" as characters discuss their plans.
Hearing these advanced expressions used in context makes it easier to understand and remember their meanings. If you want to learn everyday English idioms in a way that textbooks cannot teach, it's time to turn to the big screen.
6. Enhance Your Pronunciation Another reason to should learn English with movies is that movies can significantly improve your understanding of accents and pronunciation.
Take the movie Forrest Gump , for example. A famous American movie, the characters pronounce words in a very, very different way to The Departed 's Boston characters, for instance. Both of these movies feature strong marked accents, which are each uniquely very different from the more neutral General American accent you'll find in movies like The Breakfast Club , for example.
Navigating the complexities between these accents can be a real challenge for non-native English speakers. And that's not even touching on other English-speaking parts of the world, like British accents !
In addition to film, the BoldVoice app is a great tool for learning the American accent and enhancing the nuances of English pronunciation, with lessons from leal-life accent coaching serving as the backbone of their advanced curriculum.
7. Learn Contextually One of the trickiest things about learning a new language is deciphering what's appropriate and when. In linguistics, this is known as pragmatics.
Imagine someone saying, "Oh, great," after spilling coffee on their new shirt. The words alone might seem positive, but the context—the tone of voice, the frustrated expression, the messy stain—completely alters the meaning.
This simple example shows how language is deeply rooted in context. You must, therefore, adapt certain phrases to different emotions and situations as they provide the background that gives words their true meaning.
Movies naturally offer this rich context, showing how language flows in real-life situations rather than existing in isolation.
8. Train Your Speech Rhythm In films, you'll notice how a character’s voice gets louder and faster when they’re excited or becomes quiet and slow when they’re serious. Sometimes, words are spoken slowly, quickly, or even blend together like a song.
This rhythm makes dialogue feel real and natural, like a conversation you could join at any time. And it certainly can't be found in a textbook!
When you pay attention to these speech patterns, you start to understand the language more naturally. Without rhythm, speech can sound robotic or unclear, making it harder to connect with people.
Follow along as BoldVoice Coach Eliza takes you through a rhythm exercise before briefly explaining the role of speech rhythm in American communication:
9. Refine Your Accent with Shadowing If you've ever repeated your favorite lines from a movie, you've already started shadowing!
Shadowing is a powerful technique for mastering your spoken English accent. As you watch movies, pick a scene and repeat lines immediately after the characters, mimicking their pronunciation and intonation. This practice helps you internalize the rhythm and sounds of American English, making your speech clearer and more natural.
Over time, you'll notice your accent becoming more aligned with native speakers, boosting your confidence in real-life conversations.
10. Have Fun! The reality is, the most effective English training techniques are the ones that you'll actually do . If grammar drills and conjugation tables don't motivate you to practice (and we don't blame you), exploring American cinema might be a better bet.
Fun, engaging, and interesting content can be an extremely efficient way to hone your pronunciation and boost your English skills. You can enhance your cultural understanding, learn new words, and pick up on body language, all while enjoying yourself.
So cozy up on the couch, or make a day of it and head to the cinema. Learning awaits!
Kick Things Up a Notch with BoldVoice Learning English can be as enjoyable as a night at the movies. Each film you watch can serve as entertainment as well as a lesson in vocabulary, pronunciation, and real-life conversation.
By intentionally immersing yourself in the English language through movies, you pick up the subtleties of how people speak. When you add BoldVoice into the mix, you give yourself an extra edge.
While movies let you hear how English sounds in the real world, BoldVoice helps you master that sound, making sure your pronunciation is well refined.
So, sign up on BoldVoice to enjoy your free trial and keep the popcorn ready because your English skills are about to take off!
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