Five tips for busy learners: reading and writing

Most of us have busy lives, with work to do, family to look after and household chores to take care of. Sometimes it's hard to fit any English practice into the day. 

Here are a few simple ways for you to make the most of your time and practise reading and writing in English in your everyday life. 

Reading

Do you travel on public transport to work or to where you study? Do you have ten minutes' free time after lunch? 

Instead of playing a game on your phone or checking your social media, why not read a short article in English instead? 

Depending on your level of English, you could read the latest news on a news website or you could read articles which are written specially for learners of English, for example the Magazine on the LearnEnglish website. 

Reading is one of the best ways to improve your vocabulary. You're sure to encounter some new words as you read. Try to guess their meaning from the context, or make a note of them and look them up in a dictionary later.

Reading 'little and often' can really help you improve your English. Set yourself a goal of reading at least three times a week! 

Writing

Keeping a journal or diary in English is a good way to express yourself, improve fluency and practise using new words and grammar. It will help your spelling too.

Try to find five or ten minutes each day to write in your journal. As the weeks go by, and you look back in your journal, you'll see how much you've improved. 

Write down three things that you've done each day, or write about your ideas, your plans and dreams for the future. 

You can write simple sentences about your daily life or choose topics to write about such as 'my dream job' or 'my best holiday ever'. It's your journal, so the choice is yours!

It's up to you whether you type or write by hand, but research has shown that writing by hand helps us remember better.

So there you have it. Some super-easy ways to practise reading and writing, and, what's more, they don't cost anything. Choose one and start today!

Five tips to practise your English reading and writing

• Read a short article while you're on the bus or train.
• Set yourself a goal of reading at least three times a week.
• Keep a journal in English.
• Write down three things that you've done each day.
• Write about your ideas and your plans for the future.

Jo Blackmore