10 Ways to Learn English with Movies
If you want to learn English and also be entertained then start simple. It is enjoyable to learn English with movies as it is considered a fun learning method. Remember, English movies are made by people who are like you. Movies made by people from other land will have their cultural references like Caviar, Brooklyn Bridge, Tiffany’s, and things and phrases we have not come across yet.
Some Desi English movies you can watch are Bride and Prejudice, Bend It Like Beckham and Life of Pi.
Film Genres
For a British accent watch movies like Notting Hill, Kingsman, and Love Actually. For Australian accent watch movies of Chris Hemsworth, Nicole Kidman, and Hugh Jackman. A Harry Potter fan will watch all movies and read all the fan fiction articles online. The fan will read all the seven books multiple times. Therefore, find where your loyalties lie. Expand your horizons. Variety is the spice of life. You can choose movies from different genres to learn English.
| Genre | Movies |
| Animation | Shrek, The Croods, Moana, How to Train Your Dragon. |
| Super-hero | Avenger, Star Wars, Wonder Woman. |
| Sci-Fi | Avatar, The Martian, Wall-E. |
| Romance | The Fault in our Stars, P.S. I Love You, Notting Hill. |
| Action | John Wick. |
English movies provide a great opportunity to learn some specific and nautical vocabulary in English. They give you real-life situations that can be useful in gaining English fluency. There are 10 ways to learn English from movies.
1. Choose the Right Movies
- Be mindful of your language level. If you are a beginner, choose animated movies to learn. If you are an advanced learner you can watch drama. Moreover, try picking up movies with the same accent. When the language and the references are new, our brain shuts off completely and refuses to learn. Initially try picking up movies with the same accent and the same culture as you. It will help your mind to comprehend. Some popular kids movies are:-
- Beauty and the Beast.
- The Lion King.
- The Little Mermaid.
- How to Train your Dragon.
- Ice Age.
- Aladdin.
You have a plethora of options when it comes to picking up a drama movie. For example,
- Aftersun.
- May December.
- Oppenheimer.
- Little Women.
- Girlhood.
- Arrival.
2. Use Subtitles Effectively
You can start with subtitles in your native language. This will help you to understand the context better. As you progress you can switch to English subtitles. This will help you to understand the meaning of the spoken words. Subtitles help you to understand the dialogue. A written representation of dialogues makes it easier to learn a new language.
3. Pause and Repeat
You can pause after a key sentence and note down unfamiliar phrases. Look for the meaning of the phrases spoken, then understand the context. It is also crucial to practice the pronunciation of the words. Repeat the dialogue to practice pronunciation.
4. Focus on Common Phrases
Idioms or colloquial phrases are beneficial while learning English. It helps in understanding the association of words at an advanced level. Write them and use them in sentences, it takes your language learning skills to the next level.
5. Shadowing Technique
Imitating native speakers can be effective and fun. Listen to short segments of movies and how characters pronounce words. Immediately, repeat what you heard. Try focusing on fluency rather than accuracy initially. Start with simple dialogues and slowly progress to difficult dialogues. You can use a voice recorder and record yourself. This will help you figure-out the areas of improvement when you compare your voice with the original dialogue.
6. Analyse Scenes
To learn English from movies know the accents and cultural references of the dialogue spoken. Every scene has a set of vocabulary and expressions to learn. The language may change according to the character’s emotions. You can use the new vocabulary learned in your everyday conversations. For example, if you analyse a scene from the movie ‘Forrest Gump’, you learn new words like destiny and variety, and expressions like ‘Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you gonna get.’
7. Learn vocabulary in context
Learn new words spoken in movies. Especially, the context in which they are spoken. Try using a dictionary to understand the meaning of the words. Make sentences with the new words learned. This method will help you to learn new words. For example, new words learned from a scene from the movie Ice Age are, head away from, vicious, dagnabbit, thrilled, draw a bath, and peeping Tom.
8. Watch with a Purpose
Setting goals gives you a sense of purpose. For example, learning 10 new words or 5 new phrases can facilitate learning. Dialogues can make you ponder. This will help you utilize your time fruitfully. Deliberately attempt to use those words on an everyday basis. If the character in the movie is your favorite, you can visualize the scenes and recall the words. A sense of achievement overpowers you once you make those words a part of your daily life.
9. Engage in Post-Movie Activities
It is fun to watch a movie. If a movie has held your attention and fired your imagination, it has awakened your interest in learning English. Try to summarize the movie in English or your favourite scene. Make sure you use the expressions in the movie. This homework helps you to remember the phrases in the long run.
10. Watch Repeatedly
You should rewatch the movies you enjoy. It helps to reinforce language skills. Remember to combine entertainment with learning by watching movies then the results are spectacular. Especially, if you choose the movies in the genre you love.
Tips for Effective Learning from Movies
- Choose Movies with Daily Conversation – Movies with natural dialogues help learn English. So, initially avoid watching movies with heavy accents.
- Use Streaming Features – Cutting-edge technology has made it possible to watch movies on platforms like Netflix. Such platforms allow you to down the playback speed. It makes it easier to catch the details and understand them.
- Practice Consistently – Someone has rightly said, ‘Practice makes the man perfect’. There will be steady improvement if you spend 10 to 15 minutes practicing shadowing. If you are a movie buff practicing dialogues won’t be a difficult task for you.
- Combine with Other Skills – If you concentrate on reading, writing, and grammar along with shadowing, you will certainly have a good command of English. Taking notes, pronunciation, making sentences, and reading subtitles will help you to build confidence. Try reading film critic reviews to improve your English speaking skills.
So, these are the 10 ways to learn English from movies. Pull-up socks for this journey will help you not only to learn English but also improve grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and listening skills.