[General] English learning questions

[Peterx]

Hello!

I'm Peter, Hungarian, and started studying English about a month ago.

I have some questions for you.

My current English learning routine looks like this:

-I learn from "Essential Grammar In Use" and "English Vocabulary in Use" books

-I read graded readings

-I listen to entry level podcasts

-I use Effortless English. I don't know how effective it is? Is it worth it? Can you suggest anything else instead? 120 minutes a day goes here !!!

How long does it take to learn English? Do you agree? What is your experience?

According to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages:

A2 - 180-200 hour
B1 - 350-400 hour
B2 - 500-600 hour
C1 - 700-800 hour
C2 - 1000-1200 hour

I have 3 hours a day for studying and 6 hours on weekends.
With this intensive learning, you can reach C1 or C2 levels in as little as 8 months if you believe in these statistics.
Do you think this can be done? What is your experience?

Thank you very much for your help!

 

[jutfrank]

You've asked a lot of questions so I'll answer what I think is your main question.

From your post, you appear to have a high level already, so I suspect you may already be at C1. If not, you're not far off.

Have you tested your level? What was the result? If you haven't, you should.

 

[Peterx]

Thanks for the recognition, but I used Google Translate to write this post.

I've done several tests, I'm currently at A1 level.

 

[emsr2d2]

Thanks for the recognition, but I used Google Translate to write this post.

Please don't do that again. There is no point asking for our help if you're not going to show us your actual level of English. Please write all future posts yourself, without external help.

 

[jutfrank]

Thanks for the recognition, but I used Google Translate to write this post.

I've done several tests, I'm currently at A1 level.

Wow! That totally had me fooled! I'm very disappointed I didn't suspect that. But I suppose it's a good thing that Google Translate is getting good.

Anyway, stop using Google Translate. That's not going to help you practise, is it? And it doesn't allow us to assess your abilities.

 

[Tarheel]

I second what jutfrank said. Also, don't ask so many questions in one post. As for how long it will take you to reach the level you want to reach, it's hard to tell. For one thing, you might decide you don't want to keep working that hard and slack off or even stop altogether. Also, different people have different innate language learning abilities. Additionally, how quickly you learn depends at least in part on how willing you are to listen to the advice you are given. (My opinion.)

That's long enough, don't you think?

 

[jutfrank]

How old are you, Peter?
Would you say that you have a special talent for learning languages?
Apart from Hungarian, do you know any additional languages?
What CEFR level would you like to reach?

 

[Glizdka]

You've asked a lot of questions so I'll answer what I think is your main question.

From your post, you appear to have a high level already, so I suspect you may already be at C1. If not, you're not far off.

Have you tested your level? What was the result? If you haven't, you should.

Thanks for the recognition, but I used Google Translate to write this post.

I've done several tests, I'm currently at A1 level.

Not a teacher

I now have a proof. Artificial intelligence is competent enough to fool an English teacher into thinking that they may be reading a C1 level user's text. ;-)

What Google Translate has learned over the last couple years is truly amazing, and I've seen many flawless translations from it, however, one thing is always required - your original text you type into the translator must also be well written.

 

[jutfrank]

Not a teacher

I now have a proof. Artificial intelligence is competent enough to fool an English teacher into thinking that they may be reading a C1 level user's text. ;-)

Oh, no! Can't we just forget about that? I must have been having a bad day. Dammit.

What Google Translate has learned over the last couple years is truly amazing, and I've seen many flawless translations from it, however, one thing is always required - your original text you type into the translator must also be well written.

It really does seem to have improved a lot recently, yes. You make a good point about the text having to be well written in the first place. I think it also depends on the kind and complexity of the language too, don't you think? All of Peterx's sentences above are relatively simple.

(Perhaps we could do a little experiment of some kind? A kind of Turing Test of our own?)

 

[jutfrank]

I suspect you may already be at C1. If not, you're not far off.

Notice, however, how I was not completely convinced of the C1 level. I think this is because although the text is natural, it's still kind of simplistic.

Apparently, if GT were a student in my school, it would be at least in an upper-intermediate class. :-D

 

[Tdol]

-I use Effortless English. I don't know how effective it is? Is it worth it?

I haven't heard many people suggest it is.

I would add Practical English Usage to your booklist.

You could go for higher level podcasts- you're already at a higher level in your writing.

You have what it requires to get to a high level- effort and time.

 

[jutfrank]

you're already at a higher level in your writing.

How do you know that? Have you read the whole thread?

 

[Glizdka]

It really does seem to have improved a lot recently, yes. You make a good point about the text having to be well written in the first place. I think it also depends on the kind and complexity of the language too, don't you think? All of Peterx's sentences above are relatively simple.

(Perhaps we could do a little experiment of some kind? A kind of Turing Test of our own?)

Peterx is Hungarian. This language isn't even Indoeuropean; there aren't many speakers of Hungarian to learn from, either. I think whatever Peterex told GT to translate, it must have been pretty well written.

Even if you were on a bad day, I still take it as my little proof. ;-)

 

[GoesStation]

Google Translate's English results vary widely depending on the source language. Languages that don't use personal pronouns lead to poorer results. I assume that Vietnamese suffers from that as well as a paucity of material for Google to work with; whatever the reasons, Google tends to produce gibberish from Vietnamese sources.