You have attended every lesson and learnt your vocabulary. But when someone asks, “Has your English improved much?”, you find it hard to answer confidently.
You may wonder whether to take more lessons or change how you study. Spending more time is one option, but first ask yourself: what did you hope would change, and in which situations are you looking for that change?
The length of time you have studied and the number of lessons you have taken cannot tell you everything about your progress. Start by checking whether your practice connects with your current goal.
Break “becoming fluent” into smaller parts
You may want a simple answer to whether your English has improved, but a conversation draws on several skills. You understand a question, decide what to say, find the expressions, say them out loud and check whether your meaning got across.
Which part feels hardest? Perhaps starting is easy but longer explanations are difficult. Perhaps prepared answers go well but questions catch you out. Or perhaps you can keep talking but rely on the same expressions.
Changing your goal from “get better” to “give a reason for my opinion” makes both practice and progress easier to assess. You do not have to change everything this month.
Answer the same question again
If today's lesson and last month's lesson covered different topics, it is hard to compare how you did. Choose a familiar topic and return to it from time to time.
For example, answer the question “Can you describe a problem you solved recently?” Note which expressions made you stop the first time, then answer the same question after practising.
Speed is not the only thing that can change.
- Did you describe the situation in more detail than before?
- Did you add a reason or an example?
- Did you find another way to continue when you got stuck?
- Could you respond when the listener asked a follow-up question?
If possible, ask a teacher or conversation partner for feedback using the same criteria. Recording yourself speaking on your own is optional. If it feels uncomfortable, you can take notes instead.
Whether twice a week suits you depends on your life and goals
There is no set number of lessons that is enough for everyone. Your current level, target date, how long you can focus at a time and opportunities to use English outside lessons all make a difference.
If you have an English presentation coming up, you may need to focus on that situation for a while. If you want to keep developing your conversation skills over time, your first priority may be finding regular practice time that fits your daily life.
If you are planning two lessons a week, ask not only “Will twice be enough?” but also “What will I practise in those lessons, and what will I use again before the next one?”
Lesson frequency is a way to support your goal. More lessons are not always the answer, and fewer lessons will not produce the same result for everyone.
Make one small connection between lessons
If there is so much to review that you cannot get started, choose just one expression you needed in the last lesson. Read it out loud, then use it to say something about your own life.
Try starting with this plan and adjusting it to fit your daily life.
- On the day of the lesson: choose one expression you want to use again.
- At your next practice: use it to say something short about yourself.
- In the next lesson: try it in a real conversation and ask for feedback.
During a busy week, you can do less. Deciding what to return to can reduce the effort of choosing something to review every time.
If nothing seems to change, pause before blaming yourself
If the same difficulty continues for a while, show your teacher a specific example. “I can answer expected questions, but I stop at follow-up questions” is more useful for adjusting a lesson than “My English isn't improving.”
Check together whether you actually have opportunities to speak, whether the feedback makes sense and leads to further practice, and whether the topics fit your goals.
Your consistent attendance matters. The next step is to look at the practice filling that time. Before making a bigger plan, choose one thing you want to change in your next lesson.