Day 7: Which sentences should you learn?

Now you know why it's important to learn English sentences, and you know how to study them.

The next question is, which sentences should you study?

If you want to learn English well, you've got to use the real stuff.  

By "real", I mean stuff that English speakers actually say to other English speakers.

Have you taken a look at an English textbook written for people trying to learn English? When I lived in Japan, I used to go to the language section of the bookstore and laugh at the English textbooks. They were mostly written in Japanese, the example sentences were strange and unnatural, and a lot of the advice in them was incorrect. 

Here are some things to think about when you're choosing sentences to learn:

• Mistakes are good. Learning the kinds of mistakes that English speakers make teaches you how we think.
• You need to learn English for a variety of different functions. Just learning sentences from a single source, like a newspaper, isn't enough. You need to learn examples from debates, discussions, negotiations, introductions, meetings, arguments, announcements, etc.
• You need to understand the sentence - not just the meaning of the words, but the intent of the speaker.
• Don't worry about the "level". Practice simple sentences as well as more complicated ones, no matter what your ability level. If a sentence seems too complicated for you, just break it down into short pieces.

These are some of the ideas that I keep in mind when I collect sentences to teach on PhraseMix. I work hard to make sure that I am teaching a variety of different natural sentences. I carry a notebook around with me all the time and write down sentences I hear at work, at parties, on the street, in restaurants. From my list, I pick the most useful sentences and think of a common situation in which you might use each sentence.

OK, tomorrow we'll review what you've learned here and I'll give you a few more tips.

Thanks,
Aaron Knight
The PhraseMix guy

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