What are the best tips to practice during vacation?
Read this article to find out. What are the best ones for you?
INTRO
August is almost over. For many people in México, it is the last full month of summer. Some students are still on vacation, while others are starting to think about classes again. It is a perfect time to ask yourself: How can I practice English without feeling stressed?
Learning a language is a full-year process. However, during summer it is a great time to practice in a relaxed way. You do not need long study sessions. Small and fun activities every day can help you stay strong and even improve.
One easy way to practice is to change the language on your phone or social media to English. At first it feels strange, but after a few days you start to get used to more words naturally. You will see new vocabulary when you check messages or look at the weather.
Another good idea is to watch short videos or series on our English Smart Instagram page. Choose something you really like — maybe our cooking videos, sports, or funny clips. Pause when you hear a useful phrase and repeat it out loud. This helps your listening and speaking at the same time.
You can also play simple games in English. There are free online games like word searches, quizzes, or matching activities. Some of our favorite tools are Kahoot or Wordwall with vocabulary from different topics. Playing for ten minutes is more fun than studying a long list of words, and you will remember more.
Talking is very important too, although it is one of the more complex skills. If you have a friend who is also learning English, send each other short voice messages. Talk about your day, your plans for the weekend, or a funny story. Do not worry about mistakes. The goal is to communicate and feel more confident. It is a good way to notice minor mistakes in your speech that can be corrected with a little effort and can give you high rewards.
Reading is another excellent habit for vacation days. You can read our blog posts, short news articles, or even simple stories. Choose topics that interest you. When you find a new word, write it in a notebook with an example sentence. Review the notebook once a week.
Remember: consistency is better than intensity. Ten or fifteen minutes every day is enough to keep your English active. You do not need to study for hours. Just make English part of your normal summer routine.
What about you? Which of these ideas will you try this August? Tell us in the comments. We would love to know how you practice English during the summer!
Have a great August and keep speaking English!
Exercise 1: Reading Comprehension (A2)
After you read the text, choose the best answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
- For many people in México, August is:
A) The first month of summer
B) The last full month of summer
C) The beginning of winter
- What does the text say about studying English in summer?
A) You need long study sessions every day
B) You should stop studying completely
C) You can practice with small and fun activities
- What is one easy way to practice English?
A) Change the language on your phone to English
B) Buy many new English books
C) Travel to another country
- What should you do when you hear a useful phrase in a video?
A) Write it and forget it
B) Pause and repeat it out loud
C) Change the video immediately
- According to the text, what is better than intensity?
A) Consistency
B) Long hours of study
C) Studying only on weekends
- How long does the text recommend practicing every day?
A) Two or three hours
B) Ten or fifteen minutes
C) The whole afternoon
Exercise 2: Vocabulary (B1) – Choose the correct word
Complete each sentence with the best word from the box. There are more words than you need.
Word box:
stressed · relaxed · vocabulary · pause · quizzes · confident · consistency · intensity · habit · routine · mistakes · rewards
- Many students feel __________ when they have to speak English in front of other people.
- Playing English __________ for ten minutes is more fun than studying a long list of words.
- If you practice a little every day, you will develop a good __________.
- When you watch a video, __________ and repeat useful phrases out loud.
- The goal of sending voice messages is to communicate and feel more __________.
- __________ is better than studying for many hours only once a week.
- Reading helps you learn new __________ in a natural way.
- You should not worry too much about small __________ when you speak.
Exercise 3: Grammar – Verb Forms (B2)
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
- Learning a language __________ (be) a full-year process.
- After a few days you __________ (start) to get used to more words naturally.
- Pause when you __________ (hear) a useful phrase and repeat it out loud.
- Playing for ten minutes __________ (be) more fun than studying a long list of words.
- If you __________ (have) a friend who is also learning English, send each other short voice messages.
- When you find a new word, __________ (write) it in a notebook with an example sentence.
- Consistency __________ (be) better than intensity.
- Just __________ (make) English part of your normal summer routine.
By Victor Arreola