Stuck at intermediate level English? Try these tips



So, you've reached an intermediate level of English – congrats! You can understand most things about familiar topics and can express yourself in most situations. But maybe you've been here a while, and now you're stuck in what we call the 'intermediate plateau'. Often when we begin learning something, progress is fast and noticeable, but perhaps now it's difficult to see your improvements. Let's see if some new ideas can propel your learning forward.



If your study routine mostly consists of flash cards and grammar exercises, it's time to switch it up. In an article called 'The four strands' by Paul Nation, he suggests that while such exercises are important for building a strong foundation, we should also make time for more meaning-focused learning. That means lots of reading and listening, with a focus on gaining knowledge and enjoyment from the topic itself and learning new vocabulary through context clues. That way, you immerse yourself in the language and get a feel for how it's used in the real world.



But don't stop there! Next, you've got to actually produce the language in a purposeful way. According to Merrill Swain's 'Output Hypothesis', speaking helps us to notice holes in our knowledge that we can then work on. Speaking also gives us the chance to experiment with language and, following feedback, either correct or maintain it.



What about fluency? Fluency is using what you already know smoothly and quickly, without focusing on learning new words. Set a timer and talk to yourself about a topic, then repeat, setting a shorter timer each time.



Breaking through the intermediate plateau is tricky. But, the key is not to rely on just one type of activity. Experiment with a well-balanced approach, varied materials, and above all, enjoy yourself, and you'll start seeing incremental improvements that'll send you on your way to master English at a higher level.



词汇表

intermediate level [ˌɪntəˈmiːdiət] 中级水平

be stuck in 陷入，被困在，卡在

intermediate plateau [ˌɪntəˈmiːdiət ˈplætəʊ] 中级瓶颈期（指学习者在达到中级水平后，进步明显放缓的阶段）

noticeable [ˈnəʊtɪsəbl] 明显的，显著的

propel [prəˈpel] 推动，推进，驱使

flash card （有单词或图片的）教学卡片，闪卡

switch it up [swɪtʃ] 改变方式，换种做法

The four strands [strændz] 四大要素（指语言学习的四个方面：意义聚焦输入、意义聚焦输出、语言聚焦学习、流利性发展）

strong foundation [faʊn'deɪʃ(ə)n] 坚实的基础

meaning-focused learning 意义聚焦的学习（关注语言的意义和使用，而非单纯的语言形式）

context clue [ˈkɒntekst kluː] 上下文线索，语境提示

immerse yourself in [ɪˈmɜːs] 沉浸于，全身心投入

get a feel for 感受，体会，初步了解

purposeful [ˈpɜːpəsf(ə)l] 有目的的，有意识的

Output Hypothesis [ˈaʊtpʊt haɪˈpɒθəsɪs] 输出假说（指学习者通过产出，即说或写，来促进语言习得的过程）

experiment with [ɪkˈsperɪment] 尝试，试验

fluency [ˈfluːənsi] 流利度，流畅性

timer [ˈtaɪmə(r)] 计时器，定时器

break through 突破，克服，打破

tricky [ˈtrɪki] 棘手的，困难的，难办的

varied [ˈveərid] 多样化的，各种各样的

incremental [ˌɪŋkrəˈment(ə)l] 递增的，渐进的，逐步的



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