Being proficient in English

Being proficient in English

        Being proficient in English means you can use English accurately, fluently and freely.  That also means you must know enough English grammar, vocabulary as well as knowledge to do so.  Well, like learning any other languages, learning English is a life-long process through reading and practising in listening, speaking and writing.  Hence to master the language requires an active participation in the use of the language and the awareness of grammar and its usage.

        In my opinion, the best and most natural way to acquire the language is through reading intensively and extensively.  Reading intensively with guidance is for the purpose of knowing the basic skills of English.  For example, the guided English that you learn in school with both general and specific objectives to achieve.

        Reading extensively, on the other hand, is reading on your own for pleasure and knowledge.  Reading widely enables you to acquire a great variety of vocabulary on different subjects in different fields in context.  Learning the usage of words in context, in my opinion, is the best, most effective and natural way to learn English vocabulary in action.

        Besides, you will get familiarised with the structures of the language through reading.  Then English will become spontaneous / a natural part of you in the course of time as a result of constant exposure.

        Well, like listening,  reading activities are just the input of the language.  Speaking and writing activities, on the other hand, are the output of the language.  It is the production of the language in the oral and written communication which is a two-way process. 

        However, to raise your English to the standard when you can speak and write accurately in the output, well, you need more than spontaneity of the language.  That means you need to learn English grammar consciously / with awareness.  You should know how to analyse and explain all the basic rules so that you can edit your writing at ease.  With the knowledge of English grammar, you know how to use different word forms and their functions correctly;  how tenses are related to the aspect of time of an action and the active / passive voice.

        With the knowledge of how different word forms function, you will have no problems to decide which form to use to serve the function in the sentence.  Take  the words, ‘ succeed | success  |  successful  |  successfully ’ in different forms, for example, in the following sentences.

1.  [Francis] succeeded in (his studies) finally.     (verb)

2.  [He] is /a successful man now/.        (attributive adjective)

                             XXXXXX

3.  [He] always attributes (his success) to hardship and difficulties.           

       (noun)         

4.  [His positive attitude and mindset] enable him to manage (his  

     life and profession) successfully.   (adverb)        -----------  

                                       ~~~~~   

Now let’s analyse the function of the word, ‘succeed | success | successful | successfully’ each sentence.

        In the sentence, “Francis succeeded in his studies finally.”, the word ‘succeeded’ functions as a verb which indicate the doing of an action.  In the sentence, “He is a successful man now.” , the word ‘successful’ functions as a modifier which modifies the noun ‘man’.  In the sentence, “He always attributes his success to hardship and difficulties.” , the word ‘success’ function as an object of the verb ‘attributes’ and an object is a noun in essence.  In the sentence, “His positive attitude and mindset

enable him to manage his life and profession successfully.”, the word ‘successfully’ is an adverb of manner which modifies to-infinitive  ‘to manage’  which tells us how he manages his life and profession.

        In the aspect of time / tenses, Sentence 1, it is in the  Simple Past Tense as it indicates an action in the past whereas, the other 3 sentences are in the Simple Present Tense as it tells the fact at present. 

        In terms of voice, all the 4 sentences are in the active voice which indicates the state of being or an action of the doer.

        Look, if you know all the tenses in both the active and passive voice, half of the battle in mastering English is won.  The rest is about how different word forms  function in a sentence.  That’s it!

 

In English, there are 9 word forms / classes / parts of speech to know and how they function in a sentence. 

          9 word forms

          1.  Nouns  2.  Pronouns  3.  Verbs  4.  Adjectives  5.  Adverbs  

          6.  Conjunctions  7.  Prepositions  8.  Exclamations  9.  Determiners

          In general, a simple sentence in English consists of a subject with the symbol [ S ]  and a finite verb which is underlined and the object in parenthesis (   ) which is either the  object of  transitive finite / non-finite verb / preposition.

          For speaking form of English, of course, you also need some ideas of basic speech sounds and sound patterns.  As we know communication is a two-way process and we communicate for various purposes.  In order to understand the message and be understood , we need to know the articulation and enunciation of English words in general and some ideas of assimilation, elision and linking of speech sounds in rapid speech in order to ensure smooth communication. 

          With a good grasp of English grammar and usage as well as having a rich stock of vocabulary and general knowledge, you are in command of the language.  Of course, you need  good knowledge of English  speech sounds and patterns as well to qualify yourself to mastering the language.