Too often people say "I can't learn English! I've tried but..."

• "I can't... " : Some people find it difficult to learn English have fixed expectations: Because they do not understand about language learning, they expect things to 'just happen', like putting money in the bank.   Be realistic: know what you can expect (Don't think about a TOEFL test until you pass Intermediate English).  Set realisable targets: do something easy, and feel good about small successes.  Feel confident about what you can do.  Allow your brain time to digest what you have learnt.  If you are older than 6, you no longer have automatic language generating centres in your brain.  Accept that this is a reality: compared to a 5 year old, a 20 year old is handicapped in language learning.  A sad reality. 
  


• "I can't ..." : be constructive, say what you can do.  A confident person can say a lot with very little language

• "I only remember a few words, then I forget them."  How are you 'learning' these words?  Is there a more effective method? Instead of trying to memorise 50 words per day (and forgetting them), focus on better use of the words you 'sort of know'.   To learn words, many learners need to see and use the word in different ways.  This can be done through reading texts at the right level. 
  

Do you really want to learn, or are you just saying this? Do you believe you can learn?  Are you afraid of making mistakes? 

Some people find anything new difficult...   Are you open to trying new things?  If not, try something new today!  New food, a different way home, etc: break an old habit!   Problems with speaking?