Dear Julia - I have been studying German for many years and, even though I live in a German-speaking country, until a few years ago, I had little success. I bought every self-help book and learning aid, thinking I could absorb most of what I needed on my own. The truth is that the only way to learn German or any other new language is to USE it. This involves speaking with a native speaker (and not another student) and listening to everything you can to reinforce the cadence, the way verbs, prepositions, articles, etc. work together. I had a teacher once who told me 1) to stop trying to translate everything in my head, and 2) if you only know 10 words, then use those. There may be people out there who have had success memorizing vocabulary and grammar from a book or two. But unless you take "ownership" of the language by speaking and listening, it will never stay with you. Italki has been a great method for me. I had to try a few teachers until I found one whose pace and focus were right for me. We work from a book she recommended but often we don't get further than a single paragraph because there are things she wants me to know and understand thoroughly before moving forward. Half our lesson is spent in normal conversation, the other half is where I might practice a new concept or answer questions specific to the day's lesson. But, it is my recommendation to you that you not waste a lot of money on finding the right books and spend the money instead on one-on-one interaction with a certified teacher. We recently moved and I literally threw away boxes and boxes of self-help books which only gathered dust on the shelf. There is no magic book. It's hard work, dedication, good teachers and motivation that will make it happen. Learn from my experience! And good luck, Leslie

(Part 2) If it hadn’t been for my French teacher who recommended that I search for such a website back in 2008, I wouldn’t have met my French girlfriend (unfortunately now-ex) . That experience allowed me to improve my knowledge of French considerably. My girlfriend, as well, increased her expertise in Ukrainian. Secondly, watching YouTube videos in English and leaving a comment or two increase your chances of having a decent written conversation if someone replies to your comment. Needless to say, the topics of the videos haveto be of interest to you personally, the things you are genuinely into. Last but not least, use Facebook to discuss issues you are interested in. Similarly, on YouTube you can comment on any number of different issues from the best places to visit to politics.

Hi, Sasha - I was intrigued by your question and after reading through your piece, have to say I don't find the multiple use of the word "language" at all distracting. Sometimes, it helps to google synonyms for a word, but in this case, there really isn't a much better way of referring to language other than to say "language." However, I want to add that your English is exceptionally good I hope you don't mind but I took the liberty to make a few, minor grammatical corrections and to re-phrase a few other things just to "tweak" the piece. You may have to compare it to word-for-word, but, I hope it helps you a little. I have to send this in two sections, though - it's exceeding the 2000 word limit. Seldom do foreign language students realize that work out-of-class can be even more efficient and productive than in a classroom The key is doing things that really strengthen one’s knowledge, the things that not only provide the learner with dry facts, but also help him or her acquire a habit of using proper vocabulary and grammar when needed. So, what do you need to do in order to pick up new language skills as fast as possible? I believe immersion into the language environment as well as constant daily practice is just what you need. While the former is easier said than done, the latter is something everyone can effortlessly do even when outside a country where your target language is spoken.There are many learning platforms where you can easily communicate with native speakers. I would recommend Italki, the website that allows one to ask language-related questions, and participate in open discussions with PMin.users. Being active will allow you to find penpals in a snap of a finger.

Yes, "conflict" is countable, and since your statement refers to multiple disputeS, it makes sense to stay in the plural and use conflictS. Hope this helps.

Try: You better not eat so much chocolate.

Just a few suggestions: Etiquettes should be singular: etiquette "If you want to get" should be "If you want to have" or " If you want to be more effective, your message should be::" Good question and hope this helps.

First, yes, there was a missing word and unless you can see the other part of the paragraph, you don't know if it was "about" or "for" or "to." However, regarding the reference to "women of layer and substance," my impression is that "layers" means women who have much more to whom they are than what appears only on the surface. For example, a woman who maybe looks poor by the way she dresses, may have many interesting aspects of her being underneath that surface appearance. Peel away the top layer and you might find an self-educated person, or below that, a woman who has perhaps suffered in her lifetime. It would imply that if we take the time, we can find out much more about the person than appears outwardly. The same thing with the use of the word, "substance." It sometimes refers to wealth, but in this case it may also refer to the depth of the woman - that she is caring, that she is giving, that she is forgiving, that she has strong convictions - these and other qualities make up a person's "substance." The two - layer and substance - are related but there's a fine difference. I hope this helps you.

Stay away from "When you are saying that" (unless you intend to refer to something the speaker is doing at the same time, as in: "When you are saying that, you aren't looking at me."). But, there are alternatives, especially if you want to refer to something said in the past. You can start with "When you say that . . " (which implies the speaker has said it before). Or, if you're want to refer to something that just happened, you can say, "When you just said that . . " Or, if you want to refer to something the speaker says often, you can say, "Whenever you say that . . " To be more polite, try: "I am sure you didn't intend to say anything bad, but . . " (for something said once), and "I'm sure you don't intend to say anything bad . . " (when the speaker has made the remark before). I hope I haven't confused you!?