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With over 840 million speakers worldwide, English is second only to Mandarin Chinese as the world\u2019s most popular language. For those at home in their own countries, learning English has several advantages: expanding ones\u2019 social circle; opening up more business opportunities; or allowing one to better enjoy English pop culture.<\/span><\/p>\n However, for those who wish to become U.S. citizens, learning English is absolutely indispensable. In addition to a civics test about U.S. history and government, candidates for naturalization<\/strong> are also required to conduct a brief\u00a0interview with a USCIS<\/a> officer who will test their\u00a0English proficiency. Since failing this test\u00a0can cause your application to\u00a0 be denied, it’s a good idea to study up.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Fortunately, there are many tools to learn English as a second language that are both effective and budget-friendly. Here, we’ve gathered together some of the best cost-effective tools you can use to learn English. <\/span><\/p>\n The British Broadcasting Corporation<\/a>, or BBC, is the oldest national broadcasting organization in the world, as well as the largest by number of employees. Aside from being a great source of English broadcasts<\/strong>, which any student can listen to as an aide to boost their listening skills, the organization also offers free online courses in over 40 different languages. Courses include lessons, activities, and tests which educate users on phrases, vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar, enabling users to learn English without paying a cent. <\/span><\/p>\n Instead of wasting hours on your phone playing Angry Birds, why not learn a language for free? There are many popular phone apps that promise to teach users how to speak a new language. The most popular of these is Duolingo<\/a>, which was named Apple\u2019s App of the Year in 2013 and continues to be one of the most widely-used language apps. The app uses adorable animal graphics and sound effects to turn learning English into a fun game in which users \u201cscore\u201d points to reach new levels of challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n Another popular free language app is Byki<\/a>, a downloadable flashcard program that allows users to learn new words in the new-old fashioned way. Three vocabulary lists are available for free, and additional content sets cost about $8 each. <\/span><\/p>\n The internet enables users to connect to people around the world in seconds, and people who are learning English<\/strong> can use that to their advantage. Examples of free sites which connect students to native speakers around the world include Mylanguageexchange.com, which has more than 1 million members, and interpals.net, which has a nice interface that makes connecting fun. Couchsurfing.com, while not specifically designed to help people learn English, is also a great way to connect to native English speakers. If you need a more personal approach, you can also book an online teacher at italki.com, which has over 3,000 teachers and tutors. Prices range from $10 to $30 USD an hour, which, while not free, is still very affordable.<\/span><\/p>\n Of course, as any second-language speaker<\/strong> can tell you, the most effective way to learn any language is to become immersed in the culture. With English, this isn\u2019t difficult to do. Some of the most famous and popular music, TV shows, movies, and blogs in the world are in English, and most of them are easy to access. A simple Netflix account will give you access to hundreds of English movies and shows, which you can watch with or without subtitles. Through the internet, you can read English newspapers, magazines, and blogs, and apps like TuneIn Radio will let you access English and American radio stations for free. <\/span><\/p>\n Learning English is a huge challenge\u2014but money doesn\u2019t have to be the thing holding you back. Like many other things in life, you will get as far as you are willing to work! <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_cta _builder_version=”3.0.106″ title=”Find out why we\u2019re one of the top immigration lawyers in Greensboro. Let us help you today!” button_text=”Get In Touch” button_url=”\/contact-us-form\/” url_new_window=”off” use_background_color=”on” background_layout=”dark” custom_button=”on” button_icon_placement=”right” button_text_color=”#ffffff” button_border_color=”#ffffff” button_text_color_hover=”#486891″ button_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” button_border_color_hover=”#ffffff” saved_tabs=”all” global_module=”2240″ \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With over 840 million speakers worldwide, English is second only to Mandarin Chinese as the world\u2019s most popular language. For those at home in their own countries, learning English has several advantages: expanding ones\u2019 social circle; opening up more business opportunities; or allowing one to better enjoy English pop culture.<\/span><\/p> However, for those who wish to become U.S. citizens, learning English is absolutely indispensable. In addition to a civics test about U.S. history and government, candidates for naturalization<\/strong> are also required to conduct a brief\u00a0interview with a USCIS<\/a> officer who will test their\u00a0English proficiency. Since failing this test\u00a0can cause your application to\u00a0 be denied, it's a good idea to study up.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> Fortunately, there are many tools to learn English as a second language that are both effective and budget-friendly. Here, we've gathered together some of the best cost-effective tools you can use to learn English. <\/span><\/p> The British Broadcasting Corporation<\/a>, or BBC, is the oldest national broadcasting organization in the world, as well as the largest by number of employees. Aside from being a great source of English broadcasts<\/strong>, which any student can listen to as an aide to boost their listening skills, the organization also offers free online courses in over 40 different languages. Courses include lessons, activities, and tests which educate users on phrases, vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar, enabling users to learn English without paying a cent. <\/span><\/p> Instead of wasting hours on your phone playing Angry Birds, why not learn a language for free? There are many popular phone apps that promise to teach users how to speak a new language. The most popular of these is Duolingo<\/a>, which was named Apple\u2019s App of the Year in 2013 and continues to be one of the most widely-used language apps. The app uses adorable animal graphics and sound effects to turn learning English into a fun game in which users \u201cscore\u201d points to reach new levels of challenges.<\/span><\/p>Use the BBC<\/b><\/h3>\n
There\u2019s an App for That<\/b><\/h3>\n
Connect Through the Web<\/b><\/h3>\n
Read, Watch, and Listen <\/b><\/h3>\n
Use the BBC<\/b><\/h3>
There\u2019s an App for That<\/b><\/h3>