Learn and strengthen your skills by watching these five cherry-picked insightful, yet entertaining shows
English language, being the communication bridge between people of different nationalities, holds massive importance in our lives.
Of course, in the age of google translate, the communication gap has been decreasing over time. However, when you are in a meeting, giving interviews or sitting for an exam, you do not want devices to assist you, do you?
We cannot say that learning English is a piece of cake. Research claims English is considered one of the most difficult languages to learn for many. It has hundreds of conundrums which puzzle our mind.
But to ease the process of learning English, we now have a plethora of fun methods. For instance, learning or strengthening your skills by watching insightful yet entertaining shows is one of the ways.
To be fair, there are hundreds of shows to learn English better, but some are comparatively more useful than others. We have cherry-picked five shows that an English language enthusiast must watch.
Peppa Pig
If you are in the early stage of learning English, Peppa can be of great help. Although it is a children’s show, an adult can enjoy those silly joyful things while learning English. The language is simple and sophisticated but most importantly, it repeats sentences.
This will help you to learn English in an effective way while giving you the scope for practicing as well. Sometimes, they do use complicated words but the meaning is explained within the episode.
Furthermore, for people who are keen to learn the British accent, Peppa pig can be a “splendid” tool for them as well. You can find Peppa Pig’s episodes on YouTube easily.
Nigella’s cooking show
There cannot be any person who does not like food and watching delicious meals being prepared while learning English exquisitely from a gorgeous host can be enchanting. This host is a famous television cook and a writer Nigella Lawson. We have seen her in various cooking shows broadcasted on TLC.
However, Nigella’s shows are available on YouTube as well. Her English is as “luscious and smooth” as her food. Her eloquent vocabulary, diverse ways to use adjectives and adverbs, and accent, altogether, can help a person improve his/her English constructively.
Rick Steve’s Europe
Rick Steve is a renowned American travel writer and television show personality known for his rather underrated travel show “Rick Steve’s Europe”. His travel documentaries encourage one to explore the hidden gems of Europe and comprehend different cultures in an unbiased manner.
Not only do you get to list down dream travel destinations from his shows but can also significantly improve your vocabulary and speaking skills. His way of describing even the littlest wonders of Europe merged with his affection towards traveling is charming to the core.
Most importantly, his shows are great for learning common phrases and idioms. The sentences sound poetically smooth and it will not be baffling at all. Rick Steve’s Europe episodes can be found on his YouTube channel.
House of Cards
For many, House of Cards is a series full of political mumbo jumbos. However, once you start watching this show, you will understand how accessible its dialogues are and how it broadens your knowledge from different perspectives.
The complex sentences used at times can be helpful for professional life, to enhance writing skills, and to increase political vocabulary in general.
Another interesting thing about this series is how it dramatises simple quotes. Like one of Frank Underwood’s famous dialogues was “Money is the McMansion in Sarasota that starts falling apart after 10 years. Power is the old stone building that stands for centuries. I cannot respect the man who cannot tell the difference.”
It simply means money comes second where power comes first, nonetheless, it was a fascinating way to state that.
Downton Abbey
Among the shows mentioned above, Downton Abbey is the most popular one for learning English effectively. Set in Yorkshire, the characters of Downton Abbey speak in a very posh and clipped British accent that is quite understandable to all. If you are looking forward to learning some of the more obscure English words to impress your friends, Downton Abbey should be the perfect show for you.
There are six seasons in this period drama, each containing around ten episodes. After completing the whole series, you might feel like you are a part of a royal family and might pick up a good British accent as well. This is also a great show to learn about British culture and comprehend ironic British humour.
The article was originally published on TBS on 09 September 2021: https://www.tbsnews.net/features/pursuit/five-tv-shows-improve-your-english-language-skills-300124