Introduction
Learning English is an exciting journey that can change your life by
introducing you to new cultures, people and places. Also, speaking
English will bring you so many more job opportunities.
8 Great Tips to
Learn English
Through Songs and
Music
How to Learn English
Phrases from Webcomics
What are
webcomics?
Webcomics are comics
(cartoons) that are
posted online.
Webcomics are great for
learning commonly used
English phrases
Once you find a new
phrase, try to listen for it in
other conversations by the
people around you, or
even on TV.
Listen to how and
when that phrase is
used. Then try
using it yourself.
Use the interactive subtitles,
flashcards and vocabulary
lists to learn English phrases
better than ever!
Learn Casual,
Everyday English
Phrases from These 8
Awesome
Webcomics
1. Hyperbole and a
Half
Is a blog that uses silly illustrations
to show the story
The blogs here are about many
topics
The blog is written in a friendly and conversational way
and uses many useful English phrases.
For example, you might say a dog is
big but if you use a hyperbole, “that
dog was bigger than two school buses
stacked on top of one another.”
2. The Oatmeal
This comic is also a
little different from
other web comics
Focuses more on art
than writing blogs.
Extremely colorful
images and a huge
variety of comics.
There are silly comics
about cats and
dinosaurs.
Sample phrase: “Forget that guy.”
This is usually said as “forget it” or
“forget about it.” It means don’t
worry about it.
3. Dinosaur
Comics
He language can be a bit difficult to
understand, and the topics can get pretty
philosophical and thought-provoking.
The conversations in the comics are great for
discovering interesting phrases and some more
academic language, if you can understand the slightly
more advanced English writing style.
50 AMAZING Facts to Blow
Your Mind.
Here’s a song called “Blow
Your Mind.”
4. Dr.
McNinja
Has crazy action scenes and even
crazier characters.
Sample phrase: “Speak of the
devil.”
It’s just another way of saying “Hey,
we were just talking about you!”
5. Doctor
Cat
Sample phrase: “Now that you
mention it…”
In this case, the phrase is used
sarcastically, pointing out something
obvious (that the man is probably
more bothered by his face peeling off
than by wearing contacts).
6. Girls With
Slingshots
Girls With Slingshots is
what’s called a “slice of life”
webcomic.
The comic uses a lot of sarcasm and
talks about some serious life issues,
22 The Complete Guide to Instant
English Immersion but it always
does so with a humorous tone.
Sample phrase: “Thanks for
stepping up to bat.”
In this comic, Jameson is thanking
Angel for helping him with his coffee
shop while he’s gone.
Where else you can find it: Online, the
phrase is used a lot to thank a group of
people for helping a cause or a
company by donating or contributing in
some other way.
7. Two Guys and
Guy
This comic is about three
friends who are “less than
perfect people.”
The comics show them in situations that are
typical—trying to write a book, getting along
with others—and some that are much weirder,
like robots and cloning.
Where else you can find it: You can see this
phrase in an excerpt from See Jane Run by
Joy Fielding. Here it’s actually used as a
way to deny that something is wrong.
Sometimes when a person says “don’t
worry,” the first thing you do is start to
worry!
8. Stick in the
Mud
Rod’s bar is not a normal bar—some of
the people who hang out there aren’t
really people at all.
It’s a comic about good drinks,
strange monsters and a guy just
trying to live his life and get over
his ex-girlfriend.
Sample phrase: “Stick in the mud.” Yes, the
name of the comic is actually a phrase! A stick
in the mud is someone who doesn’t like trying
new or exciting things.
Where else you can find it: In the Disney
movie “The Princess and the Frog,” the
frog calls the princess a stick in the mud.
He also calls her a killjoy.
There are hundreds of other webcomics
online (you can find a nice long list here) but
these eight are a good place to start. Have
fun!
8 Great Tips to Learn
English Through Songs and
Music
Why Learn English
Through Songs and
Music?
So what is it about songs that make them
such effective English learning tools?
It works.
• Learn everyday
language and colloquial
speech
Become familiar with
the sound of English.
Get English stuck inside
your head.
Songs are
emotional
Music is an easy
habit
Music teaches you English
culture
How to Learn English Through
Songs and Music: 8 Great Tips
Use difficult
language that isn’t
commonly used
aren’t mainstream (nothing against niche
artists, but if part of the goal is to connect
with English speakers, it’s probably more
efficient to learn from music that would give
you a common language)
are too fast (hard to
learn from)
don’t have lyrics
readily available
1. Go to the right place to find songs
2. Select the right songs
3. Get “scaffolding” and vocab support to digest the lyrics.
4. Study the lyrics and vocab
5. Sing
along.
6. Try to sing from memory
7. Periodically
review.
8. Find new music that builds on top of what you’ve
learned.