I'm going to share with you guys the story on how I've learned English, and tell you which is the best way to learn/improve it as well, in my modest opinion. You guys can also share how you've learned the language in the comments below. xD

Anyway, to tell you guys how I learnt English, since this is a common question friends ask eventually, here is how it went:

When I was a teenager, my parents put me in a Private Language Institute, and I studied there for two years. I was always bored and annoyed about going there to study English, and I spent almost two years on the very first book, which was the very basic beginning or first steps to any aspiring student/learner to take, and that great amount of time on just one book was because of the difficulties of learning a new language I went through. But their system was flawed, in my opinion. For the first book (the very first, a.k.a. *English kindergarten*), the teachers lectured in Portuguese to teach English to us, meaning, grammar and rules were transmitted to us in Portuguese, so then we could understand and use the language. But, by the time I started with the second book, and still at the same level (it was book 2 of the same course, *kindergarten*, first steps, whatever you want to call it), the teachers then only spoke in English, which was really mind-boggling. So then, I quit that school. I was already annoyed and bored during the whole time I was "forced" to study it, and that sudden shift in how the class was presented was really difficult on me. This was in the span of time between 1991-1993.

Then, I was happy to have only school again and school homework to deal with (elementary, high), and not having to worry about two schools (elementary/high + Private Language Institute). I never felt any real urge or love to go back into studying English. Then the law here in Brazil changed, and it says the elementary and high schools had to teach at least one foreign language to students, and they picked two to include in their programs: English and Spanish. A student can pick just one of them, so I picked English. I started to notice that, even though I was not really good or interested during the time I had spent at the Private Language School, people (classmates) would come to me for help. The teacher would pose questions/exercises/homework/etc... and I was doing well enough to call the attention of my classmates, to the point they started coming to me for help. That was a good feeling. lol xD

Then, I don't know how or when I felt the feeling of "I hate studying English" changing to "I love English" inside me, but it did, and it was really, as it is today, loving it, not necessarily loving to study it, but loving the language itself. So, for the past twenty years, since 1993, I've been using it for personal entertainment. My first computer was gifted to me by my father in 1997, and that's when I started to chat (live chatting) with others. I was still a scared kitty about it, as I was not good enough yet. I remember I used to pledge the natives to use only "basic or non-complex" words/sentences, LOL, but I discovered in chatting a great tool for improvement. On 1995, I went to Disneyland/world in Orlando-FL, and during those fifteen days in the U.S.A., my roommates relied on me for everything as well (to call room service, make requests, translate signs and food ingredients, etc...). So I guess you can see how slow my progress was, right ? In the span of four years, I was still a newbie at English: 1993, doing well at English classes in my school once elementary was forced to teach a foreign language; a change in my heart about the language itself; 1995 Disney trip; 1997, first computer and first ever online chatting experiences.

So how did I really learn ? Video Games. I remember playing "Resident Evil" on my PlayStation (PS1), the very first and original title in the series, and not understanding anything of its dialogues. There were no subtitles back then either, but at that time, not even subtitles would have helped me much, even though it was 1995-1996 when this happened (meaning, two or three years after being the #1 in my English class and in the perception of my classmates). I've always been a fan of video games, and during that time (1995-1996), the games began to become "interactive movies", with dialogues, storylines, plots, etc... Once I started to feel comfortable enough with the language, only then I noticed what games, music, movies, etc... had really done for me, and do still. I think what I've experienced during the learning process is that of what babies go through as well. We all are born knowing no language at all. So, what happens is that, by hearing others, you learn a language, and only then you'll start to speak it, then read it, then write it. It goes without saying that, today, while playing games, with or without subtitles, I can understand them with ease, including the original "Resident Evil" xD.

By 2003, I went back to that same English school I used to frequent back in the time period of 1991-1993, and I took a "level placement test", just for my own curiosity. I commited just four mistakes out of 70 or 80 questions, and was graded as "high-advanced level", and was told I could take part in their "high-advanced" courses if I wished. I was over the moon. xD

Since the last semester of 2012, and because of the fact that I'm thinking of becoming a teacher (I have been encouraged to try for it by the natives), I have become an English student. It's funny how I feel I don't really need classes (I can handle things on my own when I need to), even though one learns new things all the time. For example, I have always known of "to brag", "bragging", etc..., but in the English course that I'm taking, I learned of "braggart" which is a word I've never ever seen or heard before. If I am confronted by something new, I just look it up in the dictionary, and I’m good to go, or I ask for help from my foreign friends.

Before the last semester of 2012, I took yet again another "level placement test" at this other school, and I got 98% correct answers out of more than 200 questions, and I was placed straight into the "Mastering English" course of theirs. I assume I'll be getting a Master's degree by the time I'm done with this course. They are pretty good.

On the last semester of 2012, my average grade on "level 2" out of four levels of the "Mastering English" course was 88.89 (out of 100). xD

So when people ask me how I learned English, my answer is simply "by myself", because that's the way I see it, and it's the truth. The 1991-1993 studying process does not count, in my opinion, neither does the English taught at elementary and high schools (and it was awful, compared to the private school which was extremely better). I believe that music, movies, etc... are good learning tools. Singing-a-long songs can help you with your pronunciation, and the subtitles on movies or lyrics on songs can help you with your grammar.

In my opinion, though, the greatest tool one can have to learn or improve their English skills are video games. You see, games are the same as movies and music, as far as reading and listening are concerned, but there's a fundamental difference, in my opinion. A player/gamer is not an actor/actress, but regardless, when you are playing a game, you ARE that character. You have to commit to that character, and connect with him/her, emotionally, physically and mentally. You have to be one with the character in such a level that you become him/her for the time you are playing the game. Therefore, you become automatically immersed in an universe where English is spoken, written and used. When that character thinks in English, or speaks in English, so do you. Even when nothing is being spoken in the game (as the character speaks to himself/herself or to others, or thinks to himself/herself), you begin to notice that, as you explore the in-game world as that character, you start to think in English as well, to yourself. You begin to plan your surviving tactics, to determine your own pace and how to explore the world in the game, to know and understand what is going on with and around you and the other characters in the story (even surpassing just the basic understanding of what the story/game is showing to you on-screen, as your perception of the story goes deeper than just that), and some other factors...all of that, you begin to automatically think to yourself in English. You have to commit to English, and understanding it is paramount to achieve your goals in some games, or at least to achieve them in a more precise, "professional" manner, as the hero in the game would have achieved such goals by himself/herself. This is also true for sports (games), though these only really use English language on their menu options (there are hardly any dialogues or story/plot in a sport game), but, since you learn how to think (and not only speak/read/write) in English through gaming, you will notice that you begin to think in English when you plan ahead your tactics to win a match, or a car race, or even when you have to adjust your strategy midway through the match/race, in order to try and win it. Using English becomes natural with video games, and I highly recommend it. You begin to use the language as if you were a native speaker, and you get intimate with a lot of expressions, idioms, dialects and so on, and all of that at an emotional level, impossible to experience through other types of media which do not put you in the character's shoes as games do.

It got to such a level that I do not even use Portuguese anymore. I only use it for others. If I have to write something for a third party, or speak to them, I’ll do it in Portuguese. Otherwise, for me personally, it’s English, 24/7. I do everything in English, from thinking to myself to even editing my own personal files (documents, spreadsheets, etc...) in my computer. As long as it’s for my eyes only, and it’s something I don’t have to share/show to other Brazilians, it’s going to be edited/done in English.

And, a little tip, don't bother with non-native speakers who brag about themselves not using subtitles on movies or games. Having a lot of friends across the world, I know for a fact that even the native users of the language use subtitles. You keep both your vocabulary and grammar sharp, by doing it, so why not do it anyway ? You can keep practicing and/or enjoying both listening and reading at the same time, and even if you do not read books, you'll be doing some very good reading, regardless, since most games are longer than any movie that is out there, and, like I previously said, you have to commit to the language in order to savor the experience and the story at a very satisfying and pleasant level. You'll be just as good as anyone who reads books, as the stories are based on books or written by novelists, and are quite long. And there are many games out there, specially the ones of the "RPG" genre, which have a lot of books scattered throughout the in-game world, which you can buy (or steal, lolXD), or pick up and read them on the fly, and they enrich not only your English vocabulary and skills, but also the sense of immersion you get in the game's universe.

And these days, with all of the online networks which are available to us, another great thing gaming provides are friends from all of the corners of the world. You get to hang out with the natives and make friends with them, and I know I have made some very special buddies everywhere. Thanks guys! xD

It’s a constant connection with the language, and by hanging with the natives, you practically become one of them. I don’t really live in Brazil, I live in it physically, but not in my mind. xD This constant connection with the language is tremendously beneficial to an individual: either you are chatting (to your friends) or gaming (and hearing/reading stuff which is done by natives), or watching a movie with your family, or listening to some tunes and singing them along. xD Not to mention getting in touch with some of its rules, and refreshing your memory, from time to time.

Modesty aside, I guess you can verify that video games did great by me, both on the reports of my "level placement" tests and my average grade on the last semester of 2012, which I shared with you in this article, and in my writing. xD

I'm extremely addicted to English, as I'm to coffee, racing, gaming, music and motion pictures/sitcoms/TV series. lol xD

I simply love it! xD

Later guys. I hope you don't mind this long article of mine, and that you had fun reading it. xD

Leave your opinions below, if you wish, and your own stories on how you've learned English. xD

I just had a midterm, and I decided to share my self-made flashcard with you guys. Enjoy.

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1- Verbs of Perception (that can be followed by either an infinitive without "to" or an -ING form):

To see
To feel
To hear
To overhear

A. Did you see that stuntwoman do/doing a parachute jump on TV yesterday ?

B. I heard your uncle say/saying that he is terrified of heights.

C. I could feel the man stare/staring at me.

D. I overheard my niece say/saying that her father got a promotion.

the meaning is different:
Infinitive without to - means one witnessed an event or a moment from the beginning to the end (the whole thing in its entirety);
-ING - means one caught up on an event or a moment which was already in progress, and only from a certain point, followed it through to the end.

E. I heard an awesome violinist play at the Concert Hall yesterday.

*In the sentence above, it's implied that the person heard everything the violinist played FROM BEGINNING TO END.

F. I heard an awesome violinist playing at the Concert Hall yesterday.

*In the sentence above, it's implied that the concert was IN PROGRESS when the person heard it.

We can use an -ING form after the verbs "to see", "to feel", "to hear" and "to overhear" in order to emphasize an action in progress.

G. When I walked into the house, I heard my wife singing in the shower. (she was ALREADY singing when her husband came into the house. ACTION IN PROGRESS).

According to traditional English rules, the following verbs can also be followed by either form:
To watch
To listen
To look at

Current American usage, however, indicates that "to watch" and "to listen" are usually followed more frequently by an infinitive without "to".

H. I just sat there and watched my cousin lift those heavy weights by himself.

I. We listened to her tell about her adventures.

To look at is followed by an infinitive without "to" when one wants to express one's admiration for someone's outstanding ability to do something.

J. Look at that driver race! He's incredibly fast!

To look at it is followed by an -ING form when one wants to call someone's attention.

Look at that man crying. I think the boss finally fired him.

2- Verbs followed only by the -ING form:

Verbs followed by an -ING form + (pro)noun (to express an action in progress):

To smell
To catch
To spot (verb + noun + ing = "to spot" is usually expressed in a past tense)
To find

A. I smell something burning in the kitchen. (action *burning* = was already in progress when the person sensed it)

*the same usage goes to "to catch", "to spot" and "to find". Remember that "to spot" is usually expressed in a past tense when it's followed by a noun + -ING:

B. I spotted a helicopter hovering over the lake by my house this morning.

The construction spend/waste + expression of time or money is also followed by an -ING form.

C. I spend most of my time studying English.

D. I wasted a lot of money gambling at the casinos.

The construction sit/stand/lie + expression of place is also followed by an -ING form.

E. Jill sat at Chris' desk reading his notes.

F. Barry was standing on the corner waiting for Jill to show up.

G. Noas is lying on her bed reading a book.

Some expressions using the verb "to have" are also followed by an -ING form.
*to have a lot of fun/to have fun doing something (I had a lot of fun playing video games);
*to have a good/great/difficult/hard/etc... time doing something (Jill had a great time shopping in Paris);
*...is having trouble/difficulty/etc... in doing something (He is having trouble breaking that horse).

3- Impersonal pronouns:

One: followed by nouns (referring back to it) - one, one's, oneself;
*s/he, his/her, him/her, himself/herself (to avoid discriminating a gender when referring back to "one", instead of using just "he,his,him,himself").

A. One should learn how to solve one's own problems;

One should learn how to solve his/her own problems.

You: followed by nouns (referring back to it) - you, your, yours, yourself;
In informal English, the impersonal "you" is used more frequently than "one"

B. You can't expect people to love you if you don't love yourself.

We: followed by nouns (referring back to it) - we, us, our, ours, ourselves
Often used as an impersonal pronoun when the writer/speaker wants to give the reader/listener a sense of involvement in the text/what the speaker has to say.

C. We should do whatever is in our power to bring peace upon our world.

They/People: followed by nouns (referring back to it) - they, their, theirs, them, themselves.

D. They should learn how to deal with their choices in life by themselves.

4- Help/Let:

"To help"can be followed by either an infinitive without "to" or an infinitive with "to". Current usage, however, suggests it is more commonly followed by an infinitive without "to".

A. I usually help mum cook/to cook our meals. (both are correct, however the infinitive without "to" is more commonly used).
*to let can only be followed by an infinitive without "to", NEVER by an infinitive with "to".

B. I promise I will let you drive the car tomorrow.

*no matter whether the verbs "help" and "let" are expressed in the past, present or future, the verbs that follow are still expressed in the infinitive. (see the verbs "to cook" and "to drive" above).

5- General notes:

*To hover over something (to soar/float/fly);

*Toasted - informal adjective, meaning "drunk", used with the verbs "to be" and "to get";

*dull = not sharp / something unpleasant / colors that lack richness or intensity

*lemon (defective or of inferior quality motor vehicle)

*to be in hot water / to get into/out of hot water (to be in trouble / to get into/out of trouble)

*Word has it = People are saying.../It's rumored that...

* Disinterested vs Uninterested:

Disinterested = being impartial. (A judge's decision should always be impartial. *not in favor of either side due to personal preference*);

Uninterested = not interested in/not caring (I do not care about your hobbies).