Learn English with Movies: 6 Must-Watch Films Suitable for Each Proficiency Level

Are you just starting to learn English? Are you struggling to find a method that helps you improve your English skills easily? Understanding the concerns of learners, PREP introduces the most effective method of learning English through movies in the following article. Learning English through movies not only saves you time but also saves you money. So let's take a look at the top 6 must-watch films suitable for each proficiency level!

I. Benefits of Learning English through Movies

1. Listening 

Watching English movies helps you practice listening to the language in everyday contexts, which is different from listening to academic materials in IELTS. The difference is evident in the more informal language used in movies, the faster pace of speech, and the different accents of the characters. Getting acquainted with English in this context is extremely useful for improving your listening skills.

2. Speaking

Regularly watching English movies helps develop a more natural speaking reflex because the human brain tends to learn from continuous exposure. Specifically, you will gradually be able to apply the vocabulary used in movies, the connecting words that express emotions, as well as the intonation and pronunciation of the actors in the film. This allows you to correct any inaccurate pronunciation that you may have been imitating instinctively.

3. Vocabulary

The advantage of learning English through movies lies in the exposure to and immersion in the most flexible and natural use of vocabulary. In movies, actors often use a lot of idiomatic language, which helps you understand how language is applied appropriately in different contexts.

II. Common Mistakes to Avoid When Learning English through Movies

• You need to be cautious when applying "film language" to your writing, which requires more academic and formal language. In movies, the use of language is often quite informal and every day.
• You need to be selective in choosing which movies to watch and learn English from. It depends on your current English proficiency level to choose movies that are suitable for you. Additionally, you should avoid watching movies with an excessive amount of advanced and difficult new vocabulary, or movies where the actors speak too fast, as it can discourage you from learning.
• You should limit watching violent or horror movies because what you learn from them may not go beyond some provocative phrases or thrilling scenes, causing you to lose sight of the purpose of learning English through movies.

III. List of Recommended Movies for learning English Based on Proficiency Level 

Below is a list of films for learning English, ranging from 10 to 30 minutes in length, that are suitable for learning English through movies without getting bored.

1. Beginner level

BBC Learning:

You should start with short films from BBC Learning before moving on to longer and more complex movies.

Learn English with English7Levels:

You can find the series "Learn English Conversation through Oxford English video" on YouTube, which has many parts that you can effectively learn English through movies.

2. Intermediate Level 

You can watch some sitcom series from Disney Channel, such as Hannah Montana and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. These series revolve around everyday stories of characters with a touch of humor and youthfulness, making them suitable for high school to university students.

The Harry Potter film series is suitable for a wider age range, for those who want to practice British accent while learning English through movies.

3. Advanced Level

These series have broader and more "adult" content. They include Friends, How I Met Your Mother, and The Big Bang Theory (Note: The Big Bang Theory has a significant amount of scientific vocabulary, and the actors speak quite fast, so it is suitable for advanced-level learners).

For those who want to practice British accent, you can watch the series "The IT Crowd," which is a classic and typical representation of British culture. It's also a way to learn more about their culture.

IV. Effective Steps to Learn English from TV Series

Step 1: Of course, start by choosing a movie. Consider the genre (choose a genre you enjoy to avoid getting bored), the type of movie (a single film or a series), and the country of origin (depending on whether you're practicing American or British accent).

Step 2: If your Listening skills still need to improve, watch the movie or an episode with English subtitles to get a general understanding of the content. Then, watch it again and try to take notes of useful collocations or expressions.

If your Listening skills are good enough to understand 80-90% of the content, watch the movie without subtitles and try to take notes of useful collocations or expressions.

Step 3: Turn on the subtitles and review the parts you've noted:

• Correct any inaccuracies in your notes.
• Note additional collocations or expressions that you missed in Step 2. 

Step 4: Add pronunciation, meaning, and possibly notes on how to use those collocations correctly.

Step 5: Apply the Shadowing technique with the collocations or phrases you've noted.

• When shadowing, make sure to imitate the pronunciation, stress, and intonation of the whole sentence.
• Focus on shadowing a short segment that contains the collocations or phrases you've just noted.

Step 6: Practice applying the learned phrases.

If you stop at Step 5, you might soon forget the collocations or phrases you've noted. Therefore, to effectively learn English through movies, try constructing sentences or using those phrases to answer IELTS Speaking prompts related to the topic.

These are the complete steps for learning English through movies and the top 6 recommended movies suitable for different proficiency levels. Through this article, PREP hopes that you can enhance your English skills by watching your favorite movies.