Can English Proverbs Improve your English?

What are English proverbs, and how can they help you learn English?

English proverbs have several things in common.

• They are short and concise
• They provide advice (which is usually gained from experience)
• Some are very popular and are very common in everyday speech. Practice makes perfect

Some people confuse proverbs with idioms but they are different. An idiom does not provide the listener with advice and sometimes is more difficult to understand when you first read or hear it.

Do you know any more popular Proverbs?

What do you think the following proverbs mean?

A penny saved is a penny gained

Don't put all your eggs in one basket

Better late than never

(Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the answers.)

How can English Proverbs help me learn English?

Here is what you should do

1. Find a list of proverbs.
2. Choose those that are interesting and useful FOR YOU.
3. Everyday, choose one and try to incorporate it into your day.

• Try to say it to other people when appropriate.
• Try to write it in e-mails.
• Try to think of situations where you could use it.
• Try to use the proverb over and over until it becomes second nature.

Do this for each proverb.

A new day = a new proverb.

Do this for one week and then go back and review the proverbs again. Practice makes perfect and in order to really learn it you need to practice over and over again.

Answers:

A penny saved is a penny gained

- This means that if you save a little you have something. Generally, it is better to do a little than to do nothing at all. In terms of learning English, studying for 20 minutes a day is better than doing nothing.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket

- This is warning you not to depend on one thing. For example, making money. Do not invest all your money in one stock or share. If that stock falls then you lose all your money.

Better late than never

- Ok, imagine that you are 60 and you decide that you want to learn English. Many people might tell you that it is too late to learn a language. You could turn to them and say, "better late than never". This proverb encourages people to try things because it is better to try a bit late than not to try at all.

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