成人学英语, 需要掌握多少单词？其实这个问题, 每个人心里, 都有自己的答案.
一般来说,如果是出国旅游, 基本词汇 2k 都够.
如果是应付四六级考试, 词汇 6k 应该够.
如果是在外企工作, 入门词汇 6k 足够.
但是, 如果想能无障碍, 和母语人士沟通, 能聊一些有深度的话题, 比如 政经, 文化, 社会 等;能无障碍阅读英文资料, 乃至英语原版小说, 不用频频查字典;能无障碍看美剧, 每个字都听得倍儿清楚;无障碍用英语做演讲..
我觉得, 词汇量 2w 是起步,多多益善!!
对于成人来说，学习一门语言的最有效方法是学习the formal structures of the language（语言的形式结构）。学习动词的各种变形，语法策略以及记忆一些常用短语对成人学习英语很有帮助。
成人学习英语更多的会带有一种自我审查。比如说用英语说完一句话，成人会思考：我刚刚说的那句话用的单词贴不贴切？有没有什么语法错误？
同时，成人学习英语比孩童有更多的动机。比如自我提升，职业需要或其它发展动机。
有些人觉得自己这个年龄学习英语太晚了，但是如果他们了解了孩童和成人不同的学习方式以及学习优势的话就不会有这个忧虑了。正如前面所说，孩童学习一门语言更多的是依靠潜意识的习得，而成人更倾向于自我学得，因为成人有能力处理在语言学习中产生的各种复杂思想，成人的思维也更为缜密。
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所以，在此给想要学习英语或者第二门语言的成人提供10条建议，这10条建议是一位会说九国外语的超级学霸Matthew Youlden总结出来的，希望对正在学习英语的你有所帮助。
1) Know why you’re doing it. 弄清学习外语的目的
This might sound obvious, but if you don’t have a good reason to learn a language, you are less likely to stay motivated over the long-run. Wanting to impress English-speakers with your French is not a very good reason; wanting to get to know a French person in his or her own language is another matter entirely。
这听起来好像没什么，但如果没有好的理由，你就非常可能在这场长跑中掉队。为了炫技而想要学法语，这可不是啥好理由；而想学会法语去了解法国人，这就另当别论了。
2) Find a partner. 找到一起学习的小伙伴
Matthew learned several languages together with his twin brother Michael (they tackled their first foreign language, Greek, when they were only eight years old!). Matthew and Michael, or the Super Polyglot Bros. as I’d like to now refer to them, gained their superpowers from good-ol’, healthy sibling rivalry:“You have someone with whom you can speak, and that’s the idea behind learning a language。”
马修有好几种外语都是和他双胞胎兄弟迈克尔一起学的(他们8岁就学了希腊语)！我为什么要强调这对超级学霸兄弟，因为总觉得是他们之间的良性竞争关系，对学习特别有帮助。
3) Talk to yourself. 自言自语
It might sound really weird, but actually speaking to yourself in a language is a great way to practice if you’re not able to use it all the time。” This can keep new words and phrases fresh in your mind and build up your confidence for the next time you speak with someone。“
这听起来可能有点怪，但在你没法整天使用这门语言的时候，这是个练习的好办法。”这可以让新的单词、短语经常跳跃在你的脑海里，下次开口聊天时你也会更有自信。
4) Keep it relevant.学百遍不如用一遍
If you make conversation a goal from the beginning, you are less likely to get lost in textbooks.:“You’re learning a language to be able to use it. The creative side is really being able to put the language that you’re learning into a more useful, general, everyday setting – be that through writing songs, generally wanting to speak to people.
把交流作为学习一门语言的目的，不要拘泥于教科书。学语言的目标是为了使用它，最好是创造性地把它融进日常生活中。可以是写歌词、挖掘和人说话的欲望。
5) Have fun with it. 用语言做游戏
Think of some fun ways to practice your new language: make a radio play with a friend, draw a comic strip, write a poem, or simply talk to whomever you can. If you can’t find a way to have fun with the new language, chances are you aren’t following step four。
想个适合你自己的有趣的方式：和朋友一起做个广播剧、画连环画、写诗歌，或者和任何一个你能沟通的人聊天！你要是觉得找不到适合你的，那也许你没有按第4条做。
6) Act like a child.像小孩一样去学（指的是学习态度，不是像小孩一样的沉浸式学习方法）
The key to learning as quickly as a child may be to simply take on certain childlike attitudes: for instance, lack of self-consciousness, a desire to play in the language and willingness to make mistakes. New research cannot find a direct link between age and the ability to learn. As kids, we are expected to make mistakes, but as adults mistakes become taboo. When it comes to learning a language, admitting that you don’t know everything (and being okay with that) is the key to growth and freedom. Let go of your grown-up inhibitions!
快速学习语言的诀窍，是要有小孩一样的态度：即时、无知、爱玩、犯错。没有研究能证明学习能力和年纪的直接关系，但小孩子愿意犯错，成年人却包袱太重，怕犯错怕笑话！当你要学好一门语言，就要承认和接受自己如孩子般无知，这是获得成长和自由关键点。所以，让顾忌和做作去死吧！
7) Leave your comfort zone.离开你的舒适区
Willingness to make mistakes means being ready to put yourself in potentially embarrassing situations: talk to strangers in the language, ask for directions, order food, try to tell a joke. The more often you do this, the bigger your comfort zone becomes and the more at ease you can be in new situations.
经过上一步，意味着你做好心理准备面对很可能的尴尬：和陌生人聊天、问路、点菜、开始讲笑话。突破越多你的舒适区就越大，在各种情境里就更加应对自如。
8) Listen . 多听 (听了以后一定要多多模仿）
We’re able to pronounce anything, it’s just we’re not used to doing it. For example the rolled r doesn’t exist in my form of English. When I was learning Spanish there were words with the hard r in them like perro and reunión. For me, the best way to go about mastering that is actually to hear it constantly, to listen to it and to kind of visualize or imagine how that is supposed to be pronounced, because for every sound there is a specific part of the mouth or throat that we use in order to achieve that sound。”
要相信你有能力掌握所有的发音方式，只不过目前没有习惯而已。举个栗子，英语里没有R的大舌头音，我学西班牙语时就遇到perro或reunión这种需要卷舌才能发出的单词，我找到最好的学习方法就是不停地听别人说。先听，然后想象这个音是用口腔的那个部位发的，再模仿。
9) Dive in. 潜心修行，戒骄戒躁
I tend to want to absorb as much as possible right from the start. So if I learn something I really, really go for it and try to use it throughout the day. For me it’s about actually putting what you’re learning into practice – be that writing an email, speaking to yourself, listening to music, listening to the radio. Surrounding yourself, submerging yourself in the new language culture is extremely important。”
从下决心学的那一刻，我就开始用全身心投入。所以我一开始学习语言，就会一整天都使用它，比如写邮件、自言自语、听音乐等，把自己完全丢进那个语言文化环绕起来的环境里。这个非常重要的。”
10) Relax. 放松心态
You are not going to annoy people by speaking their language poorly. If you preface any interaction with, “I’m learning and I’d like to practice…” most people will be patient, encouraging and happy to oblige。
不会因为讲得不好就惹人厌烦的，如果聊天开始前你说：“我正在学，非常希望练习……”大多数人都会很耐心，乐意鼓励和帮助你的。