English is hard to learn because of its unusual sounds, a grammar with exceptions to almost every rule, a spelling that often doesn't match the pronunciation, and native speakers who shorten words in everyday speech. If you are struggling, it is not just you.
Many people who have learned several languages say that English was one of the hardest. Spelling and grammar problems are explained in detail in other posts, but sometimes it helps to take a step back and look at the big picture. This article cannot make English any easier, but knowing why it is hard can be a relief. Here are the main reasons.
Why is English so hard to learn?
The sounds
Some English sounds are difficult to pronounce. One of them is the "th" sound, as in think and this. Many other languages don't have this sound, so learners have nothing to compare it with.
Intonation, the way your voice rises and falls, can also make English difficult, because the stress you put on a word can change the meaning of a sentence. "I didn't take your pen" (someone else did) means something different from "I didn't take your pen" (I took someone else's).
Grammar
Grammar is another reason that English is so hard to learn. English has many grammar rules, and it seems as if almost every rule has exceptions. There are regular rules for turning a word into a plural, for example, but there are also plurals like children, mice, and alumni that don't follow them.
Another reason is that many languages, such as Russian, Polish, Chinese, and Japanese, have no articles: the words a, an, and the. These words are very small, but they have a big impact on the language, and it is difficult to learn how to use them when English is not your first language.
Spelling
The spelling rules are another reason why English is so difficult to learn. Again, there are many spelling rules to follow, but most of them have exceptions. A good example is "i before e". People often forget the second part of that rule, "except after c". And even with that part, the rule has many exceptions, such as weird, their, and science. The 4 most helpful spelling rules are a good place to start.
That is why a spell checker is a great help for anyone who is learning English and writing in it. The Spell Checker marks spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes and explains each one, so you also learn why something is wrong.
Listening to native speakers
Another reason why English is hard to learn is that listening to native speakers does not always help. In most languages, simply listening to native speakers is a big help. In English, it can actually make things harder, because many people shorten the phrases they use often. Going to becomes "gonna", and have to becomes "hafta". Some native speakers even use these forms in writing, because the shortened versions are the only ones they hear from friends and family.
The next time you ask yourself "Why is English so hard to learn?", give yourself a break. English is difficult to learn, but it can be done. To see how it compares with other languages, read about the easiest and most difficult languages to learn.