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TODAY’S EPISODE:
Instrumental English vs. Conventional English
You’ve decided that you want to learn English. Great! You’ve researched, listened to some audio in English, seen some movies with subtitles in English, you may have even read an article on the internet or even enrolled in a classroom course. These are important steps, but if you want to really advance in your new language, I would recommend answering this important question:
What is your purpose in learning English? Going on a trip? Passing an English test? Getting a job in business, IT, marketing, or financial markets? It’s important to answer the why of learning English, so you can start working on the how.
Once these questions are answered, you will be able to define the path that will lead you to your goal of learning English!
There are many primary focuses you could have for learning English, but today we are going to talk about the two major categories: Conventional English and Instrumental English. Conventional (or Conversational) English covers vocabulary on a variety of subjects and is useful for general conversation or life in an English-speaking environment. Instrumental English, on the other hand, focuses on a more focused approach to the English language, specific to an objective, such as English for Business, English for Healthcare, or English for Academic Purposes. If you’re able to narrow down your focus onto an Instrumental use of English, you are able to better focus your study of vocabulary.
Conventional English X Instrumental English
In the study of a foreign language, languages are basically divided into 4 skills: speaking, writing, reading and listening. It’s important to recognize which of these skills you need to develop the most. For example, if you primarily are learning English for Academic Purposes, you would want to focus primarily on Reading and Writing skills. If you are focusing on English for Travel, Listening, Speaking, and Reading would be most important for you. Instrumental English tends to focus on one skill over the others, whereas Conventional English includes all four skills.
Conventional English is suitable for people who want to learn to use the four language skills, to be able to communicate by listening, answering, writing, or reading in a foreign language. It is useful for people who are going to experience everyday situations in English and therefore need to be able to express themselves in the most diverse ways possible. Conventional English is what native English know, because they are able to speak, read, or write about any subject in English.
Instrumental English (or English for Specific Purposes – ESP) focuses on developing specific skills and receives different titles for this, i.e. English for Travel, Academic English, Business English, English for Proficiency Tests.
Ideal Method
What is the ideal method to learn English: Conventional or Instrumental? The answer is that there is no ideal method for every single person. It all depends on your focus of study and work and the time you can devote to learning a new language.
If you have in mind that you want to do an exchange, you should focus on Conventional English, as this method will allow you to learn the 4 skills in the broadest sense. The important thing is to keep in mind that you need to practice your English a lot, and know that it takes patience and perseverance to learn English.
If you need to master a vocabulary from a certain universe, such as Computer Science, Instrumental English is the ideal method for you, because the skill you’ll need to train most is Reading and Writing. Thus, to understand English texts with specific computer-related vocabulary, you will need to study and master this vocabulary. In other words, the more vocabulary on this topic you have, the greater the chance that you will fully understand English texts on this topic. Because it trains specific skills, Instrumental English tends to be faster to learn than Conventional English, which covers several other skills and knowledge.
This explains why an Instrumental English student verifies learning results in less time than a Conventional English student. Neither one is preferable over the other. It’s just a matter of focusing your efforts so that you learn the type of English that is most useful for you.
If you are interested in these topics, follow along with our upcoming articles, where we will talk more about specific fields of Instrumental English.
Still have questions about the subject? Want to share your English learning focus with us so we can help you? Reply in the comments and we’ll be happy to answer you.
So now that you’ve learned more tips about the language you’re studying, it’s time to improve your English!
Click on one of the following links to start speaking clearer English!
1) CLEAR ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION VIDEO COURSE
2) ENGLISH VOCABULARY – AUDIO FILES & PDF – TOEFL & IELTS
3) IDIOMS IN CONVERSATION
4) JUMPSTART YOUR ENGLISH AUDIOBOOK + EBOOK
Follow us on Youtube & Instagram:
@studyenglishwithandrea – Daily English posts, tips and vocabulary!
@citizenshiptest – For those who want to study for the American citizenship test.
Sources:
https://inglesinstrumentalonline.com.br/blog/o-que-difere-ingles-instrumental-e-ingles-convencional/
http://benditoingles.com.br/ingles-instrumental
https://brasil.cambly.com/ingles-instrumental-guia-completo/
https://www.wizard.com.br/idiomas/entenda-o-que-e-ingles-instrumental/
Until next time, Happy Learning!
Speak Clear English - Enroll Today
Jhessika Nascimento
Director of International Partnerships
Jhessika Nascimento is the Director of International Partnerships for Study With Andrea and lives in Brasilia, Brazil.
Jhessika is a bilingual teacher of English and Portuguese, studying for a Master's Degree in Strategic Management in Information Technologies at the Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana.
Graduation in Letters - Portuguese and English.
Postgraduate in Teaching in Higher Education.
Postgraduate in Risk Management and Cybersecurity.
Postgraduate Executive MBA in Process Management BPM-CBOK.
Postgraduate in Translation and Proofreading of Texts in English.
The following is a TOEFL Reading practice test to help you prepare for the Reading section of the TOEFL test.
Instructions: Read the sample passage below and then answer the questions that follow.
TOEFL Reading Practice Passage
Gorillas are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forest of central Sub-Saharan Africa. The genus Gorilla is divided into two species: the eastern gorillas and the western gorillas (both critically endangered), and either four or five subspecies. They are the largest living primates. The DNA of gorillas is highly similar to that of humans, from 95 to 99% depending on what is included, and they are the next closest living relatives to humans after the chimpanzees and bonobos.
Gorillas' natural habitats cover tropical or subtropical forest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although their range covers a small percentage of Sub-Saharan Africa, gorillas cover a wide range of elevations. The mountain gorilla inhabits the Albertine Rift montane cloud forests of the Virunga Volcanoes, ranging in altitude from 2,200 to 4,300 metres (7,200 to 14,100 ft). Lowland gorillas live in dense forests and lowland swamps and marshes as low as sea level, with western lowland gorillas living in Central West African countries and eastern lowland gorillas living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo near its border with Rwanda.
(#1) Gorillas move around by knuckle-walking, although they sometimes walk upright for short distances, typically while carrying food or in defensive situations. (#2) A 2018 study investigating the hand posture of 77 mountain gorillas at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (8% of the population) found that knuckle walking was done only 60% of the time, and they also supported their weight on their fists, the backs of their hands/feet, and on their palms/soles (with the digits flexed). (#3) Studies of gorilla handedness have yielded varying results, with some arguing for no preference for either hand, and others right-hand dominance for the general population. (#4)
The eastern gorilla is more darkly colored than the western gorilla, with the mountain gorilla being the darkest of all. The mountain gorilla also has the thickest hair. The western lowland gorilla can be brown or grayish with a reddish forehead. In addition, gorillas that live in lowland forest are more slender and agile than the more bulky mountain gorillas. The eastern gorilla also has a longer face and broader chest than the western gorilla. Like humans, gorillas have individual fingerprints. Their eye color is dark brown, framed by a black ring around the iris. Gorilla facial structure is described as mandibular prognathism, that is, the mandible protrudes farther out than the maxilla. Adult males also have a prominent sagittal crest.
A gorilla's lifespan is normally between 35 and 40 years, although zoo gorillas may live for 50 years or more. Colo, a female western gorilla at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, was the oldest known gorilla at 60 years of age when she died on 17 January 2017.
Questions
1. According to the passage, gorillas can live in
a. a variety of altitudes.
b. several different countries in Africa.
c. thick forests.
d. lowland forests only.
2. All of the following is true about gorillas EXCEPT
a. they primarily eat smaller animals.
b. they live in a forest habitat.
c. their genetics are similar to humans.
d. their diet consists of vegetation.
3. Look at the word predominantly in paragraph 1. The word predominantly in this passage refers to
a. impulsively
b. unfortunately
c. mainly
d. lastly
4. Look at the word inhabits in paragraph 2. The word inhabits in this passage refers to
a. lives in
b. protects
c. goes
d. works
5. The author implies that
a. most gorillas prefer using their left hand over their right.
b. gorillas rarely walk on their knuckles.
c. gorillas regularly walk upright for long distances.
d. studies haven't solidly proven which hand gorillas prefer using.
6. Why does the writer mention that the eastern gorilla also has a longer face and broader chest than the western gorilla?
a. To validate the importance a broad chest in western gorillas
b. To define the meaning of "broad"
c. To highlight a physical difference between types of gorillas
d. To demonstrate that most gorillas are identical in physical build
7. Which of the following statements is true for BOTH eastern and western gorillas.
a. Both eastern and western gorrilas are brown with red foreheads.
b. Both eastern and western gorrilas have unique fingerprints.
c. Both eastern and western gorrilas have thin hair.
d. Both eastern and western gorrilas have light brown eyes.
8. In Paragraph 3, look at the four numbers (#1, #2, #3, #4) that indicate where the following sentence would be added to the passage.
Such a range of hand postures was previously thought to have been used by only orangutans.
Where would the sentence best fit?
(View all the correct answers below.)
Great job! If you're ready to take your TOEFL preparation to the next level, go to StudyWithAndrea.com/TOEFL.
Answers: 1. d 2. a 3. c 4. a 5. d 6. c 7. b 8. #3
Click on one of the following links to start speaking clearer English!
1) TOEFL MASTER CLASS
2) free mini-course "punctuation mistakes to avoid"
3) Clear English Pronunciation Video Course
4) English Vocabulary - Audio Files & PDF - TOEFL & IELTS
About Andrea
Andrea Giordano is the founder of StudyWithAndrea.com and has taught more than 1,000,000 students from 180 countries. Andrea holds a Master of Education (TESOL) from Shenandoah University, and is the former Executive Director of TESOL and ESL programs at Campbellsville University. Andrea is a proven leader in online English teaching and is driven by her passion to help you speak English clearly.
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