Having learned your English skills in the US makes you more confident in your interactions with other English speakers.  In business or social situations, wherever English is spoken your grasp of the language is far more subtle and nuanced than if you had taken an ESL class locally.  Learning English in America is a uniquely enriching experience.

Many people study English for years, and are able to pass an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) test with flying colors, but that doesn’t mean they’ve mastered English.  In fact what it usually means is that they have an almost 19^th Century way of speaking.  Formal, proper, and well…dull.  “It is hot outside today.”  “I can facilitate that for you.”  YAWN!  Not your most dazzling conversationalist, huh?  You just can’t picture someone jumping right in with “tell me more”, or “hmm…interesting, let’s talk about that”.

Conversational English

One of the amazing benefits of having learned English in the US is that you were immersed in the American culture.  It take’s time to absorb and understand the slang and idiomatic expressions used by native speakers of English.  You learned a lot outside of the classroom.  Seeing how people around you interacted, watching American TV, and listening to music were some of the ways that quietly improved your comprehension.  All day, every day you were learning.

Exchanges in class with other students, and professors made your vocabulary deeper and more specific.  If you made missteps there were supportive friends and instructors to correct you, and help you find just the right word to communicate your thoughts.

Now when you sit down to a giant business dinner with a visiting exec from America, and she tells a joke, you’re the first one to laugh because… YOU GET IT.