How to learn English: roadmap for intermediate and advanced learners in France

How to learn english when you already have a solid base

If you are B1 or B2, you can talk about daily life, work, or studies. But you may feel stuck and start to wonder how to learn english fast without moving to another country. The good news is that you already did the hardest part: starting. Now your job is to study in a more strategic way.

Linguists often talk about vocabulary size for each CEFR level. The numbers are not perfect, but they give you useful targets, especially for advanced learners in France who want to use English at work or for travel.

Before we look at a weekly plan, here is a simple overview of typical vocabulary goals and timeframes. This table is valuable because it turns the big question “how long does it take to learn english” into clear numbers you can work with.

If you are asking how hard is english to learn at these stages, the honest answer is: it is demanding, but possible if you follow a steady routine. In France you may not hear English all day, but you have access to media, online communities, and tools like the BBC Learning English app to bring English into your daily life.

How to learn english with clear daily and weekly habits

The next step is to turn ideas into habits. A good plan focuses on the skills that move you from one level to the next and helps you feel real progress, so you do not keep asking yourself how hard is english to learn every month.

Here is an example of a weekly structure that works well for many advanced learners who live in France and have jobs or studies.

First, daily micro-habits. This list is useful because each item is small, so you can fit everything into a busy day:

• 10–15 minutes of focused vocabulary study, including words from your job or studies and new expressions that you often see but do not remember.

• 10–15 minutes of intensive reading: a short article, a page from a book, or a blog post. Underline important phrases and collocations.

• 5–10 minutes of pronunciation practice, repeating sentences aloud and recording yourself.

Second, two or three longer sessions per week. This list is interesting because it combines different skills around one topic:

• One 45-minute session on grammar in context: conditionals, complex sentences, relative clauses.

• One 45-minute session on listening and speaking, using the BBC Learning English app, podcasts, or short videos.

• One 45-minute session on writing, such as emails, reports, or short essays.

Third, real-life contact with English. This list is powerful because it uses real situations that you already have as a learner in France:

• Join a local language exchange in your city and speak for at least 30 minutes.

• Change your phone and social media settings to English to see real language every day.

• Watch one movie or series per week in English, first with subtitles, then later without them.

When you follow a plan like this, you get a stronger answer to how long does it take to learn english for someone already at B1 or B2. It becomes a question of weekly effort, not luck or talent.

Grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation priorities for advanced learners

For intermediate and advanced learners, “more grammar exercises” is not always the best answer to how to learn english fast, and you may still search the internet for tips on how to learn english fast. Instead, you need to focus on the type of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation that helps you speak and write with clarity, especially if you use English at work in France.

Key grammar areas to focus on:

• Linking ideas clearly with words like “although”, “however”, “while”, and “even though”.

• Using conditionals to talk about plans, results, and hypothetical situations.

• Mastering passive voice and formal structures for reports and professional emails.

Important vocabulary strategies for advanced learners:

• Build topic-based sets of words for your job, university subject, or personal interests.

• Pay attention to collocations, such as “take responsibility”, “make progress”, or “raise an issue”.

• Notice and learn phrasal verbs that native speakers prefer in everyday speech.

Pronunciation goals that really matter:

• Learn the rhythm and stress of English sentences, not only single sounds.

• Work on problem sounds for French speakers, such as “th” or the difference between “ship” and “sheep”.

• Use tools like the BBC Learning English app or other audio resources to copy natural speech.

When you build your plan around these areas, the question how hard is english to learn becomes easier to manage, because you are working directly on the parts that block your fluency.

Using BBC Learning English app as part of a real study system

Many learners in France know about the BBC Learning English app, but they use it in a random way. To answer how to learn english fast at higher levels, you should make it a structured part of your routine instead of just opening it when you are bored.

Here is a simple way to integrate the BBC Learning English app into a serious plan:

• Morning: one short lesson or video from the app, focusing on vocabulary or pronunciation. Write down 5–10 new phrases.

• Afternoon: notice how often you see or hear similar language at work, in news, or online.

• Evening: review the phrases, say them aloud, and use them in two or three sentences about your own life in France.

This approach helps advanced learners turn passive knowledge into active language. It also supports your vocabulary goals from the earlier table, so you can estimate again how long does it take to learn english from your current level to the next one.

Sample word goals and focus areas by level

It is easier to plan study time when you know how many words you aim to learn and which skills deserve most of your attention. The following list is helpful because it gives clear targets for advanced learners in France:

• From B1 to B2: focus on 800–1,000 new useful words and phrases, plus strong control of basic grammar.

• From B2 to C1: focus on 1,500–2,000 higher-level words, idioms, and academic phrases.

• From C1 to C2: focus on nuance, style, and understanding different accents, including fast speech.

At each stage you can still ask how hard is english to learn, but the real challenge is not the language itself. The real challenge is keeping a stable routine for many months and reviewing vocabulary regularly so you do not forget it.

Staying Motivated With Realistic Expectations

In the end, how to learn english at intermediate and advanced level in France is not about finding a magic trick. It is about clear word-count goals, regular contact with the language, and smart use of tools like the BBC Learning English app to support your daily routine.

Combining Apps, Media, and Real-Life Practice

When you follow a stable plan and give yourself enough time, questions such as how long does it take to learn english or how hard is english to learn become less stressful. You stop comparing yourself to others and start measuring progress in your own emails, meetings, and conversations, step by step, week after week.