I’ve used many resources for language-learning purposes throughout the years. Books, blogs, newspapers, videos, speaking practice with friends, etc. But AI tools like ChatGPT have changed the game by bringing an all-in-one solution. Here’s how I use ChatGPT to improve my English as a non-native.
1 Expressing Something Correctly
As a non-native speaker, I sometimes find it difficult to express my thoughts in English the way a native would. It might be clear ideas or rough thoughts. I can share these thoughts roughly translated with ChatGPT and ask it to turn them into native-like expressions.
Other times, I know idioms and phrases in my language but don’t know the equivalent expression in English. I can ask ChatGPT to find an idiom or phrase that will express the same meaning in English.
2 Grammar and Syntax Corrections
Grasping the correct grammar and syntax might be the most challenging part of learning a new language. You can use ChatGPT as a grammar checker and teacher. Being a Large Language Model (LLM), ChatGPT is almost always grammatically correct. It allows me to copy a piece of text and ask it for grammar evaluation.
Beyond correcting grammar, you can also use it to ask questions and explain a rule or the grammar behind sentences.
Sure, there are many tools such as Grammarly to help you with grammar when you’re writing. However, those tools are limited compared to what ChatGPT can do, which is more than just correcting grammar in a written text.
3 Translations
Accurate translations are crucial for effective learning and understanding of a language. ChatGPT is a great tool for translating words, sentences, and paragraphs. Moreover, unlike Google Translate, ChatGPT is better aware of idioms, phrases, and common expressions. When using ChatGPT, you can add context for a better translation. You can also ask ChatGPT specifically to consider translating the inner meaning instead of just translating the words.
However, ChatGPT’s translations still need reworking, and sometimes can be unreliable. This is more true when you’re dealing with languages other than English. That’s why having ChatGPT translate a simple text is okay, but writing with deep meaning will likely get poor results.
4 Vocabulary Help
If I couldn’t find the correct word for something, I had to search for it on the web, writing long and weird search phrases. Most of the time, I didn’t even get the correct answer. However, with ChatGPT, I can ask the same way and get the right answer in an instant. For example, I ideate a full sentence but lack a few words. I leave gaps and ask ChatGPT to fill them in.
Another common vocabulary use for me is to describe something and ask ChatGPT if there is a word for it.
Here’s another example.
5 Refine Written Text
As a non-native, I can write in an understandable standard. But it won’t have the same coherence as a native writer. ChatGPT assists me by providing feedback on how to improve the flow, choose the correct words, and maintain a consistent structure, improving my existing writing.
Here’s an example where I used ChatGPT to improve my LinkedIn bio.
Another aspect of refining your writing with ChatGPT is that you can instruct it to write in a certain tone. If your writing needs professionalism, you can tell ChatGPT to pour that into your text. The same goes if you need it to be casual, engaging, or formal.
6 Conversation Practice
With ChatGPT’s Voice Mode available, you can practice your speaking and conversational skills too. You’ll need to install the mobile app and then navigate to the Voice Mode option. After that, you can speak with ChatGPT as if you’re talking to a person. Speaking directly as opposed to writing prompts makes the experience more real.
You can also create a role-play scenario, assign a role to ChatGPT, and then practice conversation. You can also instruct it to provide feedback to you if one of your responses doesn’t suit the conversation depending on your role.
7 Regional And Cultural Differences in a Language
Languages often vary significantly across different regions and cultures, with differences in slang, expressions, and even word meaning. In my native language, there is a word that refers to the “name of a food” in one region and “young women” in another region. As a language learner, knowing such subtle differences is crucial if you want to communicate with people from different geographies and cultures.
With a bit of help from ChatGPT, you can learn these differences easily. Suppose you usually write for a US audience. But now you need to write for a UK or Australian audience. You can quickly learn about language differences between the two areas by asking ChatGPT.
You can also copy some text and ask ChatGPT to rewrite it for a particular audience.
Most of my language problems are solved by ChatGPT. It still has a long way to go before being perfect, especially in translations. But with some training, it could be your free language teacher. Language learning is only one good field in which ChatGPT and similar AI bots can be used. You can also use it for house pets, vacation plans, and recipes, to name but a few.
