Why Is My English Still Poor After Moving to the U.S.?

01

First off, this is a false premise. Just because you’ve immigrated to the U.S. or moved to any English-speaking country doesn’t mean your English will automatically improve. Your language skills won’t undergo a qualitative change just because your place of residence has.

I’ve learned English almost all my life. From starting in junior high in 1995 to 2026, it’s been over 30 years. It sounds almost like a joke that after all this time, I’m still learning English.

Maybe I really have a connection with English, or maybe I just like this language. Between 2013 and 2019, I was involved in starting up the Chinese online education company, “Liulishuo.”

Before moving to the U.S., I often heard people say that learning English requires an environment, and simply being in that environment will naturally improve your English.

That’s only half true.

I immigrated to the U.S. in 2022, and it’s been a few years now. How’s my English? I think it’s noticeably improved, and I’m not being modest. But it’s still far from enough.

02

I’ve noticed that many Chinese people who’ve lived in the U.S. for years, and this includes other communities too, still struggle to speak English fluently. They continue to live in a world of their native language. (Nothing wrong with that, of course.)

But since English is the primary language in the U.S., why hasn’t their English improved significantly even after living here for so long?

The fundamental reason is: Even though they’re in the U.S., they’re not truly in an English environment. At home, they speak their native language; they read content, consume media, and interact with communities mostly in their native tongue. In such an environment, it’s easy for one’s thought process to remain in their native language.

That’s the real issue.

Of course, for many, this might not be a problem at all. The U.S. is very open and inclusive. Everyone has different lifestyles. Even if you live in the U.S. without speaking English, that’s fine.

But for me, having immigrated to the U.S., I’ll likely spend the rest of my life here. I need to handle various practical life issues, need to communicate, and want to meet more people.

Also, I genuinely enjoy the English language. It’s interesting, relatively simple (at least in some ways compared to Chinese), and it embodies a way of thinking quite different from the Chinese world.

So for me, I need to tackle that core issue: stepping out of my comfort zone. I need to face the challenges that come due to limited language skills. Like having to clarify simple matters repeatedly; people tilting their heads or frowning slightly because they can’t quite understand me; or sometimes failing to get things done due to misunderstandings. (In a more extreme case, a friend of mine once ended up having a tooth removed unnecessarily because of a language miscommunication.)

When it comes to mastering English, stepping out of your comfort zone is not just a skill or method. It’s primarily a change of mindset, and it’s a very crucial one.

I live by a motto: take on difficult challenges. Learning English fits this motto.

03

The second important mindset change for me is: stop just “learning” English, and don’t just treat it as an object to practice with—start using it directly. No matter your level, you can use English according to your ability.

While working in the English online education field, many language experts mentioned that with English, the proportion of knowledge and methods isn’t as high as we might think.

To truly master the language, the most crucial part is using it. English is more of a skill than just a set of knowledge.

In my life in the U.S., I’ve adopted three simple, practical approaches:

First, I switch as much of the language I interact with to English. For instance, I set my phone and electronic devices to English. My car’s navigation uses English voice commands. When shopping, I try to use American websites. (This sounds funny. Many Chinese people I know still habitually shop from Taobao. There’s no right or wrong; sometimes, it’s really cheap and good quality.)

What I’m trying to say is, I’m not doing this to appear “more English,” but to incorporate English into the basic details of my life. This way, I’m not so afraid of it, and it gradually becomes a natural part of my life.

Second, I read and listen to as much English content as possible. I’m part of a Chinese church, but I also listen to a lot of sermons from English churches every week. Often, I read English bills, letters, and sometimes even advertisements.

Third, I solve life’s problems using English. When I encounter issues and need a YouTube tutorial (like fixing a leaking pipe or installing a water purifier), I’ll deliberately watch English videos. At the bank, I’ll avoid speaking my native language and look for an English-speaking manager.

Using my native language would certainly resolve issues faster and better, but if I always choose my native tongue, I’d miss out on chances to practice English.

When I truly try to solve real-life problems using English, my English does improve invisibly. More importantly, it gives me confidence and courage to express myself and frequently use English.

Of course, I regret not having met many local friends here in the U.S. yet, so I haven’t had many opportunities for in-depth conversations with locals.

04

In the age of AI, it’s even more important that we focus on practicing and using English, rather than staying stuck in the “learning English” phase.

If you want, you can use existing AI tools; you can also design and develop your own AI tools to help yourself or others practice and use English.

But honestly, AI can only create more practice opportunities for you, it can’t make you step out of your comfort zone. The person who really needs to speak up is still you.

If you’re open to it, share your own experiences: As an immigrant, what challenges have you faced using English in daily life? Do you have any effective learning, practicing, or using English methods or special experiences to share?