Learning English is one thing. Learning British English is another. That is why those who plan on interacting with the British or moving to the United Kingdom may want to take the time to learn British English. Although learning may seem like a really big challenge for many people, it is a good thing that there are things that they can do to learn British English. They can take formal courses on this, and could also supplement their learning by watching movies that use British English.
Learners of British English should make sure though that they watch the right movies. They should pick those that would match their proficiency level so that they do not get overwhelmed if the language used in the movie is too difficult for them.
What movies should learners of British English watch? Here are five.
Movie #1: Four Weddings And A Funeral
This movie is a really famous movie from the UK. It makes use of the usual deadpan humor used in conversational British English and this would greatly help learners be familiar with such. This is also a great movie to watch to see the difference between British culture and American culture. It stars Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, Kristin Scott Thomas, Charlotte Coleman, Rowan Atkinson, and John Hannah. Four Weddings And A Funeral can be an easy movie to watch for learners.
Movie #2: Shaun of the Dead
Those who are looking for a funny movie should watch this. It is a zombie movie but made to be a comedy. It is set in London and follows the story of two friends who are doing their best to survive a zombie apocalypse. It is a parody of sorts and is also an easy one to watch as it uses conversational British English. It stars Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, and Peter Serafinowicz.
Movie #3: Love Actually
Love Actually is a great movie to learn informal phrases, expressions, and slang that are used in the United Kingdom. It is also a great source to learn accents of the British and the Irish. Watching this with subtitles should also help a lot since slang is used. This is categorized as an intermediate movie for British English learners. It stars Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightley, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Alan Rickman, and Bill Nighy.
Movie #4: Bend it Like Beckham
This movie is a great one to watch as it showcases how different people view what being British means. It is about a girl who has a passion for soccer and would like to do it as a career. It is funny and also emotional and would be a great weekend movie to watch. It is another intermediate movie for British English learners. It stars Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Archie Panjabi, David Beckham, and Anupam Kher.
Movie #5: Trainspotting
Trainspotting is described to be a movie that shows what British cinema is all about. It is funny, edge, and dark. It also comes with a beautiful script that makes use of colloquialisms and slang which have been in such a way that it becomes poetry of sorts. It comes with plenty of expressions used in England and Scotland. The movie is about heroin addicts who do petty crimes so that they would have funds for their habit. It is best watched with subtitles, since it would help people learn more about the slang. The accents could also pose as a challenge. It is categorized as advanced level movie in terms of the use of British English. It stars Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle, Kevin McKidd, Kelly Macdonald, Peter Mullan, and Fiona Bell.
Learning British English by watching movies is a big help. However, it still is best for learners to take formal courses from institutions like Golders Green College to get a better grasp of the language.
