Languages—including academic English—are learned through both intensive and extensive practice. Intensive practice involves focusing on a small amount of material with a very high level of attention. Completing grammar exercises, for instance, is an intensive activity. A grammar exercise will help you develop control over a very specific grammatical concept, such as past-tense verbs or the use of commas.
Extensive practice involves absorbing a larger quantity of information, typically over a longer period of time. Extensive practices focus less on individual words or forms and more on general comprehension and fluency—your ability to understand, use, and think in English without translating from your native language. Listening to the radio for general understanding is an extensive practice that can help you develop your speed and your grasp of “natural” English forms in various contexts.
Activities for intensive and extensive language practice
Related topics:
Reading while listening
Using a dictionary or a thesaurus
Becoming familiar with the Academic Word List
Learning prefixes and suffixes
Keeping a vocabulary notebook
Keeping an editing log
Targeting areas for improvement
Practice exercises