love-english » What Learning English Has in Common with Learning to Ride a Bike.

Have you ever watched a child learning to ride a bicycle? It's a beautiful mess of effort, frustration, determination, and ultimately, success.

A few weeks ago, I watched the sheer single-mindedness of my daughter struggling to achieve said goal.

Now, imagine if we all approached learning English (or any new skill) with the same raw drive and refusal to give up. We’d get there much faster. Here’s why.

The Child and the Bicycle: Pure Determination

When a child sets out to ride a bike, they’re not worried about how they look. They’re not trying to be smooth, elegant, or stylish. Their mission is simple:

“I want to ride this thing.”

They wobble. They crash. They shout. They might even cry. But they get back on. Again. And again.

Falling off isn’t a sign of failure—it's part of the process. There’s no shame, no overthinking, no obsession with perfection. The goal is motion, not mastery. And once they can stay up and roll on their own? The refinements—braking gently, turning smoothly, pedalling efficiently—come naturally over time.

Now Compare That to Learning English...

Adults, on the other hand, often approach English with fear. We worry about:

Saying things “the wrong way”
Having an accent
Being laughed at
Making grammar mistakes
Looking stupid

We don’t want to “fall off the bike,” so we never get on in the first place.

We wait until we feel “ready.” We spend months (even years) learning the rules but avoid using the language in real life. It’s like reading a book on how to ride a bike… without ever putting your feet on the pedals.

Apply the Child's Logic

If you applied the same attitude as a child learning to cycle, your English would improve faster and with less fear:

Forget perfection. Aim to speak, not to impress.
Accept mistakes. Every error teaches you something.
Push through frustration. Feeling stuck is normal. Keep going.
Celebrate balance, not beauty. Once you can “stay upright” in conversation, fluency will come.
Use the language. That’s where real learning happens.

From Wobbly to Fluent

Just like riding a bike, speaking English becomes easier the more you do it. At first, you’ll wobble. Maybe fall. But you’ll get back up. You’ll try again. You’ll learn.

And one day, you’ll look back and realise you’re doing it. You’re riding. You’re speaking. Not perfectly, maybe—but confidently, clearly, and without fear.

So get on the bike. Speak the words. Make the mistakes. You’re much closer than you think.

Are you ready to start pedalling? Let’s ride together. Book a trial session today and take your first confident step toward fluency.

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