- 📚 English Studying Journey
- Made by a Brazilian 🇧🇷
- 📑 Table of Contents
- 🎯 About This Repository
- 🧑🎓 Starting Level
- 📚 Currently Studying
- 🎯 IELTS Journey
- 🛠️ Tools & Resources
- 📚 Book Study Plan
- 📖 Reading for Pleasure
- 🧠 Obsidian Vocabulary Vault
- 🎓 Resources
- 💡 Study Approach
- 📊 Current Skills Proficiency
⚠️ Important Note- ❓ Frequently Asked Questions
- 🤝 Contributing
- 📜 License
Welcome to my English learning repository! This is where I document my journey from B2 to advanced English proficiency, track my progress, and organize all the resources that help me along the way.
This repository serves as:
- 📖 A comprehensive documentation of my English learning journey
- 🗂️ A centralized hub for resources, links, and study materials
- Starting Point: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)
- Start Date: Late 2025
- Goal: Score 6.5-7.0 on IELTS for international program applications
- Native Language: Portuguese (PT-BR)
Attempt #1
Target Score: 6.5 - 7.0 (Academic) | Purpose: International bachelor program applications
| Date | Format | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Overall | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 11-12, 2026 | Online Academic Test (British Council) | ⏳ | ⏳ | ⏳ | ⏳ | ⏳ | First attempt. Awaiting results. |
I leverage various AI tools to enhance my learning experience:
- GitHub Copilot - Code-based English practice and technical documentation
- Claude - Vocabulary learning and AI-powered coding assistance
- Perplexity - Research, answering questions and finding quality resources
- 📚 Books (Cambridge English series and more)
- 🎥 YouTube videos and channels
- 🎧 Podcasts and audiobooks
- 📰 Articles and blogs
- 📱 Social media content creators
- 🎬 Movies, series, and animes
⚠️ Social Media Warning: Not all content on social media is trustworthy. Some videos spread false information, teach incorrect lessons, or present linguistic prejudice disguised as educational content. Others may be incomplete or misleading. Always verify information by doing your own research or consulting AI tools. That said, English learning content creators on social media can be incredibly helpful when used critically.
Last Updated: February 12, 2026
Based on my current B2 level, I've created a structured learning path through the Cambridge English series and complementary materials.
Building solid intermediate skills and expanding vocabulary.
| Cover | Book Title | Status |
|---|---|---|
 |
English Grammar in Use (Intermediate) | 🔄 In Progress |
 |
English Phrasal Verbs in Use (Intermediate) | ⏸️ Not Started |
 |
English Vocabulary in Use (Upper-Intermediate) | ⏸️ Not Started |
Developing natural English expression and understanding context.
| Cover | Book Title | Status |
|---|---|---|
 |
English Phrasal Verbs in Use (Advanced) | ⏸️ Not Started |
 |
English Collocations in Use (Intermediate) | ⏸️ Not Started |
 |
English Idioms in Use (Intermediate) | ⏸️ Not Started |
 |
Speak English Like an American | ⏸️ Not Started |
Mastering advanced structures and native-like expression.
| Cover | Book Title | Status |
|---|---|---|
 |
Advanced Grammar in Use | ⏸️ Not Started |
 |
English Vocabulary in Use (Advanced) | ⏸️ Not Started |
 |
English Collocations in Use (Advanced) | ⏸️ Not Started |
 |
English Idioms in Use (Advanced) | ⏸️ Not Started |
 |
Oxford Work Skills - Idioms and Phrasal Verbs (Intermediate to Advanced) | ⏸️ Not Started |
Note: Book notes and annotations are kept privately in Samsung Notes on my tablet for convenience during study sessions. Additional practice exercises are available in the
exercises/folder as LaTeX files organized by book and topic.
Beyond textbooks, I also read books for enjoyment to improve my English naturally. This includes novels, memoirs, and non-fiction on topics I love.
⚠️ Lesson Learned: I once made the mistake of starting with philosophy books (Stoicism). Result? 40+ new words per chapter — completely overwhelming! Now I choose books with accessible vocabulary that I can actually learn from without burning out.
| Cover | Title | Author | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Long Way Round: Chasing Shadows Across the World | Ewan McGregor & Charley Boorman | Travel / Motorcycle Adventure |
This repository includes a fully-featured Obsidian vault for tracking vocabulary learned from anime, manga, series, and other media. Located in obsidian-vaults/english-vocabulary/.
Features:
- 📇 Vocabulary Cards — Detailed word cards with definitions, word families, collocations, etymology, usage notes, and Portuguese translations
- 📊 Interactive Dashboard — Homepage with DataviewJS-powered statistics, recent words, and paginated word lists per media source
- 📈 Learning Progress Charts — Visual tracking of vocabulary growth over time for each media source
- 🏷️ Media-Based Organization — Words organized by source material (Dragon Ball Z, F1, Peaky Blinders, Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo)
- 🎨 Custom Theme — Dracula dark scheme with media-specific accent colors and custom CSS
- 📝 Blog Section — Articles exploring interesting English language topics
- 🧪 Vocabulary Exercises — Practice sets with LaTeX-generated PDFs
- 🤖 AI Prompt Integration — Built-in vocabulary learning prompt for use with AI assistants
To use the vault: Open the
obsidian-vaults/english-vocabulary/folder as a vault in Obsidian. The vault includes all plugins, theme settings, and CSS snippets pre-configured.
Online Conversation Practice - Linguapolis, University of Antwerp
Institution: Linguapolis - University of Antwerp
Status: ✅ Completed
Started: November 18, 2025
Finished: February 3, 2026
Total Sessions: 10
Level: C1+
The classes are well-structured and cover a good amount of content. You're required to speak during every session—not excessively, but enough to ensure active participation. The course offers a variety of group and individual dynamics, and the tutor consistently ensures everyone gets speaking practice.
Most Valuable Aspect: The detailed feedback materials sent by the teacher one or two days after each session. These documents highlight what students did well and provide corrections for mistakes made during class. I've learned a significant amount of vocabulary through studying and reviewing these feedback materials.
Key Takeaways:
- Active speaking practice in every session
- Diverse group and individual activities
- High-quality, detailed feedback after each class
- Excellent vocabulary expansion through review materials
My learning philosophy:
- Immersion: Daily exposure to English through multiple channels
- Active Practice: Writing, speaking, and applying what I learn
- AI-Enhanced: Using technology to accelerate learning while maintaining authentic practice
- Structured + Flexible: Following a book plan while adapting to real-world needs
- English-First: All materials, notes, and practice in English
- 📖 Reading: C1 (Advanced)
- ✍️ Writing: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)
- 🎧 Listening: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)
- 🗣️ Speaking: B1 (Intermediate)
This repository is highly personal and individualized. The content, structure, and study plan are tailored to:
- My current English level (B2) as of late 2025
- My specific goals (IELTS preparation, international applications)
- My learning style and background
- My timeline and priorities
While you're welcome to explore and get inspired, keep in mind that your learning path should be customized to your own needs, level, and objectives.
Why these specific books?
The Cambridge "English in Use" series is widely regarded as one of the best structured learning paths for self-study. Each book focuses on a specific skill (grammar, vocabulary, phrasal verbs, etc.) and provides:
- Clear explanations with examples
- Progressive difficulty levels
- Self-study friendly format
- Answer keys for independent learning
- Proven track record with millions of learners worldwide
I chose this progression based on my current B2 level and recommendations from language learning communities.
Can I use your study plan?
Absolutely! However, keep in mind this plan is designed for someone starting at B2 level. If you're at a different level:
- A2-B1: Start with Elementary/Pre-Intermediate versions of the Cambridge books
- C1+: Jump directly to Advanced books or focus on specialized areas
The key is to assess your current level first and adjust accordingly!
How do you stay motivated?
Several strategies keep me going:
- 🎯 Clear goal: Applying to international programs require strong English
✈️ Real-world practice: I travel abroad frequently, which gives me constant contact with different people and cultures. These experiences already push me to use English extensively, and beyond studying abroad, I'm focused on improving my language skills to make these interactions even more meaningful and enriching- 📈 Visible progress: This repository tracks my journey publicly
- 🤖 AI tools: Make learning more interactive and personalized
This is a personal learning repository, but if you have suggestions for resources or want to share your own learning experience, feel free to open an issue!
This repository is for educational purposes. All book materials referenced are copyrighted by their respective publishers.
Last Updated: February 2026
Status: 🚀 Active Learning