I’m back on italki after a year abroad. After spending the last year abroad working in English education and teacher training, I am now back here with new experience, new insights, and a fresh perspective on how people actually learn languages successfully. While teaching students and training teachers, I saw some important patterns that I would like to share with you,, especially if you are at the A1–B1 level. 1. Many strong teachers avoid beginners. A lot of very good teachers prefer to work only with intermediate or advanced students because beginners feel slower and less excited. As a result, most A1–B1 learners study for years with less experienced teachers. This often slows progress, lowers quality, and leads to frustration or loss of motivation. 2. Many beginners choose only low-priced lessons. The idea is usually: “I’ll study cheaply now and book a professional teacher later.” In reality, this often creates weak foundations, confusion, and long-term plateaus. In my experience, most students who follow this approach struggle to reach B1–B2 for years, and many never get there. 3. Progress comes from commitment, not magic. Even the best teacher cannot help if learning is inconsistent. I once worked with a student who planned 85 hours for the year but completed only about 30 because of missed and rescheduled classes and unfinished homework. The result was confusion, low progress, and frustration, not because of ability, but because of a lack of routine and commitment. English is not learned by luck. It is learned by the right guidance, strong foundations, and regular practice.