From Watching Shows to Taking MET: Henrique Guerra’s English Learning Journey

For many English learners, improving their language skills does not always come from textbooks alone. Sometimes it happens through everyday activities like watching television, listening to music, or playing video games. For Henrique Guerra, a student from Brazil, these daily habits played an important role in helping him build the confidence to take MET and pursue opportunities abroad.

Learning English Through Entertainment

Guerra began strengthening his English through American television shows and movies. Over time, he realized that watching content in English helped him understand jokes, expressions, and cultural references that often disappear in translated versions.

Shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine became one of his favorite ways to practice.

“When they translate the show, it’s not the same thing,” he said. “There are many jokes that you only understand if you know the language.”

To improve his comprehension, he developed a simple method. When watching a series, he would watch it multiple times using different types of subtitles. First, he watched with subtitles in his native language. Then he watched it again with English subtitles. Finally, he watched the episode a third time with no subtitles at all.

Repeating the same content helped him recognize vocabulary and become more familiar with how native speakers communicate.

“If you watch it three times, it becomes easier to recognize what people are saying,” he said. “You start getting used to how native people talk.”

Making English Part of Daily Life

In addition to television shows, Guerra incorporated English into many parts of his daily routine. Music became another helpful learning tool.

“Music helps a lot because it’s part of your everyday life,” he said. “You start understanding what the singer is actually saying instead of just hearing the sound.”

He also practiced reading English online and playing video games in English. Story-driven games such as Undertale required reading dialogue and making decisions based on the story, which helped him learn new vocabulary through context.

“When you play in English, you start recognizing words naturally,” Guerra explained. “You are playing and learning at the same time.”

These everyday activities allowed Guerra to practice English regularly without feeling like he was studying in a traditional classroom environment.

Why Guerra Took MET

Guerra is currently studying engineering and hopes to expand his career opportunities internationally. Because engineering is a global field, he believes that English certification can open doors to opportunities in other countries.

“There are a lot of opportunities in engineering around the world that MET could help me get into,” he said. “I would like to move abroad for a year or two and experience living in another country.”

Taking an English proficiency exam was an important step toward that goal.

Guerra’s Experience Taking MET

Like many test takers, Guerra felt nervous before beginning the test. However, those concerns quickly faded once he started working through the questions.

“At the beginning, I was a little scared,” he said. “But when I started taking the test, I realized it was a very good experience.”

One of the most surprising aspects of the test was how familiar the English felt. Instead of encountering confusing textbook phrases, Guerra recognized language that was similar to what he had seen in movies, music, and everyday online content.

“You think it will be very difficult and full of things you don’t understand,” he explained. “But during the test you realize that you actually know the language.”

During the listening and reading sections, Guerra often relied on context clues to understand unfamiliar words. Even when he did not recognize a specific word, the surrounding information helped him determine its meaning.

“Sometimes I didn’t know a word, but from the context I could guess what it meant,” he said. “Later I checked and realized I was right.”

Another moment that stood out to him was realizing he no longer needed to translate English into Portuguese while reading.

“You start understanding directly in English,” he said. “Your brain processes it automatically, so you don’t waste time translating.”

Guerra’s Advice for Future MET Test Takers

Guerra offers simple advice for anyone preparing to take MET.

First, he encourages future test takers not to feel intimidated by the exam.

“Don’t be scared,” he said. “It’s not the difficult test you think it will be.”

Second, he recommends making English part of everyday life. Listening to music, watching movies, reading online content, and even playing games in English can help learners become more comfortable with the language.

“Use English in your routine,” he advised. “If you enjoy something like movies or games, try doing it in English.”

Finally, he reminds learners that it is normal not to understand every word. Paying attention to context can often help fill in the gaps.

“No one knows everything,” he said. “But if you pay attention to the context, you can still understand the meaning.”

Real-World English Skills

Guerra’s experience reflects something many MET test takers notice: the test measures real-world English skills. For learners who regularly interact with English through media, music, reading, and conversation, much of the language on the test feels natural and familiar.

Sometimes, improving your English can start with something as simple as pressing play on your favorite show.