Love of the English Language, and the Greatest Love of All
- May 31
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 2
Written by Lee Lin Cher, SEC (O Level) English Tutor
Mr Lee Lin Cher, SEC (O Level) English Tutor and Exam Strategist. Mr Lee Lin Cher is a veteran teacher and tutor, coaching students on the subject of English language for the Singapore-Cambridge SEC (O Level) English exams. He has been teaching since 1993 and has authored (to date) a total of 16 books on the subject.
In many of my previous articles, I talked about the great effort needed to master the English language. As non-native speakers and learners, we do not naturally assimilate the language into our being. If anything, daily, consistent effort is required to ensure progress. These efforts include reading, memorisation of words, and the conscious application of new words and phrases in our lives. None of these come naturally.
So it is naïve to think that we can master the English language by just putting ourselves into an “English-speaking environment”. Singapore is an English-first environment, and not everyone speaks and write good English.
There are no guarantees
Yet, there are no guarantees even if a student were willing to put him- or herself through the grind. Like the real world, effort does not necessarily equate reward.
The study of English – being first a language before it is an examinable subject – lends itself to much nuance and ambiguity. That’s why there are acquaintances of mine who, upon knowing that I teach the English language, are almost dumbfounded that I have chosen to major in a subject that cannot be systemised.
(How much of it can be systemised – that, I will leave it for another day.) Many of them are Mathematics and Chemistry teachers. Quite a fair number of them are proud producers of A1, distinction level, students at the Singapore-Cambridge GCE O Levels, which will soon to become the Secondary Education Certificate (SEC). Most English language teachers can’t claim the same level of achievement. Neither can I.
The power of persistence in learning the English language
Given that there are so few guarantees, how should a student persist in their journey of mastery in the language? Raw willpower won’t work. In a battle of the will and the imagination, imagination always wins.
So if one ‘wills’ him- or herself to pick up the nuts and bolts of the language, the sad story is, one will always fail. How should one push forward then? The answer lies in one human emotion that keeps the world spinning. It is the power of love.
The strength of the power of love
As cheesy as it sounds, love is the core of English language-mastery. As non-native learners, we already have the odds stacked against us in this quest. Without that love, we can’t really continue.
Everyone knows the importance of the English language. It is the language of transmission, communication and learning across the world, and across multiple endeavours. But knowing its importance doesn’t boil down to actual willingness to put oneself through the grind to learn it.
If anything, this understanding can lead to dissonance. It is the case of one who knows something is important, but is just plain reluctant to do it. Nothing destroys the self-esteem as much as that.
How to build that love
Love isn’t borne out of coercion, love is borne out of interest. This concept is best illustrated through an experience with an ex-student of mine. I believe I taught her in the year of 2007. She is from China. At that point in time, she had just arrived in Singapore, and she had only a year and a half to master enough English to pass the subject.
Needless to say, life in English language-learning was a daily struggle. There is a huge dichotomy in the English and Chinese language – and to demand that a student cross the abyss to immediately embrace the dynamics of a vastly different language ~ that’s unreasonable.
But the exam was still there. No excuses. I taught her as best as I could, but any improvement was incremental, and the incremental was almost imperceptible.
Suddenly, and I must say it was really sudden, she was making quantum leaps forward. She was understanding me a lot better, and she was finally able to apply the techniques that I was teaching. Upon some probing on my end, I realised what changed. She had stumbled onto the Twilight series of books by Stephenie Meyer, and she was all infatuated with Edward Cullen, the dashing vampire in love with a human girl.
Due to her interest, she was voraciously consuming all the books in the series, and she was actively trying to make out all the meanings of the words contained therein. Without any external motivation from my end (or the nosey guardian), she was doing what all we English language teachers wish, pray and hope for our students to do: read.
What’s this all about? It’s about love.
The greatest love of all
Don’t get me wrong, simple willpower and discipline can take us very far, but with love, everything becomes way easier, even willpower and discipline.
That reminds me, about 2,000 years ago, a teacher from Galilee was crucified for the sins of the world. I don’t ever want to know how a crucifixion feels like, but I definitely know, it definitely hurts like hell.
What would propel a human to put himself through so much suffering for people who didn’t care if they were and are going to heaven or hell? You already know the answer, it’s love and it is the greatest love of all.
The greatest love of all has already been gifted to us since 2,000 years ago. The price has been paid. So learning the English language really won’t hurt that much. You just need some love, because the ultimate love has already been bestowed on you.
Read more from Lee Lin Cher
Lee Lin Cher, SEC (O Level) English Tutor
Mr Lee Lin Cher, SEC (O Level) English Tutor and Exam Strategist. Mr Lee Lin Cher is a veteran teacher and tutor, coaching students on the subject of English language for the Singapore-Cambridge SEC (O Level) English exams. He has been teaching in one way or another since 1993, and has authored (to date) a total of 16 books on the subject. An unwilling educator, Mr. Lee had been trying to escape from the education industry forever. A life-changing experience in May 2025 convinced him that escape is not an option and that it is in his destiny to continue teaching and transforming the lives of his young charges.
