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I still remember when I first met the language in school. It was in the third class and we had to choose an English name and an English city. So I changed identity and become "Kate from Liverpool". It was a funny way to make children interested in English. I have studied the language for 10 years and it has been very interesting but sometimes very hard.
I will assess my strengths and weaknesses in the English language in the four skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing. At the end I will make a summary of my thoughts.

Listening
Since I was a little girl I have listened to the English language on radio and TV. I love watching British TV-programmes and I'm also a big fan of British music. So my strength is that I have always listened to the language and when I like to do something it is easier to understand.

When I watch TV I can always look at the text-screen if I don't understand a special word. But now when I take part in English lectures, I often find it hard to understand everything because there are so many special expressions that I have never heard of before. I hung up on these expressions and forget to go on listening. Therefore I'm going to write these words down at once and later when I got time I will check them and try to learn them. In that way I will get rid of my weakness of hunging up on special words. 

Reading 
I have not read many books in English. It depends on that it takes so long time for me because I always have to check every word which I don't understand. But I have promised myself to read more since I have been told that it is very useful reading literature when you want to improve in a foreign language. 

My strength is that I usually read books, in Swedish though, which are originally written by authors from Britain. Especially I like reading detective-stories of Agatha Christie, Elisabeth George and P.D James. These books are very detailed and I therefore learn how British people think and act and also how the society works. (Of course are not all Britons murderers. Some of them are actually policemen).

Speaking
Unfortunately I have not got the opportunity to live abroad and I have therefore not been able practising the English language. Occasionally I have spent some weeks in English-talking countries but I have felt very insure of my ability of speaking English. Of course after a few pints I can speak quite well because I feel more comfortable and relaxed. But I can't go on drinking beer every time I want my English to flow.

Though, speaking English is my biggest weakness. I feel uncomfortable when I don't find the right words and expressions. I also want to learn more slang-words so I can speak in a more "easy" way.

Writing
Writing essays are not my strength neither in Swedish nor in English. I have difficulties in expressing myself correctly and I need to be more creative when I write essays.

Anyhow I think I'm very good at spelling. My teachers have always claimed that it is very important so I have tried to spend much time learning how to spell. Therefore it is a pity (of course it is good) when you nowadays can check the spelling by help from the spelling-controller in your computer.

Summary
My weaknesses in the English language partly depend on that I have never been able to practice the language abroad. Therefore I'm not good at speaking English and I find difficulties in knowing special expressions and words. I have always thought that writing is boring because I think it is hard to express myself.

My strengths are that I'm good at spelling. I have also a quite big knowledge in the British society since I have read a lot of English literatures and I have watched many British TV-programmes. I'm really looking forward to improving English, my English! And I think it will be very fascinating to go to England in autumn.
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