It’s never too late to learn a language – adults and kids bring different strengths to the task

Adult language learners have an understanding of grammar that can help them learn a new language. But they are also likely to feel more self-conscious as they do so. Bulat Silvia/iStock/Getty Images Plus

There’s a common assumption that if someone starts learning a language when they are very young, they will quickly become fluent.

Many people also assume that it will become much harder to learn a language if they start later in life.