When it comes to written language I try to systematically check my sentence structures against Google results but I can’t seem to stick to it in the long run because it’s so fastidious It takes me long enough to post a comment (and I only post one in 10 that I write). But if you can keep to it, it’s a good idea to try different combinations and see which ones have the most results, and more importantly which ones show no result or less than a hundred.
One thing I’ve come to understand recently though is that you should always try to shorten your sentences as much as possible until you can’t cut them down without losing the essential information.
When it comes to speaking a foreign language, I think the most efficient learning methods allow you to listen to a native speaker, then record your voice while you repeat his words, and then listen to your own voice so you get used to your foreign voice.
Of course, watching lots of tv and using the net’s resources, like audio/video conference to communicate on a regular basis with native speakers are great to be more familiar with the language’s rhythm.