Language evolved as a means of communication. With travel, commerce and administrative needs increasing, the need for learning multiple languages increased. This paper briefly covers the major language learning theories and some important language teaching methods which have evolved over the years. The sample study of English students and teachers at tertiary level in Chennai probes the awareness levels of the various methods and their relative preferences. It indicates that while the grammar translation method is still popular among the older generation, the evolving trend is for methods which focus on quick and fluent communication in the target language, rather than on perfection in the target language.