Common mistakes when learning a new language

 



Common Mistake 1: Never Speaking English

This one can be difficult. There are so many reasons not to speak English…

  • You don’t live in an English-speaking country
  • You don’t use English in your work
  • You don’t know any English speakers
  • You don’t have time for English classes
  • There are too many people in your English class so you don’t get time to speak
  • You feel really shy/nervous/scared to speak English
  • You want to wait until you get really, really good before you speak English

Do any of those sound familiar? Yes, there are so many reasons (excuses) but I want to tell you 2 things:

  1. It is STILL possible to speak English in your situation
  2. You MUST speak English to improve your speaking

Common Mistake 2: Thinking You Don’t Have Time

There are two possibilities here:

  1. Your life is REALLY busy, so you feel you have no time (but is that true?)
  2. You attend a class 1 time per week

In both of these situations, the problem is time but for different reasons.

The good news is both problems are solved by the same solution!

Do you have 10 minutes a day when you listen to a radio program? Do you have time to make grocery lists and to-do lists? Do you sometimes watch videos on the Internet? Do you talk to yourself (out loud or in your mind) during the day?

You can do each of these things in English.


Common Mistake 3: Focusing Only on Grammar

After 20 years of teaching English (+ 4 years of learning French + 2 years of learning German + 3 years of learning Russian …), I have A LOT of grammar and vocabulary books. Do you?

  • Have you ever thought, if I do more grammar activities, I will really understand the language and then I will be able to speak it?
  • Do you ask your English teacher for more grammar activities so you can become better at the language?
  • Do you memorize lists of verbs and lists of phrasal verbs and lists of idioms and lists of vocabulary words? 

Solutions for New Ways to Practice English

Okay, you only have a little time each day but you want to start a daily habit in English – what should you do?

Here are some great ideas:

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