What are some of the most common mistakes that English language learners make?
Learners are also welcomed to answer!
14 answers from our tutors
Best answer
they usually feel shy to talk among people because of upcoming mistakes
Because of direct translation and not knowing the meaning of the English word being used in the right context
Pronunciation.
Check your English level for free
Take our quick and free test to find out your current level of English
Start test
Mixing up their future/past tense phrases
Based on my experience, many thing have become their obstacle in learning English. Mostly, they are affraid of making mistakes and other make a fool of them. Unsuppoerted surrounding has making it so. So, as a teacher you have to create a nice and friendly ambience in the class to keep them comfortable and enjoy the class, as the curiousity to learn is improving. Learning foreign languange is not a problem, yet it's challenging.
In my opinion, the most common mistakes English learners make are concerning to reading because it's very difficult to understand the 'rules, no rules about reading' in English. When you think you have already learnt a rule an exception appears. Furthermore, it's quite diffuclt to reproduce some sounds in a correct way.
I think they are afraid to speak and make mistakes, if only they knew that they could learn from their mistakes, they will improve and be better. They struggle alot in Proper pronunciation and grammar.
Most of the time students make mistakes when it come to tenses (past, present, perfect, continuous and future tenses)
I am not a student, but I think it is because students are afraid to speak for fear of making mistakes, whether it be because of making a mistake with the proper pronunciation, grammar or vocabulary and yet it does not matter if they make mistakes because it is exactly through the mistakes that we all learn. That is the reason why they take lessons. So students can feel encouraged and just relax during lessons. They will get there!
mistakes in syntax and tenses
They hardly follow grammar rules.
Other student questions
- What are your common English drill phrases for practice? My common drill phrase : Giving direction
1. Go straight ahead. 2. Turn left/right at the next intersection. 3. It's on the right/left side of the street. 4. It's near/far from here.
- Have you ever come across a study that says fluency can be achieved with around 200 words or so?
Studies say native speakers use as few as 200, 300 words at the most to get by on daily basis. Those who believe fluency relies upon being a walking encyclopedia is quite mistaken. Fluency has more to do with finding as many uses as possible for one expession than the other way around. Book a class and come find out.
Best answer
"We made an appointment for 2 PM. I was there at 2 PM. I was right ON time." (on time = at the arranged time) "John had an accident! Fortunately, the ambulance arrived in time to save his life." (in time = before it's too late) Hope this shows the difference between them ;)
