Why do English native speakers (especially from America) speak with grammar mistakes?
I was surprised to hear some even famous people who are native speakers speak with grammar mistakes such as "she don't", "he need", wrong verb forms and etc. Why is it so?
22 answers from our tutors
Best answer
It's called slang when you make a mistake knowing that it's a mistake. I teach it to my students how to make "the right" mistakes in their speech.
Heh this is the question I have been asked myself hundreds of times. To be honest I reckon the point is in different nations that have settled during the looong history
Part of it has to do with slang and also where the person was raised. All the states have various locations, and people in those locations speak differently. For example, someone in New York speaks much differently from someone from Georgia.
Check your English level for free
Take our quick and free test to find out your current level of English
Start test
The reason is because of the political history of African Americans and not only that, but pop culture also plays a role. For example, with the rise in the use of social media, some people tend to use informal phrases and abbreviations. e.g LOL. This tends to make people forget about basic English.
this is a question most of my students ask, I would say it's due to the slang and colloquial English that's used to communicate with each other because most Americans understand one another, which isn't always grammatically correct.
Main character syndrome
Fluency and ease of communication make some native speakers use incorrect grammar
We all do. People of all cultural backgrounds make mistakes in their native language.
- Milos J.Exeperience Drastic English Improvement in Just 2 Weeks with This TEFL Certified Tutor
Cause it's not about being perfect. It's about being confident. If you are a dummie then no degree nor certificate and definetely no correct word will save you. If you are looking to become a breathing dictionary then you'll have to sacrifice friendships. But of you are looking to become an amazing human being then becoming a dictionary will be a second nature to you 😉
Being a native speaker of a language does not necessarily mean that your grammar is perfect. Some native speakers’ grammar skills are great when writing only. Some people also use slang , but that doesn’t mean that they don’t know the correct grammar phrasing.
- Robert PickacardRobert Pickacard Certified English Teacher / Professional Magician
Basically spoken English differs from written English. People tend to use slang and idioms. It gives more flavour to the language.
Other student questions
- Which phrases do you find useful when making small talk in English?
Describe a specific situation where you will need to make small talk.
Best answer
A good way to do this is to discuss weekend plans. What do you usually enjoy doing on the weekends? Any fun plans for this weekend? How was your weekend?
Best answer
"The dark side of the light chasers" By Debbie Ford. Simple and easy to understand for an intermediate-level student. (Self-growth)
