English is probably the most difficult language to learn if you do not practice it everyday, be it speaking or writing.
It is true that practice makes perfect and I will not say otherwise. However, if you want to learn English faster, you should know what and how to practice and make sure that each time you practice fewer mistakes are made. Many learners get frustrated because each time they speak or write they make the same mistakes. If you are one of them, you may be learning English the wrong way. Check out the following common mistakes most English learners make and see whether any of them apply to you.
1. Focusing on grammar
This is probably the most common, biggest, and worst English learning mistake. Grammar study actually hurts your English speaking ability because true English grammar is way too complex for our analytical minds to handle. There are too many rules for one to remember and apply them in everyday conversation. The fastest way of mastering English grammar is by imitating the native speakers approach. Listen to them speaking and chat with them regularly and your brain will do the job. It is the same as learning to drive; you do not learn to drive by memorizing the manual book. So, yes, throw those grammar books and start speaking English today!
2. Learning from textbooks only
Most learners will buy whatever textbooks their English teachers ask them to buy and then what? They will master the language quickly and start speaking like a native speaker. Wrong answer! Native speakers do not use formal English when speaking to their friends, family, and co-workers. They use casual English that is full of idioms, phrasal verbs, and slang not found in your formal textbooks. So, unless you learn casual English also, you will find it difficult to communicate with them.
3. Trying to be perfect all the time
Okay, so mistakes must be corrected. Sure! But no one is perfect, and trying to speak and write English perfectly all the time is next to impossible. Even native speakers make mistakes, so you have no reason to sweat over making mistakes and correcting them. Instead, you should focus more on communication as your ultimate goal in learning English is to communicate ideas, information, and feelings in a clear way that people will understand.
4. Relying on English schools and teachers
Most learners think that English schools and teachers are their tickets to learning perfect English, and so they rely totally on them. This could not be further from the truth. A good English teacher can help but ultimately you are the one person responsible for your learning. Your main tasks are to find lessons and material that are effective, as well as listen, speak, and read everyday. In addition, you must be able to handle your emotions and remain positive and enthusiastic. No one can make you learn, including your teachers. Only you can do it!
As I mentioned earlier, these mistakes are common so you are not alone. The important thing is you need to correct them so that you can learn English faster, and instead of feeling frustrated most of the time you will now enjoy the learning process because you are doing it the right way.
A.J. Hoge is author of this article on learn English Find more information about learn English mp3 here. |
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