Learning English can be a difficult journey and takes a lot of time and patience. Here I will be taking you through the common mistakes made by learners, so hopefully you can avoid these in order to improve your own fluency and confidence.
There can be many reasons why mistakes happen, but the earlier you catch them the easier they are to correct. The longer you use an incorrect part of English the harder it is because it is now a habit. One reason is the influence of your native language. Some languages have major differences in the structure of sentences, use of prepositions or other areas. When we first begin to learn a language sometimes we want to directly translate our native language into English. Sometimes this might work but not always and it is a mistake to rely on this way of learning. Another reason is overgeneralising English rules. In English, there are many exceptions to rules and it isn't always better to just learn the majority of a rule, we have to learn the exceptions too in order to use English accurately and understandably. Another reason is the lack of practice or exposure to authentic English usage. It takes a lot of time and effort to learn any new language and to really understand the use of English it is a good idea to include some natural authentic materials into your learning in order to understand more natural sentences or ways of saying things. It is also crucial to remember that mistakes are part of everyone's journey and is absolutely normal. There are many different ways to practice and learn new areas of English online or within your community (if accessible).
The Most Common Mistakes Learners Make
Grammar Mistakes
Omitting articles (a, an, the) - learners often omit or use articles incorrectly, but they are essential and depend on whether the noun is general or specific.
Misusing prepositions (in, on, at) - English prepositions can differ greatly from student's native language and so they prove problematic in choosing the correct one to use.
Misusing tenses - There are 12 different tenses in the English language and some of these do not appear at all in other languages which makes it more difficult. Some tenses are also similar but have a clear distinction (e.g. will and going to in future form) which makes it harder to choose when speaking.
Incorrect subject-verb agreement - In English when using the third person singular i.e. he, she, it, we have to add -s to the end of the verb. Most commonly this is forgotten by students when speaking and although the sentence is still understandable and doesn't change the meaning the sentence is not correct.
Word order in questions - In English the structure of questions differs from sentences which doesn't always happen in native languages which makes it more difficult to remember and so a direct translation will not work. In questions, the subject and auxiliary verb need to be inverted.
Pronunciation Errors
Th sounds - Th is a common sound in the English language but not very common in other languages, therefore making this sound difficult for other people to pronounce properly. Some students replace Th with more common sounds such as f, s, or d. For example, think becomes fink or sink and this becomes dis.
Vowel length differences - there are 12 different vowel sounds in the English language so it can be difficult to know which is which but there are some differences when it comes to a lot of words and understanding the difference is vital to increase your speaking and listening skills. For example, sheep (/ʃiːp/) and ship (/ʃɪp/) or pool (/puːl/) and pull (/pʊl/).
/r/ in non-rhotic accents - British English is a non-rhotic accent meaning the /r/ sound is not pronounced at the end of words or before a consonant. For example, car /kɑː/, not /kɑːr/. However, American English is a rhotic accent which means they do pronounce their /r/ sounds so it is important to distinguish between the two if you want to have a better and clearer British accent.
The schwa sound (/ə/ - This is the most common sound in English but it can be tricky because it is weak and unstressed. It is common in a lot of words such as, balloon, family, problem, support, bottom etc. This is a sound which is used when a vowel does not make its long or short vowel sound.
Silent letters - Silent letters are very common in English words and therefore can be challenging to understand when a silent letter is present. For example, know (/nəʊ/) and castle (/ˈkɑːsl/).
Vocabulary Missteps
Overusing formal or academic words - some learners often rely on academic textbooks which can make their speaking sound very stiff and unnatural. Some examples include, using commence instead of start or therefore instead of so.
Using Americanisms instead of British terms - there is a distinction between American and British vocabulary which many people want to learn British English but use American terms. Although this is understood by most people, it is not the correct way to speak British English.
Confusing similar words - some words can be similar but have different meanings, for example, borrow and lend, big and serious or practise (verb) and practice (noun).
Overusing filler words like actually, basically or like - using these very often in speaking isn't very natural and sounds off. Keeping them to a minimum is ideal.
Spelling Issues
Confusion between British and American spelling - there is distinct spelling between the two, for example colour (British) and color (American); American spelling tends to miss out the 'u' letter whereas we include it in British spelling. Another common one is realise (British) and realize (American). American spelling is usually used with a 'z' whereas British spelling tends to be with a 's'.
Double consonants - in British spelling we tend to double consonants when we add a suffix at the end, such as, travelling or cancelled.
Retaining older forms - we tend to keep some older forms of spelling which is noticeable with certain patterns like ae or oe, for example, foetus or aesthetic.
Phrasal Verb Challenges
Phrasal verbs can be challenging phrases and easily misunderstood. Some phrasal verbs are tricky to understand the meaning at all and they are better learned as a whole. More than likely you will be able to understand their individual meanings when the words are separated but when put together they have an entire different meaning or meanings. Here are some very common phrasal verbs that are worth noting:
Look after - to take care of someone or something.
Get on - to board a vehicle or make progress.
Turn up - to increase volume or to appear/arrive.
Give up - to stop doing something, usually a habit or to stop trying.
Put off - to delay or postpone or make someone lose interest.
Take off - to remove something or a plane to leave the ground or become successful.
How to Identify and Fix These Mistakes
There are some strategies you can use to self-correct yourself if you find yourself making one of the above mistakes. The first progress is recognising you do it then you can do something about it to improve. Using grammar check tools such as Grammarly can be great for your writing skills. Also, regular practise with native speakers can help or in authentic settings where English is widely spoken and the dominant language.
Another idea is to keep a mistake journal, whenever you notice a mistake write it down and correct it. This can help you to keep track of any patterns which you can then hone in on and make a focus of your learning.
Qualified tutors are great at picking up on a pattern of errors and here at Ace English we pride ourselves on helping you to use English more accurately and confidently in all 4 skills. Enrol yourself onto a package of lessons face to face with an online tutor or select a course that suits your needs to improve your English skills.
To avoid making mistakes in the future, ensure you are being consistent with your learning whether it's reading, listening, speaking or writing practise. Listen to podcasts and talk to someone about it to engage in a real conversation or watch your favourite films or tv shows in English. Learn more about how you can use reading and listening and practising at home with my other dedicated blogs at the link here: https://www.aceenglish.co.uk/articles.
Remember, making mistakes is natural and a part of everyone's learning, it takes time, practise, persistence and patience to learn a new language.
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