It doesn’t matter which language you are studying: English, French, Chinese or Spanish. There are some typical mistakes all students make at some point and today I want to help you avoid them.
1. To think that you should speak the language perfectly
What is perfect? Do native speakers master their language without any flaws? I’m almost sure we all have different perceptions of what perfection is and for sure that native speakers do not master their language without making mistakes.
Of course, you want to do your best and you want to avoid making mistakes as much as possible and that is perfectly fine. Instead of aiming at perfection, ask yourself why you are learning the language:
Do you need to give a presentation in English or Spanish and you want to be Christal clear? Then, practice phrases to correct yourself, to gain some time while you think. Study typical phrases and connectors which will make it easier for the listeners to follow you.
Do you want to pass an international exam? You can study and learn typical phrases and expressions of your level to impress your examiners. You can show how good you are even without writing and speaking perfectly because examiners are not trying to spot the mistakes you make. Instead, they do pay attention to the things you can do properly, your attempts to use certain structures even when they are not perfect.
Do your best to sound as natural as possible, because perfection is not the final goal but fluency and feeling at ease while interacting with natives or internationals is!
2. To aim to choose your accent
Why would you do that? You should embrace your accent, it is your identity and you will not look smarter if you ‘don’t sound Chinese’ when you are speaking English or Spanish.
This is a typical mistake you can all avoid by working on pronunciation. It might be hard at the beginning but eventually, you will realise the great difference that pronunciation can make in the way you speak.
You will be more aware of the intonation in questions, the stress in words, and certain sounds which might seem to be impossible. There are of course courses and classes focused on accent reduction, but I firmly believe that the key is in polishing your pronunciation. By doing this, you will notice that you feel more confident and if you ever felt embarrassed because of the way you speak, you will now feel at ease when using the second language to communicate.
3. To feel ashamed when you make the same mistake over and over
You make mistakes, I make mistakes and we all make mistakes. I understand that it can be frustrating or you may feel disappointed when you notice that you make a mistake even after your teacher has corrected you many times.
Some mistakes we make are directly connected to our mother tongue (the language we speak since we are born) and that is why it is so hard to correct them. It is important to understand that it takes time to correct such mistakes.
One thing you can do with one specific mistake is to write the right version on a post-it note for example, and stick it in as many places as possible.
Let’s say you are learning Spanish and you say La gente son because in your language people is plural (like people are in English or mensen zijn in Dutch). Write that phrase down La gente es in a post-it note and stick it to your laptop screen, to the lamp on your night table, or to the fridge door.
The more you are in contact with the expression the better so go and grab a post-it note and a pen and try it!
4. To think that fluency is speaking fast
It isn’t. This is just another typical mistake we can easily avoid.
People usually think that if you make pauses you are not fluent but in fact, making pauses is perfectly fine. This is even a strategy some speakers use to draw the listener’s attention. If you make a pause because you are trying to come up with a word you could say:
What I mean is… / Lo que quiero decir es…
Oh, I lost my train of thought, let me say that again. / Perdí el hilo de lo que quería decir, déjeme comenzar de nuevo.
I’ve got the word on the tip of my tongue, you know what I mean. / Tengo la palabra en la punta de la lengua, sabe a lo que me refiero.
By doing this you will sound natural because both native and non-native speakers get distracted, don’t remember a word, and correct themselves to make things clearer.
5. To think that you should use complex vocabulary to sound smart
It isn’t necessary to use complex words or expressions to show that you have a good level. Sometimes, that could be counterproductive as others will think you are not being natural or they may even think that you want to show off.
Speaking well does not involve using too complex vocabulary or grammar. Some of the complex expressions you learn in books sound awkward to native speakers since they are not used in everyday contexts.
Even when you sit for an international exam, you need to make sure that you master the language at a level that makes you use certain expressions naturally. It is not worth reciting an idiom or a phrasal verb by heart when you don’t use it properly in the context.
If you are interested in learning more about mistakes in the language you are learning check the following blogs:
- Common mistakes in Spanish and how to correct them
- Common mistakes in English and how to correct them
If you need guidance on how to improve your language skills book your FREE SESSION and LET’S TALK about your needs and wants!
