Mistake 1. You learn words
No need to learn words. It is necessary to learn PREPARED PHRASES.
When you were a kid, did you learn something like “go-went-gone”? No, you learned “words” like “mamahachuvotetushakalaaaaatku !!!!” Therefore, if you have heard or read a phrase where there is an unfamiliar word and want to learn a new word, never make a word card like “decide – decide”. Instead, write out the entire sentence and underline the new word. And besides, any new word will be remembered much more vividly in a natural context, and not in a combination “word-translation”.
Therefore, learn not words, but bright, emotionally colored phrases with new words.
Mistake 2. You think that knowing grammar will make you speak well
Having learned all the grammar rules, you will protect yourself from only a small part of mistakes.
Imagine: I come to you and say: “Now I will inform you about a single adventure that took place on the territory of my personal full-size dwelling before sunset. A domestic cat I own stole a sausage product from my Belarusian refrigerator, making a conscious effort to open its door. ”
Liked? So at least one person will speak Russian? Never! Now try to find at least one grammatical mistake in the story!
Likewise, when we focus our efforts on learning grammar, we seem to speak without mistakes, but unnatural!
Therefore, focus your attention not on grammar rules, but on natural phrases in a vivid context! Yes, if you want to speak purely, you need to learn grammar rules, especially complex constructions or such cases when you know that they say so, and when it is not clear. But grammar is dessert! For starters, first and second, please order listening, speaking and learning phrases.
Mistake 3. You think you can learn a language by reading
Learn English without reading, but LISTENING AND SPEAKING. By reading texts in English, you will not do anything to improve your speech. The key to speaking is different – listening, repeating and learning vocabulary in context.
Reading is necessary to learn and consolidate both active and passive (that is, one that you understand, but do not use yourself) vocabulary. Reading is necessary to become familiar with a very large layer of words, which is used only in books. I have not done any research, but on an intuitive level I feel that in colloquial speech we use 5-8 percent of the vocabulary of the literary language. The rest is in books. Finally, reading is for fun.
Therefore, it is imperative to read. But please be aware that reading will not advance you in spoken language.
Mistake 4. You do not repeat the studied material enough
Less is better, but better – this rule works 100% in the language. You don’t need to learn a lot of new material. You need to repeat the material covered a lot more times than you are used to. And not in one sitting. Let’s say you need to repeat a new phrase 200 times (yes, that much!) To remember it forever. Better to stretch these 200 repetitions for 3 days, and repeat a little every day in the morning, afternoon and evening. And then repeat another 15 times a week later. And come back again in a month. “Repetition is the mother of learning” is a proverb that is found in so many languages.
Therefore – return to the covered material many times.
Mistake 5. You listen and repeat after the speaker instead of expressing your thoughts in language
Repeating a phrase after the announcer is one thing, but expressing your thought is another. Have you ever had this: in the classroom everything seems to be fine, but when you need to talk to someone – suddenly some kind of stupor? If so, this means that in the lessons you do not express your own thoughts much. The conclusion is simple – you need to speak the language! But, unfortunately, it is almost impossible to do it alone.
Therefore – find yourself an environment for communication in English. It is always possible, there would be a desire.
Mistake 6. You are afraid to make mistakes
This is one of the most enduring misconceptions – a language can be learned by diligently and slowly constructing “unmistakable” phrases. Unfortunately, this strategy is a losing one. Firstly, if you speak with pure grammar, this does not mean that this is correct English (see point 2). Secondly, learning to speak well can only be done with a lot of practice. And by trying to protect yourself from mistakes, you are depriving yourself of practice. Look at young children as they learn to speak. Don’t they make mistakes? They do, and a lot. But they are not afraid to speak, and in the end quantity turns into quality.
Therefore – do not be afraid to make mistakes! You can only overcome mistakes with practice.
