AVOID These Speaking Mistakes in English!

Introduction

This tutorial focuses on five common speaking mistakes in English and how to avoid them. By understanding and correcting these mistakes, you can improve your fluency and confidence in speaking English. This guide is based on insights from the video "AVOID These Speaking Mistakes in English!" by English with Lucy.

Step 1: Differentiate Between Make and Do

• Common Mistake: Many learners confuse "make" and "do."
• Practical Advice:
  • Use make for creating or producing something (e.g., make a cake, make a decision).
  • Use do for actions or tasks (e.g., do homework, do a job).
• Tip: Remember the mindmap technique to visualize when to use each verb.

Step 2: Understand Have vs Get

• Common Mistake: Mixing up "have" and "get."
• Practical Advice:
  • Use have for possession or experiences (e.g., have a car, have a meeting).
  • Use get for obtaining something or changing state (e.g., get a job, get tired).
• Tip: Think of "get" as an action towards acquiring something.

Step 3: Use Much, Many, and A Lot Correctly

• Common Mistake: Misusing much, many, and a lot.
• Practical Advice:
  • Use much with uncountable nouns (e.g., much water).
  • Use many with countable nouns (e.g., many apples).
  • Use a lot with both countable and uncountable nouns (e.g., a lot of money, a lot of friends).
• Tip: Practice with sentences to reinforce correct usage.

Step 4: Fewer vs Less

• Common Mistake: Confusing fewer and less.
• Practical Advice:
  • Use fewer with countable nouns (e.g., fewer students).
  • Use less with uncountable nouns (e.g., less sugar).
• Tip: Remember that "fewer" refers to quantity and "less" refers to degree or amount.

Step 5: A vs An

• Common Mistake: Incorrectly using "a" and "an."
• Practical Advice:
  • Use a before words that begin with a consonant sound (e.g., a car).
  • Use an before words that begin with a vowel sound (e.g., an apple).
• Tip: Focus on the sound that follows rather than just the first letter.

Conclusion

By avoiding these common speaking mistakes and practicing the correct usage of these terms, you can enhance your English speaking skills significantly. Take the time to practice what you've learned in real conversations, and consider joining online courses for more structured guidance. For further improvement, utilize the free resources and quizzes mentioned in the video description to assess your progress.