What to Avoid While Studying English Grammar

In this article we will answer the question, “why is grammar important?” Frankly, no one wants to spend hours studying declensions and structuring sentences. But without knowledge of grammar, you will make basic mistakes. Fortunately, you can still learn grammar rules. Armed with the right materials and choosing the right learning strategy, you can avoid common mistakes, and even have fun while studying.

Main mistakes in grammar

Everyone who teaches English is faced with pitfalls they must avoid in order to achieve optimal results. Of course, any English grammar errors are problematic in their own right, and many native speakers also make them. But we will help you figure it out and give some advice.

We have prepared a list of the five most common areas where non-native speakers most often make mistakes. Will you see something familiar?

1. Verbs are used in 13 different tenses

Do you know that English has 13 different tenses for its verbs, all of which have different cases for the past, present, and future? Can you still not distinguish present simple, past simple, past perfect, and other tenses? Do not worry, you are not the only ones! It is one of the basic English grammar mistakes.

2. Confusion with subject and object pronoun

Many people are confused in the difference between he and him, I and me, she and her. If you often encounter this problem, then do not despair. For many native speakers, this is one of the most common grammar mistakes in English. But this should not stop you from diligently studying this difficult rule.

3. Wrong word order

The word order varies in different languages, and many find it difficult to understand the structure of the word order in the English language. In Romance languages, adjectives follow the noun that they apply to. But in English, adjectives usually come before a noun.

4. Subject and verb disagreement

A subject in the singular is used together with a verb in the singular, and subjects in the plural are used with verbs in the plural. This is a very simple rule, but many still do not understand it. It is one of the main problems students have in their essays. If this brings you lots of problems as well, you’d better order your essay on a college essay writing service like EssayShark. In this way, you will be sure that your essay contains no mistakes.

5. Problems with articles

Incorrect article usage is the most common mistake in the English language. All the rules about the use of articles can be quite confusing and tricky. For example, you usually omit the article when using the plural noun as a direct object. If you do not use the right articles, you will still be understood, but it will be obvious that your level of English is not high.

Despite this, remember that in some situations you shouldn’t worry about grammar. For example, if you write a message to a close friend, it’s natural to use everyday, simplified language. Chatting online is a terrific way to connect with native speakers and other people learning English to communicate in a friendly and free environment.

What to Avoid While Studying Grammar

1. Putting off learning English grammar. It is a big mistake to postpone learning English grammar for later or not learning it at all.
2. Incorrect learning methodology. Before you start learning English grammar, you need to learn how to learn. Understand which method is easier for you to perceive new information – whether visually or aurally – and only after that decide how and where you will learn.
3. Uninteresting textbooks and teachers. You should not focus on a textbook you do not like, or work with the teacher whose teaching style is not pleasant to you. Learning is easy when it is fun.
4. Fear of making a mistake. Mistakes are just a sign that you need to return to the material you have passed and repeat it again. That is, learning the grammar of a language involves learning from our mistakes, and there is nothing wrong with that.
5. Long pauses in learning. The best learning results are achieved by those who study a little, but every day, over those who study for a long time, but once a week. Practice English grammar every day in any form convenient for you – books, films, conversations, lessons, and meetings.
6. Not learning yourself, but instead waiting to be taught. Do not shift the responsibility to the teacher and rely too much on his or her teaching talent. Even the best teacher in the world will not learn grammar for you.
7. Not going back to previous material. Many techniques have been developed that facilitate memorization. They all boil down to repeating new information as often as possible.

Despite the fact that English grammar can sometimes be scary to learn and understand how to use it correctly, this is a very interesting and useful process. Do not be afraid to make mistakes when practicing. Sometimes this is the best way to learn something new! If you are ready to study grammar diligently and with enthusiasm, this can be a fascinating and absorbing direction in learning English.