Mistake number 1 in learning English

There is only really one mistake in learning English, that is studying things that are not important.  People study text book English not real English.  This post will outline some common examples of studying textbook or school English rather than real English.  I will pick on the perfect tense.

The typically student who studied English as a foreign language in school spent many years studying English verb tenses and conditionals.  They study one tense at a time, then move to the next one.

This is the wrong approach, a mistake.  The primary tense in the English language is the simple tense. Sometimes you might use the continuous tense.  However, most Americans including myself don’t know the perfect tense and if they do they use it incorrectly. British English goes overboard with rules.  English is changing and not like that anymore. It is a flexible universal language.

Further, 80% of the world speaks American English, sorry.  All films, music, business comes mostly from the USA. Sorry again but this is a fact.  English is evolving into an international English based on simplified American English without old fashion Cambridge English rules from the last century.

Think about how your own language, has changed from the past? Do people speak the same way they did in the last century? Then why study outdated English?  Studying the wrong things is the biggest mistake in learning English as a foreign language.

In fact, when I first came to Poland, even though I graduated first in my class and have a master’s degree and was an honors English I didn’t know what the ‘perfect tense was.  It was Polish people that told me about the perfect tense.  They told me this is very important, you must know the perfect tense.  I said really why?

My nephew who grew up in London and went to the best private school in London and studied English when he came to Poland he heard there was something called the perfect tense, but did not know what it was.

The mistakes in English is studying textbook grammar not real world English.

The sixteen English tenses are important only in text books and on some stupid Cambridge exam. This type of grammar is not important if you want to speak to a native speaker. If fact if you over use this formal grammar to a native speaker you might sound ridiculous.   The simple tense is the primary tense in the English language.  If I want to sound really elegant or old-fashioned, you could use the perfect tense, I guess.

And what about conditionals. How often do we use conditionals?  Maybe if I say something like ‘if I had been born in England I would have spoken English as a child ‘. But do we really talk like that? To talk that formal is a mistake ESL. Learn the language that is spoken now with people on the street.

Learning English grammar is about prepositions and articles

In my opinion the most important thing after you learn the simple and continuous tense in the English language is to learn propositions and articles.  That is the basis of English grammar.  Not reported speech and the other stuff they teach you in text books or language schools.

Every English sentence has at least one proposition or one noun article. many Polish or Russian people think, because they do not have noun articles in their language, articles are not important.  What I tell them is it is like a foreigner who speaks your language without noun cases. It is all wrong.

Many people learning English think they speak ESL fine, but they make mistakes and in every single sentence with articles and propositions.  English native speakers have learned to tolerate this but it is very intermediate English.

On the other hand, they may be able to tell you about the perfect tense and conditionals and about reported speech, however, what good is that if they can’t speak English.

What about phrasal verbs? They are simple verbs with two words, that is all.
Idioms? They change all the time, learn them with practicing speaking to a native speaker or reading.

Avoid mistakes and learn real English

The therefore if you want to speak real English my recommendation is on the grammar side learn articles and propositions perfectly.  Also learn the simple and continuous tense.

Next, read a lot.  Read a lot of books things that you really love to read. Not the Internet, its not radical enough.  Try not to read children’s books in English unless that’s really what you are into because often times these are too juvenile in fame to keep your attention. Do not read English classics, they are too old-fashioned language. Read Stephen King rather.

Vocabulary learned from lists you will not use, you need to activate them. Or speak with a native speaker. Activate vocabulary with this method of learning English vocabulary.

Next practice with a native speaker. Do not learn with some foreign language teacher that is going to teach you about conditionals and tenses and speak to you in an accent that you will understand. Learning from someone speaking your own language will not teach you real English too well, unless you are a beginner.  In this case, it is very OK to learn from someone from your own country.

Summary of how to learn English

• Learn the simple tense and continuous really well
• Learn prepositions and noun articles perfectly.
• Read books every night in the English language, books you love and speak to native speakers

Because what good is it if you can understand someone from your own country speaking with your accent in English from your own country, but then you go to new York city and you don’t understand anybody?

What do you think of my post about learning English?

The purpose of this post is to convey how to speak a foreign language. Not just the idea of speaking a foreign language, or a method to learn a language, but actually getting your tongue and mouth to speak it.

No English speaking allowed if you want to learn a foreign language

Saying no  English

I live in Europe but I am from the USA. I see many expats, myself included, who fall into the habit of speaking English. Why?

• It is easier.
• People speak English to you so you reply in English.
• Europeans have studied English since they were a kids and want to practice with you.
• You do not feel confident in your new language.

Well here are the reasons to stop English:

• Short term pain now during the learning process but living in your new country will be much easier if you speak the language, believe me.
• If they speak English to you, reply in their language and do not compromise. Be strong, in fact be a little rude if they speak English and tell then you do not speak English.  It is not a lie.  It means you do not speak to them in this magic language. they can do without English. Be rude to them as they are disrespecting you.
• They are using you.  You might say they are trying to be nice, but they are not.  They are using you, to practice their English.  If they were really nice they would help you with your target language, Italian or Spanish or French or whatever it is.
• If you do not believe in yourself, start.  Belief often comes after action, like faith often comes after prayer. Know that the ability to speak a language is a general skill, that every human has, not a specific talent like being a pro golfer.

I have taught languages for many years.  There are only two types of people. Those who say no English and learn to speak and those who muddle around and never speak their foreign language.  They often defer responsibility to other, teachers, schools or resources.  Or they say they do not have time.  What are you kidding me, you do not have time to speak?

Without English – you will change your life

Well only because for many years I spoke a little bit of English and a little bit of Polish, while I lived in Poland. Well actually more English, than my target foreign language.   Now I am trying to kick the habit.

No English

Say no to English and teaching others to learn English, while you wallow in your target language.  If they want to learn English they can move to the USA.

English language addiction

English is an addiction like any other., really.  If you have every criticized someone for addictive behavior, start to look in the mirror, you are the one who is guilty.  So before you cast any stones, become aware of your behavior.

You are like some guy sleeping under a bridge, with a bottle,  actually worse as he has no pretenses, you do.  You run a racket or self deception, he is at least honest.

Stop English – from awareness to behavior

We could talk philosophy and psychology until we are blue in the face on the topic of behavior or motivation and changing yourself.  No need to.  Here is the way you can say no English.

• Make a promise to yourself, and in front of someone who respects you that you will not speak English, but only your target foreign language or nothing at all.
• Make this for a concrete time period.  Do not say forever, it is too long, say for one month for example you will not speak the dreaded English language. Once you pass your first time period, give yourself a break and then try another no English time.

You are only as good as your word.  If you have any self respect for the truth and your word you will not lie.  You will not try, as trying is a lie. You will simply say no English language and start to speak your target language no matter what level you are at today.

If you do not like this idea of a promise, then just be honest with yourself and others and put a sign on your back that says, I am a liar and really only pretend to want to learn a language. Maybe I am a little hard but that is the reality.

Anti English

The whole purpose of this post if to make you as a  native English speaker to learn a foreign language. I love my native language of course and I am not anti English. It is just that the world is full of adventure and experiences and if you can learn even one foreign language, it will change your life in a positive way.

Therefore, heed my advice on making a promise to delete English from your life for a while.  If anyone has a better way to learn a language or a change behavior let me know.  However, I believe being honest with yourself is the best way to change any behavior including living saying not to the English language for a while until you learn your target language.

Englishrussia's view of Russia is not so beautiful as this

What is EnglishRussia?

The website EnglishRussia or rather is a blog that gets about 200,000 visitors a day.   From the name and the visits you would think that it would be in depth reporting about Russia for the English speaking world.

This is the opposite of what this blog is about.  It is basically not about European Russia or the Russian language. Nor is it about how to learn Russian.

EnglishRussia.com is simply a site with a lot of photos about Russia, but they take a negative view as manifest my their photos and videos.

Why this Russian site is lame

Nothing succeeds like success ( or in that blog’s case controversy), therefore, you might say,  english–russia can not be all that bad. And it is true there is some value to this site, maybe some unusual photos and it shows another side or Russia. However, I am Slavic and live in Europe and if someone showed my country in a negative way just to get traffic on their blog I would not like it.

However, it is a slow loading site with extra large photos of Russia and nothing is in depth.  The photos are just negative eye candy about Russia. The only reason it get traffic is they have many people from other blogs somehow pointing to their English/Russia blog. I think negative images stir emotional response.  But I think really what makes EnglishRussia so lame is it just picks up things from Russian websites.  “There is nothing new on it. There’s nothing original,”  said Mikhail Chekanov of the large search portal rambler.ru It is boring.

My views only echos Mikhail Chekanov about this blog.

Better English blogs about European Russia Moscow etc.

To be honest I guess  the main reason my personal opinion about English-Russia is not high, is not because it boring or slow loading, but this blog portrays the Russian people in a negative light.

The site only shows to the English speaking world the worst side of Russia.  I do not know  if it is the person’s personal opinion or they just want to make money by showing something controversial. The owner my be a success in life, but I think it is not a balanced or fair representation. I some times am critical of Russian politics and Putin, but not the Russians.  So if you want to learn about Russia there are more positive blogs out there. The Russians are great people.  The nation of Russia is a powerful intellectually and what they have to offer the world.  I do not like when any person or website puts down a nation or group of people, European or Asia or where ever.

EnglishRussia blog could show more traditional and postive aspects of Russian culture.

I think the best thing to do about such sites is basically ignore them and find more interesting blogs that will lift up your spirit.

That is my opinion about englishrussia.com.

The LPGA or the Lady’s Professional Golf Association is stupid. Why? It wants to require golf players to pass English proficiency tests or they will be kicked out of the LPGA. This is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard of. The motive is business and marketing. So are you telling me that if I am the best golfer in the world, but do not know the difference between the English ‘past perfect conditional tense’ and the ‘present continuous tense’ in English I can not play golf? For example five time major winner Se Ri Pak could speak English, but not up to par for the LPGA and so she was suspended. Why not do this for all sports? Why not take away Gary Kasparov’s chess title as he does not speak perfect English, or suspend the Brazilian or Italian soccer players as they can not pass an English language exam. Again the motives of the LPGA are business. If a corporate sponsor shells out millions for the golf game, they want to be able to interview the winner in English. I teach English and I would love to give the initiator of this LPGA idea a test on English tenses, and I am sure I could make an exam that would feel like a day in the sand trap on a golf course.

What percentage of people in the world speak American language accents vs British or other accents?

Accent percentages

American accents 70%
English accents 15%
Canadian accents 5%
Australian accents 5%
Other 5%

Krakow, Poland is a city with perhaps as many churches per square foot as anywhere in the world. One church that might be of value for English speakers is the Church of St. Giles. If you are visiting Krakow, this church has an English speaking mass on Sunday at 10:30, and confession on Thursday at 5:30. Also at 5:30 talk about general concerns with the fluently English speaking priest.
The church is interesting as it was started in the 11th century by a Polish king who prayed to St. Giles after having no heirs, and soon after a son was born. The current structure is from the 14th century. It is located close to the Wawel or castle at the end of Groteska street. The Church of St. Giles is run by the Dominican fathers.

1 Time
2 Person
3 Year
4 Way
5 Day
6 Thing
7 Man
8 World
9 Life
10 Hand

This list surprises me. Time at number 1. This list of the most common English nouns was from written English not Spoken English, so in reality I think the most common nouns would be different with Spoken English.

I am no grammarian or spelling master so I am sure I am guilty of a few of these mistakes, even on my language blog. Check out the list and see how you are using English

For example:

7. Limerance

To be in love

8. Mesonoxian

Pertaining to midnight

9. Mungo

A dumpster diver – one who extracts valuable things from trash

The powers

The way I see it is there is the USA, Europe, China, Russia, India.

Other power

 Other considerations are either too small, like Japan or South Korea or like Africa or South America or the Arab world, does not have; at this time have a critical level of economic factors to be a superpower.

Round one elimination

Russia

Despite Russia’s resource wealth Russia has demographic problem with a sharp decline in population, which at this juncture is not easily reversible.

India

India, with huge growth still has too many domestic problems to dominate.

So we are really left with Europe, China and the USA.

What is super power

If you have ever played the computer game Sid Meier’s Civilization, you know what I mean by world domination, general economic, demographic, scientific and cultural greatness.  Military power as a definition of super power I hope is passé, and always was interdependent with economic and technological advancement.

EU

Europe – A unified market, with a mix fresh new  eastern economies and western technological developed.  The main issue with Europe is low birth rate, nationalism and socialistic tendencies will prevent them from getting the gold.

America

America – All roads lead to Rome.  The center of innovation and trade. Easy markets, it continues to be a center for great minds, hard working population. However get involved in imperialism and these drags down the economy.  War, imperialism, taxes, none advantages bilateral trade agreements.

China

China- Powerhouse producer, centralized government that is mercantilist.  Billion people who a Bright and productive. their downside is people in china ill eventually want more in life than rules and to be cogs in the wheels for Beijing mercantilism ambitious.

The winner

Who will win? I think if the USA can stay out of wars, taxation and special interest for the political or businesses elite or sliding into slow growth socialism, than it can focus on education, innovation.

Which language will dominate in one hundred years

What is more important manufacturing or innovation? The answer to this question will answer which culture and language will dominate.   We will see if English or Chinese will be the dominate language in a hundred years.