10 things you might be saying wrong

Here’s a list of 10 common grammar and vocabulary mistakes that novice teachers sometimes make.

1. Open your books on page 20.
Use to instead: Open your books to page 20. At is also possible in British English.

2. OK! Time’s over!
At the end of a game or timed activity, say Time’s up.

3. Do you want me to explain you the rule again?
You explain something to someone: Do you want me to explain the rule to you again? Or simply: Do you want me to explain the rule again? Remember: Explain me / him / her etc. is wrong.

4. Pay attention in the example.
You should say Pay attention to the example. You can also say Pay attention in class (=pay attention when you’re in class).

5. Ask question four to Raul, please.
Most verbs followed by two objects can take either to (She gave me a present = She gave a present to me) or for (She bought me flowers = She bought flowers for me). Ask is different. With ask, don’t use to or for: Ask Raul question four, please.

6. Today we’re going to discuss about politics.
You discuss something, not about something: Today we’re going to discuss politics.

7. These are slangs.
Slang is uncountable. Say These are examples of slang. Remember: a slang is wrong. Say a slang word / term. By the way, evidence is uncountable too: Please find the evidence / a piece of evidence in the text.

8. I gave you a homework last class, didn’t I?
Homework is uncountable. Say I gave you some homework. You can also say a piece of homework / two homework assignments. By the way, you can also assign homework.

9. Are you with your students’ book?
This one’s probably due to Portuguese interference (“Vocês estão com o livro?”). It’s far more natural to ask Do you have your student’s book? By the way, different publishers call their coursebooks student’s book, student book or students’ book.

10. Does anyone have any doubts?
If you want to know whether students understood the new rules, for example, it’s more natural to ask Does anyone have any questions? In English, doubt usually implies a lack of belief or certainty rather than a lack of understanding: I have my doubts that the plan will work.

On-anong 061 3EN

Are you finish? is a question that Thai teacher normally uses in English class. It's obviously a mistake that we are familiar with. We've to be aware of this common mistake.

Rungphet031 3EN

Another mistake that often appears in TEFL class is Are you understand?. It should be Do you understand?, shouldn't it? Or Are you understanding? It's impossible as word "understand" can't be used in present progressive tense.

Rungphet031 3EN

Thank you for sharing useful information about CL.
And I have some suggestion about using "Are you" and "Do you"

Are you + Adjective = Are you happy?
Do you + Verb = Do you understand?


Papassorn Waijan 050 3EN