Which is the worst habit an English student can have?
A) Biting your nails.
B) Picking your nose in church.
C) Smoking a pack of cigarettes before breakfast.
D) Translating every English word you hear or read in your head!
If you answered “D” you get a (virtual) gold star.
Well done.
Silently translating is one of the most disgusting, repugnant, nauseating, vile habits an English student can have.
I definitely recommend you kick this habit.
Here’s how…
HOW TO KICK THE TRANSLATION HABIT
Step One: Understand why it’s bad
(Translating every word is a lot of work! Instead, you want to be like a native speaker or fluent speaker: you immediately understand without translating.)
Step Two: Program your subconscious
(Before you do anything in English, repeat aloud, in a strong voice, three times: “I will read / listen to / watch this in English. I will understand this in English. I will think in English.”
Step Three: Flood your brain with easy, interesting English
(Do your daily English routine: read, listen to and watch lots of easy, interesting English.)
Follow these three easy steps and I promise you will successfully kick the translation habit.
Cheers,
Mr. Vig
