A reader writes:
“My biggest problem is the present and past perfect.”
Then he continues, “Because I don’t know how to use them I get nervous and afraid to speak.”
So which is the bigger problem?
Weekend Update
How was your weekend?
As usual, my Saturday was busy and my Sunday was lazy.
That’s a good balance.
The best part of my Sunday?
I had a burger at 2pm.
I never have burgers.
And I never eat at 2.
But on Sunday, there are no rules.
Then I took a nap.
Perfect.
But next weekend will be a lot busier.
Lots of guns, cars and bars.
I’ll tell you more about that later.
The Biggest Problem
Fear is the #1 speaking problem.
You can break every rule that was ever written in Murphy’s English Grammar in Use and still have a conversation.
But if you are afraid — your heart is beating faster… there’s sweat dripping down your back… it’s hard to breathe… hard to think — you can not have a good conversation.
Fix your fear first.
Hi everyone, fear is not good never, not only in conversation and learning languages. Maybe I dont write correctly, maybe I just dont catch the write letter in tastature, never mind. But, I think everything is important, not only vocabulary, listening, reading,… If you want to talk first fluent and second be confident and to talk correctly.
You cant talk effectly with people from A1 to C1 level, you can with only three times and primary rules but it is not fluent… For me. And first A1 will not understand you and tha last C1 will be bored listen you, especially if you talk every week on the same subjects:pets, about your self, work, hoby… Good night😉.
Hi, today was my Sunday. Yes, on Monday. Because I usualy work at weekend. So, I cleaned my apartment, then I some cook. On Friday I bought a new light on my desk and today I change lamps and then I moved something. For my good feel I went to go to cinema in the evening. It was very nice dokumentary film about famous Vincent Van Gogh. He is my favourite artist. And as you say – fear is the enemy !
I agree 👍
Hi Everyone.
Last week I had long week-end but it was very busy. I couldn’t get any rest hence i have small business. My home town is Kandy in Sri Lanka and it’s very beautiful city. So many tourists are coming to visit it. On week-ends I’m in Kandy and Week days I’m in Colombo (It’s our Capital city) hence I’m working in Colombo. Every Monday I’m coming to Colombo by intercity train and it’s very interesting tour. I have to say lot of thing about Sri Lanka and me. I’ll get opportunity to it later. Good Luck and good bye.
Ow, I really envy you living in the Sree Lanka, what a beautiful and warm place it must be ! But…aren’t there many poisonous snakes ? I’m terrified of them !
In fact the most part of people have overcame their fear of speaking…
I agree, to overcome your fear of speaking is the most important thing in learning languages. But also the hardest !
Yes fixing fear is mandatory, if we, English learners, want to have good conversation in English. What I did and continue to do to address it was and is to speak slowly with deep respiration
For years, I was afraid to speak because the words didn’t come quickly enough, I didn’t follow the rules correctly, and my accent was terrible.
One day, someone said to me, “Speak anyway, your french accent charms us.” But I still didn’t dare!
Since I’ve been following the Vig Village program, I dare to speak with all my mistakes and my very frenchy accent, thanks to Mr. Vig’s good advices and the kindness of the open chats participants.
Even though I’m still a little nervous sometimes, my fear has disappeared, and I laugh at my mistakes. After, I try to find the good sentences, even if I can’t tell them in conversations.
Excellent!
Thank you for this advice. In my opinion, listening to English sentences and memorizing them is better than memorizing grammar rules.
Hi,
Thanks to Ryan’s Vig Village method, my fear is fixed. I need to enlarge my vocabulary by speaking, reading, watching movies more and more. I’m on my way.
Dripping is a Jackson Pollock’s piece of art, nothing to do with my back anymore.
of course the fear dont help us to go forward, to think clear, we are feeling we are in jail , our heart is beating faster, the sweat dripping. So we must fix our fear, to controll it