My English is getting worse.

[mr_useless]

Hi everyone,

I have taken some English test in general on this website since about two weeks ago if I remember correctly. At the first few tests my csore reached up to 70% to 90% possitive. Few day after that, I logged in to do more tests and thought I would get the score somewhere between 90% to 100% correct. Until the computer show the actual result, I paused myself few second due to a natual reaction of human been due to my score was given is 50% accurate and just a little bit too far from what I expect. I prepare getting enough sleep lastnight getting ready for doing some more tests today to prove myself that people call me by the name is wrong. The test result this morning is show up an unpleasant figue of 30% correct. Sometime something is hard to explain. I just change my diet last two weeks. Some of my friends complain their English has not improved for years and I believe you may hear the samething sometime. In fact, majority immigration people in English speaking country can not speak English regarless leaving there for over 30 years. Sad isn't it. I know the problem. Thanks goodness I can write some lilte. Please correct my gramma, wording. Thank you.

 

[TheParser]

In fact, majority immigration people in English speaking country can not speak English regarless leaving there for over 30 years.

(1) First, I most respectfully suggest that you change your user name to Mr. Useful.

(2) IMHO, the only people who cannot speak English after 30 years here in the United States are people who do not

want to speak it (no matter what they say). Some immigrants settle comfortably in an immigrant community where

everyone speaks the native language. So there's no need to learn English. (Just as Americans or Europeans work and live

in foreign countries, but they often live/work in an English-language environment. So there is no need to learn the native

language.) I have known people who have come to the United States knowing no English. After associating with Americans

at work / in social situations for several years, they were speaking and understanding English without realizing the progress that

they had made. I assume that you are a young person. If you go to an English-speaking country and associate with English-

speaking people, a miracle will happen one day: you will be speaking and understanding the language without effort.

Best of luck to you, Mr. Useful.

 

[mr_useless]

You are so kind!
People around me say that I am always push myself down. When I known my girlfriend (not anymore), I hided her that, so she didn't know. She is the only person not say such thing like that. Instead, she ask me: "Don't push yourself down". I think Mr useless suits me and more realistic than Mr useful. You forgot fixing my gramma.

 

[Tdol]

Don't forget that performance on two days is not a thorough measure of ability. I am learning a new language and some days I can remember things and others not- there are ups and downs. Another thing to remember is that at the lower levels, progress can be clearly seen and measured- you start knowing nothing and every little bit adds up. At higher levels, it is harder to notice the progress. It may seem that you're moving more slowly than at the lower levels, but that may not necessarily be the case. :up:

 

[mr_useless]

You fogot fix my gramma too.

 

[TheParser]

Mr. Useful,


I have been a member for only two years, so I am still learning my way around this website. (I am a slow learner.)

I think that they want you to post your writing in the forum entitled "Editing and Writing Topics."

If you post your paragraph there, some very qualified people will be delighted to check your grammar and give you

helpful suggestions.

Best of luck!

 

[Barb_D]

You forgot to fix my grammar too.

.

 

[emsr2d2]

Hi everyone,

I [STRIKE]have taken[/STRIKE] took some general English tests [STRIKE]in general[/STRIKE] on this website [STRIKE]since[/STRIKE] about two weeks ago if I remember correctly.

[STRIKE]At[/STRIKE] On the first few tests my [STRIKE]csore[/STRIKE] score reached up to 70% to 90% [STRIKE]possitive[/STRIKE] correct. A few days after that, I logged in to do more tests and thought I would get [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] a score somewhere between 90% to 100% correct. [STRIKE]Until the computer show the actual result, I paused myself few second due to a natural reaction of human been due to[/STRIKE] When the computer showed my score I was taken aback - my score was given as 50% [STRIKE]accurate[/STRIKE] correct and just a little bit too far from what I expected.

I prepared by getting enough sleep last night [STRIKE]getting[/STRIKE] to get ready for doing some more tests today to prove to myself that people who call me by [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] my username [STRIKE]is[/STRIKE] are wrong.

The test result this morning [STRIKE]is show up[/STRIKE] showed an unpleasant figue of 30% correct. Sometimes something is hard to explain. I just changed my diet over the last two weeks.

Some of my friends complain their English has not improved for years and I believe you may hear the same thing sometimes. In fact, the majority of [STRIKE]immigration people[/STRIKE] immigrants in English-speaking countries cannot speak English, [STRIKE]regardless[/STRIKE] despite [STRIKE]leaving[/STRIKE] living there for over 30 years. Sad, isn't it? I know the problem. [STRIKE]Thanks[/STRIKE] Thank goodness I can write some [STRIKE]lilte[/STRIKE] - I don't know what you meant with "lilte". Please correct my grammar and wording. Thank you.

Please see above. I have made the corrections you requested.

Everyone finds that their ability and knowledge of a foreign language fluctuates. Don't worry too much. Some days I find that my Spanish is fine and other days it's non-existent. You may be putting too much pressure on yourself. Can you see a pattern in the answers that you get wrong? Do you usually get verbs wrong? Prepositions? Something else?

 

[mr_useless]

Everyone finds that their ability and knowledge of a foreign language fluctuates. Don't worry too much. Some days I find that my Spanish is fine and other days it's non-existent. You may be putting too much pressure on yourself. Can you see a pattern in the answers that you get wrong? Do you usually get verbs wrong? Prepositions? Something else?

I wish I know what I got wrong. When I read a multible choiced answers for a question, I pick the one I think it sounds right. When there are more then one answer sound right, I toss a coin to get 50/50. I know it is not logical. But there is someone even a professional do it on "Who want to be a millionair's show" too.

 

[emsr2d2]

Everyone finds that their ability and knowledge of a foreign language fluctuates. Don't worry too much. Some days I find that my Spanish is fine and other days it's non-existent. You may be putting too much pressure on yourself. Can you see a pattern in the answers that you get wrong? Do you usually get verbs wrong? Prepositions? Something else?

I wish I know what I got wrong. When I read the multiple choice[STRIKE]d[/STRIKE] answers for a question, I pick the one I think [STRIKE]it[/STRIKE] sounds right. When there [STRIKE]are[/STRIKE] is more than one answer which sounds right, I toss a coin to get 50/50. I know it is not logical. But there is someone even a professional do it on "Who want to be a millionair's show" too.

When you get an answer wrong, do you then go back and look at it word by word, very carefully, to see why you might have got it wrong? Do you look carefully at the correct version of the sentence to see if you can work out why the correct answer is correct?

You said "I pick the one I think sounds right". That's fair enough but you are looking to pick the one that you KNOW is right. If you are doing tests in which the majority of your answers are the ones you think simply sound right, and the rest are 50/50 then perhaps the test is at too high a level for you. Go back to basics. Find some online tests for beginners or upper elementary students and do them again. Make sure you understand exactly why each answer is correct.

Your English is better than you think it is. It is comprehensible and your vocabulary is quite extensive. It is, as I think you know, your grammar which lets you down.

Learning English is not like a quiz show. Grammar is not general knowledge. We know grammar is difficult - it's the same for everyone in every language but you can do it. As I said, go back to the basics of everything and do lots of easier tests over and over again until you are absolutely sure that you know that you understand why something is correct.

If you can find one of those multiple choice questions which you got wrong, post it here, tell us what you thought the answer was and, more importantly, why you thought it was the right answer.

 

[mr_useless]

Firtly, I much appriciate for your help corrcting my texts and your advises.
Secondly, I beg your pardon! In my native language, Vietnamese, there is no perfect or imperfect tense or tenses. We say: " Yesterday I go, tomorrow I go, I wait you for thousand years". I know English grammar is difficult to nearly impposible to master. But every one can do it except me.(I have three English grammar books in three different levels written by someone is called Myffy? in Cambrigge, England. The easy one has some pen mark; The intermediate level one is in good condition. I couldn't remember when was the last time I touched it. The advance one is still remain in box. I can give you for 20% of it original price if you like.) The more I read those books the more confusion I get, sometime I get headache when I read too much. Not only the grammar let me down, but it also my accense and my vocabulary drag me down too. I am not fully understand a piece of wtiting on the news, so don't give me too much credits.

 

[symaa]

I have known people who have come to the United States knowing no English. After associating with Americans

at work / in social situations for several years, they were speaking and understanding English without realizing the progress that they had made.

Exactly,this is the best way to learn any foreign language as the interaction with native speakers is quite fruitful. Really!

I think Mr useless suits me and more realistic than Mr useful. You forgot fixing my gramma.

Everyone has their own underlying talents and skills; you have just to discover your point of strength. Undoubtedly, mastering any foreign language is quite an endeavor that takes a long time.
Well, since you are in English-speaking country, seize the opportunity to improve you English as much as you could.


Good luck.

 

[emsr2d2]

Coming from a language with no tenses, that probably is your biggest challenge. I can only repeat my previous advice which is definitely valid regarding tenses. Put your intermediate and your advanced textbooks away for now as far as study is concerned. Go back to your elementary and beginner textbooks - study the tenses. I don't normally recommend learning tenses by memory or by rote but sometimes it's the only way to do it.

First, learn which tense is appropriate for which situation - that is the key. Then you need to actually learn the tenses. Learn the regular tense rules first because they're the easiest but also learn the most useful irregular verbs (see/saw/have seen - am, was, have been - sing/sang/have sung etc). Construct simple sentences using those verb tenses and do lots and lots of online tests until those tenses are very clear in your mind.

English grammar is difficult to master, but it's not impossible.

 

[meskete]

I'd suggest something unusual. Try to memorize a couple of sentences - it doesn't matter if you don't remember them exactly. The main thing is that you write them down, and then check the spelling with the original version. This way you'll recognize your weak points - English spelling is difficult and I'm sure it's especially difficult for a Vietnamese student, so make sure you practise a lot!

 

[mr_useless]

I'd suggest something unusual. Try to memorize a couple of sentences - it doesn't matter if you don't remember them exactly. The main thing is that you write them down, and then check the spelling with the original version. This way you'll recognize your weak points - English spelling is difficult and I'm sure it's especially difficult for a Vietnamese student, so make sure you practise a lot!

To be honest with you, when I learn a new word, I write the whole sentense down. I have found this way of leaning vocabulary by myself last few months. I regret why can't I dicover that earlier. Something you consider unusual that works for me. I love the idea.

 

[meskete]

Well, I don't actually mean learning new words - you do use a wide range of vocabulary. What I mean is spelling. A word-processor spell checker could help you with minor mistakes, but lots of writing, copying AND checking and comparing would help you improve. If you like music, you could also learn some songs by heart, then write the lyrics down, and check them carefully, letter by letter, if they are correct.

 

[emsr2d2]

Well, I don't actually mean learning new words - you do use a wide range of vocabulary. What I mean is spelling. A word-processor spell checker could help you with minor mistakes, but lots of writing, copying AND checking and comparing would help you improve. If you like music, you could also learn some songs by heart, then write the lyrics down, and check them carefully, letter by letter, if they are correct.

That's a good idea about the song lyrics as long as you only use them for spelling checks. Don't use them for grammar help! They're a disaster usually.

 

[meskete]

That's true, I agree!