Common English Mistakes made by Indian and Asian Students

by Amrita Gupta Educational Content Writer

Are you a confident Indian student who feels that your English merely is perfect? Do you belong to Asian countries and want to know if you can speak and write excellent English? Well, English is the second language in India and Asia, and therefore many reasonably good speakers think they master the skills. However, there are significant mistakes they tend to make in pronunciations, prepositions, speech, and writing styles. It is crucial to identify your errors and rectify them with functional trial and practice sessions.

Most Asians have these lingual hitches related to English speaking, listening, and reading due to their primary learning system's flaws. A very casual approach to English literature and grammar makes them a poor speaker on international ground. They also lack the vocabulary for proper speech and writing patterns. Many people also apply English in various fields without actually scrutinizing if they are correctly grasping the basics or not. Easy acceptance towards wrong or inappropriate English word usage makes it difficult for them when they go abroad to English speaking countries. Paying attention to the minutest English mistakes can help you to appear as a decent level English speaker.

List of top mistakes that Asian and Indian students make in their English is as follows:

• Cope up vs. Cope with- Loose usage of prepositions is a usual mistake made by students from India. Using 'up' with the verbs is wrongly done to frame phrases such as wrap up, take up, or stuck up. It is vital to figure out where you need to add a supporting preposition to the verb or not. Instead of 'cope up,' it is always better to use 'Cope with.'

• Many times vs. many a time- This is a common expression that you would find in most extended length articles or the books written by famous publishers or authors. 'Many a time' refers to 'Many times.' As per the archaic usage of nouns, 'Many a' is a singular form that cannot go right with the plural form 'Times.' Using the singular and plural in the same phrase is a prominent English blunder commonly made by Indian students.

• You need not to vs. You need not- 'Need' can also be an auxiliary or the modal verb and the main verb. While using 'need' as a modal verb, you do not have to add any preposition. It is vital to understand that modal verbs usage indicates a possibility, probability, or certainty relevant to an event. Instead of need, multiple other modal verbs that you can comprise in your phrases like may, can, shall, Would will, dare, can, and ought to. Using 'to' with 'need not' is wrong.

For eg.- You could ask him about his today's plans.

Samantha dare not instigate me when I am already hurt.

• Anyways vs. Anyway- Indian students are very casual about the usage of adverbs such as 'anyway.' For them, adding a's' to this adverb does not make much difference. But this is an entirely incorrect assumption that needs rectification. 'Anyways' stands for a non-standard colloquial variation for the word 'anyway' that can have multiple meanings:

ü Regardless

ü In any case

ü Changes the course of the topic

Anyway is a universal wrong term that you must not imply to formal or narrative writing.

Above are just a few notable small examples of wrong English grammar and vocabulary interpretation by Indian and Asian students. There are hundreds of such small mistakes that completely discard the actual meaning and framing of the sentence. This is why English proficiency tests such as IELTS are now available as they emphasize the correct usage of grammar and enhance your speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills. You can learn the right formats and strategies to learn and speak proper English with a comprehensive training course through such an IELTS institute.

English can be tricky for those who do not wish to learn its fundamentals and try to cope with the western accent to prove their potential. Remember, good English is the correct presentation of your words and even implying them at the right instances.

Wrap up

If you belong to India or any other Asian country and pertain to a dream to seek career or studies in foreign locations such as the USA, UK, Australia, or Canada, learning top-notch English is the best idea. Constant hard work and practicing sessions can only help you head towards a successful future and be a winner among native English speakers. Nothing is impossible if you set a goal to achieve it and work with complete conviction to reach desirable outcomes. So next time when you feel confident about appearing for an IELTS test to get seven or more bands, take note of small English mistakes and make sure you polish your skills well!