5 things native English speakers NEVER say
hello everyone and welcome back to
english with lucy today i’m going to
talk you through the five words and
phrases that you need to stop saying
immediately now it’s not that serious
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get on with the lesson okay so the title
is pretty shocking the words and phrases
you must never say but honestly if you
do want to sound like a native speaker
or even sound like a very accomplished
English student you should avoid saying
these words and phrases because when
students say them I immediately think
they’re at a lower level the first
phrase that you must never say is have
you ever been in and then the location
have you ever been in Italy have you
ever been in Istanbul whenever I do
alive on Instagram I always get asked
this exact question and of course I
answer it because I love talking about
Italy and I have been to Istanbul but it
shouldn’t be in it’s the wrong
preposition it’s not that it doesn’t
make sense
it’s just not commonly said we
understand what you’re trying to say you
want to know if I’ve ever visited or
traveled to Italy or Istanbul
wherever it may be but we don’t say in
we say - have you ever been to Italy
have you ever been to Istanbul
so yes really watch out for that one
number two this is another comment I get
a lot on Instagram especially when I
upload photos with my boyfriend they ask
me is your husband are you married are
you married with will and although it
makes sense and we understand what
you’re saying married with a person
isn’t correct it should be married -
it’s weird when you think about it you
should be married with someone not -
that sounds too formal but we say I am
married to my husband now this is why if
we’re using with I’m married with my
husband what if I say I am married with
kids that sounds like I am in a marriage
with some children however within this
case means and also have I am married
and I also have kids I am married with
kids number three if I ever ask my
students how long they’ve been learning
English I sometimes get the response
I’ve been learning English since two
years don’t worry if you say that to our
native
they’re not going to say what they’ll
understand what you’re trying to say but
it’s incorrect it should be since a
fixed point in time so I’ve been
learning English since 2016 duration it
needs to be four I have been learning
English for two years since 2016 another
common mistake we can add on to that is
during I know in some languages like
Spanish you would say durante los años
but it doesn’t work in English I
wouldn’t say I’ve been learning English
during two years doesn’t work for and
talking about four let’s move on to
number four teacher Lucy right it
actually makes me sad to talk about this
one because I think it’s so sweet and
cute but students will often address me
as teacher Lucy that hey teacher Lu see
how are you but I feel obliged to tell
you guys that in the UK if you’re trying
to learn British English we don’t
address our teach
as teacher and then name now I’m not
saying don’t ever say this because
obviously in your own country it might
be very rude not to address your teacher
as teacher marry teacher Mohammed but if
you’re in the UK and I think in the US
as well it’s not common to use this to
address your teachers in a school
environment we would say miss mrs. mr.
or mrs. moose is if a woman doesn’t want
to disclose if she’s married or not and
then the surname or if they’ve got
specific qualifications professor or
doctor in informal language schools I
would just want to be addressed as Lucy
if I was teaching in a formal school I
would be called miss Earl any other
place Lucy teacher Lucy just isn’t used
over here and the last one number five I
love it when I receive this question in
my classes but it’s often said
incorrectly can you explain me this can
you explain me that now it should be can
you explain this to me
can you explain that to me explain me is
wrong explain to me is right I would
never say explain me your answer I would
say either explain to me your answer or
much better explain your answer to me
now there is an exception to this and
this is pretty advanced explain me can
exist in one specific context so you
have to explain an object explain the
object to me or explain to me the object
now if me is the object then yes explain
me can exist for example if I was going
to see a therapist and I was reclining
on his sofa so I don’t understand myself
explain me to me yes that would work but
that’s quite advanced just know that
explain needs an object right that’s it
for today’s lesson those are the five
things that you need to stop saying and
make a conscious effort to avoid and
correct don’t forget to check out I
talked e the link is in the description
box you can click on it and
you’re $10 worth of I talking credits
for free when you make your first lesson
purchase and don’t forget to connect
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and I’ve got my Twitter and I will see
you soon for another lesson nah so
another comment I get a lot on Instagram
especially when I upload photos with my
boyfriend boyfriend you can learn
English and many sometimes get the
response I’ve been learning English
looked England ah look at me trying to
teach English say my own language
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