English Mistakes Even Advanced Learners Make in Conversation

A young man and woman are sitting across from each other at a café table, smiling and talking while reviewing notes or documents. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, suggesting a casual English conversation or language practice session focused on improving fluency.

Even fluent speakers sometimes make small mistakes that give away they’re not native. These slips don’t mean your English is bad — they’re simply signs you’ve learned English in a classroom, not through constant daily use.

Today, let’s look at a few common conversation mistakes even advanced learners make — and how to fix them so your English sounds smoother and more natural.

1. Using “He don’t” or “She don’t”

👉 Mistake: “He don’t like spicy food.”
✅ Correct: “He doesn’t like spicy food.”

This is a very common slip in fast speech. Many native speakers even say “He don’t” casually, but in clear spoken English, “doesn’t” keeps you sounding accurate and polished.

2. Forgetting the -s on Third Person Verbs

👉 Mistake: “She go to work every day.”
✅ Correct: “She goes to work every day.”

When you speak quickly, that small -s can disappear. Practice slowing down and emphasizing it — it makes your English sound clean and confident.

3. Overusing “I am agree”

👉 Mistake: “I am agree with you.”
✅ Correct: “I agree with you.”

“Agree” is a verb, not an adjective, so it doesn’t need be.

4. Saying “More better”

👉 Mistake: “Your English is more better now.”
✅ Correct: “Your English is better now.”

Remember, better already means more good. Adding more repeats the meaning.

5. Mixing Up “Say” and “Tell”

👉 Mistake: “He said me the answer.”
✅ Correct: “He told me the answer.”

Use say when there’s no object:
“He said it was easy.”

Use tell when there is an object (a person):
“He told me it was easy.”

6. Using “Very” Too Much

👉 Mistake: “It’s very very cold today.”
✅ Natural Alternatives:
“It’s freezing today.”
“It’s super cold.”

Native speakers often replace very + adjective with a stronger word.

7. Forgetting Articles (“a,” “an,” “the”)

👉 Mistake: “I bought new watch.”
✅ Correct: “I bought a new watch.”

Even advanced learners forget articles in conversation — especially when speaking quickly. Practice noticing when native speakers use a or the; it becomes natural over time.

8. Using “Can to” After “Can”

👉 Mistake: “I can to help you.”
✅ Correct: “I can help you.”

After modal verbs like can, should, and must, use the base form of the verb — no “to.”

💬 Reader Question

What’s the most common mistake you notice yourself making in English?
Share it in the comments — your answer might help another learner too!

🌟 Ready to practice?

If you want to correct these mistakes naturally through real conversation, I can help you build fluency and confidence one step at a time.
👉 Book Your Lesson today.