ChatGPT: Your Personal English Grammar Wizard for Customized Learning

Last week a student showed me a new book she got all about the conditional tense in English. She said it was helpful, but a bit boring.

I couldn’t bring myself to tell her that she wasted her money. But, she wasted her money ):

Now that Chat GPT and Google Gemini exist for free, there is no more reason to buy boring, expensive books and video courses to learn English. You can even use Microsoft Copilot to get free access to Chat GPT 4, which may give you better results.

Generative AI can do it all for you. I’ll explain how…

First, the only problem with creating your own English learning resources with AI is that “you don’t know what you don’t know.” So, if you are at A1 to low-B1 level a structured course that uses a mixture of your native language and English is advisable.

This strategy of using Chat GPT and Google Gemini to create customized English learning resources is better once you know exactly what you have problems with.

Your ESL Grammar Coach: Harnessing ChatGPT to Create Custom Resources

When you know what you want to ask AI to help you with, here are some sample prompts to get you started…

For example, I often hear students making mistakes with conditional tenses and not using present perfect tense when they are supposed to. If you know you have this problem, copy & paste this into Chat GPT or Google Gemini…

“I’m an adult, upper-intermediate student of English. How can I use ChatGPT to help me improve my advanced grammar in English? Please give me some activities and prompts I can copy & paste into ChatGPT to help me understand how to use the perfect & conditional tenses.”

See what the AI gives you, then keep asking it more specific questions and asking for examples.

Here are some activities and prompts you can use to practice perfect and conditional tenses...

Perfect Tenses:

• Write 5 sentences using the present perfect tense. For example: "I have studied English for many years."
• Create 5 sentences using the past perfect tense. For instance: "By the time I arrived, they had already left."
• Write 5 sentences using the future perfect tense. Example: "By this time next year, I will have completed my studies."

Conditional Tenses:

• Write 5 sentences in the zero conditional. For example: "If it rains, the event is canceled."
• Write 5 sentences in the first conditional. Like: "If I pass the exam, I will celebrate."
• Write 5 sentences in the second conditional. For instance: "If I had more time, I would travel the world."
• Write 5 sentences in the third conditional. Example: "If I had known, I would have helped."

Mixed Tenses:

• Combine perfect and conditional tenses in 5 sentences. Example: "If I had studied harder, I would have passed the test."
• Create a short paragraph using a mix of perfect and conditional tenses to narrate a hypothetical situation.

Pay attention to the patterns in each sentence type. Then, try speaking your own similar sentences into Google Gemini using the microphone feature and ask it for feedback about your grammar and fluency.

You can even ask Chat GPT and Google Gemini what grammar is needed to express the same idea in your own language because usually the same idea exists, but isn’t expressed in the same way.

For instance, present perfect tense exists in Latin languages, but is used a little differently than in English. In Asian languages they can express the same idea, but the tense doesn't really exist, so it’s hard to know when to use it.

So, in cases like this, ask Chat GPT or Google Gemini:

“Please explain the difference between the way present perfect tense is commonly used in English and how the same ideas are expressed in [your] language.”

Beyond the Basics: Personalizing ESL Grammar Support with ChatGPT

Here’s another excellent prompt (courtesy of Paul Couvert ) you can use to create your own English courses from any English learning website…

1. Go to a site like https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/present-perfect.
2. Copy & paste this prompt into Chat GPT or Google Gemini...

“Analyze the content of this webpage to develop a comprehensive course plan. This plan should cater to adult learners looking to enhance their skills in the subject matter presented on the webpage. Ensure the course plan includes modules, learning objectives, assessment methods, and recommended resources for further study."

Of course you can already use that British Council resource for free, but with this prompt you can dig deeper and keep questioning Chat GPT when you are confused about something.

In addition, check this article to help you use AI to build your English vocabulary.

Elevate Your English: Crafting Tailored Grammar Materials with ChatGPT & Practicing with a Tutor

Of course, we learn foreign languages so that we can have quality conversations and communicate effectively live and in person — at work or when traveling. Only talking to AI is weird and won’t help you get a great job or make new friends.

You have to practice speaking English with native speakers in order to advance rapidly and reach your goals. So, create your own learning materials and study with AI 30 minutes a day, then get out of your comfort zone and speak with native speakers another 30 minutes a day. You’ll see remarkable results!

Do you have friends & colleagues who want to improve their English? Please share these newsletter articles with them…