What to Do with the Corrections I Give You in Class

Welcome to this week’s edition of In Class with Pierre, where I break down the most common corrections and pointers from my classes. If you're learning business English with me, you know that making mistakes is part of the process—but what really matters is how you respond to corrections.

So in this article, we'll talk about what to do with the corrections I give you in class or in the In Class with Pierre newsletter.

Every mistake you make in class is a valuable learning opportunity, and my goal is to help you turn those moments into real progress. Here’s how you can make the most of the feedback I give you, whether in class or via these articles.

If you're serious about improving your English and want personalized guidance, let's work together! Book a session with me on Google Meet so we can discuss your needs and goals: Schedule a Session.

1. Take Notes on Your Corrections

When I correct you in class, don’t just let it pass by—capture it! Write down the incorrect sentence, then write the corrected version next to it. If possible, note why it was wrong. Did you use the wrong verb tense? Did you forget an article? The more aware you are of your mistakes, the easier it will be to avoid them in the future. If you don’t have time to write detailed notes during class, jot down key points and expand on them afterward.

2. Review the Rules Behind the Corrections

It’s important to go beyond memorizing corrections—you need to understand why the correction is necessary. Spend some time outside of class reviewing the grammar or vocabulary rules connected to your mistakes. If you keep confusing "since" and "for," look up the difference and find additional examples. Understanding the logic behind a correction will help you internalize the correct structure and use it naturally in conversation.

3. Practice Making Your Own Sentences

A correction won’t stick unless you actively practice using the correct structure. Take the sentences I corrected in class and create new ones using the same pattern. Write them down, say them out loud, and try using them in different contexts. The more you work with these corrections, the more natural they’ll become in your speech and writing.

4. Use the ChatGPT Voice Feature for Speaking Practice

Speaking practice outside of class is crucial. If you don’t have someone to practice with, use the ChatGPT voice feature as a conversation partner. Try explaining a concept or discussing a topic, and ask ChatGPT to correct you when necessary. You can even take your class corrections and use them in sentences to test yourself. The more you expose yourself to real-time feedback, the faster you’ll improve.

5. Engage in More English Conversations

The best way to solidify what you learn is to use it in real conversations. Don’t be afraid to speak, even if you’re unsure—you learn the most by trying. Talk to classmates, colleagues, or language exchange partners. The more you push yourself to apply what you’ve learned, the more natural it will feel over time.

Top Five Mistakes My Students Make

Every week, I see my students struggling with similar issues. These mistakes are common among intermediate learners, but with the right awareness and practice, you can overcome them. Here are five of the most frequent errors I correct in class and how you can fix them:

1?? Verb Tense Confusion

Many students mix up past, present, and future tenses, which can make their sentences unclear.

? Mistake: "Yesterday, I go to the meeting."

? Correct: "Yesterday, I went to the meeting."

Why this happens: Some languages don’t have as many verb tense distinctions as English, so it can be tricky to remember when to use the past simple, present perfect, or other tenses.

? How to fix it: Pay attention to time markers (yesterday, last week, since 2020, etc.) and practice forming sentences using different tenses. Try writing a short journal entry every day about what you did, what you are doing, and what you will do tomorrow.

2?? Preposition Errors

Prepositions are small words, but they cause big problems! Many learners use the wrong preposition because direct translations don’t always work.

? Mistake: "I am interested for this project."

? Correct: "I am interested in this project."

Why this happens: In some languages, the equivalent of "interested" takes a different preposition. English prepositions often follow set patterns, which must be memorized.

? How to fix it: Keep a list of common preposition combinations (interested in, good at, depend on, etc.) and practice using them in full sentences. When in doubt, look at how native speakers use prepositions in context.

3?? Articles (a, an, the) Misuse

Using "a," "an," or "the" incorrectly is one of the most persistent mistakes I see, especially with speakers of languages that don’t use articles.

? Mistake: "I had an important call with CEO."

? Correct: "I had an important call with the CEO."

Why this happens: English articles depend on whether something is specific or general. "A/an" is used when introducing something new, while "the" is for specific things the listener already knows about.

? How to fix it: Read and listen to English carefully—notice how articles are used in real conversations, books, and news articles. Try saying the sentence both with and without the article to hear the difference.

4?? Word Order in Questions

English question structure is different from many other languages, and I often see students using a statement word order instead of a question format.

? Mistake: "You know what time is the meeting?"

? Correct: "Do you know what time the meeting is?"

Why this happens: In some languages, direct and indirect questions use the same word order. In English, however, indirect questions (like "Do you know…?") follow subject-verb order, not question order.

? How to fix it: Practice forming questions correctly. A great exercise is to take a statement ("The meeting starts at 10 AM.") and turn it into both a direct question ("What time does the meeting start?") and an indirect one ("Can you tell me what time the meeting starts?").

5?? Subject-Verb Agreement

This is a fundamental grammar rule, but it’s still a common mistake—especially when speaking quickly.

? Mistake: "She don’t like the new policy."

? Correct: "She doesn’t like the new policy."

Why this happens: In English, the verb must match the subject in number (singular/plural) and person (I, you, he/she/it, we, they). However, some languages don’t require this kind of agreement, which makes it easy to overlook.

? How to fix it: Pay special attention to "he/she/it" forms in the present simple ("he goes," "she has," "it works"). When speaking, take an extra second to check if your verb matches the subject.

Final Thoughts

Mistakes are a natural part of learning, but the key is to recognize them and take steps to improve. By being mindful of these five common errors and practicing regularly, you’ll become a more confident and accurate English speaker. ?? Keep going, and remember—I’m here to help every step of the way!

?? Want personalized guidance? Let’s work together! Book a session with me on Google Meet so we can discuss your needs and goals: ?? Schedule a Session ???