That is not to say that the student shouldn't devote time to improving his or her pronunciation. A student should focus on those pronunciation aspects that make their communication more effective, not trying to mold their accent into another. Developing pronunciation skills that are universally learnt is a much more worthy pursuit of your efforts than trying to copy an accent that is unnatural for your tongue and mouth.
Misconception Ⅲ
I need a rich vocabulary before beginning to speak.
Often I hear students complain that they become tongue tied, meaning that they can't find the right words. Students will attribute it to a lack of vocabulary and memorize more words to compensate. Then they find after a few more thousand words that their English improves only slightly. Why?
Your memory is a key element to learning a language and no one should minimize its importance. Without a memory, you wouldn't be able to speak. However, it is also true that a lack of vocabulary is not the culprit17 of communication problems in many instances. It is important to look at other issues, before blaming it as the source of these communication difficulties. I have observed a great many CET-6 graduates who still have a great deal of trouble even uttering simple sentences, while other CET-4 students can speak with much greater ease. How can that be, you might ask?
The English language is composed of a hierarchy of vocabulary in terms of usefulness. Some words have broad and sweeping uses such as "thing", "get", "place" or "do", while others are useful only for a very specific context such as "export", "endanger", "identify", or "interrupt". Research has shown that with approximately 800 (some have even suggested 500) key words people can communicate very effectively in English, with few instances of getting stuck. In the times when they were stuck, they could easily ask for assistance. Now we know that 800 words is far below the level most beginner students have even before they begin their GET-4 band level. Why can't all CET-4 students communicate with ease?
We do not need a complicated linguistic answer to this question. When we think about it the answer is simple. The quantity of vocabulary has only an indirect relationship to the quantity and quality of speech. To illustrate, children learning their first language start out with a limited vocabulary, they do not know half of the words that a Chinese CET-6 student knows, but still they are able to make rapid sentences and communicate with ease. This makes common sense, for we all know that in English we can often substitute a simple word for a more complex one. For example, the word "facilitate" can be substituted with "help". Thus, the key is to learn the most useful functional words in English first and apply them often in a variety of circumstances, before trying to learn words that are more complex and used much less often.
Misconception Ⅳ
I have studied English grammar for too long, so the last thing I need is more grammar.
Chinese students attribute their lack of communication in English to an overemphasis on grammar and thus resist grammar practice and reviews in their self-study programs. They tend to want oral English vocabulary, phrases, expressions, and pronunciation practice. Above all, they want an English environment. However, it soon becomes apparent that students struggle when they try to create sentences and their grammar is typically riddled18 with errors. Nevertheless, students want to have nothing to do with grammar structures while doing self-study. They ignore it completely, and concentrate instead on other aspects.
