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English learners should not think that mistakes are bad. Alex Poole, a professor of English at Western Kentucky University, advises that language learners should instead see errors as signs of progress. One common problem is that English learners think too much about errors instead of communication. "The goal is to be able to communicate in practical terms. If you have an error, the only time you should worry about it is when it leads to misunderstanding," Poole said.

Poole said when speaking with a native English speaker, you can look for signs of confusion to detect errors. For example, when a person gives an unusual response to something you said, you can then ask them directly what the problem is. It also works if you ask a native speaker about the kinds of things that you say that could cause communication problems if you know him well.

When it comes to writing, Poole recommends thinking about errors in a different way. He suggests keeping a list of common errors. When English learners write something, instead of grammars, they should think about the big picture of what they are writing about. Then he advises thinking about how to put those ideas in order. After finishing it, you can go back and use your list to look for errors.

“My philosophy as a language learner has always been. .I'm going to monitor my errors, but I'm never going to be perfect, so that shouldn't bother me. But I should look for things which cause communication problems, and I just have to live with that."

You can read more about errors in Poole's new book Learning a Foreign Language-Understanding the Fundamentals of Linguistics. In the book, he also writes about study plans, progress and other issues in language learning.

1£®English learners should worry about errors when________

A£®they misuse practical terms.

B£®they don't know native speakers.

C£®mistakes become signs of slow progress.

D£®errors cause communication breakdown.

2£®What should English learners consider first in writing according to Poole?

A£®Grammars.                            B£®Main ideas.

C£®Details.                             D£®Word choice.

3£®What's the author's purpose in writing the text?

A£®To introduce a book.                 B£®To explain basic rules.

C£®To offer practical advice.           D£®To recommend a professor.