Helping Students Ask If They Are Saying Something Correctly
It's natural for English learners to feel unsure about the things they say. They may wonder if they used the correct word or if the idiom they tried out was appropriate for the situation.
Instead of simply wondering and doing nothing about it, it would be better for them to ask their conversation partner if what they said was correct or not. Since it is something they may be asking often, it's nice to have a variety of ways to say it, so we'll briefly introduce some that you can share with them.
Grammar
Of course, using correct grammar is necessary to communicate effectively. Encourage your students to confirm that their sentences are correct so that they don't repeat mistakes or form bad habits that will be difficult to change later on.
"Can you confirm if I'm using the correct grammar here?"
"Is my grammar accurate?"
"Am I using the right tense/verb form here?"
"Is my grammar correct in this sentence?"
Pronunciation
Even students with great grammar skills need proper pronunciation if they want to be understood by the people they are speaking with. They can use these examples to check that they are saying things accurately.
"Am I saying this right?"
"Am I pronouncing this word correctly?"
"Can you please verify if my pronunciation is correct?"
"Did I get the right stress/emphasis?"
"Is my pronunciation accurate?"
Phrasing and syntax
Phrasing and syntax relate to the words we use to express ideas and the way they are arranged. Using inappropriate words may cause others to be confused about what is being said, and an unnatural word order will sound strange even if the words are correct. Here are some good phrases students can use to make sure they're communicating as best they can.
"Does this sentence sound right to you?"
"Could you let me know if my phrasing is correct?"
"Does this word make sense in this context?"
"Could you check if I'm using the correct word here?"
"Is my sentence structure correct?"
"Am I using the right words?"
General
The following terms are less specific, so they can be used to check overall English without focusing on a particular thing.
"Is that right/correct?"
"Can you confirm I got that right?"
"Can you tell me if I'm saying this properly?"
"Does that make sense?"
Wrap-up
Students should naturally feel more comfortable asking these kinds of questions when speaking with their tutors. However, you should encourage them to not be too shy to ask their friends and others they chat with from time to time as well. Their education doesn't have to take place only in their lessons, after all.
Some shy students may need time to get comfortable asking such questions, but others might need to be reminded that asking after everything they say will make the conversation very slow and unnatural! As long as it is not overdone, most people should be happy to help confirm that they are on the right path.
