⚡ Mistakes Won’t Teach You English (Unless You Do This)

If you’ve studied English for a while, you’ve probably heard this sentence again and again: “Mistakes are the best teachers.”

It sounds comforting, doesn’t it?

You make an error, you laugh about it, you move on.

But here’s the truth: mistakes only help you if you work with them.

If you’re studying alone, repeating the same wrong sentence or pronunciation for weeks, that “mistake” becomes a habit. And habits are hard to unlearn.

So, what’s missing? Feedback. 

Mistakes show you where you are now, but feedback shows you where to go next. Without feedback, you’re walking in circles. With it, every step moves you forward.

In my teaching, I use mistakes constantly — in my Instagram reels, in private lessons, in workshops. But I never leave them alone. I pair them with correction, reflection, and mindset tools. That’s how mistakes become your allies, not your enemies.

And here’s where your speaking personality comes in. The way you deal with mistakes depends a lot on how you communicate as a person. Let’s look at some examples.

1. The Thinker 🧠

You love structure. You want rules, systems, and explanations. When you make a mistake, you often stop speaking until you’ve “fixed” it in your mind.

Tip: Don’t freeze. Ask your teacher (or even a study partner) to give you a short, simple correction in the moment. Write it down. Then carry on speaking. Mistakes don’t have to break your flow — think of them as “data” for your next improvement.

2. The Adventurer 🗺️

You jump in, experiment, and speak with energy. Mistakes don’t scare you, but sometimes you collect too many of them, and they stick.

Tip: Record yourself speaking. Then listen back with a critical ear. Spot one or two mistakes you repeat often. Work on those before adding new vocabulary. This way you keep your adventurous spirit but also sharpen your accuracy.

3. The Connector 💬

For you, English is all about people. You thrive in conversation and love expressing emotions. But when someone corrects you, you may feel a bit hurt, as if your personality is being criticised.

Tip: Reframe correction as care. If someone gives you feedback, it means they want you to shine. Practise repeating the corrected sentence with warmth, so you keep your natural style but add precision.

4. The Leader 🔥

You want to take charge, guide discussions, and be understood clearly. Mistakes feel like obstacles that damage your authority.

Tip: Learn to self-correct out loud. For example, if you say, “He go—sorry, he goes”, you show control over your English. That small moment of correction builds trust — people see you as confident, not perfect.

Mistakes are not the enemy. Lack of guidance is.

If you avoid speaking because you’re afraid to be wrong, your English will stay in the same place. But if you speak, make mistakes, and then work with feedback, you’ll grow faster than you ever imagined.

That’s why my reels often play with mistakes, asking you to “spot the error.” It’s why my lessons combine speaking practice with constant feedback. And it’s why my students learn to trust themselves again — even after years of feeling judged in school.

Because here’s the real truth: mistakes alone don’t teach. Mistakes + feedback = progress.

👉 Want a visual version of this? I created a short Instagram carousel that breaks down this mindset in simple Italian. You can check it out here.