Table of Contents
Introduction
If you’re preparing for IELTS, TOEFL, or any English proficiency exam, you already know that spoken English can make or break your chances. Many Indian learners, despite being good at grammar and writing, lose marks in the IELTS Speaking Test or TOEFL Speaking Section because of common spoken English mistakes.
These mistakes are not random—they come from habits built over years of speaking Indian English. To impress examiners and communicate clearly abroad, you need to fix them.
Here are the top 10 spoken English mistakes Indians make and practical fixes to improve your fluency, pronunciation, and grammar.
Why Indians Struggle with Spoken English
Mother tongue influence (MTI): Direct translations from Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, or Bengali often lead to awkward sentences.
Textbook-driven learning: English in Indian schools focuses on grammar, not speaking.
Exam pressure: During IELTS or TOEFL, nervousness increases mistakes.
The good news? With awareness and practice, you can avoid these errors and speak English fluently for IELTS, TOEFL, and life abroad.
Top 10 Spoken English Mistakes Indians Make
1. Translating Directly from Mother Tongue
❌ Mistake: “My father is telling me to study.”
✅ Correct: “My father told me to study.”
Fix: Think in English, don’t translate word-for-word.
2. Overusing Present Continuous Tense
❌ Mistake: “I am having two brothers.”
✅ Correct: “I have two brothers.”
Fix: Use “have” for possession.
3. Misusing Prepositions
❌ Mistake: “Discuss about the problem.”
✅ Correct: “Discuss the problem.”
Fix: Learn collocations like “married to,” “angry with,” “different from.”
4. Articles Confusion
❌ Mistake: “He is engineer.”
✅ Correct: “He is an engineer.”
Fix: Use “a/an” with professions, avoid “the” with proper nouns.
5. Wrong Pronunciation of Common Words
Examples:
“Comfortable” → comf-tuh-bl
“Wednesday” → Wens-day
Fix: Use dictionary audio and shadow native pronunciation. Cambridge English Dictionary (for pronunciation practice)
6. Singular–Plural Mix-ups
❌ Mistake: “Sheeps are grazing.”
✅ Correct: “Sheep are grazing.”
Fix: Learn irregular plurals and uncountable nouns.
7. Indianisms (Unique Phrases Indians Use)
❌ Mistake: “I am coming only.” / “Today morning.”
✅ Correct: “I’m on my way.” / “This morning.”
Fix: Replace “Indian English phrases” with natural ones.
8. Wrong Word Stress and Intonation
❌ Mistake: Saying Wed-nes-day instead of Wens-day.
Fix: Practice stress and intonation for natural fluency.
9. Formal vs. Informal Tone Mix-up
❌ Mistake (too formal): “Respected Sir, can you kindly tell me the time?”
✅ Correct: “Excuse me, what’s the time?”
Fix: Use neutral polite tone for IELTS/TOEFL.
10. Overcomplicating Sentences
❌ Mistake: “Myself Ramesh, pursuing graduation…”
✅ Correct: “My name is Ramesh. I’m from Delhi.”
Fix: Keep it simple and clear.
Quick Fixes and Learning Tips
Think in English daily (avoid translation).
Shadowing technique: repeat after native speakers in podcasts. BBC Learning English (shadowing & fluency practice)
Record and review: track your pronunciation.
Practice with exam questions: IELTS speaking cue cards, TOEFL practice tests.
Focus on fluency over perfection.
FAQs
Q1: What are the most common spoken English mistakes Indians make in IELTS?
Mixing tenses, wrong prepositions, mispronunciation, and overuse of formal phrases.
Q2: How can I reduce mother tongue influence in English speaking?
Immerse yourself in English: watch English series, listen to podcasts, and practice with friends.
Q3: Is accent important for IELTS or TOEFL?
No. A neutral, clear accent is enough. Pronunciation and fluency matter more than sounding “British” or “American.”
Q4: Can these mistakes lower my IELTS speaking score?
Yes. Even small errors can affect your fluency and coherence band score.
Q5: How to practice spoken English online?
Join online speaking clubs, practice mock interviews, and use language apps for real-time corrections.
Conclusion
Most Indian learners fall into the same traps—tense mistakes, Indianisms, article misuse, and pronunciation slips. These errors are highlighted in IELTS speaking exams and TOEFL speaking tasks, but they can be fixed with conscious effort.
Remember: examiners aren’t expecting perfection. They want clarity, natural flow, and confidence. Focus on correcting one mistake at a time, and soon, your spoken English for IELTS, TOEFL, or studying abroad will be at an international level.
👉 With these fixes, you’ll not only score higher in English language proficiency tests but also feel confident in classrooms, interviews, and daily conversations abroad.
External Resources:
IELTS Official Website → https://www.ielts.org
TOEFL Official Website (ETS) → https://www.ets.org/toefl
Cambridge English Dictionary (for pronunciation practice) → https://dictionary.cambridge.org
BBC Learning English (shadowing & fluency practice) → https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish
Duolingo English Test → https://englishtest.duolingo.com