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Overcoming the challenges of the English language is your first step to conquering your IELTS or TOEFL examination. What makes it so tricky is that the English language, like many others, has various exceptions to the rules we learn. As Stephen Fry of the BBC famously stated, there are actually more exceptions than words which follow the rule! If understanding the nuances of the English language doesn’t confuse you enough, there is a whole load of common exceptions that you need to know. Along with common exceptions to the rule, here are some useful tips for mastering the English language.

•  I before E except after C

When learning to spell words correctly, this is one of the common rules you are asked to abide by. The rule adheres to words such as ‘being’ ‘piece’ hygiene’, ‘ceiling’, ‘deceive’ and ‘receive’. However what happens when you come to write words such as ‘neighbour’ and ‘weigh’ that don’t follow the rule?. This rule is not an absolute truth, if you are not sure if the spelling of a word follows this rule, look it up in a dictionary just to be sure. In fact, in 2009, teachers in Britain were requested to stop using this rule as it confused more students than it helped!

• Never use double negative 

Using the phrase “I’m not an unhappy person” makes sense, but it’s not well written English. This is a double negative which can actually work against you. It’s far better to state, ‘I am a happy person.’ From time to time, it’s very easy to accidently use a double negative. Just be careful when you write not to fall into this trap.

• Avoid using the word ‘like’ 

The word ‘like’ has quickly swept into our language as a common word to use in everyday language. The problem is that many people use the word ‘like’ in the wrong contexts. For example, instead of saying, ‘the events failed like the earlier ones did’ say, ‘the events failed as the earlier ones did.’ If you know you overuse the word ‘like’ in your everyday speech, make sure you become conscious of it and try to cut down.

• Don’t use 'but' and 'also'

This is another very common error that is so overly used in everyday language. There is nothing worse for a reader than to continuously read ‘also’ or ‘but’ after every sentence. We use it as a default word in almost everything we do! Make sure you don’t overuse these words by making yourself a list of synonyms. For ‘but’, try to incorporate ‘however’, ‘although’, ‘yet’ or ‘nevertheless’. Instead of repeating ‘also’, think about using ‘additionally’, ‘besides’ or ‘furthermore’.

• Never start a sentence with the word ‘because’

I know it can be tempting to start your sentence with the word ‘because’. I’m sure you will have seen it in writing before, but don’t mimic the mistakes of others. Starting a sentence with ‘because’ is not grammatically correct.

• Watch out for plurals

This is probably the most common mistake made by non-native English speakers: using plurals incorrectly. If you don’t know how to use plurals properly, make sure you go away, research how to do so and practice!   For example, you can’t say, ‘The definition are in the text’. Instead say, ‘The definitions are in the text.’ For examiners, students who get plurals wrong stand out like sore thumbs.