The second rule of the method is the most shocking for most learners. After years
of studying English in schools, most people believe that grammar study is the key to
English speaking. In fact, many learners simply cannot imagine learning English
without studying grammar rules. They have strong beliefs deeply programmed by
the hidden curriculum.
That is why the second rule is such a huge change. The second rule of the
Effortless English™ method is: Do NOT study grammar! Now I know this might be
a tough idea for you to accept. Let’s face it: for as long as you’ve been studying
English, you have been told that you must learn grammar rules – in middle school,
in high school, in university, in language schools, everywhere in the world it’s
grammar, grammar, grammar, grammar.
So my first question is: How did this strategy work for you? Was it successful? If
you are reading this book, you’ve likely studied English for years and you focused
a lot on grammar rules. But can you speak English easily, quickly and automatically
right now? Did all of this grammar study produce the result you want?
If the answer is no, you are normal. Because despite what you learned in school,
the truth is that grammar study actually hurts your English speaking. The problem
with studying grammar is that instead of speaking English you focus on analyzing it.
You become like the soccer player who is studying physics in order to improve.
You learn a lot of information but your skill never seems to get much better.
In other words, you think about English instead of doing it. You think about the
past tense, the present tense, the future, the present perfect, the past perfect. Now for
writing English, that’s not as bad. When you write English, you have time. You can
think about things slowly and take your time. You can erase your mistakes. It’s less
of a problem. You don’t need to write fast.