Conversation Errors

Incorrect: I just put the rice on fire.

I just put the rice on the stove.

“Put on fire” sounds too literal or dramatic in English. The natural way is “on the stove” or “started cooking the rice.”

Incorrect: I set the timer to, I think, 10 minutes.

I set the timer for—I think—10 minutes

Use “set the timer for” + time. Dashes signal interruptions better than commas in spoken thoughts.

“This has become a real issue, leading many young people to feel discouraged and even depressed when they don’t achieve quick success, making them feel like they aren’t good enough.”

✅ Polished Version:

“This has become a serious issue—many young people feel discouraged or even depressed when quick success doesn’t come, leaving them convinced they’re not enough.”

📘 Rule:

Repeated structures like “feel discouraged and even depressed… making them feel…” can weaken flow. Also, “real issue” is okay but “serious issue” has more weight.

“This pushes people from enjoying the moment or experiencing how beautiful the process is or the beauty in the struggle.”

“This stops people from enjoying the moment or appreciating the beauty in the process—the struggle itself.”

Errors + Explanations:

• “pushes people from” → Incorrect preposition. Should be “stops/prevents people from” or “pushes people to avoid.”

  • Part of Speech: Verb + preposition misuse.

• “experiencing how beautiful the process is or the beauty in the struggle” → Grammatically fine but wordy. Could tighten flow.

“I took my shake when I was done taking my shake.l, I recorded for an hour

“I had my shake, and when I finished, I recorded for an hour.” Note: Redundant/repetitive phrasing; combined and clarified action order.

“When I was done, I think I spoke to Sarah.”

“After that, I think I spoke to Sarah.” Note: “After that” reads smoother than “When I was done.”

Then I went back to write, but I noticed while I was working on the idea, the Real Man Cry idea, which speaks about, every verse speaks about one person in my life.”

“Later, I went back to write, working on the ‘Real Men Cry’ idea, where each verse is about one person in my life.” Note: Removed clutter, fixed title plural (“Men” reads more idiomatic), and smoothed clause structure.

“So I was working on my dad, the first verse which talks about my dad.”

“I was on the first verse about my dad.” Note: Avoids repetition and awkward phrasing.

“I realized that I wasn’t as dope, so I just decided to stop.”

It didn’t feel strong, so I stopped.” Note: More precise and neutral tone; keeps meaning.

“And I started feeling inferiority complex.”

“I started feeling not good enough—maybe ‘inferiority complex’ isn’t the exact term.” Note: You feel inferior or insecure; “inferiority complex” is a label, not something you “feel.”

“I started feeling like I’m not good enough because I can’t create vivid storylines like the way the other rappers do.”

“I felt I wasn’t good enough because I couldn’t create vivid storylines like some other rappers.” Note: Tense consistency; remove “like the way”; tighten wording.

“They made me feel as if I’m not good enough.”

“It made me feel worse.” or “They made me feel like I wasn’t good enough.” Note: Tense consistency; avoid “as if” redundancy.

“Khalifa called me that we have a show.”

“Khalifa called about a show.” Note: Natural English phrasing.

“Kumasi flight booked 15,000.” Fix: “A show in Kumasi—flight booked—with an offer of 15,000.”

Add structure; consider adding currency for clarity.

“And it’s like good things were just happening.”

“Good things kept happening.” Note: Tighter, avoids filler.

“I was calling her to check up on her.”

“I called to check on her.” Note: Simpler and past‑tense consistent.

“I was putting energy in the relationship like I should.”

“I put extra energy into the relationship, like I should.” Note: Preposition (“into”), tense consistency.

“Even though I do, I was putting more effort because I know she’s going through some stuff.”

“Even though I usually do, I put in more effort because I know she’s going through some stuff.” Note: Clarifies habit vs. today; adds missing phrase.

I think the most underrated skill a person can have is being self-aware.

Corrected: I think the most underrated skill a person can have is self-awareness.

Original: I realized that people are not self-aware when it comes to little things like, you are supposed to meet me today or I’m supposed to come through with a project for you and I’m not able to pull through.

Corrected: I realised that people often lack self-awareness in simple situations — for example, if you are supposed to meet me today, or I am supposed to deliver a project for you but cannot follow through.

Explanation: “Realised” in British spelling; “little things like” → “simple situations” for clarity; “come through with a project” → “deliver a project”; “pull through” is usually for survival/recovery, not meeting obligations.

Just pick up the call and say, oh, I’m sorry, I can’t come through today, can we make it tomorrow?

Corrected: You could simply call and say, ‘I’m sorry, I can’t make it today — can we reschedule for tomorrow?’

Because they realize that they disappointed you, they’d rather not call you.

Because they realise they have disappointed you, they would rather avoid calling.

Explanation: Changed tense for smoothness; “they’d rather not call you” is fine but “avoid calling” is cleaner.

Or let’s say, you want an offer from somebody or you want something from someone and instead of the person picking the call to tell you no, they’ll keep avoiding you.

Or, for instance, if you want an offer or a favour from someone, instead of calling to say ‘no,’ they keep avoiding you.

Explanation: “Picking the call” → “calling”; simplified repetition.

And I think this is, I don’t know if this is self-improvement, I should regard it as self-improvement or self-awareness, but I think it’s self-awareness.

I’m not sure whether this falls under self-improvement or self-awareness — but I believe it is self-awareness.

Explanation: Tidied the hesitation and repetition.

And we lack this thing as a people.

We lack this quality as a people.

Explanation: “Thing” → “quality” for precision.

It’s something that we haven’t learned.

It’s something we haven’t learned.

Explanation: Fine, just tightened.

That’s what I feel.

That’s how I feel.

Explanation: “That’s what I feel” is understandable but “how” is more natural.

And I feel this thing should be part of our syllabus.

I feel this should be part of our school syllabus.

Explanation: “This thing” → “this” for simplicity; specified “school syllabus” for clarity.

To me, it’s very important in English and math, all the core subjects, because what do you have if you can, if you are good in English and math and all the core subjects, but you are not self-aware.

To me, it is as important as English and Maths — all the core subjects — because what good are they if you excel in them but are not self-aware?

Explanation: British spelling “Maths”; improved sentence flow.

You are not emotionally matured.

You are not emotionally mature.

Explanation: Adjective form is “mature,” not “matured” in this context.

You get it?

Do you get it?

Explanation: Fine as conversational; slight grammar adjustment.

So this is why I feel self-awareness is really, really important.

This is why I feel self-awareness is so important.

Explanation: Removed repetition “really, really” for cleaner delivery.

So I urge us to start being aware of certain things, subtle things.

I urge us to start being aware of certain subtle things.

Explanation: Removed comma for flow.

We need to be very, very aware when it comes to certain things.

We need to be very aware of certain things.