Why You Understand Grammar but Still Make Mistakes When Speaking

Dec 15, 2025
5 min read

Laptop chaos, Christmas plans, and how to turn grammar knowledge into real speech

This post comes from my weekly English with Em newsletter.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you use them, I earn a small commission — it doesn’t cost you anything extra.

Weekly update

You might be thinking, "Em, what's with the lack of long-form content lately? Where's the video on the impersonal passive that you keep talking about?"

Well, my attempts to finish it have been scuppered!

Back in October, after years of dealing with a slow computer, I finally decided to invest in a new, more powerful device. With my friend D's words, "You buy cheap, you buy twice", in my head, I bought a powerful Lenovo laptop.

Last week, while I was teaching an online lesson, the screen started to flash, with lines running up and down. I had to restart the device, interrupting my lesson. I've also been getting pop-up messages saying there is 'insufficient RAM' while doing normal tasks in Canva. On top of that, the device has been running too slowly to allow me to do much video editing.

I managed to get a short video done yesterday, but the unhappy machine crashed halfway through editing it and I lost a lot of my progress. Needless to say, this is not what I expected from a two-month-old laptop! I am currently trying to get the company to agree to a replacement rather than a repair. If I wanted a refurbished device, I could have bought one for half the price!

To add insult to injury, I bought a 128GB memory stick at the same time, though from a different retailer. When things started going wrong with my computer, I decided to back up my files, only to discover that it actually has just 32GB capacity. Because two months have passed since I bought it, there is now nothing I can do. The saving grace is that it was only €9, so it didn't break the bank.

I hope all this will be resolved before I go to England next week, but I'm not holding my breath. C'est la vie...

On the happier topic of Christmas, I'm heading back to see my family next Tuesday. I'll be staying with my big brother until the 27th, when I'll go to my mum's for a few days before heading to London to spend the New Year with my old university friends. More about this next week!

Vocabulary list

What's with (phrase): used to ask why something is happening, especially when you are confused or slightly annoyed. In American English, you'll hear 'What's up with...?'
Lack (noun): the state of not having enough of something.
Scupper (verb): to prevent something from succeeding or being completed.
On top of that (linking phrase): used to add extra information, especially something that makes a situation worse or more complicated.
Crash (verb): (for a computer or program) to suddenly stop working.
Needless to say (idiom): used to say that something is obvious and does not need to be explained.
Replacement (noun): something that is used instead of something else.
Repair (noun, verb): to fix something that is broken or damaged.
Refurbished (adjective): repaired and cleaned so it can be used again, but not brand new.
To add insult to injury (idiom): to make a bad situation even worse.
Memory stick (noun): a small device used to store and transfer digital files. 'Memory stick' is a brand name. You will also hear 'flash drive', 'pen drive', and 'USB stick'.
Back up (phrasal verb): to make a copy of files in case the original ones are lost or damaged.
Saving grace (noun): a good feature that makes a bad situation more acceptable.
Break the bank (idiom): to cost too much money.
I'm not holding my breath (idiom): used to say you do not expect something to happen.
C'est la vie (phrase): a French expression meaning 'that’s life,' used to accept a situation you cannot change.

What's new on YouTube?

Short

🌟 Especially and Specially - What's the difference?

Learn the difference between 'especially' and 'specially' - with clear examples and a memory trick!

An English pun for you!

How much does Santa pay for parking? Nothing, it's on the house.

Explanation at the end👇

Idiom of the week

Rub salt into the wound

To rub salt into the wound is to make a situation that is already bad even worse.

A wound is a damaged part of the body like a cut. Rubbing salt into it would make it more painful.

👉 Telling her she’d been replaced at work was bad enough, but announcing it in front of everyone really rubbed salt into the wound.

👉 I was already upset about failing the exam, and his joke about it just rubbed salt into the wound.

👉 Losing the match hurt, and reading all the critical comments online only rubbed salt into the wound.

Your questions answered

I understand grammar when I study it, but I still make mistakes when I speak. How can I actually use what I’ve learned more accurately in real conversations?

I understand how frustrating this can be because I have the same issue with my second language, Spanish.

Many learners experience this, and it doesn’t mean the grammar hasn’t 'stuck'. Knowing a rule and using it automatically are two different skills.

To bridge the gap, focus on small, repeatable patterns rather than whole grammar systems. Choose one structure you already know and practise using it in short, realistic sentences about your own life. You're far more likely to remember grammar when it's personally relevant.

If you don't have anyone to practise with, you could try an AI chatbot like AI Em (an AI version of me!), or simply talk to yourself. The key is saying the sentences aloud.

Speaking out loud helps turn passive knowledge into active use. It trains your mouth and your brain to work together, so the structure becomes more automatic over time.

Be patient with yourself. This is a normal and necessary part of language learning.

If you’re serious about improving your spoken English, I share practical tips here: 8 Tips to Improve Your English Speaking Skills.

Vocabulary notes

Bridge the gap (idiom): to reduce the difference between two things or move from one stage to another.

In this context: moving from knowing grammar rules to using them naturally when speaking.

Aloud / out loud (adverb): with your voice, not silently.

Out loud is more common in everyday spoken English, while aloud is slightly more formal. In most situations, they can be used interchangeably.

Explanation to the pun

This works because Santa Claus (also known as Father Christmas) parks his sleigh on the roof, literally on top of the house, in order to enter the house via the chimney.

If something is on the house, it is free.

This phrase is most often used in pubs and restaurants.

We use this phrase when something is given free of charge by a business, not by a private individual.

If your friend pays for something for you, they say, "My treat" or "It's on me."

I hope you enjoyed this post from my weekly English with Em newsletter. If you'd like to have these tips sent directly to your inbox, you can subscribe here.

Laptop chaos, Christmas plans, and how to turn grammar knowledge into real speech

This post comes from my weekly English with Em newsletter.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you use them, I earn a small commission — it doesn’t cost you anything extra.

Weekly update

You might be thinking, "Em, what's with the lack of long-form content lately? Where's the video on the impersonal passive that you keep talking about?"

Well, my attempts to finish it have been scuppered!

Back in October, after years of dealing with a slow computer, I finally decided to invest in a new, more powerful device. With my friend D's words, "You buy cheap, you buy twice", in my head, I bought a powerful Lenovo laptop.

I hope all this will be resolved before I go to England next week, but I'm not holding my breath. C'est la vie...

On the happier topic of Christmas, I'm heading back to see my family next Tuesday. I'll be staying with my big brother until the 27th, when I'll go to my mum's for a few days before heading to London to spend the New Year with my old university friends. More about this next week!

Vocabulary list

What's with (phrase): used to ask why something is happening, especially when you are confused or slightly annoyed. In American English, you'll hear 'What's up with...?'

Lack (noun): the state of not having enough of something.

Scupper (verb): to prevent something from succeeding or being completed.

On top of that (linking phrase): used to add extra information, especially something that makes a situation worse or more complicated.

Crash (verb): (for a computer or program) to suddenly stop working.

Needless to say (idiom): used to say that something is obvious and does not need to be explained.

Replacement (noun): something that is used instead of something else.

Repair (noun, verb): to fix something that is broken or damaged.

Refurbished (adjective): repaired and cleaned so it can be used again, but not brand new.

To add insult to injury (idiom): to make a bad situation even worse.

Memory stick (noun): a small device used to store and transfer digital files. 'Memory stick' is a brand name. You will also hear 'flash drive', 'pen drive', and 'USB stick'.

Back up (phrasal verb): to make a copy of files in case the original ones are lost or damaged.

Saving grace (noun): a good feature that makes a bad situation more acceptable.

Break the bank (idiom): to cost too much money.

I'm not holding my breath (idiom): used to say you do not expect something to happen.

C'est la vie (phrase): a French expression meaning 'that’s life,' used to accept a situation you cannot change.

What's new on YouTube?

Short

🌟 Especially and Specially - What's the difference?

Learn the difference between 'especially' and 'specially' - with clear examples and a memory trick!

An English pun for you!

How much does Santa pay for parking? Nothing, it's on the house.

Explanation at the end👇

Idiom of the week

Rub salt into the wound

To rub salt into the wound is to make a situation that is already bad even worse.

A wound is a damaged part of the body like a cut. Rubbing salt into it would make it more painful.

👉 Telling her she’d been replaced at work was bad enough, but announcing it in front of everyone really rubbed salt into the wound.

👉 I was already upset about failing the exam, and his joke about it just rubbed salt into the wound.

👉 Losing the match hurt, and reading all the critical comments online only rubbed salt into the wound.

Your questions answered

I understand grammar when I study it, but I still make mistakes when I speak. How can I actually use what I’ve learned more accurately in real conversations?

I understand how frustrating this can be because I have the same issue with my second language, Spanish.

Many learners experience this, and it doesn’t mean the grammar hasn’t 'stuck'. Knowing a rule and using it automatically are two different skills.

To bridge the gap, focus on small, repeatable patterns rather than whole grammar systems. Choose one structure you already know and practise using it in short, realistic sentences about your own life. You're far more likely to remember grammar when it's personally relevant.

If you don't have anyone to practise with, you could try an AI chatbot like AI Em (an AI version of me!), or simply talk to yourself. The key is saying the sentences aloud.

Speaking out loud helps turn passive knowledge into active use. It trains your mouth and your brain to work together, so the structure becomes more automatic over time.

Be patient with yourself. This is a normal and necessary part of language learning.

If you’re serious about improving your spoken English, I share practical tips here: 8 Tips to Improve Your English Speaking Skills.

Vocabulary notes

Bridge the gap (idiom): to reduce the difference between two things or move from one stage to another.

In this context: moving from knowing grammar rules to using them naturally when speaking.

Aloud / out loud (adverb): with your voice, not silently.

Out loud is more common in everyday spoken English, while aloud is slightly more formal. In most situations, they can be used interchangeably.

Explanation to the pun

This works because Santa Claus (also known as Father Christmas) parks his sleigh on the roof, literally on top of the house, in order to enter the house via the chimney.

If something is on the house, it is free.

This phrase is most often used in pubs and restaurants.

We use this phrase when something is given free of charge by a business, not by a private individual.

If your friend pays for something for you, they say, "My treat" or "It's on me."

I hope you enjoyed this post from my weekly English with Em newsletter. If you'd like to have these tips sent directly to your inbox, you can subscribe here.

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