Last week, I wrote a post encouraging English learners to stop apologising for their English all the time.

And somebody made an interesting point in the comments: sometimes saying “Sorry” is just politeness or good manners.

I agree.

But I still think it’s worth asking:

Why do so many English learners feel the need to apologise before they even speak?

Sometimes it’s just habit.

Sometimes it’s politeness.

But sometimes it comes from shame or fear of making mistakes.

And that can be harmful.

***

If you constantly say “Sorry for my English” …

… you may start to believe:

• my English is a problem

• my mistakes are embarrassing

• I’m bothering people

• I shouldn’t speak unless my English is perfect.

And that can damage confidence over time.

***

Most people don’t expect perfection from language learners.

They just want communication.

And apologising all the time can actually make people focus more on your English…

… and less on your ideas, personality, experience, or expertise.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to improve your English.

But you do not need to apologise for being a learner. 🙂