You Don't Need to Memorize Hundreds of English Irregular Verbs
It's a common belief among French-speaking learners: to speak English well, you have to memorize hundreds of irregular verbs by heart. Mathilde, an English teacher for adults, explains why that's not actually true.
The irregular verb myth
In this reel, Mathilde (@speak.with.mathilde) tackles a belief that stops a lot of learners before they even get started: the idea that you have to memorize hundreds of English irregular verbs by heart to speak the language well. Her take is that this simply isn't true, and she explains why.
Useful over exhaustive
A long list of irregular verb forms is intimidating, and treating it as a wall you must climb before you're "allowed" to speak tends to backfire. Verbs stick far better when you encounter them doing real work in a sentence, in context, than when they're memorized off a list in isolation. Mathilde's approach favors learning English in a way that's immediately useful rather than exhaustive.
From theory to real conversation
Knowing a rule about irregular verbs is one thing; using them naturally while speaking is another. You can start practicing your English with an AI language partner on ImChatty right away, no account needed, or create a free profile to connect with real English speakers and tutors.
Mathilde, if you're reading this: we'd love to have you as one of ImChatty's early tutors. Our door is open.
- Challenges the myth that fluency requires memorizing every irregular verb
- Aimed at French-speaking adults learning English
- Focuses on useful, practical learning over rote memorization
- From a teacher offering group and individual English classes
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Why is conversation with real people better than using a language app alone?
Apps provide controlled, predictable input. Real conversation is unpredictable — it forces negotiation of meaning, error repair, and real-time production. Research by Long (1996) and Swain (1985) shows that this kind of interaction accelerates acquisition in ways that passive input consumption cannot replicate.
Which language learning method is most effective?
Research consistently favours methods that involve real communication with other people. Communicative Language Teaching and Task-Based approaches outperform grammar-translation and drill-based methods for spoken fluency, though explicit grammar instruction can support accuracy when combined with conversational practice.
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