Be a competent learner

English learners often look for someone competent to correct their mistakes. They need someone competent to check what they write in English.

I want to advance a different attitude.
A learner can be competent at his own level.
You don't need a competent supervisor.
You can be competent for yourself.

When you imitate a sentence from a dictionary,
you know you are writing a correct sentence.
You are competent. You don't need a teacher.

When you know a structure, and when you know the words you want to use in this structure, then you can build a correct sentence on your own.
You are competent.

With a dictionary you are competent for yourself.
You can ask a question and find the answer for yourself.
Your teacher is often worse than your dictionary.
Be competent for yourself.
Surround yourself with dictionaries, and databanks of sentences.
Search the Internet for example sentences.
Be competent for yourself.

you are as usual right as far as the above points are concerned.
I have been following these points since I was joined this website.
I'm not Taking any English classes and I'm learning it by myself.

A learner can be competent at his own level.

LACK OF PROOF ERROR

Your teacher is often worse than your dictionary.

STUPID WORD 'often'

to DETECTOR:

<<<<<<<
> A learner can be competent at his own level.
LACK OF PROOF ERROR
>>>>>>>

I don't understand your remark.
I am making a suggestion for learners to follow.
What is the statement that lacks proof?

<<<<<<<
> Your teacher is often worse than your dictionary.
STUPID WORD 'often'
>>>>>>>

I want to say that it is sometimes better to consult a dictionary than to ask a teacher. It depends on the dictionary and the teacher that a learn has access to.

I want to encourage learners to use dictionaries.

And I want to warn learners against bad teachers. From my knowledge of the world, there are people who are formally "English teachers" and whose English is very bad.

'A learner can be competent at his own level.' is not a question.
'A learner can be competent at his own level.' is not a suggestion.
So
'A learner can be competent at his own level.' is a statement.

I assume:
'A learner can be competent at his own level.'=
='There exists a lerner who can be competent at his own level.'

'There exists a lerner who can be competent at his own level.' is true or false.

You wrote 'A learner can be competent at his own level.' and you didn't prove this.
This is a LACK OF PROOF ERROR.

'often' is a word which means nothing.

'We often go swimming at the weekend.'
'I've often seen him on the train.
'Write as often as you can.'

Do you understand these sentences?

to DETECTOR:

If you want to discuss such things with me, you must contact me by email. You can find my email address on the Antimoon contact page:
http://www.antimoon.com/about/contact.htm

The Antimoon forum is devoted to discussing things related to learning English. Please use the forum in accordance with its purpose. I am available for discussion about anything on earth - by email.

I wrote only few sentences.
How do you know that I don't discuss things related to learning English.

This is the only way I can discuss things related to learning English.
If you answer my question seriously it will be a discussion about learning English.

I'll give you a hint.
My hypothesis is:
If you say "Your teacher is often worse than your dictionary." and you don't say when, you say nothing.
You probably wanted to indicate that it is sometimes better to consult a dictionary than to ask a teacher.
If so, it is sometimes better to ask a teacher than to consult a dictionary.
I don't know when it is better to consult a dictionary than to ask a teacher.
I don't know when it is better to ask a teacher than to consult a dictionary.
Your advice is useless in my case.

Why do you deleted my topic?
I don't know the word 'often'.
I need as many answers as possible.
That's way I put it on the forum.
It will be a discussion about " What people have learnd about word 'often'?
It will be a discussion about learning English in fact.

<<<<
If you say "Your teacher is often worse than your dictionary." and you don't say when, you say nothing.
You probably wanted to indicate that it is sometimes better to consult a dictionary than to ask a teacher.
If so, it is sometimes better to ask a teacher than to consult a dictionary.
I don't know when it is better to consult a dictionary than to ask a teacher.
I don't know when it is better to ask a teacher than to consult a dictionary.
Your advice is useless in my case.
>>>>

MRW's message is not useless. It gives you a new idea: using a dictionary instead of asking a teacher. You are supposed to try the idea. You are supposed to make the comparison yourself, and then decide when it is better to use a dictionary and when to ask your teacher.

MRW's message is a good inspiration. In this light, it's really unimportant whether "often" means "in 5% of the cases" or "in 95% of the cases".

You cannot expect MRW to say in advance how useful the technique will be in your personal case. Perhaps you have a fantastic teacher who can produce tons of great example sentences, knows everything about pronunciation, etc. In such a case, you might always prefer to ask him. But you will not know that until you've tried the dictionary.

i know that i can use my dictionary but i don't know how to do it.
i often open my dictionary and read definitions of words.
But i am not able to write correct sentences.
i think DETECTOR is right.
i realy don't know when it is better to consult a dictionary than to ask a teacher.
But if you teach me to consult a dictionary instead of asking a teacher
i will be glad. You know, i am too shy to ask my teacher.

to shy:

What sort of dictionary do you use? Does your dictionary have lots of example sentences? How often do you look up words in your dictionary? In what situations (e.g. when reading at home, in class, etc.)?

to DETECTOR:

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
If you say "Your teacher is often worse than your dictionary." and you don't say when, you say nothing.
You probably wanted to indicate that it is sometimes better to consult a dictionary than to ask a teacher.
If so, it is sometimes better to ask a teacher than to consult a dictionary.
I don't know when it is better to consult a dictionary than to ask a teacher.
I don't know when it is better to ask a teacher than to consult a dictionary.
Your advice is useless in my case.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

It is possible that my advice is useless in your case. If so, you must seek advice elsewhere. But I will still try to help you. You must be patient and willing to cooperate. I started a new topic: "How to use English dictionaries in the Antimoon way". Let the discussion go on in that topic. OK?

Go to
http://www.antimoon.com/forum/2002/36.htm

i use an english-english dictionary. My dictionary has lots of example sentences.
i look up words in my dictionary each time i write a sentece or read a book. i do it at home. But my sentences are still not correct.

to shy:

I can find only one flaw in your sentences: you spell "i" instead of "I".
Otherwise, your sentences are correct.
I suspect that you are using your dictionary properly.
Good job!