7 Common English Speaking Mistakes Pakistanis Make (and How to Fix Them)

Most spoken English mistakes aren't really about vocabulary — they're habits, usually carried over from Urdu sentence structure. Below are seven of the most common ones we correct in sessions at English Learning Studio, along with the fix for each.

1. "I am agree with you"

In Urdu, agreement is often expressed as a state of being. In English, "agree" is already a verb — it doesn't need "am" in front of it.

I am agree with you.
→ I agree with you.

2. "Discuss about the topic"

"Discuss" already means "talk about" — adding "about" after it is redundant, even though it feels natural if you're translating from Urdu.

Let's discuss about the plan.
→ Let's discuss the plan.

3. "Since two years"

"Since" is for a specific point in time (since 2019, since Monday). "For" is for a duration (for two years).

I have lived here since two years.
→ I have lived here for two years.

4. "Kindly do the needful"

This phrase is common in formal Pakistani and Indian English, but it reads as vague and dated to most international audiences. Say specifically what you need.

Kindly do the needful.
→ Please review and confirm by Friday.

5. "Revert back to me"

"Revert" already means "go back" — "revert back" repeats the same idea twice. And in standard English, "revert" usually just means "reply."

Please revert back to me.
→ Please reply to me. / Please get back to me.

6. "Open the light"

A direct translation from Urdu's "batti khol do." In English, lights and appliances are "turned on," not "opened."

Please open the light.
→ Please turn on the light.

7. "He don't know"

A simple subject-verb agreement slip that's extremely common in fast, casual speech. Third-person singular ("he," "she," "it") takes "doesn't," not "don't."

He don't know the answer.
→ He doesn't know the answer.

How Do You Actually Fix These Mistakes?

Reading a list like this helps you recognize these patterns, but breaking the habit takes actually speaking and getting corrected in the moment — which is the whole idea behind our Spoken English Classes. If you want to know where you currently stand across speaking, reading, writing, and listening, our free IELTS mock test is a fast way to find out.