Speaking · Unit 2: Common mistakes
S19: "Today morning" and other Bangladeshi English
Target band 6.5 to 7.5
Every country has its own way of using English. Some of the phrases we use every day in Bangladesh, like "today morning" or "cousin brother", feel completely normal to us. But they aren't standard in international English. The examiner may understand you, but these phrases can count as errors or unnatural word choices.
Why this matters
The Lexical Resource criterion looks at whether you use words naturally and accurately. These local phrases can make your English sound less precise. And because they feel normal to us, we rarely notice them.
To be clear: there's nothing shameful about Bangladeshi English. It's part of who we are. This lesson is about knowing which form the IELTS examiner expects.
Common phrases and their standard forms
| Bangladeshi English | Standard international English |
|---|---|
| today morning / today night | this morning / tonight |
| yesterday night | last night |
| cousin brother / cousin sister | cousin |
| I passed out from Dhaka University | I graduated from Dhaka University |
| What is your good name? | What's your name? |
| Do the needful | Please do what's needed / Please sort it out |
| I am having two brothers | I have two brothers |
| discuss about the problem | discuss the problem |
| return back / revert back | return / reply |
| prepone the meeting | bring the meeting forward |
| out of station | out of town / away |
| I'll give you a missed call | I'll call you / I'll ring you |
| My native place is Sylhet | I'm from Sylhet / My hometown is Sylhet |
| He is a very much good person | He's a really good person |
| I am knowing him | I know him |
A special warning about "passed out"
In international English, "passed out" usually means you became unconscious. So "I passed out from university in 2022" can sound like you fainted at university. Use "graduated".
"I am having" with state verbs
Verbs like have (when it means own), know, like, want, believe and understand are usually not used in the -ing form.
- Not: "I am knowing the answer." Use: "I know the answer."
- Not: "I am having a car." Use: "I have a car."
- But this is fine: "I'm having lunch." (Here have means eat. That's an action.)
Try it yourself
Correct these sentences.
- "Today morning I discussed about my plans with my cousin brother."
- "I passed out from college in 2021 and now I am having a small business."
- "Yesterday night my father returned back from out of station."
Possible answers:
- "This morning I discussed my plans with my cousin."
- "I graduated from college in 2021 and now I have a small business."
- "Last night my father came back from a trip."
Honest note
One or two of these won't destroy your score. But they're very common, and they're easy to fix once you know them. Fixing them is a cheap way to sound more natural.
Your task today
Read the table out loud twice. Then record a 2-minute answer about your family and your hometown. Check for any of these phrases.