What term describes mistakes made by a learner due to not knowing something, as in producing 'I buyed a new book'?

What term describes mistakes made by a learner due to not knowing something, as in producing 'I buyed a new book'?

• A. Errors
• B. Exploitation
• C. Exposure
• D. Extended Speaking

Answer: (A)

In language learning, the term used for mistakes that come from not knowing something yet is errors. When a learner says “I buyed a new book,” they’re applying a general past-tense rule to an irregular verb, showing a knowledge gap about how past forms work. These errors are systematic and reflect the learner’s current stage of learning, not a fleeting slip.

Mistakes, by contrast, are momentary performance slips even when the rule is known, and the other options don’t describe this kinds of language-form issue.