Hypercorrection

Hypercorrection is when people try very hard to sound very intelligent or very proper, but actually end up making a mistake. This can happen when people think they're using a fancy or complicated word or grammar rule, but they don't really understand how it works. Or sometimes people think they're correcting someone else's mistake, but they actually make a mistake themselves because they don't understand the rule well enough.

Imagine playing a game of catch with a friend. You want to show off your fancy new catch, so you throw the ball really hard and high. But instead of catching it perfectly, you miss and the ball hits you in the face! In the same way, when people try too hard to sound smart or proper by using big words or grammar rules they don't fully understand, they can make a mistake that's just as embarrassing as getting hit in the face with a ball.

But don't worry! Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. The most important thing is to keep learning and trying, but not to be afraid of sounding natural or using language that feels comfortable and authentic to you.