There is no rule that you should never use L1 in English lessons, nor on the other hand is there any excuse for using L1 most of the time. Like many other teaching strategies, the use of L1 involves rapid on-your-feet decision making: is it worth switching to L1 at this point? Or would it be better to stay with English? We should finally free ourselves from the misconceptions and try to appreciate the existing alliance between the L1 and L2. Our ultimate aim should be to have students who are proficient L2 users rather than deficient L1 speakers.