Common Writing Mistakes That All Non-Native English Speakers Make

It's normal for us all to make mistakes. In my two years as an English teacher, I have learned that there are common pitfalls that all students will encounter. Let's talk if you want to know more. You can also have it done by a professional and pay someone to write an essay.

ARTICLES AND PREPOSITIONS

Students mixing up prepositions is one of the biggest problems I've seen. This is the most obvious sign that a non-native author has written a document. When referring to timeframes, common mistakes include using " from" rather than " by". For example, they might say " I should be here by 6 PM", which is a common mistake. This is understandable, as other languages don’t use as many prepositions as the English language. Spanish, for example, can use " a", which can be translated into many meanings such as " to", and " to", to name just a few. English has many exceptions and special cases that must be understood. This is the main problem with English.

Similar to articles, there are some basics rules that should be followed with English articles. However, there is a huge range of exceptions. An example of a common error would be " All trendy people are here" not noticing " The". This happens frequently. Practical English Usage is a great book that will help you understand the cases and the exceptions.

FALSE FRIENDS

This happens often. It involves students using the wrong word for a reason that it sounds similar to another. In Spanish, for example, students can mix up fabrica, which is a factory, with fabric, and vice versa. Although the words may look easy to translate, they actually mean something entirely different.

WORD ORDER

There are some basic rules that the English language uses to build sentences. For example, the basic rule of English sentence construction is to use the subject, then the verb, and finally the object (S+V+O). It is true that I play football. You can change the object and adjectives in some languages like Spanish. Spanish can be translated as "El Veloz coche", which means "the fast car", but it is also possible to say "the car fast", which is fine too. A foreign speaker can construct English words the same way as they do in their native language.

REPETITIVO TRANSITION WORDS

Some non-native English speakers tend to use too many transition words and conjunctions. They will use words such as therefore and furthermore more often than they could have used. The pizza was hot. He burned his tongue," could have been combined with "The pizza was hot" to create "The pizza was hot, and burning his tongue."

A lack of vocabulary can lead to repetitive words, which can be frustrating for language learners. This article will help you to expand your vocabulary.

WORD HUNTING

This is something most language learners have experienced at one time or another. When you're trying to find a word in a bilingual dictionary, you may see many meanings for the same word without any explanation. In this situation, you may choose the wrong word in haste to complete your work fast. This resource will help you quickly write an essay without making mistakes.

Wrong Tendencies

Present

Even the most skilled writers make grammar errors with tenses. Mixing up the present simple and the present continuous is a common error in the present tense. The continuous in English is used to indicate ongoing events, such as " I'm learning English."

The simple is used to describe facts and regular events, such as " I am a London" but it's very easy for non-natives to say " I learned English now."

Past

This is because different languages have different rules about the past tense. In English, we use the past simple tense I did it. However, in the same situation, Europeans like Spanish or Italians might use I have done this which is the present perfect. I was in Italy two years ago is a classic error.

Future

Some languages are able to use the present simple to talk of the future, so it is not surprising that it can be difficult to understand. English uses four basic constructions. They include the present simple, the present continuous and can be interchanged. There are also the future continuous and future perfect, as well as future perfect continuous. Non-natives often have trouble understanding sentences. For example, I will contact you when the dinner is ready. This should be I'll call you when it's ready ,. won't work in a when-clause.

FREQUENT MISHAPS

While the English words borrow and lend have clear meanings, I sometimes find that non-natives use them in the wrong order. Although will your borrow me your pen is completely incorrect, it's something my students have used before.

Non-native English speakers can also confuse the words " do" with " does". Some languages, such as Spanish, have only one form. They tend to use " makes" for almost everything. An example of a common error would be " What is the most common mistake people make when learning English?"

A common error is to mix up "tell" with "say". This could be because you don't include a preposition but it can also mean that the words are confusing. For example, "say me" may not be correct but "tell me", as explained here.

Students trying to pluralize the unaccountable was another thing I observed. It would be wrong to say, " Could you please give me some suggestions". This is because English has a simple rule where the Noun can count, you then pluralize it with " s" at end. " advice", however, is not countable. You can therefore get advice or three pieces, but no advice.

It can be difficult to learn English. There are many rules and grammars that are completely irregular. This article is intended to help students and teachers who are trying to improve their English language skills. Best of luck with your studies.